Considering a Model 3 or Cadillac ATS

[Proflig8tor]

Have you sat in both cars? I loved the design and styling of the ATS Coupe, but in that car and even the sedan, there was no room. I mean, like why not buy a Corvette if you can daily a car with an interior as cramped as the ATS? The interior of the Tesla is just right sized, about like my E Class (we had two) and a bit bigger than my GTI. It feels very spacious in white. We had five adults in it the other day for a hour long ride to and from the airport with some luggage in the front and rear. ... no complaints from anyone.

We have the SR+ and with the extra 5% in the latest update it is rated at ~ 298 HP. Take 400+lbs off the front and IMHO you've got probably the best handling sport sedan on the market, although Cadillac did a nice job on the ATS by all reports. No doubt the Tesla would eat a Cadillac on a tight track. The center of gravity is a huge advantage. The Dual Motor cars are really in an entirely different league than the ATS.

Another, surprising, consideration with the SR+ is that the smaller battery charges faster from your home and the car itself is more efficient than the dual motor cars. It's the goldilocks "just right" for our family and again, I thought it's handling was a wee bit sharper than the dual motor cars, although the Performance on 20's was close with a bit more ride harshness than mine on 19's. I do like the slightly lower ride height of the performance model.

As for your electrical box, think of it this way. Do you run your dryer, your AC and your oven all while you charge your car? If you are worried about your panel, just don't run everything at the same time. As others have mentioned a 14-50 plug will suit your needs and your electrician need only know it is for a dryer or camper, it's the same thing.

Many jurisdictions have off peak rates at night, so potentially you can charge for free. At our 8.7 cents per KWH it was costing us around $20 a month to drive an average of 1,200 miles a month. Compared to the $200+ we were spending on our E350 sport, this is free. (and now that I changed rate plans, it is free) Then we are also avoiding $250+ to $1,200 service visits every 10,000 miles. This thing only uses tires, wiper blades and cabin air filters and only uses those rarely. Those are all easily user-serviceable. We may never have a need for a service center.

I would guess the Tesla will last a lot longer than the Cadillac. The parts just don't seem to be as highly stressed and the drive system seems robustly over built. The battery seems to hold up fine in higher mileage cars and the range increase we received via an over the air update results in even more capability than the car had when new.

Then there is the autopilot, entertainment and easter eggs. The Cadillac UI is terrible compared to the Tesla and I'm not a fan of the dash unless they updated it for 2020.

GM's paint, fit and finish are probably better than the Tesla. I love the blue GM offers on the ATS and my car looks like it was painted by a pre-school class (it's really pretty bad) but it waxes up nice and most people don't care.

Hey, just my opinions. Everyone seems to passionately love their Tesla's and if I could afford a performance model for my family's grocery getter, I'm sure I'd like it even more than mine. But, we are very happy with the "cheap" Tesla.

 

[Apprunner]

That's a model S, not 3.

Huh. You didn't watch the video and you reply. He did a 2.98 in his Model 3.

 

[ecarfan]

Huh. You didn't watch the video and you reply. He did a 2.98 in his Model 3.

He got 2.998 for one run. Three other runs were slightly over 3 seconds.

 

[jaws2003]

I take a guy carpooling with me. He has the Cadillac, it was his pride and joy. He bought it because he loved the design, the luxury image, the "luxury" interior. To him it represented the pinnacle of American luxury, Each to their own of course. After riding in my Model3 he was ready to get rid of the Cadillac almost immediately. Just saying.
1) - no problem
2) - n/a
3) - depends on how much you like launching 0-60 a the lights
4) - don't believe so, you don't want to do this, you want regenerative braking for sure, takes a few weeks or so to get used to and master
5) - dependent on where you live and your local SC, luck, time of day, mood of Elon.. etc,
6) - yes.. no big deal
7) n/a
8) - very variable depending on where you live. ALl I can say is my normal electric bill without any AC turned on is veyr low, maybe $30-50/month. WIth charging it's about $200. With AC running occasionally in summer and no charging it can be up to $300+. I feel that 150/month is very competitive compared to gas. I live in an area with expensive electricity though
9) not sure what you mean. DO you mean driving with autopilot? (that's more like collaborative driving rather than forget it). If you mean maintenance.. not much to do other than check tyres and occasionally brakes.
10) - never, not a problem. maybe if you live in an area where giant bro trucks rule the roads you might get some idiot harrass you I guess. Not a consideration

I can understand how people can change their minds with this car. My gas bill with my current car is around $300/month. As for "setting it and forget it" I meant that more for maintenance.

 

[jaws2003]

Also, those electricity rates are insane. I guess one could say my rates are insane. Bay Area CA with an EV Time Of Use plan. 12 am-3pm is 16.2 c/kwh. Peak is 33-35c/kwh

Those are high rates. Your "off peak" rates are basically a hair above my "high" rates.

 

[jaws2003]

5. The lady that works in my building was affected by Hurricane Michael and her Tesla was damaged. Are there any issues with the Model 3 with receiving replacement parts now? This has been a HUGE factor for me in between choosing a Model 3 or S. The parts issue seems to be getting better, but I would be leary about buying a Tesla if you don't live near a service center.

8. How much did your light bill increase? I just have a co-op that charges two different prices. Anything under 1,000KWH is 11.8 cents and anything over 1,000KWH is 13.8 cents. I spoke with the lady that works in my building and she was stating that hers went up by $50. She has a co-op as well. Also she drives 160 miles round trip each day but I drive 80 round trip. She also charges to 94% every night. I pay just under $0.12/kWh, and I've averaged about $50 a month increase. Compared to $150-$200 a month in gas.

Ok then. I live about 1.5 to 2 hours away from a Tesla service center. I know the lady that works in my building lives about 3-3.5 hours away. As for the light bill that doesn't seem to be bad at all. We have a similar rate with electricity.

 

[jaws2003]

Get home charging. Find a performance model 3 "sleeper" - it's a performance 3 without the 20 inch wheels, spoiler, larger brakes but only $49500 with basic autopilot. Ton of fun to drive and the ATS shouldn't even be considered after you take the Model 3 for a spin. I still own a BMW 435i as a backup car since I had bought it and didn't want to take the hit on selling a perfectly functioning car. Both our 3 and p100D X have continued to get better with updates and more fun and faster than the BMW which is basically there for emergencies and to sit and look pretty.

I thought about trading my Focus in to help with a down payment but I believe I will keep it as well.

 

[jaws2003]

Have you sat in both cars? I loved the design and styling of the ATS Coupe, but in that car and even the sedan, there was no room. I mean, like why not buy a Corvette if you can daily a car with an interior as cramped as the ATS? The interior of the Tesla is just right sized, about like my E Class (we had two) and a bit bigger than my GTI. It feels very spacious in white. We had five adults in it the other day for a hour long ride to and from the airport with some luggage in the front and rear. ... no complaints from anyone.

We have the SR+ and with the extra 5% in the latest update it is rated at ~ 298 HP. Take 400+lbs off the front and IMHO you've got probably the best handling sport sedan on the market, although Cadillac did a nice job on the ATS by all reports. No doubt the Tesla would eat a Cadillac on a tight track. The center of gravity is a huge advantage. The Dual Motor cars are really in an entirely different league than the ATS.

Another, surprising, consideration with the SR+ is that the smaller battery charges faster from your home and the car itself is more efficient than the dual motor cars. It's the goldilocks "just right" for our family and again, I thought it's handling was a wee bit sharper than the dual motor cars, although the Performance on 20's was close with a bit more ride harshness than mine on 19's. I do like the slightly lower ride height of the performance model.

As for your electrical box, think of it this way. Do you run your dryer, your AC and your oven all while you charge your car? If you are worried about your panel, just don't run everything at the same time. As others have mentioned a 14-50 plug will suit your needs and your electrician need only know it is for a dryer or camper, it's the same thing.

Many jurisdictions have off peak rates at night, so potentially you can charge for free. At our 8.7 cents per KWH it was costing us around $20 a month to drive an average of 1,200 miles a month. Compared to the $200+ we were spending on our E350 sport, this is free. (and now that I changed rate plans, it is free) Then we are also avoiding $250+ to $1,200 service visits every 10,000 miles. This thing only uses tires, wiper blades and cabin air filters and only uses those rarely. Those are all easily user-serviceable. We may never have a need for a service center.

I would guess the Tesla will last a lot longer than the Cadillac. The parts just don't seem to be as highly stressed and the drive system seems robustly over built. The battery seems to hold up fine in higher mileage cars and the range increase we received via an over the air update results in even more capability than the car had when new.

Then there is the autopilot, entertainment and easter eggs. The Cadillac UI is terrible compared to the Tesla and I'm not a fan of the dash unless they updated it for 2020.

GM's paint, fit and finish are probably better than the Tesla. I love the blue GM offers on the ATS and my car looks like it was painted by a pre-school class (it's really pretty bad) but it waxes up nice and most people don't care.

Hey, just my opinions. Everyone seems to passionately love their Tesla's and if I could afford a performance model for my family's grocery getter, I'm sure I'd like it even more than mine. But, we are very happy with the "cheap" Tesla.

I've sat in the Tesla model 3 long range but not the ATS. The ATS interior sounds like my Focus. I have my son's car seat in there and it's cramped in the back. It's a little tough for him to get in and out and he's soon to be 5. As for my electrical box all of my spaces are full and IIRC it's a 100 amp main box.

 

[dmurphy]

I had a Cadillac XT5 Platinum - top trim, every option available aside from towing.

Sold it when I bought my Model 3 LR AWD.

Don’t miss it. Not once have I thought “wish I still had the Caddy.”

Downsized. “Inferior” paint, fit & finish, barebones interior. Model 3 is not Cadillac plush.

I’d do it again in a quarter of a heartbeat. Model 3 is *that* good.

Take it from a guy who’s owned a string of Cadillacs.....

 

[M3BlueGeorgia]

Also, those electricity rates are insane. I guess one could say my rates are insane. Bay Area CA with an EV Time Of Use plan. 12 am-3pm is 16.2 c/kwh. Peak is 33-35c/kwh

The OP is probably a customer of Talquin EMC. Just checked their website and they don't appear to have either a TOU or EV special rates, but the electric costs aren't too bad at 12 cents.

I'd suggest the OP lobby the EMC to introduce TOU pricing. You can do that with EMC's
For a start, just go to the annual meeting and ask a question. Also write to the (elected) board members.

We are members of Cobb EMC, and they have a EV electric plan. Overnight rates (midnight to 6am) are 4.5 cents with the first 400 kWh/month free. It is common for EMCs to offer EV or TOU plans and Talquin EMC are behind on offering one.

 

[TyH2009]

I had a Cadillac XT5 Platinum - top trim, every option available aside from towing.

Sold it when I bought my Model 3 LR AWD.

Don’t miss it. Not once have I thought “wish I still had the Caddy.”

Downsized. “Inferior” paint, fit & finish, barebones interior. Model 3 is not Cadillac plush.

I’d do it again in a quarter of a heartbeat. Model 3 is *that* good.

Take it from a guy who’s owned a string of Cadillacs.....

You're joking if you think the Cadillac paint is worse than the Tesla.

I owned a 2014 ATS and the paint was not great, but the Tesla's is worse.


OP - I owed an ATS and it was a decent car, RWD, V6, Performance version. It drove nice, got decent mileage, was decently quick, I think I ran 13.8 @ 103 or so in it. Minuses were, a LOT of recalls done on mine, I think there was like 10, thankfully I worked at a GM dealership at the time, so it wasn't too big of a deal. I had a bad mold smell in the interior, and fixing that took about a week, they had to rip apart the dash, do cleaning, and install new filters, I did get a free rental for the time though, a Cadillac ELR. I hear some Tesla owners have this same issue about a mold smell.

All in all it was a good car, didn't have any major issues with it. I kept it about 35,000 miles, then traded it in for my current Chevy SS, that I love more.

 

[Runt8]

I've sat in the Tesla model 3 long range but not the ATS. The ATS interior sounds like my Focus. I have my son's car seat in there and it's cramped in the back. It's a little tough for him to get in and out and he's soon to be 5. As for my electrical box all of my spaces are full and IIRC it's a 100 amp main box.

I have a five and an eight year old, their booster seats fit in the back with no issues. And now that the eight year old doesn't need a booster any more, he has tons of space.

 

[arghx7]

You can set it to "Low" regen and "Creep" . It will drive pretty similar to a traditional automatic transmission. Lots of 1 pedal enthusiasts will tell you not to do this but the loss of efficiency isn't big if you coast as part of your driving style. If you are accelerating and slamming on the friction brakes all the time then yeah it's going to have more of an effect.

Don't let your dislike of heavy regenerative braking be a dealbreaker.

 

[SMAlset]

I thought about trading my Focus in to help with a down payment but I believe I will keep it as well.

There have been Tesla owners who kept their 2nd vehicle (an ICE) as well but have come back to say they don't enjoy driving the ICE any more, hate when their spouse takes their Tesla and leaves them driving the other one and it just sits there undriven for the most part while they pay insurance and maintenance for it until they end up selling it. If you buy a Tesla, I'll be interested to see how you feel about your Focus over time.

We are a 2-car family and even after I fell in love with my husband's MS, was a bit hesitant to go all EV when I knew my time was coming up for a new car. Not due to range anxiety any more, that's never really been an issue in reality (and I did run out of gas in my Honda once when I was in a hurry to get to work and decided to chance not stopping for gas so running out of fuel/power can happen regardless I guess), but just wasn't sure I was ready to commit to full EV. The Model 3 LR AWD had come out and I ordered it before getting to test drive a Model 3. Been in love with it ever since driving it home. Back in October our area got hit with PG&E's safety power blackout, and Tesla sent messages out to owners (received an email and it appeared on my car's screen) to go ahead and keep your car fully charged during this time. While I didn't have power at home, I was still able to charge in other locations and it was never a problem. I was able to charge my phone in my car even though I couldn't do so in my house, so that was nice. I know Tesla has helped out other owners across the country during times of weather related events in various ways and I applaud them for that. In any event will be curious what you end up doing.

 

[bnsfengineer]

We have both an S and Model 3, which is my primary driver. We'd never consider buying anything else out there because we love our cars so much. Had mine over a year now and haven't had to do anything other than air in tires and adding windshield washer fluid. Neither one of us would ever go back to an ICE vehicle so can't help you with your other alternative.

As for Model 3 AWD or a AWD P version, can you test drive a P model at a Telsa store near you? I find my Model 3 AWD pretty exciting to drive and accelerate in, but have read some guys out there regretting not getting the P version. I guess it depends on your personal preference for additional acceleration off the line and a few other features it has. Only you can make that decision for yourself.

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to never go into a gas station or service center for all those maintenance issues that add up. No Smog check here and no replacement of a catalytic converter. No fumes and can't wait until more cars are EVs and I don't have to sit in line waiting behind one. We installed a NEMA 14-50 in our garage and I charge my car out in the driveway backed up near the garage door. Our garage door has that big rubber seal at the bottom and so as not to crush the cabling we use two sample pieces of corian placed on each side of the cable that we had that are slightly higher than the cable on the ground to make sure the door doesn't put pressure on the cable. The garage door still closes and the cable can move freely. My husband liked the more secure electrical connection that way but there are plenty of owners on here who have both NEMA 14-50 and HWPCs units installed outdoors with no problems. The NEMA 14-50 can be installed in a box with a lock if you have concerns about electrical theft or people messing with it.

ICE'd usually refers to combustion engine vehicles blocking EVs at charging stations, and I haven't personally experienced that when I needed to charge away from home. I have seen bad behavior in public parking garages where both ICE vehicles and sadly even EVs or hybrids will take a charging spot (EVs not charging). Sometimes it's due to the signage at the location, even some Tesla charging spots might have parking for anyone for a 30 minute limit. With more EVs coming to the roads and more people becoming aware of the fact it could mean someone can't get a charge to get home, hopefully this will disappear. Always in favor of a ticket and tow for those that abuse the space.

I have the 19inch sport wheels on my car and am mindful of my tire pressure. Have not had any flat tires but with the 21s on Model Ss it is just something you live with. 18inch Aero wheels with the covers on will increase your range.

As for cash or 50% loan, it's really up to you and what you feel comfortable with financially. Auto loans are still pretty low now. Check out insurance rates for your area and how you are rated as a driver. A AWD P model will be not only more expensive to buy but have a higher insurance premium.

Listen to this guy! I have M3 and MS and once you start driving these you will absolutely never go back to ICE!

 

[dmurphy]

You're joking if you think the Cadillac paint is worse than the Tesla.

sorry, I think you misinterpreted what I wrote. I meant that I adopted a car (Model 3) with the supposed-inferior paint, fit, finish & interior. The Cadillac is nominally better in all of those categories.

Yet; I’ve never been happier in any car than my Model 3.

 

[TyH2009]

sorry, I think you misinterpreted what I wrote. I meant that I adopted a car (Model 3) with the supposed-inferior paint, fit, finish & interior. The Cadillac is nominally better in all of those categories.

Yet; I’ve never been happier in any car than my Model 3.

Gotcha, my apologies.

 

[jaws2003]

The OP is probably a customer of Talquin EMC. Just checked their website and they don't appear to have either a TOU or EV special rates, but the electric costs aren't too bad at 12 cents.

I'd suggest the OP lobby the EMC to introduce TOU pricing. You can do that with EMC's
For a start, just go to the annual meeting and ask a question. Also write to the (elected) board members.

We are members of Cobb EMC, and they have a EV electric plan. Overnight rates (midnight to 6am) are 4.5 cents with the first 400 kWh/month free. It is common for EMCs to offer EV or TOU plans and Talquin EMC are behind on offering one.

I'm with Tri-County electric but the prices that average. I agree that isn't bad since my gas bill is $300/month

 

[jaws2003]

You can set it to "Low" regen and "Creep" . It will drive pretty similar to a traditional automatic transmission. Lots of 1 pedal enthusiasts will tell you not to do this but the loss of efficiency isn't big if you coast as part of your driving style. If you are accelerating and slamming on the friction brakes all the time then yeah it's going to have more of an effect.

Don't let your dislike of heavy regenerative braking be a dealbreaker.

Great!!! I will try those settings. My first time driving a Tesla it just seemed a little harsh especially as soon as you take your foot off of the pedal.

 

[SMAlset]

Great!!! I will try those settings. My first time driving a Tesla it just seemed a little harsh especially as soon as you take your foot off of the pedal.

Did your friend/co-worker explain about regen braking before having you get behind the wheel? They really should have (or set it to Low for you to try out) and explained to pivot your foot on your heel, slowly lifting your toe area away from the pedal to slow down. The heel stays anchored in place until you want to use the brake to stop*. Definitely don't want to lift your foot off the pedal suddenly or that would result in an abrupt action.



*BTW owner's software is being updated now that will also give the driver the option to truly be one-foot driving. With the Stopping Mode set now to "Hold", the car will come to a complete stop without moving from the accelerator to the brake pedal. (watch around 2:36)