Keith Tanner said:Colin Wood said:I always thought it would have made a lot of sense if GM had just re-badged the Corvette to make the XLR.
A luxury Corvette? Sign me up.
It's got some Corvette DNA, no? I seem to recall a transverse leaf spring, and that cannot be convergent evolution.
It's a c6 vetted underneath with a separate power train and suspension tuning. It's the "y" platform.
MadScientistMatt said:Personally, I think a far worse problem than the ones on your list is that they never offered it with a manual.
Not a problem, like most septuagenarian women, my mom is clutch-averse.
If they have enough money to buy it and potentially pay to have the head bolt threads repaired, and are ok with it probably being totalled from even very minor body damage, why not?
There are lots of cool but terrible cars you still see on the road sometimes, and as long as you can afford to deal with the likely potential problems without using money you would need for something else, I see no reason not to do it.
Taillights are absurdly expensive used, and if they fail, they're an LED board, so you can't just change out a bulb. Like $1500-$2500 an assembly USED.
The Northstar is a notorious piece of E36 M3.
A lot of the parts for the convertible top are long discontinued. We had a customer who brought one in because the convertible top didn't work and after trying several different used motors and pumps and what-have-you, each of which were failed in different manners, he gave up and it is now just permanently a couple.
I have a friend who has one. He's one of those people that is a bit different. He started out collecting 3rd gen camaros in college, since he got his PHD he moved on to collecting 1st and 2nd gen corvettes. He pinches his pennies hard and is notorious for trying to find the lowest bidder for automotive work. (his corvettes get put together by a redneck in a barn)
He had a C5 Zo6, but wound up not liking it for being too easy to drive and too fast without feeling it (at least thats what I got from him).
He got the XLR and in many ways its perfect for him. Its a boulevard cruiser corvette with a milder engine that apparently runs smoother.
That said, its been pretty much parked for the last year (like most of his cars) because there is a problem with the top that he cant find anyone to work on or fix. Which with him means nobody within about 60 miles that will do it cheap.
He loves that car though...
ClearWaterMS said:what about an R230 variant of the Mercedes SL? fully depreciated at this point, expensive maintenance, factory hard top convertible...
For the same price range as an XLR, I think the 2009-2012 R230 looks way better, especially with the AMG sport package. Also the SL550 is pretty reliable. They do have periodic issues with the tops but I think that is a feature with all hardtop converts at some point. My only issue is they tend to only come in black, white, gray and sometimes red.
So, if these things are worth their weight in unobtanium in pieces, is there a reason I shouldn't buy one and part it out? I found one for 21k just now and according to yall there's 20k in lights on the damn thing.
In reply to Mndsm :
DO It !
Get one, sell off the lights, top, and whatever interior bits. Add trailer lights or something. Track day it till motor blows, sell residual. Wash rinse repeat?
Low production numbers, unobtanium basics = inevitable attrition due to short-term value equation. But with a small pool of survivors, these could actually appreciate a lot in 20-30 years.
OTOH, I knew a guy who scooped up Blockbuster penny stocks hoping for one last bounce.
Mndsm said:So, if these things are worth their weight in unobtanium in pieces, is there a reason I shouldn't buy one and part it out? I found one for 21k just now and according to yall there's 20k in lights on the damn thing.
They also make a pretty berkeleying sick drift car.
NickD said:The Northstar is a notorious piece of E36 M3.
This isn't a reason for any normie to buy an XLR, but I actually think that for an enthusiast, Northstar engines have some redeeming qualities. Yes they're way less reliable than an LS, kind of fragile and troublesome to work on. But they're a pretty compact DOHC V8 with 4AGE-like high-RPM potential and they respond well to boost.
In reply to GameboyRMH :
"kind of fragile" but "respond well to boost"?, so boosting a northstar comes with a countdown?
In reply to yupididit :
There are aftermarket fixes to address the fragility (mostly head & block bolting hardware), so if you want to heavily boost one it's a good idea to rebuild the engine with those fixes first.
GameboyRMH said:NickD said:The Northstar is a notorious piece of E36 M3.
This isn't a reason for any normie to buy an XLR, but I actually think that for an enthusiast, Northstar engines have some redeeming qualities. Yes they're way less reliable than an LS, kind of fragile and troublesome to work on. But they're a pretty compact DOHC V8 with 4AGE-like high-RPM potential and they respond well to boost.
The early ones were troublesome, and when my son bought an 09 Cadillac I made a face, but he assured me they had it figured out. It was trouble free for the several years of heavy abuse he inflicted on it, and it was very enjoyable. I always like the XLR, but too many potential problems, like the lights and the top.
Ok so now I kinda want one. I assume the C5 manual transaxle will swap in? Also wanted to point out that Frenchy would be screaming about how Calvin is working on a Northstar engine and they must be the best thing since the Jag v12 because of that.
Mom has been successfully talked down. She owned a Caddy once, and sold it about 5 years ago to get a GMC Acadia, which has been trouble-free for her for 70,000 miles (unlike the Caddy...and that wasn't even a particularly special one). Bottom line, my folks just aren't car people, and if they can't take it to the local mechanic down the street it's going to be more of a headache for them than it will be worth.
Mndsm said:So, if these things are worth their weight in unobtanium in pieces, is there a reason I shouldn't buy one and part it out? I found one for 21k just now and according to yall there's 20k in lights on the damn thing.
I found a couple dozen of these things on my local FBMP, which seems astounding considering their low production numbers. Maybe more of them were sold in the MD-DC-VA region? Prices range from low teens to low 20's depending mostly on mileage.
I mean, I guess you could drive it till something expensive breaks, then part it out, and not come out too badly off.
They look cool, but like many have said, I'd just go with the equivalent C6.
My dad had the same question, and I steered him toward a C6 convertible with the 3LT luxury package. Has all the fancy stuff like leather, heated seats, and a more comfortable suspension, but has the 430HP LS under the hood and a 6-speed auto. Even with the grandpa options, it's a hoot to drive.
Tony Sestito said:They look cool, but like many have said, I'd just go with the equivalent C6.
Or even a Solstice/Sky. Convertible, same basic engine as a Cobalt/Ion, made for a longer period and in larger numbers.
Stampie said:Ok so now I kinda want one. I assume the C5 manual transaxle will swap in? Also wanted to point out that Frenchy would be screaming about how Calvin is working on a Northstar engine and they must be the best thing since the Jag v12 because of that.
It should swap in with an LS engine. Or an LS bellhousing to Northstar engine adaptor.
I am in when Cadillac makes this for real. I mean just re-body a C8 already!!!
The XLR-V was $109k in 2009, equivalent to $147,338 in 2023 dollars. The mind boggles.
dean1484 said:I am in when Cadillac makes this for real. I mean just re-body a C8 already!!!
CO-SIGN!!!
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Now now you have to be nice. Plus I'm a Caddy man.
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