- The working car I have now (2001 Cadillac Catera Sports) is using fully synthetic oil per th elast owner. Any good recommendations if I should be using fully synthetic 0W40 or any other grade Synthetic.
I would say, given your climate, a decent quality 0W30 or 0W40 synthetic oil would be a good idea. 10W40 semi synth is a common recommendation in the UK but we don't know the meaning of "cold start".
No need to pay a premium for "boutique" oil, though.
Regular changes are a good idea. I'm not sure what change intervals were specified in Canada, but, with synthetic oil, I'd be changing it every 6-8k miles here rather than the comedy 20,000 mile interval specified by GM.
- Any specific areas for care and cleaning that I should watch for beyond oil changes and air filters for my working Catera.
The crankcase breather system has a tendency to block, so it is important that this is checked with every oil change, especially in cold weather.
Scuttle drain, of course.
Rear wheel arches and the seal by the back doors always seems to attract crud like a magnet. I'm sure you know most of this already!
- I got only one Key and one FOB opener with the replacement Catera; how can create a second spear Fob and key economically?
If you keep the fobs and immobiliser chips from your old car, you could probably have them programmed to your new one if they are the same type, then just get a new key blank cut. This is where distance is an issue, as there are several of us with Tech2s in the UK who could do this cheaply.
- Any ideas on which part(s) I should try to keep for spare from the dead Catera before getting rid of it for scrapping.
This is where you need your crystal ball.
You can guarantee that anything you throw away will fail on your new car the next week.
Glad to hear that you've remained an
OmegaCateraowner and I hope your new steed serves you well.