Newbie question: no crackles/pops on CT5V BW?

[RudyP18]

Hello everyone -

New member considering a CT5V Blackwing. I have never owned a Cadillac before but drawn to the only modern 4 door manual sport sedan that doesn't have the hideous snout of the latest BMW M3. So far I have done a bunch of online research and sat in one at dealer that I was supposed to test drive this week but they just sold it. Still working on a test drive but I have one main question. Can the exhaust cracks/pops/burbles be disabled while maintaining the fun aspects of the car? I really dislike the crackle-tune nonsense and it is a deal breaker for me if it can't be disabled without major compromise. It seems that given the very many customization options on these cars that I should be able to set the exhaust in quietest mode and still have other aspects (TC, steering, etc) turned up to fun settings but A) is that the case and B) does the exhaust in mildest setting completely eliminate the crackles, farts and burbles?

Also, are there aftermarket tunes that could entirely disable that stuff in all modes? I have such a tune on my only other car (a Porsche 992 Carrera S) that comes from the factory with that nonsense.

Thanks in advance!

 

[GTANotch88]

Cold starts will always be a little noisy I believe, but you could switch the v mode or MyMode and set the exhaust to "stealth" or "0" setting. Its not 100% rolls royce quiet, but much much less than track and/or full open which is, I think, setting "4". And then in vmode/mymode you can turn up the other stuff.

 

[RudyP18]

Cold starts will always be a little noisy I believe, but you could switch the v mode or MyMode and set the exhaust to "stealth" or "0" setting. Its not 100% rolls royce quiet, but much much less than track and/or full open which is, I think, setting "4". And then in vmode/mymode you can turn up the other stuff.

Thank you - that is encouraging. Does the stealth mode fully eliminate the crackles and burbles or just make them quieter? I don't mind clean exhaust noise volume, I just don't want the flatulence on overrun (you know like cars used to be!)

But if it truly eliminates that stuff, I can live with a quiet exhaust.

In an ideal world the two things (exhaust loudness and crackle tune) could be separate settings which is basically how I have it on my 992 but Porsche's factory tuning really only has the crackle tune on one of their 4 modes (wet, normal, sport, sport+) so it is pretty easy to avoid or aftermarket tune out altogether.

 

[jumpmanjay]

You can have no pops or burbles if you want to. There is a completely separate control for the exhaust.

 

[RudyP18]

You can have no pops or burbles if you want to. There is a completely separate control for the exhaust.

That is great to hear! How is that controlled - all I see is the "Engine sound" slider here:

 

[jumpmanjay]

Tour mode (the default starting setting) is very quiet- and that's still one notch above the quietest setting. I believe the pops and burbles are only on the loudest setting. If you configure my mode, you can customize everything except the engine/shift setting, and you can always be in this mode. If you need the engine/shift setting, then you can hit the V button after starting the engine.

 

[RudyP18]

Thank you again!

Now I just need to find one to test drive. The local dealer where I had arranged a test drive (but then they sold it) has an automatic that I can drive so I may do that even though I am only interested in manual.

 

[rubberduck]

Most people that buy a 5BW don’t get a test drive. I didn’t and the car exceeded my expectations. Sedan, M6, V8, supercharger, 668HP where or else you’re gonna find one of these last of a kind.

Besides a 30 minute test drivie in a car like this isn’t gonna tell you much. If you are one of the few lucky people to get one of these cars, count your blessings..

 

[RudyP18]

I hear you but it seems the crazy seller's market we have had is slowing and the dealer was fine offering a test drive (when they actually had a car) and is still offering a drive in an automatic.

The uniqueness of this car (manual sedan with plenty of power and some luxury) is exactly why I am interested but it is different enough from what I am used to that I am still not 100% sure it is for me so I'd really like a drive.

 

[Nadnerb]

That is great to hear! How is that controlled - all I see is the "Engine sound" slider here:
View attachment 19931

To answer your question if you adjust the traction control to certain settings, it will open the exhaust. The pops and bangs won't be as prevalent but they will still be there. I had my car in tour and adjusted traction control and I hear the exhaust opening up. I personally enjoy them since it's coming from a V8 not a V6, but I believe some form of pops will still exist. The engine sound slider is quite literally your control for the exhaust baffles

 

[Head Hunter]

To answer your question if you adjust the traction control to certain settings, it will open the exhaust. The pops and bangs won't be as prevalent but they will still be there. I had my car in tour and adjusted traction control and I hear the exhaust opening up. I personally enjoy them since it's coming from a V8 not a V6, but I believe some form of pops will still exist. The engine sound slider is quite literally your control for the exhaust baffles

To clarify, I believe you are adjusting drive modes, not traction. Traction is the knob on the right side of the steering wheel that controls “PTM” while “modes” by the shifter controls tour/track/v/mymode

 

[Nadnerb]

To clarify, I believe you are adjusting drive modes, not traction. Traction is the knob on the right side of the steering wheel that controls “PTM” while “modes” by the shifter controls tour/track/v/mymode

By changing the traction knob on the side of the steering wheel in tour, at least on my car, I can hear the exhaust valves opening and closing

 

[Matt27]

By changing the traction knob on the side of the steering wheel in tour, at least on my car, I can hear the exhaust valves opening and closing

Using certain PTM settings will automatically take control of some modes. Seems like suspension/steering/exhaust all follow PTM to some extent.

 

[565565]

By changing the traction knob on the side of the steering wheel in tour, at least on my car, I can hear the exhaust valves opening and closing

Yep. The modes and all more interconnected and opaque than the menus make it out to be. Changing the PTM modes changes the exhaust even if you don't change the drive mode. Also Track is more hardcore than V mode with all the same exact settings. I would not be surprised if sport and tour cannot be fully replicated with V or my mode either. Then the layer of PTM further tweaks the engine and suspension setting on top of just traction and stability control

There are probably more setting combinations than stars on the beach or grains of sand in space or whatever.

 

[RudyP18]

I ended up getting a brief test drive in a manual one at another dealer and it definitely seemed nice and burble free in tour mode but the sales guy said that even in tour mode there would likely be some burbles on the overrun at high rpm (which we couldn't test on a car with 7 miles). So I'm still a little confused.

I'm going to check out a Cadillac car show tomorrow and hoping I can run into some real live owners who can maybe give me a demo.

 

[MatthewAMEL]

Honestly sounds like a BW5 is not for you.

Consider a Lucid Air.

 

[jbawden]

So you drove one and you're still fence sitting? I gave you the benefit of the doubt on the burbles being a deal breaker, but now I'm convinced this probably isn't the car for you. Usually what happens when people come in with concerns, they all go out the window after the first drive (which is usually after taking delivery).

 

[RudyP18]

Honestly sounds like a BW5 is not for you.

Consider a Lucid Air.

Ouch… no I’m definitely not an EV guy. I must have a manual, sporty car. I‘m good with loud, it’s just the burbles that bother me. Everything else really is very compelling.

 

[ukcats12]

I really dislike the crackle-tune nonsense and it is a deal breaker for me if it can't be disabled without major compromise.

There's a big difference between crackle and pops from a large V8 put there by the manufacturer and the shitty tunes people throw on a CLA45 to make it crackle. GM let the car guys win when designing this car and they spent so much time getting the sound right. Not trying to tell you what you do and don't like, but I'd imagine any crackles coming from this exhaust sound natural and miles better than the fart can tunes we hear all the time. 99.999% of cars we hear on the road don't make those noises without a shitty tune, so when we hear "crackles and pops" we think of those.

 

[RudyP18]

Well I have watched about 10+ Youtube video reviews of the car and I can hear the burbles and crackling when the reviewers drive these cars (presumably in more aggressive modes) and it still grates on me - it's like nails on a chalkboard. The car sounds amazing as it is accelerating through the rev range and then when they let off or shift, it all ruins if for me. I get that the vast majority of people enjoy it and I'm not disparaging other peoples' preferences but it isn't for me.

All I'm trying to find out is if there is a way to live with a CT5V BW with all the performance and fun but avoid the crackles and burbles. If there is - I want one. If there isn't - I think I will have to reluctantly pass. I could just buy one and try it out but that is wasteful if I don't end up keeping it.