Vauxhell (Opel) Calibra - any bad points?

[Vic Cooper]

Hi folks, I am looking for a Calibra recently and i don't know if there are typical faults? The year is 1995, the car looks mint (in a dark green metallic color with beige leather interior), the owner says one thing that the handbrake cable needs to be tightened or replaced. 100 k on the clock and the price is 1 grand in Euros (cca. 800 quid), it has some NCT (MOT) til december. Any thoughts, advices? 2.0 16V engine.

Edited by Vic Cooper on Tuesday 3rd August 18:54

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Vic Cooper said:

Hi folks, I am looking for a Calibra recently and i don't know if there are typical faults? The year is 1995, the car looks mint (in a dark green metallic color with beige leather interior), the owner says one thing that the handbrake cable needs to be tightened or replaced. 100 k on the clock and the price is 1 grand in Euros (cca. 800 quid), it has some NCT (MOT) til december. Any thoughts, advices? 2.0 16V engine.

Edited by Vic Cooper on Tuesday 3rd August 18:54

All Calibra's IMO have been thrashed at some point, the handbrake issue should tell you something about its past!!!

[Shropshiremike]

What happened to the V6 Laguna Vic?

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Shropshiremike said:

What happened to the V6 Laguna Vic?

Its a Renault so it rusted away or fell apart!?

[Dave_]

Petrolhead_Rich said:

Vic Cooper said:

Hi folks, I am looking for a Calibra recently and i don't know if there are typical faults? The year is 1995, the car looks mint (in a dark green metallic color with beige leather interior), the owner says one thing that the handbrake cable needs to be tightened or replaced. 100 k on the clock and the price is 1 grand in Euros (cca. 800 quid), it has some NCT (MOT) til december. Any thoughts, advices? 2.0 16V engine.

Edited by Vic Cooper on Tuesday 3rd August 18:54

All Calibra's IMO have been thrashed at some point, the handbrake issue should tell you something about its past!!!

So because it needs work on the handbrake its been thrashed? Sound advice.

In my experience they are too slow and heavy to be abused.

Take it a decent test drive to get it warmed up to make sure the engine management light doesnt come on. I think 95 vintage were better rotected from rust but its a vauxhall so have a poke around.

[RB26DETT]

Vic Cooper said:

Hi folks, I am looking for a Calibra recently and i don't know if there are typical faults? The year is 1995, the car looks mint (in a dark green metallic color with beige leather interior), the owner says one thing that the handbrake cable needs to be tightened or replaced. 100 k on the clock and the price is 1 grand in Euros (cca. 800 quid), it has some NCT (MOT) til december. Any thoughts, advices? 2.0 16V engine.

Edited by Vic Cooper on Tuesday 3rd August 18:54

Hi seems abit steep to me. Have a look on donedeal.ie , dont be afraid to go in with a low offer.

My Dad bought a 1.7 Puma off there for €180 and she drove home.

[Sir Bagalot]

At 15 years old with 'only' 100K (that's and average of 6,500 miles a year...) I would say it was fairly likely to be clocked at least once, if not twice.

Oh and it's a 2.0 16V Ecotec..... horrid engines

[Martin Keene]

IMO, the looks. Never liked them at all.

And know for something really shocking, I always reckoned the Probe was better looking.

[Vic Cooper]

Shropshiremike said:

What happened to the V6 Laguna Vic?

Had to sell due to UK reg plate. Otherwise the MOT was short and the road tax has ran out. Originally i wanted to register the car, but the road tax for the V6 engine was around 1300 eur/year... And the VRT should've been around 400 eur as well. And i've bought the car for 800 eur (700 quid). So didn't worth for it. It was a really lovely car, no faults happened. Sometimes i wish i could live in the UK... Here they kill the flavor of driving Crap roads for your extremely high road tax...

[Vic Cooper]

I've just received Hi-res pics from the car, it looks mint, only thing that the driver's seat has a bit worn on the outside. But it's a 15 year old car...

Petrolhead Rich: On my Mazda 626 the handbrake is the same crap, and it's never been abused/molested. It just happens sometimes, i guess.

RB26DETT: What's the right price in your opinion for this car? I've found some other, but without NCT from 550 to 1300 eur. The last one is from 1997, so the very last year and imported from the UK in 2007, but the NCT-ness is dubious for me. He says only an oil sensor (he's not sure on it) is faulty, somewhere close to the cylinder head.

Martin Keene: I just loved this shape (CW value is pretty good in these days too), when i was a youngster, but never owned one.

[Wadeski]

there are better cars for 800 quid.

[Vic Cooper]

Wadeski said:

there are better cars for 800 quid.

In Ireland where i need a car. In the classifieds there are loads of good cars here on PH, but the VRT and the other expenses (shipping and so) make them too dear.

[RB26DETT]

Hows about these

Ford Cougar 2.5v6
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1314704 €1000

Ford Puma
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1472520 €1350

Toyota Altezza
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1403733 €3300

Mx5 with hard top
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1173910 €2650

Really depends how much you want to spend.

Id go with the Cougar personally.

[vit4]

If the Calibra handbrake's anything like on the Astra, it'll be st and need tightening relatively regularly. Not a sign of being thrashed on its own imo Always been fond of these, personally think they're very good looking cars.

[PeteG]

Always liked the look of the Calibras, shame so many have been Barried.

Check this out - http://www.calibrawiki.com/index.php?title=Calibra...

[clonmult]

Dave_ said:

Petrolhead_Rich said:

Vic Cooper said:

Hi folks, I am looking for a Calibra recently and i don't know if there are typical faults? The year is 1995, the car looks mint (in a dark green metallic color with beige leather interior), the owner says one thing that the handbrake cable needs to be tightened or replaced. 100 k on the clock and the price is 1 grand in Euros (cca. 800 quid), it has some NCT (MOT) til december. Any thoughts, advices? 2.0 16V engine.

Edited by Vic Cooper on Tuesday 3rd August 18:54

All Calibra's IMO have been thrashed at some point, the handbrake issue should tell you something about its past!!!

So because it needs work on the handbrake its been thrashed? Sound advice.

In my experience they are too slow and heavy to be abused.

Take it a decent test drive to get it warmed up to make sure the engine management light doesnt come on. I think 95 vintage were better rotected from rust but its a vauxhall so have a poke around.

Definitely slow and heavy, with what could be described as lousy or uninspired handling.

After divorce a few years back, figured that I need to dump the Mondeo (96 Diesel) and get something more interesting. Local dealer had a Calibra (16 valve), took it for a drive. Engine seemed good, but oh my god - the steering had no feel, chassis was wallowy, it was a complete and utter disaster. Was mildly bizarre to get back into the Mondeo which then felt like a sports car in comparison.

A Cougar would be a much better bet, or possibly an E36 3 series coupe. Both will handle considerably better all round, and be much nicer places to be whilst out and about.

[aka_kerrly]

Sir Bagalot said:

At 15 years old with 'only' 100K (that's and average of 6,500 miles a year...) I would say it was fairly likely to be clocked at least once, if not twice.

Oh and it's a 2.0 16V Ecotec..... horrid engines

WTF are you on about there are plenty of 15+ year old cars with under 100k. Its highly unlikely the Calibra was bought as a rep mobile back in the day.

[Vic Cooper]

RB26DETT said:

Hows about these

Ford Cougar 2.5v6
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1314704 €1000

Ford Puma
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1472520 €1350

Toyota Altezza
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1403733 €3300

Mx5 with hard top
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1173910 €2650

Really depends how much you want to spend.

Id go with the Cougar personally.

I'd like to go for a car, which is under 2.0 engine due to the extremely high road tax in the ROI. At the moment i don't wanna spend more than 1500 for buying, and the car must have NCT as i want to use it as a daily commuter and for the weekends to visit some places around. I've found a 2000 Toledo as well, with 41 k miles on clock (sounds unbelievable, but he says he has the complete service history, first owner), it has the 1.8 20V non turbo engine. The price is 1600. The public transport is so poor in this area i'm fed up with it. The Puma looks fine in pics, but i guess it has the tiny 1.4 engine as it's an irish car. Not sure if it can move the chassis.

Edited by Vic Cooper on Wednesday 4th August 13:41

[anonymous-user]

Sir Bagalot said:

At 15 years old with 'only' 100K (that's and average of 6,500 miles a year...) I would say it was fairly likely to be clocked at least once, if not twice.

Oh and it's a 2.0 16V Ecotec..... horrid engines

What utter bollcoks, my Mk1 Mondeo has 106K on the clock & is a '96N. Not everyone does the 12k yera in year out.

[Alec]

Vic Cooper said:

I'd like to go for a car, which is under 2.0 engine due to the extremely high road tax in the ROI. At the moment i don't wanna spend more than 1500 for buying, and the car must have NCT as i want to use it as a daily commuter and for the weekends to visit some places around. I've found a 2000 Toledo as well, with 41 k miles on clock (sounds unbelievable, but he says he has the complete service history, first owner), it has the 1.8 20V non turbo engine. The price is 1600. The public transport is so poor in this area i'm fed up with it. The Puma looks fine in pics, but i guess it has the tiny 1.4 engine as it's an irish car. Not sure if it can move the chassis.

I would take a bet on the 1.4 in a Puma moving it nearly as quick as a 2.0 in a Calibre, and a damn sight faster through the twisty bits. Puma is a much better car in pretty much every way.