How Does This Still Exist? Vol. 2

"Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage" (Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage) 01/17/2015 at 16:38 • Filed to: Catera

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Driving around with a friend of mine scouring used car dealerships. Spotted this in the back of a lot. How does this even still exist? I haven't seen one in years. Its beat to hell, and its WAY overpriced, so it will probably never sell. Still surprised me, though.

I also forgot to take a picture of the CV P71 for sale there. Sadness.

SJGeorge94 > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 16:46

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These things would make great budget drift cars if you could fit an ls in there

Steve in Manhattan > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 16:50

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Catera? Few like them. I had one as a rental once. Could have been a lot worse.

 > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 16:53

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I still see them from time to time.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > SJGeorge94 01/17/2015 at 16:54

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Eh. While it could work out, you could get much better things for the price. Hell, you could probably find a beat up 4th Gen Camaro with an LS1 already in it for the same price.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2015 at 16:56

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Yeah, I'm not really a fan. Just surprised me to see one. I'll bet it was decent for a rental car, for sure. Probably a hell of a lot better than the Malibus and others that were on the lot.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage >  01/17/2015 at 16:57

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Huh, really? They're virtually nonexistent in Michigan.

Funktheduck > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 17:00

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I see them every so often. They always look like they've been to hell and back.

 > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 17:00

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Yea, like once in a blue moon...mostly at junk yards.

thebigbossyboss > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 17:13

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I saw one the other day and thought "man, I have not seen one of those in a while". Clearly great minds think alike.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage >  01/17/2015 at 17:18

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Ah, that makes sense :D

SJGeorge94 > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 17:23

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True, lol I forgot the 4th gens existed.

mr2gud2u > SJGeorge94 01/17/2015 at 17:26

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I'm sure you could slap a LS in one. I think its just a rebadged Holden Commodore. I actually like these. What the knock on them. I heard they where bad cars. I see more not running then running

Steve in Manhattan > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 17:27

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Back in '03, or thereabouts, I recall a rental Lincoln LS that I liked more than the Catera. Air-conditioned seats ferchrissakes. It felt more planted. It was the V6 to be sure, but it was a good ride to DC to see the family and conduct some business.

SJGeorge94 > mr2gud2u 01/17/2015 at 17:42

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That's what I thought the only problem is the other bits (mostly suspension & brakes ) are in Australia and wont fit right if they changed anything other than the badge.

Alfalfa > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 17:45

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The last I remember seeing one, ironically, was while scouring dealership inventories.

Klaus Schmoll > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 17:58

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I don't know what they did to 'murrica-fy the Opel Omega, so I don't understand the hate. Sure, it would have been slotted into the market much better as a Buick, but it wasn't a bad car at all. In Europe it sits in the category of "cheap winter beater with RWD" and especially as a wagon "cheap reliable transportation for a family". These things run forever, or at least until the TÜV says NO NO NO because of rust.

duurtlang > mr2gud2u 01/17/2015 at 18:00

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It's not, it's a rebadged (and heavily Americanized) Opel Omega B, which one of those Holdens is based on. Opel (GM) was planning on selling these with a V8, and built actual prototypes with the LS1. You can do it yourself as well

mr2gud2u > duurtlang 01/17/2015 at 18:11

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Thanks. Good info

kanadanmajava1 > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 18:23

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We got these as Opel Omega B. They were built during Opel's worst years. They had just changed to water-based paints and their rust protection was really useless. Rusty water tended to seep between body panels from nearly new cars. Not many are still on the road.

It was the last RWD Opel if the two badge engineered sport models aren't counted.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Funktheduck 01/17/2015 at 18:24

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Yeah. This one is definitely no exception!

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > thebigbossyboss 01/17/2015 at 18:25

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Lol, obviously :D

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > SJGeorge94 01/17/2015 at 18:26

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Heh :D An LS would be awesome in a Catera, I just feel like it wouldn't be worth the money.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2015 at 18:29

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Yeah, I can definitely see an LS being much better! I never knew those things had air conditioned seats back in '03. Must've been cool, pun intended.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Alfalfa 01/17/2015 at 18:30

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Lol, yep! That was where I found the last one before this.

SJGeorge94 > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 18:36

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Yeah I understand, maybe for a competition car where wow factor is part of the show

xxstich666xx > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 19:27

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There's a clean one that routinely comes in for service at the dealership I work for. It has around 45k on the clock and it feels brand new. Funny thing about Cateras is how heavy the feel at low speed. It's not that they are hard to turn or anything but they just have this weird poise about them at low speeds that makes them feel like they weigh 3 tons.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Klaus Schmoll 01/17/2015 at 19:41

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They did not do anything to it, just branded it as a Cadillac. That is why it is so hated here in the U.S. It wasn't necessarily a bad car, but it was overpriced and pointless here. They would be good beaters over here, but quite a lot of them have disappeared here.

NJAnon > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 19:43

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Sedans of that time? meh. Some were standout, but most were all mushed into being "samey". Again that time period. Cadillac was acting stupid then. However, they stopped bootlegging and now they are doing better.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > kanadanmajava1 01/17/2015 at 19:49

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Yeah, I gotcha. That's also why most are gone here in the U.S., rust has just devoured the vast majority of them. I guess it would be a decent RWD beater, but that is just about it.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > SJGeorge94 01/17/2015 at 19:54

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Yeah, it would be perfect there.

Vracktal > SJGeorge94 01/17/2015 at 20:28

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The LS fits in there, the Omega was designed to accomodate the LS V8s especially but they didn't have the budget to sort cooling issues so it got a V6. The later Monaro (based on the same chassis) made it work though.

M54B30 > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 01/17/2015 at 22:39

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my wife and i looked at a few a couple years ago. We were intrigued by cheap luxury and i grew up with them as Opel Omegas - a great car. Glad we avoided them.

We looked at Lincoln LSs too, wish we had got one. We got a 2001 Grand Cherokee instead which was a great car

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > mr2gud2u 01/18/2015 at 02:47

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Not quite. The Holden Commodore took this platform and made it bigger.