Cadillac Ranked 28th of 28 in Reliability by Consumer Reports, Feb 2019
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2015 XTS Platinum, 2014 Saks 5th Ave ELR, 1989 Merkur XR4Ti, 1989 Merkur Scorpio
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That interesting because Cadillac has zero turbocharger issues. But like others said, don’t put any weight on these ratings. Consumer Reports isn’t what it used to be. Even if they rated Cadillac high, I would cite them as a reliable source of information.
When I was looking at Cadillac I found a lot of info on ATS Turbo and burned pistons though.
What I saw was owner scores always significantly higher than "expert" Scores.
Still, all the brands aspire to be Cadillac's and I'll choose an XTS over an Avalon any day!
What I saw was owner scores always significantly higher than "expert" Scores.
Still, all the brands aspire to be Cadillac's and I'll choose an XTS over an Avalon any day!
GM does have a good history with Turbos. I bought one of the first '77 Regals with the 3800. You had to manage the Turbo Lag, but still no problems except valve cover gaskets on the Turbo side.
2015 XTS Platinum, 2014 Saks 5th Ave ELR, 1989 Merkur XR4Ti, 1989 Merkur Scorpio
Joined
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389 Posts
I'm not a fan of 2.0 turbos anyway. They mainly exist to avoid displacement taxes.
Well, we don't have displacement taxes in this country, so I'll take a V6 or V8, please.
The 4 was way too noisy for me and I couldn't fit in the back seat on an ATS. The roofline hit me in the neck.
For me, the XTS with the 300HP 6 is plenty powerful as well, so driving the V-Sport must be awesome!. Lack of power seemed to always be one of the negatives in the "Expert" reviews I read before purchasing the XTS.
Interesting. Personally, I think preventative maintenance increase the reliability of lots of things. Anything mechanical will fail. It just a matter of time. Maintenance helps things to perform at their peak during their usable lifespan. So far, I have not had a vehicle fail while I was driving it (over the past 30+ years).
I don’t have much faith in car reviews by Consumer Reports. If you want to research a vehicle, find a forum like this one and ask actual owner. I’ve had my XTS for over a year and a half now and nothing has broken. Changing the oil is the oil maintenance that has been needed.
Consumer Reports. That's about as reliable a source as Donald Trump.
Cadillac was ranked 18th by JD Power, which is the industry standard measure, and about the only one that actually tells you anything. That's fourth out of all luxury brands, ahead of BMW, Infiniti, Audi and (no surprise) Mercedes Benz and Jaguar. So not too bad.
It also needs to be said that there's not much difference between the best and average these days. Out of the 34 brands officially ranked, the bulk of them, from 4th to 30th, are separated by only 50pph (problems per hundred). That's incredible when you consider that just 20 years ago the spread was almost 200pph. It's really silly to worry about any "rankings" these days because those lists are not going to predict your experience in any noticeable way.
Cadillac was ranked 18th by JD Power, which is the industry standard measure, and about the only one that actually tells you anything. That's fourth out of all luxury brands, ahead of BMW, Infiniti, Audi and (no surprise) Mercedes Benz and Jaguar. So not too bad.
It also needs to be said that there's not much difference between the best and average these days. Out of the 34 brands officially ranked, the bulk of them, from 4th to 30th, are separated by only 50pph (problems per hundred). That's incredible when you consider that just 20 years ago the spread was almost 200pph. It's really silly to worry about any "rankings" these days because those lists are not going to predict your experience in any noticeable way.
My main concern with GM (and a lot of American companies) is the peripheral. I think the power trains are sound. It's the amenities that I have an issue with (glove compartments, power locks and storage compartments, just to name a few). I am not beating up on GM. It fact, my wife and I have been looking at a XT6, Tahoe and Yukon. I just like everything to work throughout the use of the vehicle (10-15 years or so). My daughter has already vowed not to buy a Chevrolet, based on her experience (multiple trips to a dealership for repairs). She is comparing it to the Toyota and Oldsmobile that she has driven. Yet, she has to choose her own pain
But you're right, why can't they make a glovebox that dosn't pop open randomly or a headliner that doesn't rattle? Even though I haven't had any problems with CUE in my 18, I'm not and advanced user either. I don't have playlists, or favorites, and I don't use any Apps other than Radio, Nav,, and Climate. I've played with Carplay and Android Auto, as well as iTunes and playlists and use a 32gb flash because a Lexar 128 doesn't work consistently. If I keep the car, which I intend to do, I'll expect to "at least" replace the screen and If its post warranty I'll do the work myself.
The drivetrains are Solid for most models with The Turbo 4 seemingly the poorest in reliability. (my old '06 HHR 2.4L W/VVT has over 200k with no major problems and my daughter still drives it daily) GM's trucks and large SUV's can take you to 300k if you care for them and that's what you want. I have also seen 300k+ XTS's on eBay.
GM's Climate control is probably the best in the business and MagneRide, although not for me, has been licensed by some of the worlds hottest Supercars.
So far, in three months of ownership two of my peeves on the 18 XTS are:
1. I spent $150 on floor mats and the driver side wont stay on the positioning post (neither did the carpet ones the car came with). What genius came up with that? The mat hooks in my wife's Chrysler T&C work.
2. Why put the charging pad behind the CUE Panel, I always leave my phone. Even then, there could have been a warning that a phone is on the pad when exiting. You also must modify(cut) the insert to fit a large phone in 2018-19 again genius? How about no Ash Tray and a charging pad in its place. That would have been the right choice but once again genius.
To continue, the laziness and/or shortsightedness in American Automobile engineering is sometimes mind boggling. Like CUE, it would be so easy to use a standardized device (IOS or Android) for an infotainment system. Want to upgrade, pull the bezel off and put a replacement/upgrade in place, replace the bezel, download Apps, migrate settings and done! And they could charge for it! The owners would feel better because they got and upgrade instead of repairing 10 year old technology! I know that's simplistic and there are other complications but CUE? Or...License to third party's and create some competition. Think about being able to upgrade if Bose, Pioneer, or even Apple or Microsoft could compete for your GM dash...without using a hacksaw. I think I just had a 70's flashback!
All Auto brands have problems and some more than others. Just like all media the charts and lists are for dramatic effect and if you drill down there isn't much difference. I've become too cynical I guess, but when I read magazine reviews I always look to see which reviewed manufacturer has full page ads and wonder which came first, the revenue or the review.
I live in KY and the Camry and Avalon are made here, I still shudder when I see one as an "official" state vehicle, but would I buy one...probably never...and I've never owned an Oldsmobile either.
Anyway, in the immortal words of Forest Gump "That's all I got to say about that."
Well, the Oldsmobile and Toyota were 2003s, if I am recalling correctly. The Toyota was totaled. I got $10k for it (with 120k miles) and bought the Oldsmobile (with 165k miles) for $3,500 (dealership). I basically just changed the oil in the Toyota. But, the Oldsmobile did show its age. However, it did ride smooth (Bravada). Even with the aging parts on the Oldsmobile, it seemed to hold up better than the Chevy. Yes, there was an age difference. Hopefully with that, things are made better. Maybe not. But, it is my hope. I think that is what this technology age is all about (improving on the past).
But, this generation will determine what they will put up with. And, companies will have to adjust to meet the demands or go out of business. So, each company has their own fate in their own hands (live or die). It's just a matter of choosing the right path (greed or value). Most people don't have money to throw away. Therefore, they will attempt to spend it wisely. In the end, it all goes back to dust anyway. So, it is best just to be happy.
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