BaltZ SS

I just ordered the Stage 2 kit from crateenginedepot.com and it should be coming in shortly. It will be the first mod on my '06 SS/SC. I'm scheduled to have it installed the Thursday before Labor Day weekend and I'm pretty psyched to see what kind of a difference it makes. My question is what route should I go next in terms of mods? I was thinking either Injen CAI or GMPP Touring Exhaust. My goal is to keep the car reliable as it is my daily driver but I would still like a little extra power for when I'm in boost. Any suggestions?

ralliartist

congrats on wasting your money. IMO. Could have bout a modular pulley system from nate for 90 bucks, spent 45 on a belt, 175 on CXRacing h/e, 100-150 for some 42lb injectors, and paid someone 100 for a tune and been much faster.

That's a hair over 500 for you newbs that can't add. So how much did you pay for stage 2 and how much is it costing you to get it installed.

Billig ss/sc

iTrader: (5)

^^While true, some people like to just buy it all at once because to them it's worth it to spend a little extra to get it easier. I got the Stage 2 and had it installed for practically nothing 'cause I knew a guy, but in hindsight, I probably would've done a custom Stage 2 sort of thing myself. Oh well, live and learn. Either way man, you're gonna enjoy it. It's a really nice bump in power and it'll be awesome for the first week then you'll want more. Same as me, same as everyone else haha. Kinda sucks, but that's the tuning/modding disease for ya.
And as far as future stuff.... I have both the GMPP (performance) and the Injen CAI and I love them both. Personally I got the exhaust first (quickly followed by header/dp) just because I wanted the car to sound a little different. But the CAI adds some good power for cheap and it makes the whine sound AWESOME, especially with Stage 2.

There's my long thoughts haha. But no matter what man... Enjoy it!!

theneelster

It's called a warranty.

BaltZ SS

$550 for the Stage 2 kit + 1 hour install (I know someone at the dealership) @ $90/hour

So about $640 all together, but of course I get to keep my warranty which is what I really care about.

ralliartist

and then when I make the argument that they can pull your warranty from you bone stock because of abuse, everyone says they still have it. Whatever.

eurochevy

ya sorry not to be an ass either but i went the stage 2 route and sure i luv it but the fact of how much it cost compared if i just went with like 60#'ers and a tune and 2.9 or 2.8 woulda cost the same, i just wanted warranty which im still under and when its over u better believe im going 60's with 2.9 and other stuff hha

ShortStack

It REALLY sounds like you wanted to keep warrenty... Personally i think ralliartist goes about explain things harshly and i hate having my bubble bursted... So ill blow up another for ya...

Appearantly you dont want a 962 hp cobalt... So this is the way to go... I would go for a heat exhanger as it will keep the car safe... I would find some money as well and get the cold air intake... I might even get that before the heat exchanger, because As loud as it gets the supercharger, i still smile when i do some pulls.. BTW It felt like my engine just breathed better with it..

For keeping your warrenty, you got a good deal... Some guy is paying 700 and its not even under warrenty, so feel lucky.. Youll have plenty of fun with it, and its not overkill..

LSJ_47

I bought my stage two from ZZPerformance, put it in myself, and they still put warranty parts on my car.



And my warranty is expired...

ShortStack

No ****? thats sweet dude.. Some places just dont know...

I callled to have a GM install my stage 2 (a GM one as well)... and he was like uhh.. we dont install aftermarket parts... i hung up..

LSJ_47

GM dealerships up here are ultimately retarded...

But the Saturn one is excited about mods... lol they just have teh 1337ness. The Saturn dealership is mainly a ford dealership too, so REALLY breaking the mold there at having the best service.

$1300 for stage two install?
$500 done by me with moar boost

ralliartist

moar, LOL.

chris88z24

You don't even need the stage 2 belt if you are using the 3" modular pulley. So there's even more $ you can save right there.

ralliartist

yea but if you are piecing the kit together the cheap way, might as well go for the 2.9 and get a little more. But make sure you at least get the h/e as the heat will be too much and you won't see the gains over a 3.0

CBodnar

agree strongly. well right when i bought my car i got gm stg2 kit for $400 bucks on ebay with my buddy who bought from him also. after that i had the dealer put on 2.80 pulley on his car and mine. they didn't have a problem with it. maybe it is because they are a cool dealership. they also said they would warranty gm stage3 kit for me. then again the one guy who does warranty work on my car also recommended me to put on a aftermarket cat as he thought that was killing me probably. anyways 7-8months later after stage 2 i put on the nitrous kit which technically voids my warranty but not at my dealership. things may change though if i blew it up. however if something did go wrong i'd just take off the nitrous kit which is a piece of cake.


oh ****, just noticed you live in new jersey. go to gearheart chevy. best dealership around man. thats where me and bwsw214 got ours put on. pm me if you have any questions. there are really nice there.

i bought my car from a different place which they turned out to be dicks so i went to gearheart and been going there ever since. please if you live anywhere near there GO THERE!

light'bolt

Congrats on the stage kit. You'll enjoy entering the freeway and catching that flow of traffic.

Sure its cheaper to part it together, but if your lazy like me buying the kit was much simpler. It was my first mod when the stage kits first came out. I was due for another free oil change and asked about the stage kits, less than 24 hours and 600 dollars later I was hittin' that 7000 rpm rev limiter.....

chevysssc

iTrader: (2)

is this tim
dude C A I

TheCaptain

Hey, welcome to the Stage II I still have my warranty club. Although you will have some dealers have some lack of knowledge on our cars...

BaltZ SS

I was just checking out where Gearheart is on google maps, looks like that is a little too far north Jersey for me, I'm closer to the Trenton area. Thanks for the tip though.

compucarnut

I don't know who is paying $1200 to get their stage 2 installed. I paid $550 for the kit and 300 for install. To me $850 isn't really a lot of money in the grand scheme of things. And besides, had i gone the 60 pounder, 2.7/2.8 route, I probably would have blown my motor/clutch up anyways.

ralliartist

850 my sound reasonable to you. But I've spent 800 on everything in my car, including slicks.

duke3323

why are you buying a gm stage 2 kit its not worth it send your money somewhere else

TheCaptain

Great input there...

chevysssc

iTrader: (2)

he wants a quicker car as well as warrenty that is why he is going stage 2. he is going to the same place where i got mine installed for 140

Maetrix

I bought mine used with stage 2 and engine mount.

(I wonder what else was done to it?)

I know people in here are trying to help noobs,
but if he already ordered it, you're just rubbing it in his face.