Dodge

If you could add ONE performance/handling modification to an otherwise standard MY97 Catalunya, what would be it be?

I'm very interested to see which bit gets the most votes...

Filter?
Exhaust?
ECU?
Brakes?
Suspension?
Something else?

If you have a preferred make of one of them, let me know that too.

Any response much appreciated...

Dan

(I don't care about appearance mods - don't have any spare cash for anything with no effect on driving experience)

Barnaby

I would say brakes, but then I'm obsessed with having good stoppers.

Bet exhaust wins

siwrx

decent suspension is a great buy, but money wise costs a bomb. u cud get filter and zorst for the money and have change

ak47mh

Exhaust for me so far!! Running a Hayward & Scott full decat and makes the car soo much better

Better brakes is next on my list.

MATTeL

Filter, exhaust and brakes.... but maybe not in that order (then springs)

Tim Bomford

Back box then brakes.

Tim

Richard Askew

Hi Dan

Go for the decat mate

See ya soon...

Richard Askew

..on second thoughts... do Catalunya's have 4 pots?? If not get some !!!!!

dnb

4 pot brakes or a decat zorst (at least a nice back box for the noise, if nothing else )

If you drive alot at night a set of cibie or piaa driving lamps would be well worth considering. (they aren't purely cosmetic...)

Dodge

Cheers everyone, (and "Hi Rich!")

I'm surprised that so many people went for brakes! I know they're not great, but I was expecting somebody to say "chip the engine" or something...

I've no idea whether the Cat has 4 pot brakes... will investigate.

I reckon the voting goes something like this:

Filter 1
Exhaust 2
ECU 0
Brakes 2
Suspension 1
Something else ?

Thank you all; that gives me summat to think about, and also leads me to ask :
"What was your 'upgrade path' from standard car to beasty?"

[Edited by Dodge - 10/23/2002 6:45:56 PM]

Moles Dad

De-cat downpipe without a doubt !

Full de-cat exhaust if you can afford it

Oh, and welcome

[Edited by Moles Dad - 10/23/2002 9:25:08 PM]

Knowlesy

SUSPENSION!!! Then decat exhaust then brakes

Elton John

No the Cats didn't have 4-Pots, get some, followed closely by a **** off LOUD exhaust

Dodge

Rich A. tried to sell me his exhaust off the ol' ambulance, once, but that was a bit TOO much! [smile] Although, I could have lived in it's cavernous expanse to save on rent...

I would like an exhaust that has a fairly polite burble at ambling-thru-town speeds, but makes that fantastic BAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRPPP! noise when you 'press on'... I think it would need to have some performance improvement, too, rather than just being louder...

What do you think is a good, medium loud, performance exhaust, and what sort of improvement would it bring?

As for the slightly less aurally exciting but more popular recommendation, which 4 pots would you recommend? How effective are they? Is it a matter of shorter stopping distances, or better feel, less fade etc...

Sorry to drag the thread on, but I don't like starting something expensive without some research, first!

Cheers, y'all!

Mike P

Brakes, deffo. Don't start what you can't stop!

dnb

You have the right idea there. You should go along to a few meets (there are plenty) and actually see what people have done.

I'm slowly getting my car sorted out, and my route was brakes, suspension (in progress) exhaust (next, assuming the insurance is OK...)

I found the OEM 4 pots to fade less, slow me down faster and generally feel better. My 2 pot discs were getting worn though.

crawf8

hello,

Which number is your Cat, mine is 63!

Catalunyas don't have 4 pots, I'm just about to change mine to 4 pots. So hopefully I will soon be able to stop! :P

If I were you, I'd get an exhaust first! Something big and loud!

Here's a pic of mine, (any excuse!)



Cheers,
Crawf

[Edited by crawf8 - 10/24/2002 1:35:43 PM]

SeepyScoob

Personnally I would always go for brakes first, even pads can make a hell of a difference.

Then suspension, then start with the go faster bit's.

It would be dead frustrating if you had a car that whipped every other scoob off the lights but had to break earlier than a standard UK MY99 (STI 4 pot brakes - standard) and couldn't go round corners as well as a standard UK MY99 (STI Suspension - Standard)
You get the point - extra horses are well and good but more fun if you can actually stop and go round corners as well to match - ain't that the point of scoobs??

Dodge

Crumbs, I always thought the standard car, even a MY97, was pretty well sorted, but I do take the points about handling and stopping what you've started...

It sounds dauntingly expensive to get a truly sorted car out at the end:

£1500 brakes
£1200 suspension
£350 exhaust
£40 filter
£1400 Link ECU
...

I start to wonder whether I have a suitably sound base car to start on; it's getting quite old and is developing some character, (i.e broken bits: squeaky rear brakes for instance, juddery clutch, whistling turbos)

It's not a path to go down unless you're going to keep the car for a LONG time...

And btw, it's Cat no. 171, but I dont have a good piccy.

ricco

Here is mine (No. 18)





I did a few cosmetic things, then went for the exhaust



I'm after a 3 peice front splitter at the moment.

BTW, i'd probably ditch the 15" wheels for a set of 17"s first, I've never driven one on 15"s but I'm told the difference is fantastic

Brakes aren't the best on the Cat, it only has the original two pots. You can upgrade to Subaru 4 pots that were fitted to the MY98 onwards (or is that MY99??) you can pick some up inc. disks for about £250 - £300 but you will need at least 16" wheels for them to fit

I've never really had any probs with the handling, although mine is on 17"s.... Depends what you're used to i guess