A Little-V Blog: The ATS-V purchase and ownership experience

[Kef2782]

Well, my problem was solved. Cadillac field engineer had a turbo replaced. Car ran well but got the P167 back. Another field engineering team came out and came to the conclusion that the only thin not replaced was the MAF. They replaced the MAF. The V has run great since then. They took the MAF with them and responded to me a week later. They said the MAF was found to be "intermittently faulty." All fixed under warranty

You might have helped me figure my issue. The two MAF are way off. Replacing both mafs and pigtails. Shame my dealership couldn't figure out what was wrong. Simply gave up and said "your car's too modified"...

 

[Joespenard]

w0w.. What a reed !

 

[Hib Halverson]

All's Well that Ends Badly

Once again, it's been a long time since I've posted here, but it's time for an update. Unfortunately, the news is not good.

Back in early July, my Wife, the Fairest Sandra the Red, came home from work saying that when she started her ATS-V sedan, "Pearl," prior to leaving work, it blew oil smoke for several seconds. She told me that and I was astonished. The next morning, I went outside to watch while she started the car and, sure enough, oil smoke. Here's some video footage I shot the following week. To see video footage of the problem, click here.

I decided that there was no way I was going to have GM put a fourth motor in this car, so I met with the Service Manager at Bunnin Chevrolet and asked him to start the ball rolling on a buyback, or as GM terms it, a "repurchase." At one time, Bunnin was also a Cadillac dealer, but took the buyout GM offered Cadillac dealers which did not want to make the capital investment GM was requiring if it wanted to stay a Caddy dealer in the coming EV era. Nevertheless, since the warranty claims for this problem began while it was still Bunnin Chevrolet/Cadillac, we were able to get this transaction handled locally.

The Fairest Sandra the Red with "Pearl"

It took two months, but after communication between Bunnin Chevrolet and GM, my wife and I supplying a boatload of documentation and imagery to GM, and time for the wheels to turn in the General's repurchase department, we finally received an offer for 53-large–to which we quickly agreed. That was way more than I had expected GM to give us, however, I learned that the way GM does repurchases is: the repurchase price is based on the odometer reading at the first occasion a customer brought the car to the dealer with a complaint about the problem that precipitated the buyback. Usage from that amount of miles is subtracted from the original purchase price to get the buyback amount. Yesterday morning we took the car to Bunnin Chevrolet, signed over the title and left with a check. With buybacks, GM either fixes them and sends the cars to auction or it crushes them.

The two of us, after the buyback paperwork was signed

I felt kind of sad as I gave the key fobs to the Service Manager. Who would have thought that our experience with the first of our two ATS-Vs, which began with such enthusiasm, would become mired in warranty claims and end with the lemon-law process?

A couple of weeks ago I emailed Michael Albano, Executive Director, Cadillac Communications and offered Cadillac an opportunity to make a statement about the LF4 engine and the oil-smoke-after-cold start problem. He replied:

GM places a high priority on customer satisfaction and the quality of our vehicles. During a short period of time during the production of the ATS-V with the LF4 engine, a quality issue was identified with a supplier part. Very few of the ATS-V’s built with the LF4 engine experienced this issue. Once identified, the issue was quickly resolved. Additionally, GM has ensured necessary guidance for dealers to address any customers who may have experienced the quality issue.

Moving right along, here...what's my Wife, the Fairest Sandra the Red, going to drive? We ordered one of these...

...a 2023 Blazer RS.

We picked that because another Cadillac–a CT-4V/BW, for example–was out of the question. With Bunnin giving up its Cadillac franchise, there is no more local dealer support and she wanted a crossover rather than a four-door sedan.

As for our other ATS-V, the Blue, six-speed Coupe I drive? It's still running well–if you listen carefully you'll hear me knocking on my wood-top desk. It now has just over 40,000-miles and was out of warranty back in July. I've decided to make a few mods. I have a set of Forgeline wheels stacked in my office to put on it along with new TPWS sensors. I have Porterfield R4S brake pads for it. I was thinking of a set of ZZPerformance downpipes with crossover. I guess I could write a different calibration for it. I'll break-out my trusty HPTuners MPVI2, open up my Toughbook, start HTP "VCM Editor" and burn a sick cal for my "Blue BMW Buster."

 

[Joespenard]

All's Well that Ends Badly

Once again, it's been a long time since I've posted here, but it's time for an update. Unfortunately, the news is not good.

Back in early July, my Wife, the Fairest Sandra the Red, came home from work saying that when she started her ATS-V sedan, "Pearl," prior to leaving work, it blew oil smoke for several seconds. She told me that and I was astonished. The next morning, I went outside to watch while she started the car and, sure enough, oil smoke. Here's some video footage I shot the following week. To see video footage of the problem, click here.

I decided that there was no way I was going to have GM put a fourth motor in this car, so I met with the Service Manager at Bunnin Chevrolet and asked him to start the ball rolling on a buyback, or as GM terms it, a "repurchase." At one time, Bunnin was also a Cadillac dealer, but took the buyout GM offered Cadillac dealers which did not want to make the capital investment GM was requiring if it wanted to stay a Caddy dealer in the coming EV era. Nevertheless, since the warranty claims for this problem began while it was still Bunnin Chevrolet/Cadillac, we were able to get this transaction handled locally.

View attachment 12660
The Fairest Sandra the Red with "Pearl"

It took two months, but after communication between Bunnin Chevrolet and GM, my wife and I supplying a boatload of documentation and imagery to GM, and time for the wheels to turn in the General's repurchase department, we finally received an offer for 53-large–to which we quickly agreed. That was way more than I had expected GM to give us, however, I learned that the way GM does repurchases is: the repurchase price is based on the odometer reading at the first occasion a customer brought the car to the dealer with a complaint about the problem that precipitated the buyback. Usage from that amount of miles is subtracted from the original purchase price to get the buyback amount. Yesterday morning we took the car to Bunnin Chevrolet, signed over the title and left with a check. With buybacks, GM either fixes them and sends the cars to auction or it crushes them.

View attachment 12661
The two of us, after the buyback paperwork was signed

I felt kind of sad as I gave the key fobs to the Service Manager. Who would have thought that our experience with the first of our two ATS-Vs, which began with such enthusiasm, would become mired in warranty claims and end with the lemon-law process?

A couple of weeks ago I emailed Michael Albano, Executive Director, Cadillac Communications and offered Cadillac an opportunity to make a statement about the LF4 engine and the oil-smoke-after-cold start problem. He replied:


Moving right along, here...what's my Wife, the Fairest Sandra the Red, going to drive? We ordered one of these...

View attachment 12659...a 2023 Blazer RS.

We picked that because another Cadillac–a CT-4V/BW, for example–was out of the question. With Bunnin giving up its Cadillac franchise, there is no more local dealer support and she wanted a crossover rather than a four-door sedan.

As for our other ATS-V, the Blue, six-speed Coupe I drive? It's still running well–if you listen carefully you'll hear me knocking on my wood-top desk. It now has just over 40,000-miles and was out of warranty back in July. I've decided to make a few mods. I have a set of Forgeline wheels stacked in my office to put on it along with new TPWS sensors. I have Porterfield R4S brake pads for it. I was thinking of a set of ZZPerformance downpipes with crossover. I guess I could write a different calibration for it. I'll break-out my trusty HPTuners MPVI2, open up my Toughbook, start HTP "VCM Editor" and burn a sick cal for my "Blue BMW Buster."

A rodeo of ur own. Thx 4 post n the update. I agree w\WON"T TAP....

 

[NorthGeorgiaWX]

We have 65k on the wife's 2016 ATS-V sedan with Turbobay turbos, and 25k on my 2017 coupe, and absolutely no engine issues. I do have trans issues with both cars with the 1-2 shift some times. My 2017 had the trans flushed early on, so I'm a little surprised to be having issues with that one. I don't know what was done to the 2016 trans, so we're going to try a flush on both to see if it fixes the issues.

 

[Hib Halverson]

When we had "Pearl", the only problems we had with the 8L90 were 1) a sometimes harsh 1-2 shift at light throttle and while still warming up. It was a minor annoyance and 2) failure of the trans temp sensor which required warranty replacement of the 8L90s entire internal wiring harness.

Our other ATS-V, which we still own, is a manual. During the second year of ownership, it had the flywheel, clutch, trans and prop shaft replaced under warranty to chase down a vibration that occured in fifth gear at highway speeds. Turns out it was a defect in the transmission which affected a few Camaros and ATS-Vs. A year after that, the car's engine was replaced for the same oil-smoke-after-cold-start problem that was a chronic affliction of our now-bought-back ATS-V sedan. Unlike the sedan, apparently, the replacement engine in that car was not defective.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Lurch then Crunch.

My ATS-V Coupe was in a minor but what turned out a very expensive collision. A week before Christmas I was in a Valero station. Each island had three pumps. The pump on one end was in use so I used the pump on the other end. I was holding the valve wide open and looking away from the car when, suddenly, the car lurched and I heard this nasty "Crunch!". I think WTF. I turn around and saw that some guy tried to get in between me and the other car so he could use the middle pump. The fool backed up by Braille. He pulls forward. I click the nozzle off and go look at the back of my car. Paint on the rear fascia is scratched and the carbon fiber rear diffuser is cracked. He gets out of the car and takes a look then says, "I'm insured. That doesn't look too bad." I thought the guy was going to have kittens when I told him the diffuser runs about $4000. His insurance carrier, State Farm, contacted me later saying their insured was at fault and to have the car repaired. I went with a State Farm-approved repair facility near where I live, Dino's Body Shop. Dino ordered the diffuser but it took a long time to get it. I came in yesterday so car goes to Dino's next Monday to get fixed.

 

[Joespenard]

Lurch then Crunch.

My ATS-V Coupe was in a minor but what turned out a very expensive collision. A week before Christmas I was in a Valero station. Each island had three pumps. The pump on one end was in use so I used the pump on the other end. I was holding the valve wide open and looking away from the car when, suddenly, the car lurched and I heard this nasty "Crunch!". I think WTF. I turn around and saw that some guy tried to get in between me and the other car so he could use the middle pump. The fool backed up by Braille. He pulls forward. I click the nozzle off and go look at the back of my car. Paint on the rear fascia is scratched and the carbon fiber rear diffuser is cracked. He gets out of the car and takes a look then says, "I'm insured. That doesn't look too bad." I thought the guy was going to have kittens when I told him the diffuser runs about $4000. His insurance carrier, State Farm, contacted me later saying their insured was at fault and to have the car repaired. I went with a State Farm-approved repair facility near where I live, Dino's Body Shop. Dino ordered the diffuser but it took a long time to get it. I came in yesterday so car goes to Dino's next Monday to get fixed.

Condolences

 

[Hib Halverson]

Condolences

I know, right!

 

[Hib Halverson]

Some ATS-V onwers use pour-in engine oil additives, such as "Sea Foam", "STP", "Lucas Oil Stabilizer" and so forth. If that's you, watch this video done by Certified Lubrication Specialist, Lake Speed Jr. on his "Oil Geek" YouTube channel.

Now...change your oil to get all that s**t out of your oil.

Your LF4 will love you for it.