RE: Vauxhall Cavalier GSi 2000 | Spotted

[Gandahar]

Some other choices ----


https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

OK it has done 100k but at least been used. The one going for £125k, on PH only done 4k over all those years

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

And at the other end of the spectrum for £1500 ....and so worthy of a Shed of any week


https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Good point is that it has a cool airbox off a 1960's muscle car. Bad point is that it is the 1.3 version and not the fire breathing Belmont 1.8SRI that gave the Ford Orion 1.6i Ghia such a run for it's money way back when..

See, with 30 years hindsight you can laugh at the GSI Cavalier ... but would you rather have that or an SRi Belmont?

[anonymous-user]

Surprised there are any GSi's left. These were badge of honour vehicles for TWOC'ers back in the day. A step up from the common or garden SRi. Recall recovering a dark blue stolen one, less than 300 miles on the clock, left in the middle of the estate with a brick on the accelerator in broad daylight.

[markcoznottz]

Turbobanana said:

InRong Ghia said:

Loved the 4x4 Cavs that I had back then.

The 8v 2.0L with the SRi engine was the quicker with the octane pug set to 98...

I remember that - you just removed it, turned it around and replaced it I seem to recall.

The 8v car would surely still be less powerful than the red top 16v? .

[edwheels]

Also a 2.5 V6 was available on this shape Cavalier - think it had 170BHP, in various trim levels like CDX and also with odd names like 'Diplomat' and 'Cesaro' - bet they are rare now too....

A Cavalier Diplomat... isn't that an oxymoron?

[anonymous-user]

There's a 4000 mile Cavalier CD up for about £5k on Car and Classic. It'll likely be similarly specced to the GSI, however with the old 115bhp 8v 2.0.

[Geffg]

Used to have one of these myself in 1996 when I was 22. It was one of the last 2 wheel drive non turbo ones on a ‘k’ plate in burgundy. Still miss that car, had many fun drives in that. Mine had the twin square back box as it was from standard. Looking at how rare these are and prices I wish I’d kept it!
Sold mine to get a Bmw E36 325i coupe.

[JD2329]

Yes it's bonkers really but that's the power of nostalgia. It only takes one buyer to put down the money.
Are cars like this & Sierras etc any good? Well, I owned and travelled in quite a few Sierras and Cavs back in the day and I'd warrant if you blindfolded passengers and did back to back journeys in a well specced Sierra and then a Mondeo, a good number would prefer the Sierra.
More comfortable, better ride, softer seats. Performed just fine, would cruise all day up and down the motorway at 90 - 100 (when you still could)

[s m]

sdiggle said:

If we all agree 20k is too much...what would you be prepared to pay?

£9,999 ??

It’s a moot point really if as said earlier that it is already sold. No doubt, like most second-hand cars, there was some haggling money built into the price but you’d have to believe it was worth high teens to the buyer.
Not many on here would be prepared to pay much for a Vauxhall as opposed to an old Merc or Alfa but there are fans for most marques
If I had a big garage space to store stuff like this and a big collector’s budget I’d like to have a selection of 80s/90s stuff like this for sunny weekend drives out.

Pretty quick for an old non-Turbo saloon from 30 years ago, a fwd scrabbler at that.
Those red tops were a storming engine
Literally on the heels of a GT86 up to legal speeds and not far behind flat out




Saw a really nice newer model GSi V6 - even better sounding than these

[heisthegaffer]

Torquey said:

In my childhood memories this was one of the fastest things I ever stepped foot in.
9 seconds to 60mph... I don't want to know any more - I'll just continue looking at it.

Edited by Torquey on Tuesday 6th August 09:16

I'm pretty sure it was sub 8 seconds to sixty.

[Mr Tidy]

Wow, I loved that era of BTCC!

The other Cavalier was driven by Jeff Allam who had a Vauxhall dealership in Epsom, and also had some pretty good results.

Sadly he lost his franchise and now has a Skoda dealership, but selling modern Skodas may be easier than current Vauxhalls.

In 1993 I bought a 1991 Sierra Sapphire 2.0GLSi, then in 1995 I got the chance to buy an ex-company 1992 Cavalier SRi hatch (130bhp 8 Valve) from my employer at a price I couldn't refuse!

So I obviously bought it - I still remember taking it for it's 1st MOT with 97K miles on it!

But it was a better car than the Sierra, especially the mechanical components. Amazingly a local main dealer (Masters of Morden) was doing a special offer of a new cam-belt for £99, so mine got one!

I ran both for a while, but that didn't make sense so as the Sierra had done less than half the mileage I kept that - plus I could see a quick profit from the Cavalier.

Then soon afterwards the clutch release bearing on the Sierra failed.

Isn't hindsight great?

[Geffg]

s m said:

It’s a moot point really if as said earlier that it is already sold. No doubt, like most second-hand cars, there was some haggling money built into the price but you’d have to believe it was worth high teens to the buyer.
Not many on here would be prepared to pay much for a Vauxhall as opposed to an old Merc or Alfa but there are fans for most marques
If I had a big garage space to store stuff like this and a big collector’s budget I’d like to have a selection of 80s/90s stuff like this for sunny weekend drives out.

Pretty quick for an old non-Turbo saloon from 30 years ago, a fwd scrabbler at that.
Those red tops were a storming engine
Literally on the heels of a GT86 up to legal speeds and not far behind flat out




Saw a really nice newer model GSi V6 - even better sounding than these

I didn’t think they made a V6 GSi did they?
They done the v6 in cdx, and diplomat etc but thought the gsi was only ever a 2.0l either turbo or non.

[bloomen]

Sandpit Steve said:

I’d want John Cleland’s actual BTCC car for £20k

You can get things like ex works Sierra Cosworth rally and race cars for the same money as mint road versions, often less.

Both are effectively unusable so you may as well pay the same for something with proper history.

But all this needs is one weirdo with the desire. They ain't making any more.

[anonymous-user]

Might be thinking of the V6 Vectra.

[cerb4.5lee]

Geffg said:

s m said:

It’s a moot point really if as said earlier that it is already sold. No doubt, like most second-hand cars, there was some haggling money built into the price but you’d have to believe it was worth high teens to the buyer.
Not many on here would be prepared to pay much for a Vauxhall as opposed to an old Merc or Alfa but there are fans for most marques
If I had a big garage space to store stuff like this and a big collector’s budget I’d like to have a selection of 80s/90s stuff like this for sunny weekend drives out.

Pretty quick for an old non-Turbo saloon from 30 years ago, a fwd scrabbler at that.
Those red tops were a storming engine
Literally on the heels of a GT86 up to legal speeds and not far behind flat out




Saw a really nice newer model GSi V6 - even better sounding than these

I didn’t think they made a V6 GSi did they?
They done the v6 in cdx, and diplomat etc but thought the gsi was only ever a 2.0l either turbo or non.

Not with the Cavalier they didn't as you say, but I think s m means the Vectra V6 GSi.

[s m]

heisthegaffer said:

Torquey said:

In my childhood memories this was one of the fastest things I ever stepped foot in.
9 seconds to 60mph... I don't want to know any more - I'll just continue looking at it.

Edited by Torquey on Tuesday 6th August 09:16

I'm pretty sure it was sub 8 seconds to sixty.

Yep,most tests managed high sevens
The 4wd version was a fair bit heavier and had the catted engine so usually pitched in about 8.5-ish
Good 5mph down on top speed too

[Welshbeef]

Did anyone read 60mph is actually reading as 67mph on the speedo and 56mph speedo is 50mph but it’s 5.9 seconds so it felt fast.


But 22 seconds to the 100.... considering C63S are now 8 or less seconds and back in the same era a Lotus Carlton was an 11 second car to 100mph.

[s m]

Geffg said:

I didn’t think they made a V6 GSi did they?
They done the v6 in cdx, and diplomat etc but thought the gsi was only ever a 2.0l either turbo or non.

No, I meant the newer Vectra GSi (shape that replaced the Cavalier - this shape Cavalier in the article was also known as the Opel or Holden Vectra in markets abroad ) )
They always sound great with the V6

[Fast Bug]

Welshbeef said:

Did anyone read 60mph is actually reading as 67mph on the speedo and 56mph speedo is 50mph but it’s 5.9 seconds so it felt fast.


But 22 seconds to the 100.... considering C63S are now 8 or less seconds and back in the same era a Lotus Carlton was an 11 second car to 100mph.

Yes because a modern 4 litre V8 twin turbo is fair comparison as is a 3.6 twin turbo super saloon. You're comparing apples and Wellington boots

[Ilovejapcrap]

Nors said:

Pintofbest said:

Weren't the original exhaust tips square?

Well spotted, I believe they were.

Probably didn't last the test of time, even with 27k.

thought that was the later vectra ?

[s m]

Mr Tidy said:

Wow, I loved that era of BTCC!

The other Cavalier was driven by Jeff Allam who had a Vauxhall dealership in Epsom, and also had some pretty good results.

:

Yes, some great battles/incidents between JC’s Cavalier and the M3s ( Sytner in this case )

Birmingham Superprix battle

He was still battling against the newer E36 BMW a couple of years after

Cleland vs Soper

Always entertaining viewing on a Saturday lunchtime!

Edited by s m on Tuesday 6th August 22:23