RE: Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6L: Spotted
Discussion
from the article said:
The safety theme was carried through to the advertising for the car; I remember seeing adverts in the 90s of various facelifted Cavaliers smashing into various immovable objects accompanied to Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer - mind, I think that was in response to the Ford Mondeo that had a driver's airbag fitted as standard.
If I remember correctly that advert pre-dated the Mondeo by a few months, it was advertising the facelifted Cavalier in late '92, Mondeo followed early 1993. I think all facelifted Mk3 Cavaliers had a driver's airbag as standard. Anyone remember the lower trim levels of the facelift (Envoy, LS) had a rear light arrangement similar to the pre facelift, but the upper trims (GLS and up) had their own rear light design?
I had a 1991 2.0 GL 4 door version for a couple of years in the late 1990s. Good car, reliable. And I had a 1995 1.7 TD version that took me to Spain and back 3 times. Used the scrappage scheme with it in 2009.
This dealer I've bid against at car auctions, and his mark up is frankly 'ambitious' on many cars. A standard 1.6 with wheel trims and austerity trim for £3k? Even with low mileage, No, not IMHO.
This dealer I've bid against at car auctions, and his mark up is frankly 'ambitious' on many cars. A standard 1.6 with wheel trims and austerity trim for £3k? Even with low mileage, No, not IMHO.
Coming from Sierras and Mk2 Cavaliers, in the early 90's this was very much the car we all wanted.
Eventually found a H plate Sri with super rare factory air-con. Good friend of mine was so impressed, he went and sourced himself an early 1.6L like the example above. Keep fit windows, felt and looked very low spec.
Other friend got himself in massive dept to buy a CDX - imagine his disappointment when he discovered that the CDX only had the 115bhp 2L engine compared to the 130bhp unit in mine. Yes, his had a posh velour interior and rear electric windows but he couldn't get past that engine or the lack of air con.
Naturally, not to be outdone, he got himself in even further debt buying a GSI which in all honesty didn't feel much faster than mine, although did look better.
In their time they were decent cars, before the Mondeo came along a few years later these were leagues ahead of the Sierra (of which i'll admit to being a massive fan of).
Check this common Youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQsMFQZa8os where these sales blokes explains the significance of the badge! To quote one of them when discussing, "Well, it's an I. And I means Important"
Eventually found a H plate Sri with super rare factory air-con. Good friend of mine was so impressed, he went and sourced himself an early 1.6L like the example above. Keep fit windows, felt and looked very low spec.
Other friend got himself in massive dept to buy a CDX - imagine his disappointment when he discovered that the CDX only had the 115bhp 2L engine compared to the 130bhp unit in mine. Yes, his had a posh velour interior and rear electric windows but he couldn't get past that engine or the lack of air con.
Naturally, not to be outdone, he got himself in even further debt buying a GSI which in all honesty didn't feel much faster than mine, although did look better.
In their time they were decent cars, before the Mondeo came along a few years later these were leagues ahead of the Sierra (of which i'll admit to being a massive fan of).
Check this common Youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQsMFQZa8os where these sales blokes explains the significance of the badge! To quote one of them when discussing, "Well, it's an I. And I means Important"
Edited by littlebasher on Saturday 3rd February 14:25
If you've followed KGF Classic Cars for a while (the vendors of the 1.6L featured here) you'll know their pricing system, particularly for older Fords. They're impartial though, and will mark anything up, generally past the limit the rest of the market would offer. They've had this Cavalier a fair while now, which says it all.
njw1 said:
^^ I had a red saloon, although mine was the more upmarket 2.0 CDi, I had it in between a pile of Sierras and, as has been mentioned, the Cavalier was actually a much better car, it was quicker than a 2.0 Sierra (it was easily as quick as a V6 Sierra I found), MUCH better on fuel, a more dynamic drive and comfier,
I though the (non-Cossie) Sierra was a con. The engines were awful old athsmatic Cortina ones. OK so they FINALLY got rid of the 50's pig iron live rear axle. But replaced it with some iffy semi trailing arms. And cynically stuck a futuristic body on it to distract people.The Mk2 Cav was miles better than the Sierra as was the Mk3.
The Mondeo was the one that moved things on (at long last) for Ford.
Drive Blind said:
the SRi 130bhp engine was the 20SEH 
the 20NE was the 115bhp version that went in the 2l Li's and GLi's was it not ?
Spot on, I've burned my collection of brochures in shame! the 20NE was the 115bhp version that went in the 2l Li's and GLi's was it not ?
20NE was indeed the 115bhp version, 20SEH was the 130bhp and arguably a brilliant old engine...
Bet there's a few out there have done crazy miles and probably in several shells too!
TooMany2cvs said:
Always strange how people refer to "Vauxhall", and think of them as a UK manufacturer, when they're really just a single-market rebadge of Opels, and have been since the Mk1 Cav, Carlton and Chevette were launched.
I don't think he was. He was highlighting how popular and significant the mk3 Cavalier was in the UK. Maybe you'd prefer to refer to it as an Opel Vectra, it wouldn't really change his point though.AC43 said:
Actually, I just remembered that the CDX was one of only two cars I've had that had an air con vent in the glovebox. Used to LOVE that feature and stick 2-3 diet cold Cokes in at the beginning of a long journey and they'd stay frosty for hours.
22 years later I've just discovered that my E500 has the same thing. Brilliant little touch.
(The more I think about that CDX the more I realise I liked it as much as I hated my GLS. If someone had suggested i took the alternative - a povvo spec 3 series, 190 or A4 - I'd deffo have stuck with the CDX with it's engine, suspension and spec).
It's a great feature - quite a few Vauxhalls have/had it. I loved it until my aircon let all its gas out when a stone went through the condenser 22 years later I've just discovered that my E500 has the same thing. Brilliant little touch.
(The more I think about that CDX the more I realise I liked it as much as I hated my GLS. If someone had suggested i took the alternative - a povvo spec 3 series, 190 or A4 - I'd deffo have stuck with the CDX with it's engine, suspension and spec).
Some of the finest hire cars I ever tried to kill were Mk2 and Mk3 Chavaliers. (I think it was Goldie Looking Chain that had a Burberry one). A well off friend had a Mk3 SRi130 and a nice 1986/7 Escort RS Turbo at the same time ( about 1990)and they often both needed driving back from the pub for him in convoy by the non drinkers. They were ragged mercilessly and the SRi was the stronger car. The same friend then obliged by buying a Sierra cosworth and a 635 CSI at the same time which were equally enjoyed and well worth buying him an extra pint to get the drive.
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