Friday 18th September 2009

SOTW: Vauxhall Senator 24v CD Auto

This Senator is enough to turn Shed into a committed republican

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Maroon: is there a better colour for a barge?

If you're anything like me, you'll regularly dream of getting involved in Police Camera Action-style high-speed pursuits (from behind the wheel of the cop car, of course).

If that's the case, then this week's Shed ought to have you weak at the knees with excitement. And even if you don't harbour any secret traffic cop fantasies, this Vauxhall Senator still has plenty going for it, because this big ol' beast was the early 90s weapon of choice for the boys in blue with good reason.

This 3.0-litre 24-valve model, with its 201bhp, 195lb ft straight six, could give a contemporary BMW 530i a run for its money on the motorway or autobahn, and wouldn't be left too far behind on a twisty road, despite being based on a stretched version of the humble Vauxhall Carlton.

Cheese-cutter grille screams 'move over'

Inside it comfortably trumped the 5-series, with more space, squishy leather seats, much more standard kit and a fantastic digital dash readout.

Another thing that made them popular police cars was bulletproof mechanical reliability - that big straight six is capable of truly stratospheric mileages. The Sen's electrics can be a bit more fickle, however, especially the electric rear windows and (sadly) that digital dash.

This J-plate maroon beauty hasn't done huge miles (160k), so it's unlikely to have been a CID special, and appears to have a decent service history. The seller does mention a spot of rust on the rear arches and it has been in storage for a couple of years, but the car has a 12-month ticket and new rear exhaust sections.

Mmm...plush...

As an £800 barge with a decent turn of speed, we can't think of a better way to play at being Plod.

Advert is reproduced below:

Senator CD 24v auto, £800

I have a J plate senator 3.0 24v CD auto for sale

12 months mot

leather heated seats and all the usual extras

the car is in std condition.. with a documented service history.

small amount of rust at the front of the rear wheel arches and thats about it.

tape player and 10 disk changer in the boot.

nearly new tyres and both rear exhaust sections are new

came off the road and in 07 after a full service and was dry stored.

Just under 160k miles very good condition for its age,

Located in Woodbridge, Suffolk

What has been kept in that seat pocket?

They don't make engine bays like this any more

 

[minimatt1967]

nice motor shame it isn't manual!

[scubadude]

Cracking Shed.

I have a Carlton Diplomat (poor mans Senator :-) and despite its age never ridden in anything that gobbles motorway miles so descretly- cruise control, heated leather armchairs, XXmph, effortless autobox.... nice.

FWIW the seatback net "holders" sag to pieces under gravity even if you don't use them!

[Garlick]

Now THIS is a SOTW! Nice one Riggers, you are getting the hang of this

[tim2100]

awesome shed, always had a soft spot for these!

[Tale Gator]

Is it me or does it look slightly American!

[tombstone]

couple of guys on vxon site been talking about buying a clean (ish) senny... think we now know where it is!!

Wonderful, easy to live with barges!!!

[J111]

Cracking car for a few hundred miles of serene motorway crusing, but not without its flaws.

scubadude said:

FWIW the seatback net "holders" sag to pieces under gravity even if you don't use them!

They all do that, sir.

The Sen's electrics can be a bit more fickle, however, especially the electric rear windows

'tis true.

First Vauxhall with safety electric windows, after some poor sod got choked to death by the previous model. Unfortunately they go all the way up, assume that the seal is little Timmy's throat, and then go all the way down again. Repeatedly.

[Stu R]

Garlick said:

Now THIS is a SOTW! Nice one Riggers, you are getting the hang of this

Plus one as they say, a worthy SOTW.

[MrMoonyMan]

Cracking SOTW - Good work.

[sjc]

Old man had a Vauxhall Royale in 1980 and I got to drive it regularlyaged 18 3 years later!Wonderful thing

[alock]

Loved my old manual version. Great for learning the joys of RWD.

[Deluded]

I have fond memories of being driven around in one of these by a school friends mother. I used to be mesmerised by the digital dash. She never went over 30mph, ever.

[LeighW]

Great SOTW. My dad had a 12v manual when I was a younger, I remember being mightily impressed with how easy it got to 130 leptons and beyond. Mind you, I did have a nova at the time...

[dwilkie]

The engine looks like it's came out of a ship! Cracking shed!

[EDLT]

I know someone who bought one of these from a dealer for £350, then a couple of weeks later someone came up to him in the petrol station and offered him £400 for the obscure private plate.

[toohuge]

My dad had one of these. We loved it as a family and it was a brilliant car.

[LayZ]

Looks in very good nick, most scrapped by now.

Geek fact: IIRC the last ones are on a '95M and were bought by various plod forces at the end of the production run, and stockpiled until ones in use were taken out of rotation.

[Gizmo!]

EXCELLENT shed. Can't beat a bit of Barge.

[Mr Tea]

Cracking shed!

[Trevelyan]

LayZ said:

Geek fact: IIRC the last ones are on a '95M and were bought by various plod forces at the end of the production run, and stockpiled until ones in use were taken out of rotation.

Tis' true. UK Plod bought up mostof the final vehicles produced and had them converted to police spec (possibly done in Luton, but can't remember for sure). I know there were several of them stored around the Vauxhall site in Luton for quite a while after production finished waiting to be shipped out to the various forces as needed.