I've been so, so wrong about newer cars. New DD content.

Up until very recently, my DD was a 98 Mark VIII. The newest car I had ever owned was an 05 CTS-V. I like to complain about technology and touch screens and all that just as much as everyone else. But I just bought what is by far the most modern vehicle I've ever had. And  it's just so much better than anything else I've ever owned it's silly.

So here it is: 2017 Cadillac ATS coupe. 

335 hp 3.6 V6, AWD, 8-speed auto, Brembo brakes. Same Alpha platform as the current Camaro. Premium Luxury package, which means every option you can imagine (including the HUD, which I really wanted). I chose this over a newer Mustang (only other serious consideration) because I just loved the look of it. I have a feeling it may be the last ever Cadillac coupe.

It's a spaceship compared to anything I've had before, and although it's not the fastest car I've ever had, this is basically LS1 power out of a V6 that delivers 30 mpg. Between the engine and the AWD, it's more than quick enough for what I want it for. I drove a couple 2.0T/RWD versions and didn't love that drivetrain; it felt as if it was always upshifting and never holding a gear long enough to build boost. I like this a lot better.

This isn't going in the Builds & Project Cars forum because there's absolutely nothing I can do that will make this car better. That's a weird feeling for me. I could add bigger sway bars or lower it, but...why? I've got a decently quick car in my Supercoupe. I don't need to make this car worse trying to chase that level of performance.

So this is just a PSA saying if you've been all "get off my lawn" about newer cars, maybe give one of them a try. Maybe you've been missing out.

I've had the unfortunate opportunity to be in a rental for a few times in the last few years. 
LOVE all the modern toys on them. HATE all the nanny systems. 
The Altima did meet the advertised mpg figures.

The 2wd Ranger, showed 18 mpg average on the display when I got it. Advertised a 21 city / 27 hwy. I checked the actual miles per fuel used, and the display was accurate. I reset and through carful hwy only driving got ... 18.6. Far far cry from 27. 
Not just sour grapes. It does not upset me to be "stuck" in my 03 Merc. 

I agree, I wouldn't change anything. Nice car!

03Panther said:

I've had the unfortunate opportunity to be in a rental for a few times in the last few years. 
LOVE all the modern toys on them. HATE all the nanny systems. 
The Altima did meet the advertised mpg figures.

The 2wd Ranger, showed 18 mpg average on the display when I got it. Advertised a 21 city / 27 hwy. I checked the actual miles per fuel used, and the display was accurate. I reset and through carful hwy only driving got ... 18.6. Far far cry from 27. 
Not just sour grapes. It does not upset me to be "stuck" in my 03 Merc. 

You are talking about other newer cars than what the OP is talking about. I rent lots and lots of cars for work, and while many of them are annoying, there are a few that are pretty great. It sounds like Will found a great one.

Example - I just spent the last week in a Hyundai Genesis. What a steaming POS partly because of the horribly overbearing safety nannies, but the truly unforgivable bad thing about the car was that the driver's door was extremely short and I could barely get in and out of it (I'm just over 6 six foot tall, so not unusually tall). I can't believe that Hyundai brought a car to market where 50% of the male population in North America can't easily enter or exit it.

Wow, didn't even know they made an ATS coupe, with AWD! Cool, glad you are enjoying it!

I always tell people new cars are phenomenal.........and I am a vintage racer.

Will said:

This isn't going in the Builds & Project Cars forum because there's absolutely nothing I can do that will make this car better. That's a weird feeling for me. I could add bigger sway bars or lower it, but...why? 

It DOES feel odd, doesn't it?

I have had the S60R for 135k miles now and everything still feels perfect.  Everything exceeds my wishes.  It's a really weird but also somewhat liberating feeling to be content with a car and not feel like it is missing that one little something.  Was speaking with my employer yesterday and I mentioned that the original plan was to keep it until 350k, but that would be next year, so I am shooting for 500k now 

The V6 ATS has been on my radar for a long time because they feel great, too, and I had no idea that they made a 2 door.  

That looks like a really fun rallyx car. 

New cars in general are definitely amazing/improved in most categories but I think the cars of the 2020s have too many gizmos and gadgets that would probably be annoying to service and bother me while driving. My last "new" car was a 2017 JCW Mini and that thing was perfect.

If I wasn't so cheap that's the car I'd be driving right now. I've been watching them since the introduction of the coupe on that platform. My preference is always a manual, but I don't like that 2.0 engine, so I've decided that I'd give in on the auto in order to get the 3.6.  They're certainly in an acceptable price range now

In reply to Peabody :

The turbo four seems like a great idea but there are waaaay too many iATN hits involving broken pistons for me to trust one.

The drivability with a manual is frustrating, like the throttle mapping is engineered to actively make smooth driving impossible unless you are very slow and deliberate.

I'm only going off internet lore but it seems that the 3.6L in Camaro and ATS is liked but 3.6L in Traverse and chassis mates is disliked and problematic.  

Are these the same engines?  

In reply to John Welsh :

Yes.  There is a minor difference in the oiling system as longitudinal engines have a cartridge filter up high on the left where it is easy to access. The transverse engines have a spin on filter over a motor mount and you cannot remove it without making a giant mess.

The timing chains had been problematic in the early years.  Fine pitch chain and small sprockets to keep the engine profile low.  Combine that with typical SUV owners doing oil changes religiously (every Easter and Christmas  ) and it is a recipe for issues.

I have done a lot of chains on CTSs and transverse vehicles.  The overarching common thing is extended oil change intervals and being chronically low on oil, which reduces oil life further.

It is actually not that bad to do the chains in a longitudinal car. The biggest issue is a certain bolt for the alternator bracket that you have to access through the wheelwell, and AWD makes it a little more fun.  That bolt is usually missing if the chains were done at a dealership 

The 3.6 is pretty solid as long as you do regular service (5000mi or 30% on the oil life monitor, whichever comes first, when using synthetic) and keep it topped up.  Almost all synthetics meet the Dexos spec nowadays so this is not a hardship of finding special $20/quart oil either.

The 2013-2015 ATS has the LFX 3.6 engine. The 2016-2019 has the LGX, which is the same engine in the current Camaro. Not sure what's in the Traverse.

Another reason I chose the 3.6 over the 2.0: GM recommends 87 octane for the 3.6 but 93 for the 2.0.

As an example of a "get off my lawn, cars shouldn't do things automatically" feature I didn't know I'd love: give a raise to the engineer who decided the heated seats should come on automatically below a certain temperature.

The transmission is allegedly smart enough to figure out your driving style and do things like upshift on corner entry if that's the way you drive it. Haven't pushed the car hard enough to encounter that yet, but if so, neat. If not, it's got paddle shifters, which I've played with just enough to make sure they work. I'm OK to let the car do the shifting.

The displacement on demand and start/stop is pretty seamless. 

I turned off the lane departure warning. Leaving the rest of the nannies on for now because they've been unobtrusive so far.

This is the heaviest of all possible ATS body/drivetrain configurations--right around 3700 pounds. But for what this car is, so what?

I wasn't expecting the 400+ page owner's manual, but in fairness, half the reason it's that long is legal warnings like "Do not attempt to drive car with your eyes closed."

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Yes, frustrating is how I would describe it. To some extent you could probably make it better with a tune but, despite actually making decent power, those 2.0's just feel so underwhelming and tractor like

Congrats!  The ATS has a great chassis, and the V6 is the motor to get.  I had a '14 ATS sedan with the 2.0T/AWD/AT combo, and although it had good power, the motor wasn't inspiring at all.  I'm sure the V6 fixes that problem!

Soaking up long roadtrip mileage the modern crap is superior.... but damn they are boring unless you're driving something like a 1khp f150.

My 10yr old vehicle is loaded but still mostly mechanical systems vs newer electronics. It still soaks up the miles easily. The older stuff, like 60-70's era, puts a smile on my face and makes me enjoy driving again. I have to really drive it and not just be a very passive driver like the current vehicles.

Get off my lawn.

PS- nice ride.

In reply to RacerBoy75 :

???

In reply to Will :

When you got the ATS, did you try out a Lexus RC as well? They have similar used values and I just wonder if one is considerably more enjoyable to operate than the other..

In reply to dannyp84 :

No--no interest in the Lexus. The only other car I even considered was a Mustang GT.

Welcome to modern convienence items in modern cars. I am officially spoiled

In reply to Will :

i dig the ATS.  I wanted an ATS sedan RWD Turbo Manual, but they are pretty rare and were about $5k more than the E92 I bought instead.

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

I definitely looked for a manual ATS, but saw fewer than five for sale in 2-3 years of searching. None were local and I've been burned too often on fly and buys to take a chance. And that also makes me wonder about manual-specific parts availability in years to come.

camopaint0707 said:

nothing about that modern ats appeals to me tbh.  All that power and comfort is great, and a bitch when it all goes wrong.

It's a short wheelbase Camaro that you can see out of.  And Chevy never made an all wheel drive Camaro, either.