2008 XLR Base

[Riccardo Black]

Hi all, I recently purchased my XLR here in Montreal. It has 25,000 miles (American car). I love the look and ride but feel it is underpowered. I miss the grunt that my C5 had.
I am sure there are some modifications I can perform to the car that would bring the hp to about 350+. I'd appreciate your advice as to what I can have done and how it is working out for you. As well, how it affected gas mileage, handling, and insurance premiums?

At some point I would like to do tires and wheels. Any info on that subject would help as well, especially from montreal era residents.

Thanks and look forward to hanging out on line with you all.

 

[Rob]

Welcome to the XLR Net!

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

Welcome to this great forum with lots of information and and some of the greatest bunch people you'll ever meet at a car event! I can't help you much about add on's, but I do know when I bought my 2005 (Roxy) she already had the Corsa Exhaust installed on her...... I read where it boost up an extra 15HP must say I love the sound of the Corsa and I think for a base model she pretty snappy considered to some of the the cars I had own back in 70's..... at one time, I was probably around 20.....I had purchased a used 1970 Ford police car from down in Maryland it had the 351 Windsor Motor...... that was a fast snappy runner! [emoji482]


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[Smoothran]

I have an 05 base. Purchased after market wheels online through CarID. They guarantee fitment and only show wheels for your car. Tires came from Goodyear.

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[rexster314]

Welcome to this great forum with lots of information and and some of the greatest bunch people you'll ever meet at a car event! I can't help you much about add on's, but I do know when I bought my 2005 (Roxy) she already had the Corsa Exhaust installed on her...... I read where it boost up an extra 15HP must say I love the sound of the Corsa and I think for a base model she pretty snappy considered to some of the the cars I had own back in 70's..... at one time, I was probably around 20.....I had purchased a used 1970 Ford police car from down in Maryland it had the 351 Windsor Motor...... that was a fast snappy runner! [emoji482]


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One of my first patrol cars I was assigned to was a 427 Chev. Now that was a runner and not much could outrun it. Later had a 460 Ford that ran like a spotted a** ape, but took three miles to stop.

 

[Riccardo Black]

Corsa exhaust

Thanks for the input. I had a cat back exhaust on my vette when I got it and loved the sound as well. Always a little apprehensive anytime I rolled around near a cop. We gots some crazy laws up hear when it comes to exhaust noise. Never was pulled over though.
What would the Corsa run money-wise?

 

[Riccardo Black]

CarID

Thanks, just got off their site. Looks like I have some great options.
Looking through some other posts and photos and I like the look of the black wheels on my black XLR.

Thanks again

 

[nbw123]

Hi all, I recently purchased my XLR here in Montreal. It has 25,000 miles (American car). I love the look and ride but feel it is underpowered. I miss the grunt that my C5 had.
I am sure there are some modifications I can perform to the car that would bring the hp to about 350+. I'd appreciate your advice as to what I can have done and how it is working out for you. As well, how it affected gas mileage, handling, and insurance premiums?

At some point I would like to do tires and wheels. Any info on that subject would help as well, especially from montreal era residents.

Thanks and look forward to hanging out on line with you all.

I was surprised to find out when I joined the forum that most of the owners aren't interested in performance, only appearance mods. I am also a member of the CTS-V forum and it is a performance first community. The XLR-V is the wife's car and I haven't done much to it yet. I'm planning on a CAI , cat delete and a tune. Good luck.


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[05 GRAND DADDY]

Thanks for the input. I had a cat back exhaust on my vette when I got it and loved the sound as well. Always a little apprehensive anytime I rolled around near a cop. We gots some crazy laws up hear when it comes to exhaust noise. Never was pulled over though.
What would the Corsa run money-wise?

You would have to check on pricing... like I mentioned it was on mine when I bought it, the Corsa isn't to loud it has no drone while driven, that's the great part, but put your foot in it and cracks out the HP! While normal road driving and highway the annoying drone is not there, just mellow sound.... that's why we Love It [emoji6]


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[Riccardo Black]

I guess a supercharger is probably my first option to look at. I would need to know if the tranny and diff. are the same as the XLR V on my base.

 

[beaver_jd]

Thanks for the input. I had a cat back exhaust on my vette when I got it and loved the sound as well. Always a little apprehensive anytime I rolled around near a cop. We gots some crazy laws up hear when it comes to exhaust noise. Never was pulled over though.
What would the Corsa run money-wise?

Riccardo, I think you are going to be in the area of $2800. I have Corsa's on my XLR in Southern CA. and it cost be $2200. and I priced out Cat Backs for my Canadian toy and was told it would be around $2800.
John F.

 

[Riccardo Black]

Corsa

Thanks, I may have to consider it. Seems like there is a lot of positive feedback on the Corsa.

 

[CNC]

Ola as they say in The Southwest : )

Welcome. I have been reluctant to make mods to my base for a variety of reasons. Like you, I not only want it to look good, but to run good with some extra mild mods to ad to the 'guts' department. Haven't yet determined what those should be though? I think it is not wise to run to far astray as in "they are only original once", thought department. That's just me though.

Back in the day I had built a 46' Ford with a tricked out Pontiac 389 that became a 406CI running a roller cam and lifters, high compression heads and a ford 9" diff that really hauled a**. Yes it was FAST! Until I missed a shift in the 4 speed at around 5,800 RPM floated the valves and dropped one through a piston. Oops. Bye bye mucho thousands of dollars. --- Then there was my "Ford-A-Lack". 49 Ford with a 500CI Cadillac V8. All cost me lots of money when they broke. And they did.


To me the base XLR is no slouch, but yes I will read with interest what others on this site may recommend for a few extra ponies.

 

[Wife's XLR]

Yep!!!

---

"Welcome. I have been reluctant to make mods to my base for a variety of reasons. Like you, I not only want it to look good, but to run good with some extra mild mods to ad to the 'guts' department. Haven't yet determined what those should be though? I think it is not wise to run to far astray as in "they are only original once", thought department. That's just me though."

I couldn't agree more! Like some of the other forum members apparently feel, driving an XLR is not just about speed but the fact that the car is so unusual it's mostly about the "ride", mostly about just driving what I call Automobile Art while looking and feeling good. When I was driving my wife's to be XLR home from the dealership the 2nd day after we got it, I stopped a traffic light and this guy in a huge, white truck pulled up along side of me, looked down, and said, "What a beautiful car"!!!
Don't get me wrong, I am guilty of living speed as well; I have a 2016 ATS-V Coupe also in my stall-haha!
Sal
<strike></strike>

 

[Riccardo Black]

Yep

Overall the issue is, as always, can I get it all?
I too love the oddity of the car. I have only seen 1 other on the road since November.
I think I will budget a few thousand $ per year on mods and see where that takes me.

Thanks for the input and giving me a new perspective.

 

[nbw123]

The XLR-V platform isn't mod friendly. My CTS-V tuner just built a twin turbo LSX and dropped into an XLR-V. He's pushing 900 at the wheels.


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[Riccardo Black]

nbw123

That's obscene. I don't think my heart could handle all that juice.

 

[nbw123]

My CTS-v is 910 at the wheels. Rocket ship


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[Riccardo Black]

OMG
I imagine the tranny and diff are not stock??

 

[nbw123]

Both stock. All in the tune


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