I too had the same conundrum between used ATS-V/CTS-V/M3 or a new 340i. The caddies were too expensive (even used) and I didn't want the extra worry of forced induction issues down the road. The used M3 was just worrisome with no warranty. The 340i, though gorgeous and "fast" needed 20K of options to make it the M-Sport I wanted it to be making it a $70K car. The SS met a happy medium for me in price/performance and the LACK of options made it attractive because the price I saw was what I get. Plus the 20% discount was a big driver - no pun intended. Also, the Motortrend video on the SS (the "New Benchmark") was the most prevalent selling factor of the SS for me. When he said "the SS puts down the power better than the Camaro SS and even the CTS-V", I was sold. Power is great, but if you just spin the tires what good is it?

Take a look on Youtube by Motortrend video (if you haven't already):

.

Good luck in your journey!

 

I too had the same conundrum between used ATS-V/CTS-V/M3 or a new 340i. The caddies were too expensive (even used) and I didn't want the extra worry of forced induction issues down the road. The used M3 was just worrisome with no warranty. The 340i, though gorgeous and "fast" needed 20K of options to make it the M-Sport I wanted it to be making it a $70K car. The SS met a happy medium for me in price/performance and the LACK of options made it attractive because the price I saw was what I get. Plus the 20% discount was a big driver - no pun intended. Also, the Motortrend video on the SS (the "New Benchmark") was the most prevalent selling factor of the SS for me. When he said "the SS puts down the power better than the Camaro SS and even the CTS-V", I was sold. Power is great, but if you just spin the tires what good is it?

Take a look on Youtube by Motortrend video (if you haven't already): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbLweooe3aM.

Good luck in your journey!

Thanks, I had no problem keeping the rear end planted on the ATS-V in a straight line even with traction control turned off, but I also have a lot of track experience so I know not to floor it when making a 90 degree turn lol..

We shall see what I do. My last choice is a used 2014 G37 sedan M6 for under $25K... Way too slow though lol... To answer the other guy, I don't need the back seat space so much but I do like the trunk space.

 

That's a very diverse car list you're considering.

Most of us here bought the SS because it is big. No other new car out there offers the same driving experience while being able to carry 5 adult passengers comfortably.

Figure out how much size matters to you, and that should bring things in focus.

We had a '13 ATS 2.0 6MT. It was a fantastic car, but too small for 2 adults and a baby. I hated the HVAC controls, but my wife didn't gripe at all since it was her DD and she built up muscle memory to using it.

 

I love my SS, but my vote is to go with the ATS-V....I'd go with the auto personally. I've been rowing gears for a long time now and I'm starting to get a little tired of it.

 

I traded a ATS (3.6 Perf auto, non-V) in for my SS. If you haven't put some real miles on the ATS, I highly recommend you spend some time with it. I loved it, but it was just too small for a daily. My wife couldn't comfortably sit in front with the baby seat behind her. No one could comfortably sit behind my seat and I am only 5'11". When it was just me driving around it was a ton of fun, smooth and quick, no drama. But after a couple months I found myself wanting that drama, that brute V8 force. I'm interested in the fastest lap times, but the most fun around town. Maybe the V adds that to the ATS.
Oh, and Cue and the touch sensitive buttons suck

 

Yeah ATS's in generally have pretty bad depreciation so I'm not surprised the ATS-V is that drastic. But it's definitely an awesome buy at 50K barely used, as much as an SS is at 40k.

As mentioned the size would probably keep me from buying one over the SS if I needed a daily driver sedan with room for passengers. And I may get flack for proposing it but if it were to be a fair weather/weekend warrior car, I'd probably go to it's platform mate Camaro SS...obviously not in play though if you need 4 doors. I'd take the LT1 over the 3.6TT, even if the cachet of a Camaro doesn't carry what and M-car or V does.

 

If you're considering a used 2016 ATSv, you should be comparing it to a new 2016 SS (or barely used SS).

The price difference is about $15k.

As others have mentioned, there's a significant size difference as well.

Performance wise, ATSv has a significant advantage.

Total cost (depreciation), if you buy an SS new for $38k, the cost of ownership will also likely be less than a $54k ATSv. Just look at the used CTSv prices to get an idea, and that car is arguably more desirable in the used performance world with a larger aftermarket and tried and true drivetrain. The super fast depreciation already on a low volume brand new model should be worrisome for long term prices.


Summary- ATSv is nicer, smaller, and faster, but it's going to cost you a LOT more than the $8k difference you're thinking. Just gotta decide if it's worth it to YOU.

Since you can afford a GTR as well, I don't think the price is the issue. So what are you really looking for in a car? If the answer is:
RWD, v8, comfortable for 4 large adults, nice ride/handling/brakes, fun to drive daily driver and you don't care about fuel economy.... the answer is SS.

But there are certainly better performers out there.... it'll just cost you.

There's a good "super sedan" comparo out there worth reading. It had the M5, E63, Panamera Turbo, S7 and XFR in it. The interesting thing was that the SS out handled and out braked EVERY car on the list except the $180k Porsche.

However, even the slowest car on that list was significantly faster in a straight line than the SS. Good thing the cheapest one of the group costs $40k more!

 

If you like being the guy who drives everyone around when ever you go out (like i do), then pick the SS for the size. I like the ATS-V but its going to suffer from a number of ATS issues, CUE, random electrical failures, , there's a number of complaints about moldy AC (i have sinus issues so this was a concern for me and something i smelled on an ATS i test drove). I also like the lower belt line of the SS which makes it easier to see out of.

Great performers both of them. Cadilliac hasn't quite gotten its interior game down to me. But for that money I might go ATS-V. Tough choice. The V I'd want is the blue manual sedan (no carbon pack) with the light gray interior, sadly its too specific to ever find one used.

 

My main issues with the SS are:

not enough power
Looks like very other Chevy Sedan (though black Holenizing it helps there)
The MyLink etc sucks and has not Android Auto

That's it, but the power thing is the part that bugs me the most.

Decisions, decisions...

 

Honestly of those 3 things power is the easiest to correct. It's an LSx, the sky is the limit. Been playing with them for 15 years. If I can get 430rwhp all motor out of a 15 year old peanut (.558"/221) cam and 10 year old cathedral port 205cc heads on a 346 LS1, I bet you can push 470rwhp pretty easily with newer and more betterer parts out of a 376 LS3.

 

There are plenty of fast cars out there, I chose the SS for the space, NA V8 and sounds that go along with it, manual, and handling without being too rough.
Power is easy to fix.
The ATS-V might be more fun if you're ok with the smaller size and noises of the V6 vs the LS3.

 

Get the ATS-V. It's a sexy car and seems to be a better match for what you are looking for..


The SS is a traditional everyman's muscle car trapped inside of a sports sedan. Large family sedan looks but with presence on the road, affordable V8 power, and handling characteristics found in smaller, sportier cars.

 

I test drove a few ATS-V's and have a few buddies with them. Nice car. Too small for any true family hauling.

That said, I wouldn't buy one in a million years. The exhaust note sounds absolutely atrocious - even worse with aftermarket. Yuck. That alone would deter me.

 

Yeah I am single with no kids. There's no hauling but I do recall liking how I felt sitting in the SS. Dang pedals on the ATS-V are too close. Had to move the seat back and steering wheel back which of course kills legroom in rear. I always thought the SS was way overpriced. The 20% off was about right. I just could never score one. The only color I really like was silver...

Thanks again for the input.

 

CUE > MyLink

 

Fixed it for ya.

(CUE>MyLink) X Stationary = Truth
(CUE<MyLink) X Movement = Truth
(Nobs > Haptic feedback) X Any Day = Universal Truth

 

If you are single and have no kids, why do you want a 4 door sedan?
And if you are going to get a 4 door sedan with rear seats with no plans for kids to sit in, that means you must plan on occasionally (or often) taking adults along with you.
If so, rear seat leg room should be a bit of a concern. If so, the ATS is not the optimal car as there isn't much room in the back seats.

I'm going from my Challenger Hellcat to an SS myself.
If you have a GT-R already, what's the need for another car that traps 117-120 mph like the ATS-V?

An SS with it's high 12's at 110-111 mph trap speeds is still faster than 95% of the cars on the road, and probably faster than 98% of the cars you'll come up alongside in everyday driving.

There wasn't a car I came upon in my Hellcat that could outrun me, but that got old after a bit.
It was the sound and feel that meant more to me. I've had very quick or fast cars most of my life.

I'm gotten to the point of where it's the FEELING and other senses that are more important now than just straight line speed.
The ATS-V is faster than the SS stock for stock in both straight line and around a racetrack, but who really cares at that point.
If you go to a race track, you see tons of Miata's and lower powered cars and those guys are having just as much (maybe more) fun than the guys in the more powerful cars, as you can exploit the full potential of them with a lot less risk of crashing or going past your abilities and spinning out, damaging your ride.

The ATS-V is a nicer car than the SS for sure, but how does it make you feel compared to the SS?

True the SS looks like a hulked up prior gen Malibu to some degree and even the prior model Cruze looks a bit like a miniature SS, but that sleeper look is kind of cool too.
On the plus side, the SS also looks like a State Police or Highway Patrol vehicle coming up on other cars, and they tend to move over for it, I know I have, especially at night. That's kind of a bonus too.

Go with what makes you feel the best.
$38-39k for a 2016 SS is a steal for the room and the engine you get, plus world class 4 door sedan handling.

The ATS-V will continue to drop fast in resale too. Really who wants to buy a 3-4 year old forced inducted performance sedan with 30-50k miles on it as the warranty is going to expire?
The SS will be a collectors car in the decades to come. Even if you don't keep it that long, I won't be surprised to learn that in 3-4 years the $38k 2016 SS you buy won't still sell for $30-32k.

I also don't like all the electronics of the newer cars like the ATS-V
I want knobs for quick and easy adjustments of radio, a/c, etc.

Good luck with your choice.

 

I think this is a silly comparison, and I will tell you why.

Do you have any interest in owning the last manual transmission, RWD sedan, with a small block....potentially ever?

If yes, then there is absolutely no other option.

If you want a manual trans, big v8 sedan with a stick you have two choices. The M5 or the SS. The M5 IMO is not worth twice the cost.

Now if the CTS-V were available in a stick, I would have gone that route. But its not, so for me, the SS, all day.

The SS to ATS-V is a comparo that we like to make but the soul of the cars could not be any different.

 

the manual CTS-V Sedan was a dream for me for a long time.
But I didn't make enough to afford one. Now its gotten an entire car size bigger, the manual ones from the years I liked are priced around the SS's MSRP and 6~ years old.

Now the CTS-V is only auto and the ATS-V is just not enough car for the money. Sure the v6 TT can make some decent power with a few mods, but its not a proven platform and from what I understand the cars have some issues.
I thought about that when looking at the SS, but I realized there really isn't a comparison.

 

I have no kids and really need 4 doors only a few times a year. But I value anonymity on the road a lot. I drive quite aggressively and it's really helpful when nobody expects me to. The ATS-V is a lot more visible on the road.

 

GM has had some insane lease deals on ATS-V's the past 6 months or so. It was like $5k down and around $450 per month back in August. The current deal is like $5k down and $550 per month. Yes, putting any money down on a lease isn't great practice, but that's still a phenomenal deal overall. As much as I love the ATS-V, reliability worries and potential maintenance costs with a very high-tech GM engine 5+ years down the line is a turn-off for me as far as long-term ownership. Then again, there's another thread on here about how it may be relatively difficult to find trim and body parts for the SS in the near future, so I guess there are no guarantees with either car.

 

The thing is as a car enthusiast you don't want to lease anything.

 

I've been trying figure out why I'm so drawn to the SS,I think its for the nostalgia the car is going to bring down memory lane, RWD V8 MT sedans are history,so I bought the SS for that reason.

 

Smaller car no rear seat room variable valve timing it's a turbo.
More complex equals more problems.
z51vett
Doug

 

I recently tracked both the ATS-V and CTS-V at a Cadillac event.

I'd get the ATS-V over the SS based on what you said earlier. If size wasn't an issue, I'd buy the ATS-V over the CTS-V as well. The ATS-V tracks very nimbly and it's lightning quick - the CTS-V is like driving a very powerful pickup truck in comparison. The difference between using a small hammer and a sledge hammer to put a penny nail in the wall.

The SS is a great car, no doubt, but the ATS-V just drove quite a bit better. Granted, I drove the A8 versions, but I'd happily buy one for the right price. 25% off sticker is about where I'd start feeling good about the purchase.

I love the SS but I don't feel it's going to have as good of resale as the G8 GXP M6, for a multitude of reasons. It's one under-appreciated car.

 

It looks like you don't have to have a V8 so get the V. Boosted cars are easier to modify anyway and the V has a nice balanced chassis, so, go for it.

 

Was in your shoes last year. Me and a buddy went to test drive the ATS. I had a bi-turbo Audi so I knew how fun the ATS-V would be , easy to take me , and the chassis was superb.

In the end I wanted less maintenance worries (no turbos), a back seat that someone larger than an infant could fit in , trunk space bigger than a suitcase , a last chance at owning a V8 RWD car. Plus you will see a lot less SS on the road than even ATS-Vs. I have no regrets. My friend.... well he just picked up a 17 CTS-V with full carbon package. That car is sah weet!

 

There isn't any comparison between the SS and ATS-V. The ATS-V is a much smaller car. There is no room in the back seat. The SS is even bigger than the CTS. Only of they would have put the LSA in a SS...

 

People wouldn't even buy an SS unless it was marked down from 50k, and you're talking about making it a $65K car. LOL

 

people poo poo on leases, but with particular cars (Cadillacs) even putting $5k down on the car and paying $500 a month for it, you are beating the depreciation of the car in 99% of the cases. On-top of that you usually get the option to buy back the car at near trade in value prices. So you end up way better off leasing a lot of these new cars (which is what GM wants to do, lease cars, not sell). If you love it, buy it back at the end of the lease and have less money in it than buying it, if its a lemon or you hate the car, just walk away.


what did the OP end up buying? Im curious.

 

Which model cadillac do you think will have depreciated more than 17k over 2 years?