I don’t see why not, although I only have 12,000 miles on my 2016 now so it’s tough to say. I will say I really like the build quality. The interior looks and feels rock solid as does the exterior. It drives and handles even more solid! I have been on these forums for about a year now and do not recall any major issues with any 2016+. Most people here have a 2013/2014, but even those seem pretty good with exception to minor things here and there.

 

Hey can anyone give an update on how their Cadillac ATS is holding up has it been reliable?

 

I'm at about 52,000 miles on my 2.0T manual. Biggest issues have been related to the differential (full replacement after it granaded and then seal replacements about a year after that). I hope to take it to 10 years/200,000 miles myself.

 

I'd say so but also think that pretty much any car has the potential to be a 200k mile car these days if properly maintained. I have already seen high mileage (150k+) ATSs come up for sale, although not that many yet as 150k+ is fairly high miles for only a 5 year old or newer car. Most very high mileage late model luxury vehicles tend to be larger models used for livery or fleet service.

 

I would say it is more about maintenance than mileage! Mine has 116K miles and it is in perfect shape, and I think I can well over 150K miles with it.

 

How many do you have now if you still have it ?

 

Driving habits (you don't need to baby it) and maintenance habits contribute to high mileage longevity. With today's clean TopTier gasolines and engine oil formulations the old 3,000 mile oil/filter change is gone forever.

The 3.6 engine seems to have a few troubles - read these forums for anything near your desired years with a GM 3.6 in it.

A motor vehicle is an electrical/electronic/mechanical marvel. It can go 1,000 or 100,000 miles without problems, then BINGO! - you're in the repair business. Luck of the draw. Replacement parts are a fact of life.

 

The 3.6 engine seems to have a few troubles - read these forums for anything near your desired years with a GM 3.6 in it.

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I was under the impression the 3.6 was the more reliable engine of the two?

 

I am not confident any engine or trim level is going to hit 200k without the heat from pulling out your wallet out at the repair shop catching your slacks on fire.

 

A big part depends upon how quickly your rack up the miles and your driving conditions. For those who put on 200K in 5-7 years you have a good chance of getting by with usual wear items that happen at higher mileage (wheel bearings, U joints, etc.) but if you stretch it out to 12-15 years you are going to see a lot of electronics failures.

We are now well into the era of the EU ROHS (European Restrictions on Hazardous Substances) which took effect in 2006 and one of the big areas impacted by this was removal of lead from most electronic components and the solder used to both mount them and "tie" them into the circuit. Although long-term effects are still being quantified failure due to loss of mechanical bonding over time and the growth of "tin whiskers" in ROHS compliant components are sufficiently serious that there are military exemptions for some and space exemptions for many of these new components. But vehicles aren't exempt and although the extent of the problem is still being studied rest assured that there will be far more reliability issues as these ROHS compliant parts pass a decade in age. It doesn't matter where the vehicle was made or intended for sale because all of the major component and sub-assembly manufacturers produce pretty much everything to be ROHS compliant to avoid being shut out of major markets. So if you plan to drive a relatively few miles per year on your way to 200K then expect a lot of issues with the electronics.

Most engines today have a pretty easy life and the ATS racking up the highway miles turning slowly in overdrive is not going to wear out hard parts if properly maintained. Stop and go driving (i.e. put it into Uber service) could be a different story although even in rough service most modern powertrains will rack up very high mileage without major failures as long as reasonable maintenance is done. The 2.0T and 3.6 both had some growing pains but the block, rotating assembly, and most supporting actors are now very reliable. Expect a few coil packs and sensors along with a water pump on your way to 200K but for the most part the engine has an easy life in the ATS. One of my friends recently passed 300K on a early 1970s IH Travelall and other than a water pump it is original so even some of the old timers built prior to computer modeling and very good modern lubricants could live a long time in the right hands. Of course that V392 in his Travelall led an easy life because IH used the same engine in some fairly large medium and heavy duty trucks where the engine would be running at near full throttle at governed RPM for hours on end. Given that a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine is basically trying to tear itself apart from the first time it is started it is pretty amazing how long they last often with very poor maintenance.

If you want to keep any car to 200K then the simpler the better. Get the most basic infotainment system available (because it is so integrated into the car it has to function), skip AWD unless it is a necessity, avoid MRC and anything that adds additional controllers. But most importantly treat the vehicle right and maintain it properly but be prepared for the fact that it may just not be worth it once you factor in the ongoing maintenance (and associated costs) along with the nagging worry that any day something very expensive could break. It is more practical to keep a vehicle to high mileage IF it isn't your only vehicle because then you have the luxury of researching and finding the right repair location and procedure rather than being at the mercy of a shop because you need your car back yesterday.

For long-term with all things being equal I would take a naturally aspirated over a forced induction engine as likely having the longer life-especially if you were not the initial owner and don't know how it was treated.

 

If the most important criterion are reliability and long life, I would'nt look at a Cadillac. Maybe a Lexus????? Pez.

 

If 200k was my goal, I'd definitely take an ATS over any German car, and likely over an Infiniti, but not over a Lexus or Acura. My 2014 Premium has had a few small-ish issues covered under warranty that I wouldn't be happy about paying ~$1000 a shot out of warranty, so I'm hoping that's not a trend. Also I'm not certain that a turbocharger can reliably make 200k, but I guess that's 'only' a thousand or two as long as it doesn't take anything else out with it.

 

I seriously doubt the current ATS/CTS will make 200k without expensive repair, I believe 7 yrs +/- and 110-120k is probably a much more realistic estimate, my 2015 base 2.0 has 46k in 3yrs so far issue free but running out of the B-B at 50k.JMO

 

These guys all have good info. I have owned Honda/Acura, and Lexus and if tons of miles were my goal I would likely consider one of those vehicles. Even though I love my ATS, the vehicles mentioned above would likely have my 100% confidence in high mileage where as pretty much all other manufacturers wouldn’t be that high of confidence.

 

Yes, I'm quoting things people wrote 4 years ago, but this thread has been resurrected. And, on topic, I saw a lot of ATS for sales with over 100k miles on them. Of course I can't know how much work they have had, but they are out there.

These guys all have good info. I have owned Honda/Acura, and Lexus and if tons of miles were my goal I would likely consider one of those vehicles.

See below. I feel like these brands gained a reputation for superior reliability in the late 80's or early 90's, and people have seen them that way ever since. I'm not saying they are less reliable now, but they certainly have less of an advantage in that area, if any. Most of the other major brands have improved their processes massively, and in some cases flat out copied these two brands where necessary.

Also, I think Honda is a level above Toyota in both reliability and quality. I know that Toyota trucks seem to be bomb proof and are the favorite of desert people the world over, but overall I would say Honda products are engineered and built slightly better. And Lexus must be the most overrated brand in the entire industry, and they are rightfully ignored in parts of Europe. In all my time living in Italy, the number of Lexus' I saw could be counted on one hand.

EVERY car has its own issues, but some has more than the others.... I am not very sure why people are listing Hondas as super-duper reliable cars here... They had their own share of expensive problems. Has anyone here heard about Honda's transmission problem? Many of automatic transmissions that were mated to V6 engines failed... Two of my friends have V6 Honda, and it happened to both of them!

Yes, this. Plus, the problem with buying a Honda or Toyota with the intention of going over 200k miles is that you have to spend over 200k miles in a Honda or Toyota! Where is the fun in that?

My father's, and then brother's, 1984 Oldsmobile Toronado got over 200k miles, and it got there with style and class. Sure, the fancy digital dashboard started to act up towards the end, but that was 1980's tech!

IFor me I enjoy bringing quality vintage products back to life and the styling of many of them is quite attractive. Because I paid very little for this if I wanted to resell it I would certainly come out OK but once I start doing that the hobby becomes a job and my time would be more profitably spent going back into risk management consulting.

Yes, when I was living in the city and didn't have the space, or need, to work on my car very often, I got into playing around with vintage bicycles. It's a fun and satisfying hobby. When you can bring something back to near pristine appearance and function, it really feels nice.

 

It would be tough to beat one of the simpler Honda models for long life with minimal repairs. I don't think Toyota is as good as it used to be. Those old Camry's lived forever and one of my colleagues drove one (the same one) for much of his career

Any piece of machinery can be kept going but whether it is worth the price is the important question. As a hobby I restore vintage radio gear and I just finished a receiver from 1964 that took about two weeks to put it back in pristine operating condition. This National HRO-500 was the first serious solid state communications receiver and sold for $1,500 in 1964 equivalent to around $11,000 today so it was a serious piece of communications equipment. A lot of components needed replacement along with troubleshooting some additional issues. Cleaning and lubricating of the gear train takes major disassembly but it is required to provide the tuning feel intended by its designers. The mechanical digital readout knob was developed by the company in the 1930s and as you tune it the numbers "magically" change in the windows provide readout resolution to much better than 1 part per 10,000 but it also requires a little loving care to have it working as intended. Although a great performer for its day technology has marched on and equipment at a fraction of its adjusted price handily outperform it AND that is the nature of technology and advancement. Unless you put those miles on in a hurry by the time you get to 200K there will be a lot of new features providing better performance, safety, and overall ownership enjoyment and this needs to be factored in to a rational decision.

For me I enjoy bringing quality vintage products back to life and the styling of many of them is quite attractive. Because I paid very little for this if I wanted to resell it I would certainly come out OK but once I start doing that the hobby becomes a job and my time would be more profitably spent going back into risk management consulting. But I enjoy retirement and rather than work I will continue to play with cars and vintage radio gear

 

EVERY car has its own issues, but some has more than the others.... I am not very sure why people are listing Hondas as super-duper reliable cars here... They had their own share of expensive problems. Has anyone here heard about Honda's transmission problem? Many of automatic transmissions that were mated to V6 engines failed... Two of my friends have V6 Honda, and it happened to both of them!

 

I think the ATS is a 36k mile car. I would get pissed every time I would have to pay to replace the Cue system. Engine probably last

 

I'm working on it. LOL. Up to 134K on my 2013. (updated 9/3/21).

 

Follow what Rsingl says.
Don't get the turbo.
Engine will last a long time - it's the other components that GM has issues with ie drive train, electronics.
I just left an 09 CTS with 120k on it. The 3.6 DI was running great, it was the diff (and the $2k replacement) that was worrying me.
Get a certified used and sell it before the 5 years is up.
My buddy is a certified Toyota mechanic and just got back from his yearly training in Cincinnati and he said there is no way any car is going to last 10 years without major electrical issues due to all that is being added on these cars today. And he was speaking about Toyota, uh oh.
Jeff

 

2013 luxury 2.0 turbo
94,400miles bought at 17,700miles [was a rental car]
at 74 k P0171 came up autozone checked for free said MAF sensor [so i un-plugged the connector then tapped it a few times toshake off the dust inside was good till just now]
so at 94k P0171 again this time autozone said it was the oxygen sensor [not MAF] one on the CAT CONV] now light went off on its own came back afetr a 100
miles then today off on it's own
1/WHAT SHOULD I DO?
2/ what will dealer charge to fix?
PS --I am going to run it as long as possible

 

I think it is more than 200k miles for the drivetrain but my fear is cue system. If only there is proper after market replacement reasonably priced then lots of owners will keep their ATSs longer

 

I would tend to agree about the cue system especially over a long time period 8-10+ yrs regardless of mileage, who really can say how long these latest electronics can last trouble free, especially considering the amount of failures over the last 4 years. JMO

 

I agree that probably electronics are going to fail sooner than the mechanical parts. And CUE seems to be a complex, expensive electronics systems that will fail at some point - and some of they are already failing! But the good news is, already people have came up with different hack jobs to swap and replace broken parts of CUE with donor parts from a junk yard unit. Therefore, we don't have to pay the full MSRP if CUE fails.... A hack job that costs $200-300 can fix the issue.

 

Lot's of good opinion's here, but only Submariner touched on inherent problems. You can take steps to ensure a long life out of these engines, but not neglect like the past port injection engines could tolerate. First we have to look at these, and all GDI engines. First, most follow the owners manual on oil weight, when this is as quoted by Lucas Oil " The cause of noise and wear in today's engines" is far to light to properly protect when GDI engines experience anywhere form 8-12 times the raw fuel washdown past the rings due to the extreme pressures the fuel is introduced to the combustion chamber (2,000-3,000 PSI vs port injection of 45-55 PSI). So your engine oil is subject to a bombardment of compounds old port injection engines never were (another reason engine warranties have been dropped nearly in half over the old port injection engines). Also, the abrasive particulate matter is not only far greater than past engines, it is a hard crystalline make up that is far more abrasive than the "soft carbon" of past engines. Then we had GM and others specifying a synthetic blend oil in the past that could not deal with this amount of contaminants entering like a full synthetic can and that adds to wear. Intake valve coking issues are another as is LSPI (Low Speed Pre Ignition). This is where the intense pressures can force fuel and oil vapors behind the top compression ring and if it ignites, the force will break the piston at the top ring land. So yes, you can get hundreds of thousands of miles from these engines, WITH the proper care and steps needed.

 

Toyota is extremely conservative in their design philosophy. For evidence of this, consider a) how "backward" and underpowered their engines have been compared to the competition and b) how backward their cabin electronics and features have been. They value reliability above most things in their design calculus. They joint ventured with Subaru and BMW for their sport models.

Honda is a little more forward in their design philosophy and they have paid for it in recent reliability surveys. For Acura, they probably push a little further and pay even more. Honda reliability has been considerably down of late.

Lexus is not popular in Europe because they build luxobarges. Lexus puts almost nothing in its vehicles that average European drivers value, except S-Class, Rolls, and Bentley drivers.

On the other hand, BMW has always had reliability problems to a greater or lesser extent because even their more pedestrian products are engineered toward the cutting edge.

Overall, I'd say the quest for fuel economy and power/performance in non-econobox cars requires engineering advances and compromises that inherently shorten the life of engines and vehicles overall.

 

The other thing. I have no interest in driving a car for 200k miles. I'm not one of those people that wants to lease or trade every 2-3 years, either. I drive a car about 8 years, close to 100k miles. By that time, I'm ready for something new or new to me.

Unless I dramatically increased the miles I put on a car, if I wanted a 200k mile car, I'd buy a Corolla or Camry or something of that nature.

 

Had some time to kill so I quickly scanned through 1,476 ATSs listed on AutoTrader across the nation. Highest mileage ATS was a 2014 with 156k miles. Quite a few over 100k and a half dozen over 130k. None approaching close to 200k. Could be a bunch more on Facebook, craigslist, etc. but I'll let someone else check those out.

The expense of keeping a car -- any car -- on the road till 200k not to mention increasingly iffy reliability especially in winter, at night, and in unfriendly neighborhoods makes it a daunting effort. It can be done, and the ATS could get there depending on your tolerance.

 

I agree, few buy a relatively new car and have any interest in trying to get to 200k miles with it. If you have a job you drive a lot it might happen but then you have to decide if you want to deal with the negatives of driving a lot with a high mileage car.

My job went from covering a region, much of it by car to an international job where I work out of my house or leave the country for weeks on end. My ATS is a 2013 and Nov. 17 - I was at 50k miles, now (3 1/2 year later) at 64k miles, averaging about 4k miles a year. I won't live long enough to drive it 200k miles and highly unlikely I will even keep it to 100k miles. When it comes to buying Summer high performance tires - sure, with how long they will last the price per year is still tiny and my weekend car, the one I don't drive much, is likely to have them expire for age, not wear.

 

"Is the ATS a 200k mile car?"

Sure, after:

• 11 CUE replacements
• 9 rear axle's
• 8 torque converters
• 6 blend door actuators
• 2 steering racks
• 3 adaptive headlight system R&R's