'94 Cutlass Ciera S 3.1L--Spring Upgrade opinions wanted!

[Ardan]

Hello! You surely have seen my previous problematic posts. Well, I fixed EVERYTHING wrong with it now. Literally . Anyways, there are two interesting things i'd like to do, but I want advice here.

Do you think I should get a Hypertech Street chip, or a CD deck? $183 for the Hypertech chip @ Checker Auto (www.partsamerica.com) and I have found decent custom decks for the car at Circuit City around $100-$150 that i'd enjoy having. Oh yeah, this also has free professional installation (even though I could probably do it myself!).

I have no intentions on upgrading the speakers, since they sound fantastic already. Basically, i'd love to play CDs in the car (XM/Sirius *is* an option too...but not really looking at that) and I acknowledge that my MP3/CD player and car kit would do more than an adequate job filling that void.

On the other hand, there's the chip that some have told me really improves the car. Does this hold true for anyone here, or have they heard? A buddy said, on a different car, that its claims of improving shifting really did improve a lot and his gas milage went up. Both of these I would REALLY want to improve a lot.

What do you guys think? Chip or Deck. I'm leaning more towards the chip, unless anyone can give me a good reason not to. I'm always open to anyone's responses .

[Hobbes]

That's up to you. If you decide on the chip, tell me how it goes. I would like something like that for my car.

For the deck, you can get one that plays MP3s and is satellite ready (like what I have now). Having a CD player with a car kit is fine, but it doesn't suit me...

[Ardan]

Indeed. I just got a new valve cover (front one) from Grossman Chevrolet (www.grossmanchev.com for the curious) in Bursville, MN because the old one had a crack in it, causing it to leak oil. It was never a big problem, but now was the time to fix that . After that, i'm going to have Paramount Auto (a goodyear/gemini franchise thing) nearby do a maintenance tuneup for me instead, since I have absolutely no time for it. Besides, they check almost everything, replace filters, oil, the works for like.....$35 .

Anyways, you didn't have the opinion that I wanted, but thats ok . I have fully researched the deck and i'm set on that, but I haven't quite been able to see if the chip is good. its not that I haven't had the time, its that i've been unsuccessful in doing so. I don't want to plunk down $150-$180 for something that not everyone has had big successes with. The only thing I know is that some people have had long engine lives with the chip. Whether they are linked is another matter, however...but still, its a nice coincidence.

I absolutely would love a new deck for CDs or MAYBE Satellite Radio, but I would love even more a smoother shifting and running car . I suppose i'll do more lookin' around for it.