2003 CTS - Maxx Gas Saving Kit

[kali_cts03]

Originally Posted by RobertCTS

You have two areas to improve horsepower. First is the air intake. Make it less restrictive and bring in cold dense air. Its referred to as CAI or cold air intake. The TonyA system Hoth mentioned is the cheapest but it does work. I did a write up in the Cadillac FAQ section. http://www.cadillacfaq.com/faq/answe...ram/index.html

From about $40 you jump up to the most popular CAI, the Volant at about $245. I started with the TonyA but later moved to the Volant. Both add a nice robust low pitched growl to the engine. That's about all you can do on the intake side.

The exhaust system is next. The cheapest route is adding a used CTS-V exhaust, about $125 installed. Horsepower gains are modest but it has a nice sound and magnificent chrome tips. The three aftermarket exhausts, the Corsa, Borla and B&B. If you have the 3.2 the Borla is the best choice.
I have the Corsa on my 3.6VVT engine.

Next is a big jump in cost. It's headers and high flow Cats. Only one company makes them, Cadillac MotorSports. I have a set on order @ $1700.
This is not a DIY so allow 4-5 hours of Pro-tech time.

The above mods should get you close to 300HP. There are some additional mods available. Very pricey and it challenges the integrity of our differentials.

Thanks, great info.... I will take a look at the Tony A stuff in more detail and most likely will get it done soon (is it also help with MPGs or just the HP?)

Where could I find a used exhaust that would fit my CTS, and that price isn't so bad ($125).....

I would only be able to get these 2 things done for now, the other would have to wait a little.... with the 2 modifications what am I looking at as to improvement with the MPG and HP???

[kali_cts03]

Originally Posted by CIWS

Or you could just buy a V and forget about anything resembling gas mileage

But that would be too easy, and o yeah - more expensive!!! I do like the CTS, I have the Laxury/Sports package so it's pretty good all around - just trying to get some stuff done for both the looks and performance of the ride.

[2004CTS]

Originally Posted by kali_cts03

Thanks, great info.... I will take a look at the Tony A stuff in more detail and most likely will get it done soon (is it also help with MPGs or just the HP?)

Where could I find a used exhaust that would fit my CTS, and that price isn't so bad ($125).....

I would only be able to get these 2 things done for now, the other would have to wait a little.... with the 2 modifications what am I looking at as to improvement with the MPG and HP???

In theory, the TonyA mod could help with gas mileage. Anecdotally, I did the TonyA mod and have recently seen my gas mileage increase by 0.5 mpg. Can't prove it per se, but my car is driven only to work and back on the same route and my driving habits have not changed. From what I've heard, the ECM in these cars may take a while to "recognize" the presence of mods.

[TorontoWorker]

Originally Posted by kali_cts03

I have found this on eBay, and from the feedback of some of the people it looks like it works for some but not others....

Umm, ahhh... you do know that a lot of the positive feedback is faked right? Most of these fly by night guys post the positive reports themselves from public access PC's with different IP's. I'm afraid eBay is still the wild west of online buying and it didn't get any better with them buying out PayPal. Now all you get is the slight of hand of eBay telling you they have no control over people - but... if you use PayPal (for a fee) you can *buy* insurance to protect yourself. You will never find eBay wanting to crack down on fraud on their system when this very company promotes an extra charge fee to *protect* you.

I have to laugh when I hear people talking about trying to win an item up for bid on eBay. If this product is at all popular you will find yourself at the mercy of the bid bots - i.e. software you can't win against unless you really want to pay above market value for said item. Most of the crazy low prices you see have been put there by people who use bidding software to drive the price to the point that THEY want to sell it to you for. Try it sometime. Pick an item at a low price, say a watch for $5.00 and bid $6.00 bucks for it. Refresh your page? See - the item is now at $7.00 bucks within seconds. If you keep going higher and higher you will at some point find the price that the item will go for, but it will be at a point above common resaon. The seller and one of these other bidders (other then yourself) are one and the same.

eBay will not ban the use of this type of software by changing their code, as they know that half the sellers on eBay would vanish and along with a lot of sellers and pay pal fees.

For every good seller on eBay there are 10 bad ones. Item's not as sold; item's not sent; item's used but sold as new; item's sent with no paper work for customs clearance; item's sent with with no insurance but where insurance was part of the fee. etc, etc.

I tell everyone that you are better off buying over the web from a seller’s website using VISA or MasterCard then on eBay. Make sure they have a return policy and print it out. If the item fails to show, or is damaged and seller refuses replacement or money back - you fax back the form that your card company will fax you - signed by you legally claiming that you were a victim of fraud. The card company will draw upon the credit card handling company’s deposit that the seller’s website uses.

Sure I hear back from people who claim to have had no problems buying from eBay but when you push them – they will admit when they first started biding on eBay that things didn’t always go smoothly until they learned to spot the fraud artists.

Oh and those products claiming improved mileage/performance or (both!!)? OMG, people – do you really think a massive research and development div in General Motors wouldn’t be able to develop such an item and design it into their cars if it worked as advertised? You think some guy with a pattern cutting press in some garage stamping out cheap tin pieces put together by friends and relatives is really going to gain you 10+mpg or 10% extra horsepower? The strategy for success for these people is to keep the price low enough so that it’s a bit of a lesson in common sense for you - but not high enough for you to go after them legally. You move on and they move on to the next few thousand people at $30.00 per. They live in the Bahamas and you live in some snow bound town in the mid west. (pick you own location or snow bound hell!)

And stay away from Western Union payment demands – there’re as bad as the Nigerian banking ploy guys. Run screaming whenever anyone demands payment in this form.

Consumer education class closed.

[kali_cts03]

Originally Posted by TorontoWorker

Umm, ahhh... you do know that a lot of the positive feedback is faked right? Most of these fly by night guys post the positive reports themselves from public access PC's with different IP's. I'm afraid eBay is still the wild west of online buying and it didn't get any better with them buying out PayPal. Now all you get is the slight of hand of eBay telling you they have no control over people - but... if you use PayPal (for a fee) you can *buy* insurance to protect yourself. You will never find eBay wanting to crack down on fraud on their system when this very company promotes an extra charge fee to *protect* you.

I have to laugh when I hear people talking about trying to win an item up for bid on eBay. If this product is at all popular you will find yourself at the mercy of the bid bots - i.e. software you can't win against unless you really want to pay above market value for said item. Most of the crazy low prices you see have been put there by people who use bidding software to drive the price to the point that THEY want to sell it to you for. Try it sometime. Pick an item at a low price, say a watch for $5.00 and bid $6.00 bucks for it. Refresh your page? See - the item is now at $7.00 bucks within seconds. If you keep going higher and higher you will at some point find the price that the item will go for, but it will be at a point above common resaon. The seller and one of these other bidders (other then yourself) are one and the same.

eBay will not ban the use of this type of software by changing their code, as they know that half the sellers on eBay would vanish and along with a lot of sellers and pay pal fees.

For every good seller on eBay there are 10 bad ones. Item's not as sold; item's not sent; item's used but sold as new; item's sent with no paper work for customs clearance; item's sent with with no insurance but where insurance was part of the fee. etc, etc.

I tell everyone that you are better off buying over the web from a seller’s website using VISA or MasterCard then on eBay. Make sure they have a return policy and print it out. If the item fails to show, or is damaged and seller refuses replacement or money back - you fax back the form that your card company will fax you - signed by you legally claiming that you were a victim of fraud. The card company will draw upon the credit card handling company’s deposit that the seller’s website uses.

Sure I hear back from people who claim to have had no problems buying from eBay but when you push them – they will admit when they first started biding on eBay that things didn’t always go smoothly until they learned to spot the fraud artists.

Oh and those products claiming improved mileage/performance or (both!!)? OMG, people – do you really think a massive research and development div in General Motors wouldn’t be able to develop such an item and design it into their cars if it worked as advertised? You think some guy with a pattern cutting press in some garage stamping out cheap tin pieces put together by friends and relatives is really going to gain you 10+mpg or 10% extra horsepower? The strategy for success for these people is to keep the price low enough so that it’s a bit of a lesson in common sense for you - but not high enough for you to go after them legally. You move on and they move on to the next few thousand people at $30.00 per. They live in the Bahamas and you live in some snow bound town in the mid west. (pick you own location or snow bound hell!)

And stay away from Western Union payment demands – there’re as bad as the Nigerian banking ploy guys. Run screaming whenever anyone demands payment in this form.

Consumer education class closed.

Wow, honestly I didn't know all this so thanks for the info.... will have to be on the look out even more..... but I have to say that I have been luck thus far with eBay then.... no major problems at all (hope my luck will not change).... and anytime I decide to get anything I check and reasarch the product and the company that is selling if they have a web-site and what prices are out there and all that kind of good stuff....as to private sellers, I guess you'll never know till you get the product..... o well..... thanks for the interesting and informative info!!!

[RobertCTS]

Originally Posted by kali_cts03

Thanks, great info.... I will take a look at the Tony A stuff in more detail and most likely will get it done soon (is it also help with MPGs or just the HP?)

Where could I find a used exhaust that would fit my CTS, and that price isn't so bad ($125).....

I would only be able to get these 2 things done for now, the other would have to wait a little.... with the 2 modifications what am I looking at as to improvement with the MPG and HP???

I found my V exhaust by going to the V Forum and post a thread That you're looking for a V exhaust near your town. I found one about 25 miles away.

As to Ebay, I don't think its bad as some have implied. I've bought a lot of stuff and never got stung.

[kali_cts03]

Originally Posted by RobertCTS

I found my V exhaust by going to the V Forum and post a thread That you're looking for a V exhaust near your town. I found one about 25 miles away.

As to Ebay, I don't think its bad as some have implied. I've bought a lot of stuff and never got stung.

Well my question now is: will an exhaust from the V fit on my 03 CTS? It's not the dual exhaust that 04's and up have? I'm going to get some stuff done on my car this week and will have to check this out....

[RobertCTS]

Originally Posted by kali_cts03

Well my question now is: will an exhaust from the V fit on my 03 CTS? It's not the dual exhaust that 04's and up have? I'm going to get some stuff done on my car this week and will have to check this out....

It's not a perfect fit but any muffler shop can do it. With the 3.2 you must cut another hole in your plastic bumper for the additional pipe. This pic may help. You can see where the cut was made and the V exhaust added.

[kali_cts03]

Originally Posted by RobertCTS

It's not a perfect fit but any muffler shop can do it. With the 3.2 you must cut another hole in your plastic bumper for the additional pipe. This pic may help. You can see where the cut was made and the V exhaust added.

Cool, I think I got it - I wasn't sure if that would be a problem or not but I guess you can just cut out the other side.... Wow, I'm learning a lot of new stuff here..... Thanks!!!!

[RobertCTS]

Originally Posted by kali_cts03

Cool, I think I got it - I wasn't sure if that would be a problem or not but I guess you can just cut out the other side.... Wow, I'm learning a lot of new stuff here..... Thanks!!!!

Say thanks by becoming a supporting member. You get some perks too!
http://www.cadillacforums.com/subscribe.html

[kali_cts03]

Originally Posted by RobertCTS

Say thanks by becoming a supporting member. You get some perks too!
http://www.cadillacforums.com/subscribe.html

I was thinking about that already..... and most likely will do it soon.

Thanks again for all the tips, and that's a nice looking Vader Ride you got there. You have more photos of it?

[ChicagoCTS32]

Regarding additional MPG for the volant... I finally had the opportunity to take my car on a long highway trip to check the highway mpg. I got about 1-2 additional mpg over the highway portion of the trip... I'll be darned if I can't get any better city mileage though. For some reason, I just love that engine roar and can't keep from stabbing the gas with my big toe. Anybody know if there's a problem with my car?