The transmission shifts depend on driving conditions.
If you first start the car and begin to drive the shifting will be higher in the rpm range (around 3,000). This is to make the oxygen sensors to heat up faster. Once they are operational there is less polution and more economy.
On normal level roads with the car warmed up and moderate acceleration you can expect the car to shift around 2,000 rpms. Once it is warmed this car should be very smooth. You should not really be able to feel the shifts at all. A slight clunck for 2-3 under low acceleration has been reported with the transmission, that is about it. Not trying to scare you transmission normally have a way bigger list then this.
My oil pressure stays around the quarter line at idle. Well I think. Honestly I have not payed to much attention to it.
The shift points vary. They're controlled by the computer and depend on many criteria. Cadillac calls it an adaptive logic. Don't ask. I don't know either. Here's what GM lists as it's features.
Adaptive Capabilities
• Altitude compensation
• Temperature compensation
• Barometric compensation
• Adaptive pressure control
• Cruise control / shift pattern interaction
• AC compensation
The oil pressure? Since the gauge isn't calibrated I don't know the exact pressures but as the oil pump is engine driven, the pressure changes with RPM. Rule of thumb is, if the neddle moves up it's got pressure. Good. If the red oil can illuminates, there's no pressure. Bad.
You didn't ask but since I believe this might be a first car purchase I thought I'd offer some advice. It's a cut & paste of an old post of mine. Not all of it may apply to you but I don't have time to edit. Sorry if it sounds patronizing. Shoot me. I'm a father with a daughter near your age.
I remember the Catera from its intro in the magazines and the Steinmetz concept car, but quickly dismissed it. Cadillac's stupid Ziggy promotion made a joke of the car before it had a chance to establish itself in the market. And having Cindy Crawford posing with a Catera, and the duck, wasn't going to sell me. Why would I buy a car that wasn't even respected by its division? Yes it had problems but if Cadillac was serious about selling a competitive sport sedan they could have addressed these issues. They hated this car. Still do. The Catera was forced on them by GM. It was not a homegrown Cadillac project. It's based on the Opel Omega, specifically the Elite and MV6 models, a German car bred to fly down the Autobahn and attack twisting alpine roads. So what does Cadillac do? Detune the engine from 210HP down to 200HP and limit the top speed from 150MPH to 125MPH. They probably softened the suspension a little too.
Friends ask me why I didn't buy a CTS. I can appreciate the technology under the CTS's sheetmetal but seriously dislike all the sharp creases and flat panels. They make the car look tall and boxy (no disrespect meant to you CTS/STS/XLR owners). Reminds me of those paper car models where you fold a flat piece of paper into a Ferrari. I won't buy a car I don't enjoy looking at. The Catera's softer, smoother sheetmetal is more pleasing to my eye. Some call the styling dated and bland. Sue me. I like it. It's flowing and aerodynamic compared to the new edgey stealth fighter look Cadillac is pushing today, and the retro Japanese style the Germans have adopted with all sorts of accent lines and weirdness. Just look at the new Mercedes and BMWs. They make me gag.
If you want a Catera I say shop carefully. Within days of buying mine, in November 2006 at 48,000 miles, I had to have the Heater Bypass Valve replaced after it gushed antifreeze. I didn't do my homework. If I had I'd have had the seller inspect and replace it prior to my taking possession. I saw a pretty car at a great price, and a Cadillac to boot. Now I know better. I later replaced the leaking camcover gaskets. The crankcase breather clogged, forcing oil past the gaskets, and onto the exhaust heatshields where it burned off and smoked. Just recently the Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS) failed and left me stranded. I'd still buy a Catera but with more knowledge I wouldn't have felt so taken. The '97 - '99 Cateras seem more trouble prone than the 2000 - 2001 but that's not carved in stone. When you find a Catera that looks good on the outside, here's what to look for on the inside.
Have Cadillac check the VIN for the Bulletin #02041A service. This is critical. If the tensioner seizes the belt will break and the pistons will bend the valves. This service must be done every 4 years/40,000 miles. The VIN search will report all service performed by Cadillac.
Consider having the Heater Bypass Valve behind the engine replaced. It's a known Catera weak spot. If left to fail you could lose all the coolant quickly, plus it can damage the DIS ignition pack on the '97-'99s. It's not expensive, as Cadillac parts go, and the labor is easy.
Check the engine oil for coolant contamination. It will appear as a cream colored residue under the oil filler cap and maybe the dipstick. Wipe it off and drive the car at operating temp for 30 minutes. If it doesn't reappear it was probably normal water condensation and boiled off. If it reappears it could be antifreeze. That means the oil cooler is leaking and needs replacement. Another relatively easy and cheap repair if you do it yourself.
With the engine running, check the coolant tank for bubbles or an exhaust smell. That is probably a blown head gasket. It's not common but does happen. We suspect old worn out coolant is to blame.
The cam cover gaskets can leak and drip oil on the exhaust heatshields and create smoke. Expensive if Cadillac does it. Order the gaskets and have a trusted local garage do the work or DIY.
Check the tire wear. Cupping or feathering can indicate the need for alignment. It could also mean worn or broken lower suspension arm bushings. Bushings are available but replacing the arms is easier than pressing the bushings out and in. The arms come with the bushings installed. If the front suspension knocks inspect the tie-rod ends and anti-sway bar down links.
There are other things like weak door stays, broken brake switches, and heater control malfunctions. More irritating are the computer gliches and sensor failures which happen without warning. Given the level of electronics in cars today and the harsh environment they operate in I doubt the Catera is worse than other cars. Luckily someone here, or on the Omega sites, will probably know from experience which symptoms point to which sensor or computer. A failure is never an easy thing to endure but this is the 21st century and electronic controls are here to stay. Thanks to great people like those who hang out here, the answers are available and you can go to your chosen service facility armed with knowledge. I mention these things in the interest of honesty but aside from the HBV, CPS, and cam cover gaskets I haven't experienced any of the other stuff. My Cat scoots like her tail was on fire, handles like she was on rails, and stops on a dime. Remember, you're looking at cars that are 11 to 7 years old. Lots of wear and tear is possible if the owners didn't take care and perform the maintanence properly. Shop wisely.
Don't misunderstand me. I love my Catera. Still looks good for a car originally styled in the mid 90s. Having said that, the available body kits do spruce it up. Realize that the car has been out of production for 7 years and was never a big seller here. The stuff from Irmscher, Steinmetz, and others is nice but becoming scarce. Check the Omega sites and Euro Ebay. The Catera has a roomy, comfortable cockpit for the driver and I never hear the passengers complain (except for the rare one stuck over the rear seat's hump). I frequently spend 6 hours or more behind the wheel and arrive without stiffness or sore spots. The seats are supportive and bolstered but not enough to keep my big butt planted in the fast twisties I relish. The wheel tilts and places my arms in the right position for good control. The interior styling is clean without Cadillac's traditional bordello plushness. It's still very Teutonic. I prefer the 2000 - 2001 cars for the front and rear exterior treatments and the more logical window & door controls inside.
And then there's the engine performance. The Catera is overweight (3815 lbs), and, compared to her direct competitors, underpowered (200 hp) but that only counts if you're planning to race her. For normal, and even slightly illegal, street driving she is a joy. The transmission has a Sport setting that lets the engine rev to redline before shifting to squeeze every horse out of it. And this engine loves to spin. She is thirsty though and drinks 93 octane.
If you have a preference for sporty ride and handling you need a 2000 - 2001 Catera Sport. The suspension is stiffer than the rest and tuned for the backroads. There is little body roll and the 17 inch low profile tires keep the car planted. The brakes are good but I feel they could be better. There's an easy upgrade. Luckily the GTO and Catera have common ancestry. The front calipers & hoses from the 2003 - 2004 Pontiac GTO are a direct bolt-on. Combine them with dimples & slotted discs and some C5 Corvette performance pads and you'll have all the braking power you'll ever need. There are other suspension upgrades like Eibach lowering springs and Koni, KYB, or Bilstein dampers for after the OEM stuff wears out. GTO suspension pieces have been sucessfully installed. The rear shocks fit but not the front struts. The front & rear GTO springs fit also. Strut tower braces are available but from Germany or the UK. Other than the K&N style intakes that add a raspy sound but little performance there's not much engine stuff here for an orphan like the Catera. Still, we do alright. There are owners exploring engine swaps but those are still in the project stage.
Please don't let my rose colored enthusiasm sway you. I love my Catera but it's not for everyone. If you're looking for a dependable daily driver, the kind you can ignore maintenance schedules and subject to abuse, the Catera isn't for you. If you want a driver's car that, like a thoroughbred horse, requires some attention .............. welcome aboard.
Elvin, Ive done A LOT of reading up on this car. I've seen as many good compliments as I have seen complaints. So I suppose it depends on who gets the lemons and who gets the good ones :-P, as with any car? The woman who will be selling me this car has taken astounding car of it, and other than slightly high miles(107k). Thanks so much for your comment & I'll make sure to check it out in more detail before the purchase. I AN however getting the car(IF it IS ok) and cannot be anymore excited.!!!
Elvin, Ive done A LOT of reading up on this car. I've seen as many good compliments as I have seen complaints. So I suppose it depends on who gets the lemons and who gets the good ones :-P, as with any car? The woman who will be selling me this car has taken astounding car of it, and other than slightly high miles(107k). Thanks so much for your comment & I'll make sure to check it out in more detail before the purchase. I AN however getting the car(IF it IS ok) and cannot be anymore excited.!!!
Thanks again.
-Amanda
Smart girl. Sounds like you've got your s**t together. Welcome to the family. Post some pictures when you get it.
I agree. I convinced my gf's family to get her a Catera instead of some jap. toy like A Civic or Nissan. The 00's n 01's are a little more pricey than the 97-99 model but they did re-do the drivetrain for the 99 model so i had them get her a 99. It's had no problems and with my recent car wreck and feel very safe with her in that car and can't wait to get myself another. You'll love the car, I guarantee it. Oh, one problem i have had with her car; Guys keep using that "nice car" line as an excuse to talk to her.
If you first start the car and begin to drive the shifting will be higher in the rpm range (around 3,000). This is to make the oxygen sensors to heat up faster. Once they are operational there is less polution and more economy.
Re: catera - questions before I buy 
You'll love the car, I guarantee it. Oh, one problem i have had with her car; Guys keep using that "nice car" line as an excuse to talk to her. 
