I am new to this forum. It looks much more fun then my old forum even that my old forum was very educational. My first car is 97 Catera in very good condition with 60.ooo miles. Black with tan int. After I did more reserch I got very confused on what to do with the car. (sell? trade? save for CTS?) Since its my first car that I saved hard for and finaly got I wanted it to be a project.
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To get best out my project:I changed
Spark plugs (6 Bosh 2 platinum spark plugs)
Coolant flush (Prestone coolant proven better then old Coolant)
Transmision fluid (Expensive Castrol stuff)
All new gaskets ( Old gaskets shown small leaks ) 36.ooo protection plan
Ouside looks:
Tints: %5 back and %50 front 2 (really profecional looking) $250.ooo
Removal center caps on wheels (better looking rims)
Removal rear alum decoration strip on brake lights (cleaner rear end)
Meguiars all car care kit ( protects, shines, new looking black paint)
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might sound like a small list its still lots $ for a hight school grad my age.
Here in North Bay Area where I live in California their are not many Cateras around. Specialy tuner projects ( Lots of people ask what car is that ) I talked to CTS owner next to my apartment few days ago as he always gave me looks at my car at stop lights day to day as I went to work. At 18 year old its tuff to afford paying for everything and tuning such a car I told him state we live in. We talked and he told me in checking out the new CTS. As I did few days later my impression towards my car did not fade away even that CTS was loved. I think its a really strong competition to me as right now. ( Bottom line is I am a little confused I still got timing belt and tensioner to change since its important ( $400.oo ) Prob few more $100's need to be spend to make car runing at its top performance. As that done in a while I am thinking:
To save for: CTS or Catera Mods???? (still got Catera Payments)
Lowering Elbach spring's for my catera with Koni sport's shocks.
Resernators removal & Magna Flow mufler.
Custom Cold air intake that will go into fender with HKS filter.
17's or 18's light weight rim's with hight performance tires.
Carbon fiber hood and rear trunk ( rear lights removal )???? expensive
Sparco or any other racing or turing sports seats for front 2. expensive
Ligher more HP and better handling car we looking at here.
Those are just starting mods I can do to my car.
What should I do doe????
220+ 250hp Catera? or 220Hp CTS?
LS1 Catera or CTS with mods?
Thing I love that you dont see any turing cateras around.........
My old forum used to be this thing I found in Yahoo car clubs. It was tech forum that was so boring and made me feel like Cateras where nothing but waste of time, because all they talked about is Catera problems which ran up to 100 pages. At same time it was good experience for new owner. It tought me lots. I was looking for a forum that would make me feel more better and more happy to work on my car and at same time make some more friends.
Overall I am happy with my 97. Its a big project. As I type now I am about to take a bus to pick up my car from a very good mechanic that just changed uper oil pan gasket that require him to lift up the engine and take whole lots of stuff to get to the upeer oil pan gasket. At same time he is going to change bottom oil pan gasktet and drain plug. On most Cateras drain plug rings get old quick and start to leak same with gaskets. This is the last set of gaskets I am willing to change then my engine would be leak free clean and ready to recive custom cold air which I am about to get and fit in the wheel whell. I thought why not change all thing that have problems since I still got 36.ooo miles woranty I got with the car before I modify anything.
Well, today I picked up my car it's got it's upper and lower gaskets changed also new drain plug put in. Now car is oil leak free and almost fully serviced. Runs like no other. On Monday I already set up apointment at exaust shop which is going to put X tube and do resernator removal to single 2 and half pipe that has one free flow resernator to make it more deep sound which would come to Magna flow mufler with polished square magna flow logo tips. Whole set up is going to run me $400 with instalation. It should pick up 15 HP to 20 HP. After that I am going for custom cold air intake with HKS filter. Thats another 5 HP to 10 HP.
225hp Cat ( not bad for start )
After that some other work is coming in the way after that I am starting to save up more. Get up to $5G's and pay of my Catera and then see whats happening. CTS is still my favorite.
Well, today I picked up my car it's got it's upper and lower gaskets changed also new drain plug put in. Now car is oil leak free and almost fully serviced. Runs like no other. On Monday I already set up apointment at exaust shop which is going to put X tube and do resernator removal to single 2 and half pipe that has one free flow resernator to make it more deep sound which would come to Magna flow mufler with polished square magna flow logo tips. Whole set up is going to run me $400 with instalation. It should pick up 15 HP to 20 HP. After that I am going for custom cold air intake with HKS filter. Thats another 5 HP to 10 HP.
225hp Cat ( not bad for start )
After that some other work is coming in the way after that I am starting to save up more. Get up to $5G's and pay of my Catera and then see whats happening. CTS is still my favorite.
Any coments feel free
thanks.
Weclome! It's not that we do not see your post it's just that there's practically no interest in this forum.
If you can get an LS1 in, great! That would be a cool mod. Lol of that doesn't work, put in a north*!
Welcome! As 2dfx said, the Catera Forum hasn't seen much traffic - *but* that can change . Personally, I'd go as far with a low buck makeover as possible, drive it like ya stole it, and save your $$ for a CTS-V when you can afford it. I would not drop any major dollars into it. Do it on the cheap, keep it clean and shiny, and enjoy. The Picture Gallery should re-open soon so we'll expect some photos!
~I am runing to work so I am going to make this a quick one~
Yeah as you sad I am not going to drop any big $ in (just save for da V)
All doe I am going to get exaust set up on Monday. (cold air is a project)
I cant wait to get that thing up. Once I get my exaust thats when I am going to start thinking on posting pics. (in few days I would say)
Black with black tinted polished to its max with all Mequiars products with squire dual exaust......... LOL
An LS1 or Northstar in the Catera may not be as fast as a CTS-v, but it will be with some tuning. And, you'll save a hell of a lot more money on the Catera as compared to what you will pay fo for the new CTS-v. The choice is yours, but I'd go with a Northstar in the Catera. IT might not be the fastest out there, but there is always someone who will be faster. AN LS1/Northstar powered Catera will make one hell of a sleeper. No one would ever suspect it. People know about the CTS-v.
An LS1 or Northstar in the Catera may not be as fast as a CTS-v, but it will be with some tuning. And, you'll save a hell of a lot more money on the Catera as compared to what you will pay fo for the new CTS-v. The choice is yours, but I'd go with a Northstar in the Catera. IT might not be the fastest out there, but there is always someone who will be faster. AN LS1/Northstar powered Catera will make one hell of a sleeper. No one would ever suspect it. People know about the CTS-v.
I agree - an interesting project. However, he said he's on a tight budget right now, and that he does actually prefer the CTS to the Catera. Assuming he cannot do the work yourself, how much do you figure to buy and install the LS1/Northstar and all necessary upgrades to go with it? In this case, I'd still recommend saving for the CTS-V.
Short on point ( CTS VS CATERA )??? 
. Personally, I'd go as far with a low buck makeover as possible, drive it like ya stole it, and save your $$ for a CTS-V when you can afford it. I would not drop any major dollars into it. Do it on the cheap, keep it clean and shiny, and enjoy. The Picture Gallery should re-open soon so we'll expect some photos!
