New here, CT5-V BW

[FormerM3]

Hi Everyone, wanted to say hi.

I was a former G80 M3 (thus my handle), it drove great like a computer on wheels. Traction control maximus.
The manual shifter after the second day was an afterthought, good though if you wanted a early 20 year throwback nostalga.
Anyways after misshifting for a couple years, I grabbed a manual 5V blackwing and my life was been forever changed.

No longer do I hear vacuum cleaner on start ups and I am fully awake now. No longer do I have to shift slowly w/ no lift shift.

Thank you Cadillac, one day I will learn how to drive this beast without losing traction.

Anyways thats my story. If anyone game for meeting up around Essex county in NJ for some coffee and a little vroom vroom cruise lemme know.

-Eric, FormerM3 now 5VBW

 

[Rob]

Welcome aboard!

 

[BW56M]

Welcome from a former M4 owner.

 

[Roadhawk]

I think the 4 V BW is pretty tame in comparison to the 5....I wish it had a bit more down low...but otherwise fine. I've learned to modulate/drive my GTI to not spin out (unless I want to)...but have to admit its quite fun to spin through 3-4 gears madly accelerating all the way.

Shifting the tremmec in the 4 is just a joy - so perfect. I installed aftermarket short shifter in my GTI and its pretty fantastic as well. Same with my old Audi - though not quite as nice (sometimes was difficult to get into gear when powering down). Our E46 BMW shifter is quite nice but not as precise as the Caddy....still very fun to row through the gears....I never get tired of it.

 

[FormerM3]

I think the 4 V BW is pretty tame in comparison to the 5....I wish it had a bit more down low...but otherwise fine. I've learned to modulate/drive my GTI to not spin out (unless I want to)...but have to admit its quite fun to spin through 3-4 gears madly accelerating all the way.

Shifting the tremmec in the 4 is just a joy - so perfect. I installed aftermarket short shifter in my GTI and its pretty fantastic as well. Same with my old Audi - though not quite as nice (sometimes was difficult to get into gear when powering down). Our E46 BMW shifter is quite nice but not as precise as the Caddy....still very fun to row through the gears....I never get tired of it.

Honestly read about so many great things about the tremec before buying and honestly it lives up to the hype. Every shift is a joy. I prefer it over the M3, which is more of a quirky high engagement clutch that needs to be learned. I have a GR86 too, which is a great shifter and two very diff cars. The tremec though has been an absolute pleasure thanks for sharing!

 

[FormerM3]

Welcome from a former M4 owner.

View attachment 24630

Thank you for the welcome. I won't lie. Your previous M4 front end looks a lot better than the g80 M3. Looks better far away than getting too close.

 

[Roadhawk]

I have a GR86 too, which is a great shifter and two very diff cars. The tremec though has been an absolute pleasure thanks for sharing!

My youngest son has a (slightly modded) older 86 and I've driven it pretty often. The shifter is very precise and great fun to use. As you said - quite different from the Tremec in the BWs. A large part of why we bought our 4 VBW was the availability of a really nice manual.

I'd been looking at M2s and RS3s and while I love both...and am a fan of smaller cars.....the Tremec in the BW really sealed the deal for me. This is our first American car (other than our Mustang that I inherited). Few American cars had ever interested me until the ATS-V...and with the way things are going...EVs and no MT....the Caddy was almost a desperation buy. But now we have it and its a joy to drive. You'll certainly feel the same in the 5 V BW....but you may need to find some roads (or Tracks) to really enjoy it to the fullest.

 

[FormerM3]

yes the 86 drives like a go cart, when you going 70 fast feels you going above 100. With the BW when you are at 70 you feel like you are at 30 and ready to rip. Both terrific manuals but one is like driving a go cart vs the other a light weight tank.

i hear you on the tremec its special. a lot of thought was put it in to celebrate the manuals. glad to know i'm not alone and those buying the blackwings are cross shopping the M cars. This is my first caddy/american car. too Always been a german guy, but they generally all use the same forumla: phd traction control, turbo muffed exhaust, rocket ship fast, steering a hit or miss mostly a miss. The M3 is a fine car, but its like driving a 3 series on low speeds and to feel alive you need to belt it on the track, With the BW you can enjoy it in from going to Costco to running on the track. And thats what sealed it for me.

I plan on going to spring mountain later this year, the plan is actually learn how to drive this crazy beast and get a little more action!

And thanks for this amazing VNet website, it was/is a great source of information before I committed!

 

[rubberduck]

Thank you Cadillac, one day I will learn how to drive this beast without losing traction.

Congratulations on the new car. I think you’re going to really like it. The key is to learn what the PTM modes do in practice. On the street I like to run track sport since it allows the car to get sideways without cutting engine power. With PTM off engine power is cut when the car yaws too much. Which can be a good thing for leisurely driving. But realistically on the street the tires never get hot enough and the road is too greasy, so losing traction is par for the course.

 

[FormerM3]

Congratulations on the new car. I think you’re going to really like it. The key is to learn what the PTM modes do in practice. On the street I like to run track sport since it allows the car to get sideways without cutting engine power. With PTM off engine power is cut when the car yaws too much. Which can be a good thing for leisurely driving. But realistically on the street the tires never get hot enough and the road is too greasy, so losing traction is par for the course.

Thank you rubberduck. Thanks for bringing this up because i'm kind of a newbie at this. I wanted to you or other members thoughts on this. So one time it was like 47-48 degrees here in the east coast, dry but cold. I was going up the freeway ramp and did a rookie mistake of giving it a little more gas than i should. I had PTM off but the rear started to come out a tad towards the passenger side but traction control came on cut some power and now i'm straight again. The jolt correction i have to admit was a new experience. I suppose to better move was to roll the throttle.

Anyways my question is in a colder climate high 40s and low 50s is it better to leave the PTM off or have it in PTM dry/sport when you want to do a bit of spirited driving? Then maybe when it warms up try running PTM in sport?

 

[rubberduck]

Thank you rubberduck. Thanks for bringing this up because i'm kind of a newbie at this. I wanted to you or other members thoughts on this. So one time it was like 47-48 degrees here in the east coast, dry but cold. I was going up the freeway ramp and did a rookie mistake of giving it a little more gas than i should. I had PTM off but the rear started to come out a tad towards the passenger side but traction control came on cut some power and now i'm straight again. The jolt correction i have to admit was a new experience. I suppose to better move was to roll the throttle.

Anyways my question is in a colder climate high 40s and low 50s is it better to leave the PTM off or have it in PTM dry/sport when you want to do a bit of spirited driving? Then maybe when it warms up try running PTM in sport?

All the different modes can be a little confusing, but when I’m just cruising around and don’t want to focus too much on the car I use Sport Mode which has PTM off. The rear will get a little twitchy when giving it the beans and/or shifting. Sometimes when I wouldn’t expect it and I figure it’s just the road condition. But it will cut power before the car gets yaws too much. I find that’s a safer approach in traffic. When not in traffic and on roads I know pretty well I use Track Mode/Dry or Sport. These cars don’t handle cold tires well at all.

 

[FormerM3]

All the different modes can be a little confusing, but when I’m just cruising around and don’t want to focus too much on the car I use Sport Mode which has PTM off. The rear will get a little twitchy when giving it the beans and/or shifting. Sometimes when I wouldn’t expect it and I figure it’s just the road condition. But it will cut power before the car gets yaws too much. I find that’s a safer approach in traffic. When not in traffic and on roads I know pretty well I use Track Mode/Dry or Sport. These cars don’t handle cold tires well at all.

Thank you, I appreciate your guidance . I suppose at the end of the day the stock tires don’t do too well in the cold. Spinning / traction loss seems inevitable in the cold. I think that’s good advice stick to sport no PTM in traffic and give PTM a try on no traffic roads you know.

 

[Roadhawk]

I have to admit that I really don't understand all the PTM/traction control modes and am hesitant to play around with them much just yet. I just run plain vanilla tour mode when the wife is in the car as this is what she likes and my V mode is Sport (with mid level steering and braking).

I've been mostly driving Alpine Winter tires so fine traction in the cold and I rarely ever feel any traction nannys...but maybe they're happening and I'm just not noticing...don't know. When it warms up (later in April) I'll put the Apex wheels on with the summer PS4s and maybe play around a bit more. I'm also hoping they'll explain (and demonstrate) some things at Spring Mountain.

 

[Blkwng22NJ]

Hi Everyone,

Just joined and first post here, have been lurking on the forum for a few months, tons of great info, so thanks!.

Picked up a 22' Blackwing 6M in December, amazing machine to say the least. Had my eye on one for about a year and finally found one configured with what I wanted.

Here's a few pics from two weeks ago when we had a perfect 55 deg Sunday.

-E

 

[beamon]

Welcome and love your matte black blackwing. BTW, was your blackwing the one at porsche Delaware? If so, you my friend got a very good deal on a fully loaded blackwing!

 

[Blkwng22NJ]

Thanks Beamon,

Yes sir, Porsche Delaware, no complaints on the buy side. Crazy how limited they are the you can put the dots together! The car is solid, except some staining in the wrap on the flatter panels, no biggie, I'll probably replace at some point this year.

-E

 

[beamon]

Glad you got it. I thought about buying that one and walking away from my ordered one because yours had every option I wanted and with the new msrp price delta from 22 to 24 including increased price of some options and the discount buying used, it was actually a big difference. When I picked up the phone to call, it was sold. Enjoy it! I’m loving mine too.

 

[FormerM3]

I have to admit that I really don't understand all the PTM/traction control modes and am hesitant to play around with them much just yet. I just run plain vanilla tour mode when the wife is in the car as this is what she likes and my V mode is Sport (with mid level steering and braking).

I've been mostly driving Alpine Winter tires so fine traction in the cold and I rarely ever feel any traction nannys...but maybe they're happening and I'm just not noticing...don't know. When it warms up (later in April) I'll put the Apex wheels on with the summer PS4s and maybe play around a bit more. I'm also hoping they'll explain (and demonstrate) some things at Spring Mountain.

Yes agreed all these PTM modes I’m not ready to throw that on yet in traffic. I do think going to spring mountain will be a safe place to try all of that!! I’ve been looking at a second pair of rims for the summer/winter but will wait a bit no rush. Spring is coming!!! Still really deciding if I want to try to this as a 4 season car.

 

[FormerM3]

Hi Everyone,

Just joined and first post here, have been lurking on the forum for a few months, tons of great info, so thanks!.

Picked up a 22' Blackwing 6M in December, amazing machine to say the least. Had my eye on one for about a year and finally found one configured with what I wanted.

Here's a few pics from two weeks ago when we had a perfect 55 deg Sunday.

-E

Beautiful matte blackwing!! Congratulations! I’m thinking about starting a carbs coffee for V drivers willing to meet in Northern jersey let me know if any interest.

 

[Speed Racer 007]

Congrats on your ride and welcome aboard!

I’ve had the TR6060 on a couple of my GT500’s, however the no lift shift is on a different level.

Traction with the 5BW can be a challenge depending on which drive mode you’re in. Dancing in 3rd gear is better than any cup of coffee IMO.