RE: Vauxhall Nova SR: Spotted
Discussion
Wow this brings back memories, I bought a grey SR (G40 WAR) in the summer of 2002 during the World Cup. I loved that car, yes it wasn’t that fast and didn’t handle very well and as mentioned above the brakes were terrible but it looked great and was loud after I put a Peco big bore exhaust on it (I know, I know)
Lot of comments saying how terrible these were. They weren't actually that bad. Not as good as the period 205 maybe, but competitive with the equally average Fiesta and as I recall, the basis for a competitive rally car....
Cant believe the price of this though. Another reason why I really must get my time machine operational.
Also motivation to maybe buy a low mileage Saxo VTR now perhaps, as surely the price of these 10 years from now will be similar to what the Novas are going for now.......
Not sure about a misspent youth - I'd say I was about 10 or 11 when my Dad got his white 85B SR and he took delivery of the 94M Corsa SRi that replaced it shortly after my 16th.
But yes, I did want a misspent youth in an SR - I dreamt that somehow miraculously he wouldn't need to px it for the Corsa and it could sit on the drive for a year until I was ready for it.
By the time I finally managed to buy my first car - after Uni - the SRs were all knackered so a mate suggested I looked at 205 XSs instead. They'd all been thrashed to within an inch of their life too, but I managed to turn up a Roland Garros in good nick.
When that same mate and I began trading for pocket money we started with a Nova 1.0 bought off his neighbour. OK, I appreciate it's not exactly a like-for-like comparison, but my 205 was much better.
But yes, I did want a misspent youth in an SR - I dreamt that somehow miraculously he wouldn't need to px it for the Corsa and it could sit on the drive for a year until I was ready for it.
By the time I finally managed to buy my first car - after Uni - the SRs were all knackered so a mate suggested I looked at 205 XSs instead. They'd all been thrashed to within an inch of their life too, but I managed to turn up a Roland Garros in good nick.
When that same mate and I began trading for pocket money we started with a Nova 1.0 bought off his neighbour. OK, I appreciate it's not exactly a like-for-like comparison, but my 205 was much better.
I had a brown Nova Saloon as my first car, A712 KHA. My grandad bought it new. So reliable. My dad had a medley of terrible cars when I was young, to the point we borrowed the Nova to go away on holiday as my dad didn't trust his Ital, Hunter or Civic.
My dad had the Nova when my grandad bought an Astra, and it was eventually passed down to me.
I crashed it into the back on my mates Rover 214 when he braked unexpectedly the day he passed his test, blowing the radiator, and drove home with the temperature in the red.
It was repaired, with the front grill and bumper from a Nova SR, SR steering wheel (Loved that wheel), and Fondmetal 5 spoke alloys.
I then managed to lose the back end and slewed into a kerb driving way too fast, bending the rear axle and smashing an alloy.
Crabbed back home, repaired with a new rear beam and ran it for a while before selling on, where it was written off by another new driver.
Bad end for what was a cracking car.
To that end, I love that SR, despite the price!
My dad had the Nova when my grandad bought an Astra, and it was eventually passed down to me.
I crashed it into the back on my mates Rover 214 when he braked unexpectedly the day he passed his test, blowing the radiator, and drove home with the temperature in the red.
It was repaired, with the front grill and bumper from a Nova SR, SR steering wheel (Loved that wheel), and Fondmetal 5 spoke alloys.
I then managed to lose the back end and slewed into a kerb driving way too fast, bending the rear axle and smashing an alloy.
Crabbed back home, repaired with a new rear beam and ran it for a while before selling on, where it was written off by another new driver.
Bad end for what was a cracking car.
To that end, I love that SR, despite the price!
CS Garth said:
For those of a certain vintage they were amazing. I would have traded various family members for one and when a friend's not unattractive mother acquired the later GSi i would frequently make sure I was present when he was collected to drink in the milf/motor combo. It was like Linda Lusardi arriving in a Countach.
I can relate to this as well and I had a friend with the later GSi, the desirability of those back then was immense. It seems silly now looking back at how we lusted after them, but at the time it just felt right to. I had a black 86 C reg SR from about 3 years old (the car not me!). Seemed a wonderful thing at the time but remember when I got my first company car going back to the Nova felt utterly awful. The brakes especially and you could feel the pedals move when you turn lock to lock. Kept it for about 15 years eventually selling it to my flat mate who ended up leaving it untaxed on the street and the local council towed it away and crushed it. Brings a slight tear to my eye!
I remember they would corner very flat and could let go very quickly if the camber changed. Probably why I remember seeing so many in hedges. The seats and dials were very cool.
I get the nostalgia factor and all that but £16k??
I remember they would corner very flat and could let go very quickly if the camber changed. Probably why I remember seeing so many in hedges. The seats and dials were very cool.
I get the nostalgia factor and all that but £16k??
First new car in 1984, a rare base model 1.2 with a 5 speed box and optional nearside mirror.
To all those saying they were crap and wouldn't touch them you have to go back in time. Mine replaced a 1974 Fiat 128 made with finest commie steel, on its third set of wings and second set of doors after 5 years. It was like stepping into the Enterprise, no oil peeing out from underneath, no flaky points or timing to fuss with - IT STARTED! It did more than 60 mph without losing bits and wasn't covered in 'Brown Velvet' rust inhibitor, I could at last give up buying party packs of Trustan 23. Great at the time compared to what else was on offer, Metro anyone?
Went on to have a GTE in 1990 and GSI in 1992, loved the GTE as the first 'performance car' I had (replaced an abortion of a 1.3 Mk2 Astra Merit). Never got on with the GSI as it kept disappearing to the remains of Deep Navigation Colliery to be relieved of its radio, wheels etc after a good Twoc'ing, went 3 times!
Still don't think I'd spend 16K to revisit it. At least it's not B49 something, a turd brown SR owned by stepfather that was clocked within an inch of it's life...
To all those saying they were crap and wouldn't touch them you have to go back in time. Mine replaced a 1974 Fiat 128 made with finest commie steel, on its third set of wings and second set of doors after 5 years. It was like stepping into the Enterprise, no oil peeing out from underneath, no flaky points or timing to fuss with - IT STARTED! It did more than 60 mph without losing bits and wasn't covered in 'Brown Velvet' rust inhibitor, I could at last give up buying party packs of Trustan 23. Great at the time compared to what else was on offer, Metro anyone?
Went on to have a GTE in 1990 and GSI in 1992, loved the GTE as the first 'performance car' I had (replaced an abortion of a 1.3 Mk2 Astra Merit). Never got on with the GSI as it kept disappearing to the remains of Deep Navigation Colliery to be relieved of its radio, wheels etc after a good Twoc'ing, went 3 times!
Still don't think I'd spend 16K to revisit it. At least it's not B49 something, a turd brown SR owned by stepfather that was clocked within an inch of it's life...
I had a red 1.3 SR (1988, E reg) in about 1992-93. Loved it. You could rev them off the clock. The comparable Fiesta 1.4S was an asthmatic wheezebox in comparison. The six dial dash was a stroke of genius too. I had a fake Momo steering wheel from Ripspeed and spotlights fitted BEHIND the grill! 
(Different times).
(Different times).Nickp82 said:
pidsy said:
Anyone remember the Nova-dose kit:
I have spent the last 20 years trying to forget it, yuck!
Was all about the Kingdom Developments kit back in the day!
Had a multitude of Novas after passing my test.. With the first and favourite being an SRi (K276 YGS). Just need to win the lottery to get back into one worth having...
My dad had a Nova GTE back when I was young. I don't remember much about it other than the uncomfortable polystyrene booster seats my brother and I used to have. Much like the XR2 he had before it, he doesn't have much good to say about it, contending that it seemed good at the time but it would be shocking by today's standards. This was at s time when things going wrong were par for the course and fixing a car on your drive wasn't uncommon.
I did have an S2 106 Rallye a few years later that he liked, saying it reminded him of these very basic hot hatches he had driven years ago.
I did have an S2 106 Rallye a few years later that he liked, saying it reminded him of these very basic hot hatches he had driven years ago.
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