We love James because he’s fair and honest about his baby. He could buy anything but chooses an XLR V. It really is a stunner, esp in that Honduras Maroon Metallic.
Got an '06 V myself, and I love watching your videos on these for a slightly different perspective. I will say the attention this gets compared to my C6 Z06 is a huge difference, especially because the C6 Z looks pretty dated now but the XLR-V still looks pretty much like all but the newest Cadillacs. I actually disabled the butterfly valves in the exuast so it's always wide open, but it's still way too quiet. I gotta say, a rear camera in 2004 (I know you have an '06 when this car came out, actually produced in 2003) would have been insanely advanced. The BT45 VET mod is your answer for Bluetooth connections. Scooped one off of Ebay and now it even says the name of the song I'm playing on my HUD. No need for a shop to install it either, it's a cakewalk.
That’s pretty cool that you have both an XLR-V and a C6 Z06! I’m guessing that both of them probably drive and handle pretty differently from one another. Do you have a preference between the two? Someday I might look into adding Bluetooth etc, but I’d also like to keep the car stock
XLR owner here, also a 2006 but not a V. I've had over 30 "toy" cars and I normally keep them for 2-3 years, but I have now had this one for 11 years - still love it. I can't disagree with the dislikes although most are indeed nitpicks; for example I've never had an issue with the cup holders, they hold even a 16 oz. foam cup with no problem. Certainly not a lot of storage space inside but James did not mention there is also a small compartment between the seats (you can see it at 1:48) in addition to the console. It's not big either but holds a mini-umbrella and several other small items for me (plus of course the glove compartment and bins in both doors). Trunk is actually quite large when the top is up; doesn't seem like much of a disadvantage to me in return for the wonderful hardtop convertible feature. (And by the way I have had MANY convertibles, and this is the ONLY one that does not leak a drop, even in car washes.) Several of the comments refer to the Northstar engine problems, but it is my understanding that these were well-sorted by about 2003; I have had zero problems in 37,000 miles and I do use the horsepower that is available (only 320 in mine - yes I'm jealous of the 443 in the V's).
Just bought a Black 06 Cadillac XLR Star Black Limited Edition with only 37,444 miles just for $5,480 sight unseen at iaai auctions this morning, no reserve, had a buy now of $16,000 & was listed with a Clean Title & that it also Runs & Drives so wish me luck ! Seeing your videos & CarWizards about this car has me completely sold & had me watching out for this car for a while now ! can’t thank you enough for your in depth analysis & insight of the livelihood on this car hope I have just as much luck & joy as you are with mine !😂💯👍🏼
Sometimes the dislikes of a car, like your XLR, can be the best part of ownership. Sounds crazy but the Character of an older car can be part of its charm. I own a Mint low mile summer only '94 Z28 and the quirky stuff makes it unique. Tiny single cup hold (too small, and was in GM"s advertising campaign as "BIG enough to hold a Slurpee" LOL). Hard plastic dash work, Big old Steering wheel Air Bag.... I love this stuff!! Easy to over look when the T-Tops are out on a beautiful Summers drive. Great video once again my Friend!!
It is a stunner in looks and performance. Beautiful condition. Still looks modern, that's a testament to it's good design. They do make cups that will fit in those holders. Check out the Stanley ones. They taper at the bottom.👍🇺🇲❤️
Greetings from Germany, I have also fulfilled my dream, my Cadillac XLR❤ For me it is not an everyday car but there is the XT5, and XT4 and when driving fast ATS-V
Good point! There are occasionally deals out there, but they can be expensive. However, when I was buying this car I saw many Corvette Z06's for sale from the same era and they were usually much more expensive which I thought was interesting. Thanks for watching, Lon!!
Great update and thanks for stating there's no Aux audio jack. Ironic how the same sized SL's had rear storage compartments but this car didn't have space. I think the rear transaxle ate up a lot of room back there.
What's not to like? They would have to pry that car from my cold dead fingers, and then I would haunt them. Great review, especially your grin when your head snapped back during the speed run.
My dad followed the GM master plan for his life - starting out with Chevys and then moving to Buicks and then finally ending up with a Cadillac. However the Cadillac he drove I couldn't imagine myself driving in a thousand years. The styling and the performance and everything was just so out of step with what I wanted. I remember looking at this when it came out and thinking that it was neither fish nor fowl. It seemed very transitional to me. It had features I liked and it also had features that I'm sure my father would have liked. I can hear him saying something like "Man, this thing is supercharged but listen to how quiet it is!"
Thank you for great car revues. It would be super fun if you made one for Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham 1993, also love to hear the history about Fleetwood 93 - 96. Regards: Marcus from Sweden.
I own a 2006 XLR 4.6 . My favorite car every. Looked at in 04 but 80,000 seemed steep so bought 04 Corvette for 50,000. Where's the 30,000?? Got my 06 , 7 years ago 52,000 miles for 25,000. Absolutely luv and agree with you with your evaluation. Many have never seen one. Mines triple black lowered to 3 inches. They call it batmobile 🦇🦇
I've always like the looks of these. You are correct in that it surely does not look like a 17 year old car. Also in wonderful condition so it went to a good home when you bought it.
I've always loved the XLR, I'm looking at an 09, I believe the color is called midnight cherry, and it's an absolutely gorgeous color for such a beautiful car. I'm looking up reviews, I juat watched this one and also your 09 review. It's nice to get an owner's perspective, especially one who appreciates the beauty of it as much as I do. I do wish I could get a manual though. I've got a 19 Z06 manual, the final year for it unfortunately.
The Reason I Subcribe To Your Channel Because Your Videos Are Very Helpful And Full Of Information Are GM Cars & You Are Honest About Likes & Dislikes About A Car , So If You A Were A Salesman At A GM Dealership I Would Ask For You Because Are A Up Front & Honest Guy , So Keep Up The Good Work & Thanks For Your Videos 👍✌️
Thanks for the very honest review James! All very interesting, but that power has to make up for some dings! That center storage is crazy small, what was Caddy thinking!?
Great Review and Retrospective Analysis James, I agree with all of your Likes and Dislikes. I just cannot believe it was a $100,000 car as it is nice , but definitely not worth that kind of Money, especially back in 2006. I am also wondering if you have had any problems with the Northstar...? I know they fixed most of the issues with it by 2006, but it still scares the hell out of me. Thanks...
Thank you for the feedback, John! So far, I haven’t had any major problems with any Northstar engine I’ve had. Personally, I have found that if they are maintained very well and not abused, they will generally be a very good engine (especially the engines built after 1999). However, it is always possible for something major to go wrong, but it hasn’t happened to me yet and owning them is a risk I’m more than willing to take (fingers crossed lol).
@@JW_Reviews Thanks James, yeah its probably a much better engine than everyone thinks, but it was just those early and problematic iterations of it that has scared off people like me. But yes, a great engine after the fixes and with regular maintenance. Thanks...
Great video! Surprised at the production numbers for the XLR. Wonder how many are still registered and on the road. BTW, you been working out? Lookin' good!!
My favorite color. Can’t go wrong with red. One problem however: I have a feeling I’m too tall to fit in that type of car. 😳 I could roll in the ‘76 Fleetwood all day though!
Excellent, thanks. It's one of the most beautiful cars ever made, IMO, especially in that dark red color. As an overall car, it's so cool that I'd consider having the interior extensively customized to address its shortcomings (to the extent that were possible). It's interesting that my C4 Corvette interior (like all other Corvette interiors since) is no paragon of quality look and feel but it does at least have plenty of storage capacity. It could easily be a daily driver or road trip car. You'd think the Corvette would be compromised, not the Cadillac. But I guess that is just the price you pay for the beautiful notchback styling and the power hardtop on your XLR-V. I'd certainly have one if I could possibly afford it, properly care for it, and so on. Nice car.
Didn’t mention some other cool stuff this car has available - stuff you could get: Advanced Front Lighting - headlights turn when you do, heated and cooled seats, Adaptive Cruise Control, the HUD. Some others that I can’t think of right now as it is time to turn in. Very nice car. I’m hoping that a V is in my future. I have a Base right now - and it’s a Mark Kay edition in Black. Only made 47 of those in 2007, with ~80 of them over the span of this car being built. Can you tell I’m excited about this car??
NICE CADDY!!!! I will agree it is one of the best looking cars. The Art & Science style is still cool. I wanted one from day one but they are always out of reach for me. I was able to buy a 13 CTS4 Performance coupe, which I LOVE! It's as close as I'll get to a XLR and that's OK. Thx Still have the XLR?
They made the same mistake with the Allante. I can remember as a teenager when that Allante launched in 1987 and the price take was mind-blowing to the point most folks blew a brain gasket. The critics at the time claimed there was entirely too much plastic and nowhere near enough leather. Now, as far as the car is concerned I considered this car but not for very long. It still has that troubled Northstar even though it is improved still has the head gasket issues and is a nightmare to repair with a one thousand dollar head bolt kit (not including 15-25 hours labor). It is not a matter of "if" it will fail but when. From my research of about 90 days and from many sources, I have also found that just about every nut and bolt on this car loves to fail and the typical repair bill is in the thousands, and extremely labor-intensive to get to the problem area. In a nutshell, the frequent and costly repairs scared the sh*t out of me so I took a hard pass on it. Thanks for the video and I wish you the best with yours.
On your complaints, the center console storage and cup holders were like that cause this was basically a Corvette C5 with a Cadillac shell draped over it. Your big honkin’ transmission was right under that console, gobbling up the room. It was in fact true leather that was actually cut and stitched together by then I believe. This car was also known for that genuine metal to feel like fake metal. The pattern in it was very expensive to make, and the person who came in to clean up GM around that time said stupid business decisions like that expensive but cheap-feeling metal was why he axed this model soon after. I believe some of the missing technologies inside was because Cadillac wanted to have bespoke controls that didn’t look like any other GM parts bins. They had to lock those decisions in long before the car came out so they could have them produced by Delco in separate production lines. I think they thought the demographic that would buy this, even the V, was a male executive in his 50s-60s who wanted more of a grand tourer than one with a husky motor sound. Likewise, I think they thought that demographic wouldn’t like having wires going from a phone to an aux input as it would look “tacky.” It was one of the best examples of their “Art and Science” angular design language.
I remember I turned 16 in 2008 and seen 1 of these every day in school line. I had and still have a iroc z. Anyways I always wondered qhat it was and thought back then this thing was huge and scary looking. The 1 I seen was black. I wanted 1 alot back them.
its just amazing how just in a matter of 100 years we've went from having to worry about dying daily from all kinds of shit, zero comforts in life, not even AC or clean water... to complaining about too small cup holders or not enough trunk room to put the top down and store golf clubs. LMAO
RE: "lack of exhaust sound" Cadillac did this on purpose in the cases of both the XLR-V and the STS-V. Both cars used the Northstar engine. This was the early days of the V performance division when Cadillac was trying to shed its stodgy reputation as an old man's car. Executives wanted to hedge their bets by keeping some of its V lineup more muted. Both the STS and the XLR were flagships, competing with the Mercedes S Class and SL roadster respectively. The client demographic in both cases was older and deemed less likely to enjoy big thundering engines. They soon discovered that the CTS V was attracting younger buyers and selling like mad. Of course, we all know that the CTS was powered by the Corvette V8, rather than the Northstar. In the second generation, Cadillac dumped the full size executive sedan and the roadster, focusing rather on (and improving) the CTS, as well as later the ATS. The larger sedan had one last hurrah with the CT6-V Blackwing, which was obviously a limited run offering and also used a smaller displacement V8. If I were suddenly obscenely wealthy, I would fill a garage with Cadillac V cars. They are monuments to the quality of American engineering when corporate bean counters actually get out of the way and allow them to build world class cars.
Just change the module and find the part number in 2009 and I Don't think it has to be the exact sthe module doesn't have to come from a XOR. You just need to find the part number and buy it off. EBay, then you Bluetooth will work.
Hey James. I just finally bit the bullet myself and picked up an identical 06 to yours with 32k miles. Checked all the usual suspects, but there are no leaks from the top hydraulics, good Magride shocks all around, and overall super well kept. I was curious if you experience any rattles from somewhere in the top behind the seats? Mine has a pretty significant rattle over rough pavement and I haven’t been able to check it out. Also, I have some weird wind noise (sounds kind of like a kazoo!) coming from the center of the windshield header at speeds over 80.
I have an STS-V. Why is this important? It shares the same LC3 supercharged N* V8. You can address the sound easily. If you want to hear the supercharger, an aftermarket Intake (I have the spectre 2-piece on mine) will make the difference. Mine whines gloriously with this setup. I know there is some plumbing differences between the car, but this will get you to hear the blower better. Then of course exhaust. I have Magnaflow exhaust manifolds on both sides (long story for another time), removed the mid-muffler and then Magnaflow mufflers. You can hear sounds of this LC3 with that intake and exhaust in my You Tube vids if you like. But this will remedy that dislike.
I have used M & R Electronics in MI to modify radio's for my '80's Cadillac's to add a aux jack. Ever bang your head getting in? I hate that getting into my Camaro. I had a black '04 CTS and I did like design. I wasn't all that impressed with the plastic feel of the interior.
This video is full of nickle dime bitching and moaning about things that didnt exist in 2006. Cars didnt sound "agressive" from the factory in 2006. Car interiors took a massive leap around 2010 or so comparing a 2006 is crazy.
All of what I am going to say is for the XLR and V model. As a former 2006 XLR owner, I can honestly say the XLR is a very cool car. Overall build quality is typical GM...average at best. The XLR looks awesome and angular...the C6 Vette should have looked so great. The XLR is not overly fast, but decently quick. The interior is typical GM...VERY cheap and plasticy if that makes sense. Nothing great by any means for an $80-$90k car when it was new. Don't ever...ever...ever damage or wreck a headlight, tail light or lower running light on this car. Because, you'll never find one new, they don't exist. They've been out of production for 10++ years and there are ZERO available at any GM or Cadillac dealership on planet earth. They're 100% gone and they are never coming back. There are none available in the after market either simply due to the very low production numbers of the car. Last new headlight I saw was on ebay going for $5,000...for one headlight. YES...$5,000. Car rides rough, but that's to be expected. The top is awesome. Handling is average. Much more wollowy than a C6 vette, but rides better also. Overall, just a fun car to drive. Don't think it's an uber fast sports car...it's not. You'll get smoked by a lot of modern cars with no problem. It's basically a car to cruise in and enjoy the day. I enjoyed mine tremendously and if you ever get a chance to drive one, you'll dig it.
The CEO at GM needs his head examined. If I had his job, I would take the new mid-engine Corvette and new Camaro and redesign the bodies for Cadillac and Buick. GM could sink its teeth into luxury sports car industry and the exotic car industry all at once.
Man you have a xlr go figure quit bitching I love to have one who cares about the small things it don't have. Be thankful what you have and don't worrie about what you don't have.
I'm a huge fan of these georgious vehicles, I thought ur review was very good... I owned a '88 A'llante for a few years & def regret getting rid of it, it was used w 105xxx but except for some minor int flaws was in very good condition, it was red, camel int & blk top, Oh my how comfy those 12 way seats were, 4.1 32v quite peppy but nothing compared to ur beautiful car, Again great video! 🤙
generaton x,,,pilgrim for sure,,,,complains about not hearing the engine,,,but its made with solid roof,,,,those folks want comfort and quite. IT does NOT have northstar engine,,,this is a smaller engine,,,,,if you didnt like it,,,,why did you buy it? And complaining about gadgets not there,,,hey its 18 yrs old!!!
You lost me at Northstar V8. That's probably one of the worst engines GM ever produced. I couldn't imagine how troublesome a supercharged version would be.
@@v6mustang551 While I've never worked on that specific engine. I have worked on the non supercharged North Stars. Between the catastrophic oil leaks, head gaskets and overheating issues I've never seen one make it past 100,000 miles healthy. The emission systems clogging up caused excessive crankcase pressure blew valve cover gaskets. The "100,000" coolant was breaking down and clogging up radiators in less than 50k. Constantly running hotter than they should caused sludge issues that led to blown head gaskets and oil starvation. I worked on quite a few of them. When they're healthy they are definitely powerhouses. They we're impressive but were high maintenance and burned out quick.
I too had a 4.4L Supercharged Northstar in my 2006 Cadillac STS-V and it held up flawlessly. I modified it to 459RWHP and she screamed. Worked with Spectre Performance to bring a cold air to market. With that, you could hear the SC from a block away. I have a few videos of it on my RUclips channel.
@@MrSchmidthead I'm glad y'all had success with the supercharged North Star engines but the ones I worked on in the early 2000s were glass grenades. There was a list of different things that would fail and total them out. Those supercharged models must have been built at a different plant. Lol
@@nunyabusiness7477 The 4.4 is different from the 4.6 that was prone to fail. They were all hand built and the technician that built it signed the engine tag.
We love James because he’s fair and honest about his baby. He could buy anything but chooses an XLR V. It really is a stunner, esp in that Honduras Maroon Metallic.
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate the support 😁
Got an '06 V myself, and I love watching your videos on these for a slightly different perspective. I will say the attention this gets compared to my C6 Z06 is a huge difference, especially because the C6 Z looks pretty dated now but the XLR-V still looks pretty much like all but the newest Cadillacs. I actually disabled the butterfly valves in the exuast so it's always wide open, but it's still way too quiet. I gotta say, a rear camera in 2004 (I know you have an '06 when this car came out, actually produced in 2003) would have been insanely advanced. The BT45 VET mod is your answer for Bluetooth connections. Scooped one off of Ebay and now it even says the name of the song I'm playing on my HUD. No need for a shop to install it either, it's a cakewalk.
That’s pretty cool that you have both an XLR-V and a C6 Z06! I’m guessing that both of them probably drive and handle pretty differently from one another. Do you have a preference between the two? Someday I might look into adding Bluetooth etc, but I’d also like to keep the car stock
XLR owner here, also a 2006 but not a V. I've had over 30 "toy" cars and I normally keep them for 2-3 years, but I have now had this one for 11 years - still love it. I can't disagree with the dislikes although most are indeed nitpicks; for example I've never had an issue with the cup holders, they hold even a 16 oz. foam cup with no problem. Certainly not a lot of storage space inside but James did not mention there is also a small compartment between the seats (you can see it at 1:48) in addition to the console. It's not big either but holds a mini-umbrella and several other small items for me (plus of course the glove compartment and bins in both doors). Trunk is actually quite large when the top is up; doesn't seem like much of a disadvantage to me in return for the wonderful hardtop convertible feature. (And by the way I have had MANY convertibles, and this is the ONLY one that does not leak a drop, even in car washes.)
Several of the comments refer to the Northstar engine problems, but it is my understanding that these were well-sorted by about 2003; I have had zero problems in 37,000 miles and I do use the horsepower that is available (only 320 in mine - yes I'm jealous of the 443 in the V's).
PUT THE GOLFBAG IN PASSENGER SEAT PROBLEM SOLVED LOVE FROM DENMARK
Great review! Fun to know your thoughts after one year of ownership. Absolutely stunning car.❤
Thank you so much dad 😊
Just bought a Black 06 Cadillac XLR Star Black Limited Edition with only 37,444 miles just for $5,480 sight unseen at iaai auctions this morning, no reserve, had a buy now of $16,000 & was listed with a Clean Title & that it also Runs & Drives so wish me luck ! Seeing your videos & CarWizards about this car has me completely sold & had me watching out for this car for a while now ! can’t thank you enough for your in depth analysis & insight of the livelihood on this car hope I have just as much luck & joy as you are with mine !😂💯👍🏼
Sometimes the dislikes of a car, like your XLR, can be the best part of ownership. Sounds crazy but the Character of an older car can be part of its charm. I own a Mint low mile summer only '94 Z28 and the quirky stuff makes it unique. Tiny single cup hold (too small, and was in GM"s advertising campaign as "BIG enough to hold a Slurpee" LOL). Hard plastic dash work, Big old Steering wheel Air Bag.... I love this stuff!! Easy to over look when the T-Tops are out on a beautiful Summers drive. Great video once again my Friend!!
That’s a VERY good point! Drawbacks can certainly add to the charm and character of a car, sometimes absolute perfection isn’t the best 😁
It is a stunner in looks and performance. Beautiful condition. Still looks modern, that's a testament to it's good design. They do make cups that will fit in those holders. Check out the Stanley ones. They taper at the bottom.👍🇺🇲❤️
Thank you!! I'll be sure to look into that cup, it may be worth a try 😎
Comprehensive and detailed 1 year owner experience. Thank you very much.
Greetings from Germany, I have also fulfilled my dream, my Cadillac XLR❤
For me it is not an everyday car but there is the XT5, and XT4 and when driving fast ATS-V
Congratulations!!! Thank you for watching the video!
Beautiful XLR! Great review and honest critique.
Thank you Dale!! 😁
You ARE SO LUCKY DUDE! The Cadillac XLR is MY DREAM car. One day.......I hopefully will be blessed to have one....even with all of it's faults.
I’d love one of these, lack of storage and trunk space wouldn’t deter me from purchasing one…but the price is another story. 👍👍 on your post.
Good point! There are occasionally deals out there, but they can be expensive. However, when I was buying this car I saw many Corvette Z06's for sale from the same era and they were usually much more expensive which I thought was interesting. Thanks for watching, Lon!!
Great update and thanks for stating there's no Aux audio jack. Ironic how the same sized SL's had rear storage compartments but this car didn't have space. I think the rear transaxle ate up a lot of room back there.
Great video and great looking car. The XLR is a very rare breed. Stay Strong and be Blessed.
What's not to like? They would have to pry that car from my cold dead fingers, and then I would haunt them. Great review, especially your grin when your head snapped back during the speed run.
James, I really enjoyed your video on your red 2006 XLR-V!
I've always loved the xlrv ever since I saw Gemma have it in Sons of Anarchy. Only down side is those parts prices!!
Tell me about it. Tail light was $2700!!!
Nice update videos. U have to know goin in there is no real cargo space. 😅
What is the official color of the car. I love that color
This car and the C5 Vette are timeless designs , they will allways look great and updated to todays new cars, my C5 is same color as this car!
My dad followed the GM master plan for his life - starting out with Chevys and then moving to Buicks and then finally ending up with a Cadillac. However the Cadillac he drove I couldn't imagine myself driving in a thousand years. The styling and the performance and everything was just so out of step with what I wanted.
I remember looking at this when it came out and thinking that it was neither fish nor fowl. It seemed very transitional to me. It had features I liked and it also had features that I'm sure my father would have liked. I can hear him saying something like "Man, this thing is supercharged but listen to how quiet it is!"
Beautiful..always had my eye on these when they were out..and you have a V no less. Very nice
Thank you for great car revues. It would be super fun if you made one for Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham 1993, also love to hear the history about Fleetwood 93 - 96. Regards: Marcus from Sweden.
Thank you, Marcus! Someday I’ll hopefully be able to review a mid 90’s Fleetwood 😁
Great review, what an insane beauty you own!
Thank you so much!
I own a 2006 XLR 4.6 . My favorite car every. Looked at in 04 but 80,000 seemed steep so bought 04 Corvette for 50,000. Where's the 30,000?? Got my 06 , 7 years ago 52,000 miles for 25,000. Absolutely luv and agree with you with your evaluation. Many have never seen one. Mines triple black lowered to 3 inches. They call it batmobile 🦇🦇
Love the down to earth, information and content subbed and liked!!👍🏽✊🏽
I've always like the looks of these. You are correct in that it surely does not look like a 17 year old car. Also in wonderful condition so it went to a good home when you bought it.
Thank you, Jeff!! Yes, it still looks brand new to my eyes 😎
It looks like 17 years old car. But it aged well, so it looks gorgeous even today.
A very professional presentation.
James’ production skills are at another level.
Thank you so much!!
Thank you very much 😁
I've always loved the XLR, I'm looking at an 09, I believe the color is called midnight cherry, and it's an absolutely gorgeous color for such a beautiful car. I'm looking up reviews, I juat watched this one and also your 09 review. It's nice to get an owner's perspective, especially one who appreciates the beauty of it as much as I do. I do wish I could get a manual though. I've got a 19 Z06 manual, the final year for it unfortunately.
The Reason I Subcribe To Your Channel Because Your Videos Are Very Helpful And Full Of Information Are GM Cars & You Are Honest About Likes & Dislikes About A Car , So If You A Were A Salesman At A GM Dealership I Would Ask For You Because Are A Up Front & Honest Guy , So Keep Up The Good Work & Thanks For Your Videos 👍✌️
Absolutely a Stunning looking car. PURE art, design. I love these XLR's. The hard top drop top is next to a Picaso.
I completely agree with you!!
I love this channel 😍.... Have a good day everybody ✌️
Bought my second CTS just last week, 2008 model, Lovely brand lovely cars... XLR V is king
Congratulations on the CTS! Thank you for watching!
Thanks for the very honest review James! All very interesting, but that power has to make up for some dings! That center storage is crazy small, what was Caddy thinking!?
Gorgeous car bro!!
Great Review and Retrospective Analysis James, I agree with all of your Likes and Dislikes. I just cannot believe it was a $100,000 car as it is nice , but definitely not worth that kind of Money, especially back in 2006. I am also wondering if you have had any problems with the Northstar...? I know they fixed most of the issues with it by 2006, but it still scares the hell out of me.
Thanks...
Thank you for the feedback, John! So far, I haven’t had any major problems with any Northstar engine I’ve had. Personally, I have found that if they are maintained very well and not abused, they will generally be a very good engine (especially the engines built after 1999). However, it is always possible for something major to go wrong, but it hasn’t happened to me yet and owning them is a risk I’m more than willing to take (fingers crossed lol).
@@JW_Reviews Thanks James, yeah its probably a much better engine than everyone thinks, but it was just those early and problematic iterations of it that has scared off people like me. But yes, a great engine after the fixes and with regular maintenance. Thanks...
Great video! Surprised at the production numbers for the XLR. Wonder how many are still registered and on the road. BTW, you been working out? Lookin' good!!
There definitely aren't a whole lot out there, it's fascinating to think about. Thank you!!
First! Liked the review, thanks!!
An aftermarket cold air intake should spice up the supercharger sound if that is what you're looking for
Cool video, always been curious about these (never sold in the UK)
It really is a stunning looking car.
Nice car James!
Seatventilation? Its so good looking!
My favorite color. Can’t go wrong with red. One problem however: I have a feeling I’m too tall to fit in that type of car. 😳 I could roll in the ‘76 Fleetwood all day though!
Good point, the XLR isn't made for tall people lol 😂
Beautiful car!
Nearly every single ad online says the convertible top doesn't work. What's the common issue and average cost to repair it.
The problem is no one knows how to fix them! It's usually at trunk position sensor causing issues + the trunk hydraulic pump is discontinued
The retractible top on my dark red 2008 XLR-V with 70K miles has worked perfectly every single time.
@@jamesfisher9288 Lucky!
It’s such a pretty car!!!! ❤️
Thank you so much!!
Excellent, thanks. It's one of the most beautiful cars ever made, IMO, especially in that dark red color. As an overall car, it's so cool that I'd consider having the interior extensively customized to address its shortcomings (to the extent that were possible).
It's interesting that my C4 Corvette interior (like all other Corvette interiors since) is no paragon of quality look and feel but it does at least have plenty of storage capacity. It could easily be a daily driver or road trip car. You'd think the Corvette would be compromised, not the Cadillac.
But I guess that is just the price you pay for the beautiful notchback styling and the power hardtop on your XLR-V. I'd certainly have one if I could possibly afford it, properly care for it, and so on. Nice car.
Thank you! Even with its drawbacks it is a fantastic vehicle and one of my biggest dream cars 😎
Didn’t mention some other cool stuff this car has available - stuff you could get: Advanced Front Lighting - headlights turn when you do, heated and cooled seats, Adaptive Cruise Control, the HUD. Some others that I can’t think of right now as it is time to turn in. Very nice car. I’m hoping that a V is in my future. I have a Base right now - and it’s a Mark Kay edition in Black. Only made 47 of those in 2007, with ~80 of them over the span of this car being built. Can you tell I’m excited about this car??
Boy, this is not a bus. This is car for Palm Beach...🤦🥂🌴🌊
Love it
We bought an 05 in red also,they are fun
NICE CADDY!!!! I will agree it is one of the best looking cars. The Art & Science style is still cool. I wanted one from day one but they are always out of reach for me. I was able to buy a 13 CTS4 Performance coupe, which I LOVE! It's as close as I'll get to a XLR and that's OK. Thx
Still have the XLR?
It’s like listening to a man who bought a ‘68 Mustang in 1985, yet complains that it doesn’t have air bags.
What a beautiful car!!!
They made the same mistake with the Allante. I can remember as a teenager when that Allante launched in 1987 and the price take was mind-blowing to the point most folks blew a brain gasket. The critics at the time claimed there was entirely too much plastic and nowhere near enough leather. Now, as far as the car is concerned I considered this car but not for very long. It still has that troubled Northstar even though it is improved still has the head gasket issues and is a nightmare to repair with a one thousand dollar head bolt kit (not including 15-25 hours labor). It is not a matter of "if" it will fail but when. From my research of about 90 days and from many sources, I have also found that just about every nut and bolt on this car loves to fail and the typical repair bill is in the thousands, and extremely labor-intensive to get to the problem area. In a nutshell, the frequent and costly repairs scared the sh*t out of me so I took a hard pass on it. Thanks for the video and I wish you the best with yours.
i'd be terrified of owning one of these supercharged N* V series cars, heard tons of horror stories about limited parts availability.
No one is talking about the sheriff in the background
On your complaints, the center console storage and cup holders were like that cause this was basically a Corvette C5 with a Cadillac shell draped over it. Your big honkin’ transmission was right under that console, gobbling up the room.
It was in fact true leather that was actually cut and stitched together by then I believe. This car was also known for that genuine metal to feel like fake metal. The pattern in it was very expensive to make, and the person who came in to clean up GM around that time said stupid business decisions like that expensive but cheap-feeling metal was why he axed this model soon after.
I believe some of the missing technologies inside was because Cadillac wanted to have bespoke controls that didn’t look like any other GM parts bins. They had to lock those decisions in long before the car came out so they could have them produced by Delco in separate production lines.
I think they thought the demographic that would buy this, even the V, was a male executive in his 50s-60s who wanted more of a grand tourer than one with a husky motor sound. Likewise, I think they thought that demographic wouldn’t like having wires going from a phone to an aux input as it would look “tacky.”
It was one of the best examples of their “Art and Science” angular design language.
I remember I turned 16 in 2008 and seen 1 of these every day in school line. I had and still have a iroc z. Anyways I always wondered qhat it was and thought back then this thing was huge and scary looking. The 1 I seen was black. I wanted 1 alot back them.
That's why I like my 2014 Corvette because of storage 2 guys golf clubs and luggage no problem
its just amazing how just in a matter of 100 years we've went from having to worry about dying daily from all kinds of shit, zero comforts in life, not even AC or clean water... to complaining about too small cup holders or not enough trunk room to put the top down and store golf clubs. LMAO
My dear sister had the 06 Black over blk...only one her many cars...Tires were flat spotted and rough ride to a friends funeral way fast tho!! Thx.
Hi there , could this engine change out of or a Corvette engine with super charge?
Auto Vox V5 Pro Rear View Camera works great.
2000 miles in12months ? where do you drive it to from?
I feel like the XLR is begging for a twin turbo set up instead of the supercharger but maybe I'm crazy
I have the STS-V, which is even more rare than this and it has an auto start and aux
RE: "lack of exhaust sound"
Cadillac did this on purpose in the cases of both the XLR-V and the STS-V. Both cars used the Northstar engine.
This was the early days of the V performance division when Cadillac was trying to shed its stodgy reputation as an old man's car. Executives wanted to hedge their bets by keeping some of its V lineup more muted. Both the STS and the XLR were flagships, competing with the Mercedes S Class and SL roadster respectively. The client demographic in both cases was older and deemed less likely to enjoy big thundering engines.
They soon discovered that the CTS V was attracting younger buyers and selling like mad. Of course, we all know that the CTS was powered by the Corvette V8, rather than the Northstar. In the second generation, Cadillac dumped the full size executive sedan and the roadster, focusing rather on (and improving) the CTS, as well as later the ATS. The larger sedan had one last hurrah with the CT6-V Blackwing, which was obviously a limited run offering and also used a smaller displacement V8.
If I were suddenly obscenely wealthy, I would fill a garage with Cadillac V cars. They are monuments to the quality of American engineering when corporate bean counters actually get out of the way and allow them to build world class cars.
Just change the module and find the part number in 2009 and I Don't think it has to be the exact sthe module doesn't have to come from a XOR. You just need to find the part number and buy it off. EBay, then you Bluetooth will work.
For the engine sound issue just upgrade the exhaust
I really wish this car came with a manual. Anybody know how hard a swap would be?
Love the XLR. It's an old man's car, but I don't care.
Hey James. I just finally bit the bullet myself and picked up an identical 06 to yours with 32k miles. Checked all the usual suspects, but there are no leaks from the top hydraulics, good Magride shocks all around, and overall super well kept.
I was curious if you experience any rattles from somewhere in the top behind the seats? Mine has a pretty significant rattle over rough pavement and I haven’t been able to check it out. Also, I have some weird wind noise (sounds kind of like a kazoo!) coming from the center of the windshield header at speeds over 80.
The Gen 6 Camaro should have had front parking sensors, but it doesn't.
Now that is very surprising! That car would definitely need it too, the visibility isn't known to be very good lol
I have an STS-V. Why is this important? It shares the same LC3 supercharged N* V8. You can address the sound easily. If you want to hear the supercharger, an aftermarket Intake (I have the spectre 2-piece on mine) will make the difference. Mine whines gloriously with this setup. I know there is some plumbing differences between the car, but this will get you to hear the blower better. Then of course exhaust. I have Magnaflow exhaust manifolds on both sides (long story for another time), removed the mid-muffler and then Magnaflow mufflers. You can hear sounds of this LC3 with that intake and exhaust in my You Tube vids if you like. But this will remedy that dislike.
So you had no idea that the center piece in between both seats is also a storage place…
How is it holding up?
You forgot to "Like" the Super Car door handles????
I have used M & R Electronics in MI to modify radio's for my '80's Cadillac's to add a aux jack. Ever bang your head getting in? I hate that getting into my Camaro. I had a black '04 CTS and I did like design. I wasn't all that impressed with the plastic feel of the interior.
Luxury Corvette
This video is full of nickle dime bitching and moaning about things that didnt exist in 2006. Cars didnt sound "agressive" from the factory in 2006. Car interiors took a massive leap around 2010 or so comparing a 2006 is crazy.
All of what I am going to say is for the XLR and V model. As a former 2006 XLR owner, I can honestly say the XLR is a very cool car. Overall build quality is typical GM...average at best. The XLR looks awesome and angular...the C6 Vette should have looked so great. The XLR is not overly fast, but decently quick. The interior is typical GM...VERY cheap and plasticy if that makes sense. Nothing great by any means for an $80-$90k car when it was new. Don't ever...ever...ever damage or wreck a headlight, tail light or lower running light on this car. Because, you'll never find one new, they don't exist. They've been out of production for 10++ years and there are ZERO available at any GM or Cadillac dealership on planet earth. They're 100% gone and they are never coming back. There are none available in the after market either simply due to the very low production numbers of the car. Last new headlight I saw was on ebay going for $5,000...for one headlight. YES...$5,000. Car rides rough, but that's to be expected. The top is awesome. Handling is average. Much more wollowy than a C6 vette, but rides better also. Overall, just a fun car to drive. Don't think it's an uber fast sports car...it's not. You'll get smoked by a lot of modern cars with no problem. It's basically a car to cruise in and enjoy the day. I enjoyed mine tremendously and if you ever get a chance to drive one, you'll dig it.
The CEO at GM needs his head examined. If I had his job, I would take the new mid-engine Corvette and new Camaro and redesign the bodies for Cadillac and Buick. GM could sink its teeth into luxury sports car industry and the exotic car industry all at once.
I still don’t understand why they didn’t just throw an LS1 or even an LS6 or LS3 in it. Still a good engine but the LS engines are way better.
Really just wanted to know , because I really likes these cars , but don't want the north star !
It's not Cadillacs fault you don't know where your front end is.
Its good looking and fast you are a nit picker
Man you have a xlr go figure quit bitching I love to have one who cares about the small things it don't have. Be thankful what you have and don't worrie about what you don't have.
$10,000.00 CAR IS ALL ITS WORTH AT MOST
I'm a huge fan of these georgious vehicles, I thought ur review was very good...
I owned a '88 A'llante for a few years & def regret getting rid of it, it was used w 105xxx but except for some minor int flaws was in very good condition, it was red, camel int & blk top, Oh my how comfy those 12 way seats were, 4.1 32v quite peppy but nothing compared to ur beautiful car, Again great video! 🤙
Thank you so much for watching! Hopefully someday you’ll own another Allante 😁
generaton x,,,pilgrim for sure,,,,complains about not hearing the engine,,,but its made with solid roof,,,,those folks want comfort and quite. IT does NOT have northstar engine,,,this is a smaller engine,,,,,if you didnt like it,,,,why did you buy it? And complaining about gadgets not there,,,hey its 18 yrs old!!!
Sts-V has auto start.
Mc la vibes
Your complaints are too nit picky. Had to stop watching your video half way through.
You lost me at Northstar V8. That's probably one of the worst engines GM ever produced. I couldn't imagine how troublesome a supercharged version would be.
Maybe you should consider doing some research. The LC3 Northstar is bulletproof.
@@v6mustang551
While I've never worked on that specific engine. I have worked on the non supercharged North Stars. Between the catastrophic oil leaks, head gaskets and overheating issues I've never seen one make it past 100,000 miles healthy. The emission systems clogging up caused excessive crankcase pressure blew valve cover gaskets. The "100,000" coolant was breaking down and clogging up radiators in less than 50k. Constantly running hotter than they should caused sludge issues that led to blown head gaskets and oil starvation. I worked on quite a few of them.
When they're healthy they are definitely powerhouses. They we're impressive but were high maintenance and burned out quick.
I too had a 4.4L Supercharged Northstar in my 2006 Cadillac STS-V and it held up flawlessly. I modified it to 459RWHP and she screamed. Worked with Spectre Performance to bring a cold air to market. With that, you could hear the SC from a block away. I have a few videos of it on my RUclips channel.
@@MrSchmidthead
I'm glad y'all had success with the supercharged North Star engines but the ones I worked on in the early 2000s were glass grenades. There was a list of different things that would fail and total them out. Those supercharged models must have been built at a different plant. Lol
@@nunyabusiness7477 The 4.4 is different from the 4.6 that was prone to fail.
They were all hand built and the technician that built it signed the engine tag.
if you need cameras to drive, ride a bike.
Do you need parking sensors😅 take some driving lessons😮
2000 miles? Really? I have farts that last longer than 2K miles.
Gm sucks. How hard is it to take the Corvette and make it more luxurious and call it Cadillac?