Vauxhall frontera 2.0

[andy-xr]

The Moose said:

I must admit, I do kinda like the idea of the short wheel base with the removable rear section leaving you with the roll bar

Is that bad? Where do I sign up for therapy?!

It's where you put the rear section once you've taken it off thats the problem. IE, it's not coming with you!

[jbi]

a better and tougher car than most people give them credit for

2.0 engine is gutless though

[J4CKO]

Remember back in the 1990's when these were considered desirable, there were thousands of time, kind of the X5 of its day I think.

[Melvin Udall]

andy-xr said:

It's where you put the rear section once you've taken it off thats the problem. IE, it's not coming with you!

I waterproofed the rear seats, and the carpet, etc. Never had an issue, although I did make my own bikini top for the car, which worked well enough. Kept most of the rain off.

[The Moose]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

OP,

What do you want it for ?

Spare car / sts / giggles / winter Shed?

Or

As an actual Car?


If the former, crack on.
The Latter?


Jog On.


Cheers,

the oh....

Interesting response - something to take into consideration.

I can't decide if this is a good idea - it would be my main vehicle...at least for a while

[vit4]

My old guitarist ran a 1994 LWB 2.8D (or possibly 2.3, but it was pretty quick so I'm guessing the bigger lump) as his car and a bit of a band bus. Nothing but praise for it, that thing took serious amounts of abuse. Redlined from cold every time it was started, he got the arse end out on it a few times in the wet (not something I'd advise to be honest...), it spent life before him towing a bloody massive caravan, then carting three of us plus a bass stack, drum kit, guitar half-stack and a full PA about - bloody massive inside (although if it's a SWB I realise that this won't apply!). I don't think he got great mpg, but considering the way he drove it hardly a surprise On a motorway he reckoned it was alright.

I remember he had a flat battery once, and also had to replace the brake discs & pads all around, but those could happen with any car. It was on ~150,000 miles but everything (admittedly not too much in the first place!) worked on it. I don't think it had been serviced in "a while". When he was selling it I was tempted, but don't think I could've after seeing how it had been driven. Had it been a better looked-after example, I wouldn't have thought twice. Insurance was bloody cheap for the size of it as well.

Anyway, a bit rambly but hope it's of some help My mechanic also runs them as shooting cars, and again he's very impressed by them. They're definitely not as bad IME as people make out

[pits]

Dad had one nearly brand new as a company car circa 1993/1994
Worst car we have ever owned and took great delight in seeing it being picked up by a massive claw and taken for scrap.

Problems started when the alarm played up meaning we couldn't get the car off the drive, car was towed to Vauxhall and fixed.

Then it did it again, along with an electrical failure, new alarm system fitted by Vauxhall

Then the engine died, and electrics went nuts, car was rewired by Vauxhall, new loom etc, got it back a day later the alarm died again.

Then when it finally worked, my dad took it into work, parked up in the car park, opened the door and the door fell off the top hinge, meaning new door from Vauxhall.

Other bits and bobs fell off, died along its journey through its very short life, I forgot as I was very young, though can ask him, but IIRC exhaust fell off, diff blew up, engine died again, alarm system went again, door fell off a second time.

It went back to Vauxhall, where my dad met someone high up in Vauxhall, the car was discussed in great length and the guy from Vauxhall said "To be honest, the best thing we can do with this car is chuck it off a cliff"

Car was driven home, where the alarm system promptly failed, a few hours later and a few phone calls, a Rover Tomcat thing turned up (smelt of vanilla), then an hour after that a big truck turned up with a gigantor claw on it, picked the Frontera up by the roof and was taken to be destroyed.

Utterly crap car, think it only got 19k miles on the clock and was under 2 years old, needless to say Vauxhalls have now been tainted, will never own one ever.

I don't know which is worse, this actually being true or the sticker saying "Take a chill pill" that someone put in the rear window of it.

Don't think there was anything good about the car, and it has brought back the memory of that awful vanilla smelling Rover (which was soon replaced with a rather lovely Alfa 155)



Personally I wouldn't go near one.

[The Moose]

pits said:

Dad had one nearly brand new as a company car circa 1993/1994
Worst car we have ever owned and took great delight in seeing it being picked up by a massive claw and taken for scrap.

Problems started when the alarm played up meaning we couldn't get the car off the drive, car was towed to Vauxhall and fixed.

Then it did it again, along with an electrical failure, new alarm system fitted by Vauxhall

Then the engine died, and electrics went nuts, car was rewired by Vauxhall, new loom etc, got it back a day later the alarm died again.

Then when it finally worked, my dad took it into work, parked up in the car park, opened the door and the door fell off the top hinge, meaning new door from Vauxhall.

Other bits and bobs fell off, died along its journey through its very short life, I forgot as I was very young, though can ask him, but IIRC exhaust fell off, diff blew up, engine died again, alarm system went again, door fell off a second time.

It went back to Vauxhall, where my dad met someone high up in Vauxhall, the car was discussed in great length and the guy from Vauxhall said "To be honest, the best thing we can do with this car is chuck it off a cliff"

Car was driven home, where the alarm system promptly failed, a few hours later and a few phone calls, a Rover Tomcat thing turned up (smelt of vanilla), then an hour after that a big truck turned up with a gigantor claw on it, picked the Frontera up by the roof and was taken to be destroyed.

Utterly crap car, think it only got 19k miles on the clock and was under 2 years old, needless to say Vauxhalls have now been tainted, will never own one ever.

I don't know which is worse, this actually being true or the sticker saying "Take a chill pill" that someone put in the rear window of it.

Don't think there was anything good about the car, and it has brought back the memory of that awful vanilla smelling Rover (which was soon replaced with a rather lovely Alfa 155)



Personally I wouldn't go near one.

So, just to confirm - you would or wouldn't?

I couldn't quite tell from your post...

[The Moose]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

The Moose said:

Interesting response - something to take into consideration.

I can't decide if this is a good idea - it would be my main vehicle...at least for a while

A Frontera + MX5 is do-able.

Just a Frontera, no thanks.

Are you stalking me, or is that combination entirely coincidental?!

[Astra Dan]

The 2.0 "Sport" engine is the old low compression C20NE from the Cavalier/ Cartlon etc. Utterly reliable and almost indestructible engine in my experience.

I really like the chunky looks of them too.

[T0nup]

Never had one, but always thought that should I ever need to go off roading, thats what I'd get, purely and simply because they are just meat and spuds engineering and are reasonably priced.

However, did managed to take a LWB 94 model for a spin some time ago. Belonged to mate, so had to be careful, but it drove nice. Tyres were chunky, and so quite a bit of road noise. Remember lifting the bonet and seeing something familiar under there. Same 2.3 slant 4 block as was used in the Viva and Firenza.

[300bhp/ton]

The Moose said:

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

OP,

What do you want it for ?

Spare car / sts / giggles / winter Shed?

Or

As an actual Car?


If the former, crack on.
The Latter?


Jog On.


Cheers,

the oh....

Interesting response - something to take into consideration.

I can't decide if this is a good idea - it would be my main vehicle...at least for a while

Despite what I said earlier, I reckon you should go for it.

They are by no means any worse than any other 4x4 out there and they drive and feel like a 4x4, which IMO is good. And there is no denying they are more capable than your average soft roader too.

A SWB one with the movable rear section looks great and should be fun, even if not speedy.

And at the end of the day, if you don't like it, you'll be able to sell it for pretty much what you paid for it. These aren't really losing money anymore, not if you by smart to begin with.

If it snows this winter and you didn't by it, you'll just kick yourself.

[The Moose]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

The Moose said:

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

The Moose said:

Interesting response - something to take into consideration.

I can't decide if this is a good idea - it would be my main vehicle...at least for a while

A Frontera + MX5 is do-able.

Just a Frontera, no thanks.

Are you stalking me, or is that combination entirely coincidental?!

Paranoia ?
I just happen to know you have a 5 too

I too have a Five and bought an old 97 SWB Trooper a few years ago, not a millions miles from a Frontera wrt the Slow Agricultural driving experience. The Combo worked well. Both can be a PITA to live with fuill time, but as a Pair you could do a lot.
Hence the suggestion.

I now have a bigger Troop.

I take that you mean you're stalking me

I guess I need something to pull the MX5 up hills if it snows - I must say, I didn't get stuck anywhere *

* Goes off to find some wood to touch...