Failing To Convince Friends Leads To A Coincidental Comparison 

"Torque Affair" (torqueaffair) 04/22/2015 at 07:46 • Filed to: None

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Let’s be honest. I’m never all that excited about cars that 99.999% of the people on this planet typically buy. Instead, I belong to the 0.001% of the population that love gas guzzling, unreasonably expensive and incredibly unreliable cars that destroy marriages.

I’m the kind of guy that environmentalists, conservationists and significant others love to hate. In fact, when a husband or wife or sees me with their loved one, they try to get rid of me as fast as humanly possibly to prevent me from tainting their minds.

Unfortunately for them, it doesn’t work.

I was born this way. When I’m around people that even have the slightest interest in cars, I feel compelled to encourage them to make one of the worst decisions of their life: drop thousands of dollars into something which will essentially be a worthless piece of junk several years from now.

Recently, I found that not one, but two of my friends were about to purchase new-to-them used cars. One of them had an older 2003 Altima that was ruined by someone flooring the gas pedal while in “R” thinking the transmission was in “D” ( true story ), and the other one was just itching to buy a car because of a new job that significantly bumped up his pay.

I thought to myself: “YES, this is the perfect opportunity - I will convince one of them to buy a 911 Turbo S and the other a CTS-V and then I’ll get to drive their cars whenever I want. Hahaha. I’m a genius!”

Alas, my diabolical scheme didn’t work as I completely and utterly failed to achieve my objective. Instead of being excited about soon finding myself behind the wheel of a glorious 556 hp supercharged beast, I ended up with both of my friends taking the practical route and spending money on…shall we say… more reasonable cars ?

Through a remarkable coincidence, both of them happened to pay almost the same amount of money on cars that look virtually the same on paper!

Here are the cars:

2013 Cadillac ATS - 3.6L V6, 321 hp, 274 lb-ft of torque; weighs ~3400 lbs; loaded with all the goodies like sunroof, navigation etc.; 4-yr 50K mile factory warranty + certified pre-owned warranty up to 100K miles. Total price ~ $27K

2013 Infiniti G37 - 3.7L V6, 328 hp, 269 lb-ft of torque; weighs ~3600 lbs; loaded pretty much with the exact same things as the ATS, 4-year 60K mile factory warranty + a certified pre-owned as well with a warranty up to 100K miles. Total price ~ $28K

Time to compare the two...

The ATS looks like something a sales person would pull up in. You can totally picture a guy getting out of the car ready to sell you Cutco knives so that you can cut your shoe into two pieces.

I would consider the looks somewhat edgy with the headlights being my favorite part of the design. It’s clear that Cadillac is desperately trying to shed its image as the ultimate car for the newly retired 65 year old gentleman headed to the golf course - but for now I don’t think it has quite succeeded.

I just can’t see this car being all that appealing to younger folks. The ATS looks too bulky and boxy, although I think that people who have always been fans of Cadillacs probably love the new design now more than ever.

As much as I wanted him to get the CTS-V, he ultimately made the right decision with the ATS because it really does deliver incredible value.

For most people, it is kind of ridiculous to get a CTS-V when you can get a perfectly reasonable and quick CPO 2013 ATS for $27K with an excellent warranty.

But where’s the fun in that!??

Oh wait. He does have two kids.

The ATS will work well for as long as his kids are young. Once they’re bigger, they will hate to be shoved in the back because it’s so cramped! For the practical 4-door sedan that this is, there is almost no room to fit comfortably back there for anyone that’s above 4 ft’ 3”.

If the front passenger and driver push their seats back all the way, your legs will almost certainly get squished turning a normal car ride into a nightmare. My suggestion is don’t lose at paper-rock-scissors and end up in the backseat if you’re about to take a ride in an ATS.

The interior certainly looks nice from a distance but there is just way too much shine in the cabin. It’s the “ cheap ” kind of shine that covers the dash, center stack and the wood grain.

In addition to all the shiny things, the technology in the car is ruined by The Cadillac User Experience (CUE) which is a complete disappointment . There was way too much lag on the touch screen when you try move around icons or change radio stations...everything takes at least 2-3 seconds to respond. The interface is not intuitive at all and frustrating to use.

You can blame GM for that. It just so happens that my colleague, who worked on the hardware and software that goes into these things, informed me that the delay is due to incredibly slow processors that no one did anything about. And because nobody at GM cared, we are now stuck with aggravating technology that should work way better than it actually does considering it’s 2015.

There were, however, a couple cool things about CUE though: one is when you touch the various controls on the center stack - climate control for example - you’ll feel a vibration to indicate that you’ve initiated that specific functionality.

The other is a hidden compartment. Thanks to all the electronics Cadillac uses in CUE, there is no need for a whole bunch of mechanical parts which means there’s actually some unexpected storage space.

All you have to do is touch the fake chrome at the bottom of the main panel at which point it lifts up dramatically revealing a very useful space for your phone, sunglasses and whatever deep, dark secret you want to hide in there.

The ATS was great to drive and felt solid the entire time with sharp handling in “sport mode”. Having 320+ hp was nice when driving around town and especially when merging onto a freeway.

It’s a perfectly fine sedan that’s powerful, quiet and luxurious with the glaring flaw being a lack of enough legroom in the backseat. That and all the frustrations you’ll have to experience dealing with CUE.

Let’s move onto the G37 now, shall we?

This car, just like the ATS, was a fantastic deal: it was fully loaded and the dealer had recently replaced the tires and brakes.

My biggest gripe with the car is that even after all these years, almost nothing has changed with the looks. Infinti has managed to keep the exterior basically the same for the past 500 years and so everything about it looks dated. This means that when you buy the 2013 G37, you can’t help but feel that you’re purchasing a car that’s 10 years old even though it’s only a two year old car.

The interior, similar to the exterior, hasn’t changed much over the years. However, compared to the ATS, the G37 interior is much more aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, everything is intuitive and actually works like it’s supposed to! The touch screen works so much better than the one in the ATS.

Sometimes, packing a car full of technology that doesn’t work well actually makes things worse and takes away from the user experience.

By the way, the G37 suffers the same backseat problem as the ATS! So much for practicality with these “practical” 4-door sedans. The other problem with the G37 is that you’re perched up higher in the back leaving very little headroom.

Just like the ATS, the G37 was quite a bit of fun drive as well. The difference with the G37 is that you can actually hear the engine. Even though it’s not the best noise and actually sounds worse at higher rpms, I didn’t mind since I was having fun tossing the car around on curvy roads. I really wish I was driving a manual though!

Although, the G37 is less refined and noisier, it is a great car to drive with an interior that looks nice and works well. The ATS is quieter and more luxurious but CUE is sure to make you want to pull your hair out. To me, the G37 seems to be the logical choice assuming that you can put up with the fact that it’s basically the same car that’s been around forever.

I guess it really comes down to personal preference. Either way, you can’t go wrong for what you’re paying.

If you have your mind set on a similarly equipped CPO BMW 3-series, be sure to drive the G37 and ATS first because you may end up saving a whole bunch of money!

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nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 07:54

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Great write up. I played around with the idea of a 370z til someone on here mentioned they’re Nissan quality with Infiniti pricing and 2 less seats, so why not get the G37? Makes sense right. I don’t think it looks quite so dated either. But given the nature of its sport counter part I’m curious as to how mod friendly the g37 would be or if it’s too much into the luxury side of things. I see kitted up 35s everywhere so maybe it’s still too high in the price bracket for the mod happy to get a hold of.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 08:16

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I’m the kind of guy that environmentalists, conservationists and significant others love to hate.

Dont forget parents! Im that guy too, its a blessing and a curse.

A blessing because you and I experience joy in a way that very few lucky people get to experience. A curse because everyone hates us.

boxrocket > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 09:24

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Of the two, I'd take the G37. The Cadillac is infuriatingly annoying in so many ways it could never be satisfying, and feels cramped to boot.

I'd recommend the M37/45 for more rear seat space, along with the Lexus GS, Jaguar XF, Hyundai Genesis, and even a slightly older Equus, Lexus LS, and Jaguar XJ to fit in the apparent budget. Rather than going through a dealer, see if there's a CarMax nearby - used luxury car, follow Doug DeMuro's advice - and get their warranty, which is probably better, and likely more cars available.

boxrocket > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 04/22/2015 at 09:26

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Lots of mods available for the newer Gs, haven't seen any nodded Qs yet. Some of the best mods are JDM though as our Infiniti G is Japan's Nissan Skyline.

cabarne4 > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 09:31

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Family friend of ours bought a brand new G25 around the end of 2012. Honestly, I kind of like Infiniti’s G-sedans. The looks are decent, you don’t get the German-tax, Nissan’s engine is fairly reliable, and it’s actually pretty fun to drive.

Rico > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 11:58

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Stash spot

AM > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 12:32

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This is a horrible colour but hey the leather is soft and the seats are comfy.

Dasupersprint - base trim is enough > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 13:08

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I don’t know for the Cadillac, but the Infinity’s rear seats don’t fold down. I once looked at them, until I knew.

Meatcoma > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 13:43

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Two kids and he got white or super light grey leather?

Meatcoma > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 13:46

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Bad design, should have went down, not up since I cannot see in here unless my head is at steering wheel level which for anyone over 15 would not be.

MIATAAAA > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 15:31

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Oh my god. The G37 looked like this in 2013?!?!? What the hell? How long did they keep this body style around for?

EDIT: OH MY GOD - the Q40 still looks like this?!?! How is Infiniti still in business?! Just looked at it on their website.

CoreyDL > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 16:07

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Please learn how to spell the brand of car you are reviewing.

Infiniti.

Benny > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 16:27

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I used to have a 2012 Infiniti G37X, and got a 2014 Cadillac CTS when my lease was up. The Infiniti was probably more fun to drive, given that it had 328 hp, and a engine, but my 2.0L turbo 272 hp CTS beats it out in almost every other regard. The interior is more ornately decorated, and you can actually notice the finish of leather which covers pretty much everything. (even the bottom of the door) Yes, the CUE system is a bit slow, but other than that, it is still quite useful. I find the exterior beautiful as well. I don’t think I’ve gone a day that I’ve driven the car, and haven’t gotten at least one compliment on it. Other than the lack of power that my particular engine has, the car drives quite well. It has great handling, and feels really good while driving it. Both are definitely excellent cars, but if I had to choose between them, I’d go Cadillac. When my lease expires, I’ll probably get one with a more powerful engine, but even without it, it was still worth the trade off. Side note— I know the article was referring to an ATS, but given that I’ve never driven one, I couldn’t really have a say on the matter.

Torque Affair > MIATAAAA 04/22/2015 at 19:12

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Haha...I know! But they’re still selling really well because they really are great cars.

Torque Affair > Benny 04/22/2015 at 19:29

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Thanks for your input! Wonder what you'd think of the difference between the ATS and your CTS once you drive one.

Torque Affair > Meatcoma 04/22/2015 at 19:30

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I guess so.

Torque Affair > Rico 04/22/2015 at 19:32

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Yes!

Torque Affair > cabarne4 04/22/2015 at 19:32

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You’re right! If you get to drive a G37 you’ll love the bump in power.

Torque Affair > boxrocket 04/22/2015 at 19:33

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I haven’t bought a car yet from CarMax but I’ve looked and driven quite a few. It could be my luck but most of them seem so worn out and beat up. I wonder if I’ll ever find one in great condition.

Torque Affair > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 04/22/2015 at 19:35

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I do see a fair amount of modified G37s around. I’m curious about the aftermarket exhausts - some of them sound pretty good.

MIATAAAA > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 20:28

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Then all they need to do is change the sheet metal. Nobody wants to spend money on a new car and have it look like you bought it used. :O

boxrocket > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 22:13

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I've only seen a few cars at CarMax that seem "worn out" (but still better than my prior daily driver, a 25-y.o. Volvo), and they're usually at the very bottom of their offerings and only seem to be kept there for lower-income/credit shoppers, e.g. 12-year old domestic compact with 120k miles for $7-8K. The stores near me (Saint Louis, where they've only been for about 18 months) seem very intent on fully "reconditioning" their vehicles, so no visible damage and thoroughly cleaned inside and out. I wonder if some CarMax locations are a little more lax with their quality, especially in more established markets?

cabarne4 > Torque Affair 04/22/2015 at 22:19

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I’ve driven a G35S (2009-ish?). Fun for sure. I’m sure the 3.7 is even better! Basically a 370z with a usable trunk and back seats.

Torque Affair > boxrocket 04/23/2015 at 06:11

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yea that could be it!

Meatcoma > Torque Affair 04/23/2015 at 09:12

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Oof.

Snooder87 > Torque Affair 05/03/2015 at 17:42

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I just test drove a 2.0T ATS yesterday, and it is a really nice car. I disagree with the complaints about CUE, it worked perfectly fine for me, and I made sure to test it out.

The part I like most though, the little HUD system you can get that displays info on the windshield in front of you. So nice to see the speed limit right there along with your current speed. And you could swap out other stuff like current mpg and radio station too. Very nice.

You are right about the backseat though. Its like they forgot to leave a place for your feet under the front seats, so it ends up way more cramped that it should. I don’t care about my passengers though, so whatever. Unfortunately the price they had wasn’t as good as I was hoping for. $27k for a 2013 2.0T with no nav feels just a bit high. All their models with nav were over $35k though, and that’s way too much for a used ATS.

Torque Affair > Snooder87 05/03/2015 at 18:26

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Thanks for your feedback. Aside from CUE, I did really enjoy driving the car. The ATS-V looks so awesome!

burner313313 > Torque Affair 05/03/2015 at 22:03

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I can’t think of two worse used cars to blow $27K on. For one, these things are selling so horribly, I’m fairly confident I could pick up a new ATS for nearly $27K. But if I ever found myself shopping for a used semi-luxury sedan, I’d just buy a high-volume Fusion or Accord. Honestly, these two cars offer zero prestige and are difficult to resell.

Torque Affair > burner313313 05/03/2015 at 22:33

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You think? The G37s seem to be pretty popular.

MK6GTI-now with added Miata > Meatcoma 05/03/2015 at 23:24

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Well...except that your head would be significantly further back than the camera is in this picture. Try it in person before you call it a bad design.

DetroitIron > MIATAAAA 05/04/2015 at 02:33

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Drive a 2007 M35 and you’ll see “why” they’re “still in business.”

Dr. Strangegun > boxrocket 05/04/2015 at 07:52

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Sit in a Genesis for a while if you can. It’s literally the only car I’ve ever driven that put my lower back/hips into spasms. There’s something oh so slightly different about the seat ergonomics... and I did try to adjust it out, still ended up with nerve spasms slamming my knees together while driving.

Meatcoma > MK6GTI-now with added Miata 05/04/2015 at 10:03

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I was basing it on the fact it’s lower than the middle of the steering wheel which is normally a foot lower than my eyesight. You are allowed your opinion as am I, I still think it should have folded down not up and that it’s bad design.

boxrocket > Dr. Strangegun 05/04/2015 at 13:30

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Interesting. I took about a 175 mile road trip in a Genesis 5.0 R-Spec and my main complaint was the ride on rougher pavement as part of the sport package. I have found the Equus' seats to be more comfortable, but also snug enough that I needed the sear coolers on even in the late spring. I'm very picky about seats, especially with a few back problems I have, and it's one of the few minor gripes about my Mazda after moving on from the Volvo.

MK6GTI-now with added Miata > Meatcoma 05/04/2015 at 15:30

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Right, and I’m saying go sit in one and give it a try before you form your opinion based on a picture on the internet.

Fuel_of_Satan > Meatcoma 05/18/2015 at 08:09

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Someone would balance their coffee cup on it if it flipped the other way and left a flat surface. We all know what that would result in: Some dumbfuck will sue GM for not telling them the coffee is hot and that the table didn’t magically hold it in place.