RE: Vauxhall Cavalier time capsule for sale

[ScoobyChris]

carguy45 said:

Calibra Turbo was a nice spinoff too. Basically a Cavalier inside (and probably underneath too, I'm not enough of a Vauxhall beard to know) but was a nice looking car. I think they've aged well personally.

My Dad was a Vauxhall guy in his company car days and had two Mk2 Cavalier SRi’s, a Carlton GL (with the wheezy 1.8 carb engine), a Mk3 2.0 Cavalier CDi and a Calibra 16v. His favourite was (predictably!) the Calibra although his colleague had the Turbo version which was plagued with issues. Certainly a golden era for Vauxhall and I have lots of fond memories as a child of time spent at Frosts of Shoreham car browsing!

6k is more money than I’d spend on this Cavalier but I suspect I am not the target market

Chris

[cerb4.5lee]

911Spanker said:

AC43 said:

911Spanker said:

popeyewhite said:

Stick Legs said:

BMW 635CSi, 5 series in a party dress. (to the point where the prop shaft is interchangeable, the floor pan is exactly the same as an E28)
Ford Capri is a Cortina in a party dress. (admittedly a Cortina / RWD Escort hybrid)
Jaguar XJ-S is an XJ6 in a party dress etc etc etc.

No one criticises these cars for being based on less glamorous siblings.

Because they are quite good cars.

Cavaliers were largely pretty poor. I owned two, a GLS and a GSi2000. The equivalent BMW (316? The 320 was a different league) was a significant step up.

Rose tinted specs?

Poor at what? Power oversteer?

I never liked the povo-spec 3 Series at the time. A 3 Series without a 6 pot was just a slightly better made Cortina in my book. AND price for price you got nothing in terms of kit. If you wanted a radio you had to first pay for the wiring loom connection.

I had a go in a 318 (2nd gen) and it was a pretty soul-less experience. The 325 was the entry point for them, really. Vastly more expensive of course, but the 3 series was always supposed to be a 6 pot. That was its essence.

True. But they also needed an LSD - a rear drive sporty car without one is a total waste.

I've always agreed with you on that too, and I'm still amazed that stuff like the M140i doesn't come with one. Even my old 200SX had an LSD as standard for example.

[popeyewhite]

911Spanker said:

popeyewhite said:

Stick Legs said:

BMW 635CSi, 5 series in a party dress. (to the point where the prop shaft is interchangeable, the floor pan is exactly the same as an E28)
Ford Capri is a Cortina in a party dress. (admittedly a Cortina / RWD Escort hybrid)
Jaguar XJ-S is an XJ6 in a party dress etc etc etc.

No one criticises these cars for being based on less glamorous siblings.

Because they are quite good cars.

Cavaliers were largely pretty poor. I owned two, a GLS and a GSi2000. The equivalent BMW (316? The 320 was a different league) was a significant step up.

Rose tinted specs?

Poor at what? Power oversteer?

Build, dynamics, driver interaction etc The BMWs also looked good lol. TBH the Cav GSi/turbo didn't look that bad though.

[M4cruiser]

As an "auto" fan since learning to drive, I lusted after an auto GLS Cavalier. Then managed to borrow one from work for a weekend, and it was rather dull - until it broke down (gearbox u/s). My girlfriend at the time wasn't impressed - it was only our second date. (We didn't get a third one.) Stuck in the West Country, I had to rent another Cavalier (manual this time) to get back to London, and a joy it was. One of the few cars I've driven where the auto is worse than the manual.

Broken Auto was Relay'd back to London.

[911Spanker]

cerb4.5lee said:

911Spanker said:

AC43 said:

911Spanker said:

popeyewhite said:

Stick Legs said:

BMW 635CSi, 5 series in a party dress. (to the point where the prop shaft is interchangeable, the floor pan is exactly the same as an E28)
Ford Capri is a Cortina in a party dress. (admittedly a Cortina / RWD Escort hybrid)
Jaguar XJ-S is an XJ6 in a party dress etc etc etc.

No one criticises these cars for being based on less glamorous siblings.

Because they are quite good cars.

Cavaliers were largely pretty poor. I owned two, a GLS and a GSi2000. The equivalent BMW (316? The 320 was a different league) was a significant step up.

Rose tinted specs?

Poor at what? Power oversteer?

I never liked the povo-spec 3 Series at the time. A 3 Series without a 6 pot was just a slightly better made Cortina in my book. AND price for price you got nothing in terms of kit. If you wanted a radio you had to first pay for the wiring loom connection.

I had a go in a 318 (2nd gen) and it was a pretty soul-less experience. The 325 was the entry point for them, really. Vastly more expensive of course, but the 3 series was always supposed to be a 6 pot. That was its essence.

True. But they also needed an LSD - a rear drive sporty car without one is a total waste.

I've always agreed with you on that too, and I'm still amazed that stuff like the M140i doesn't come with one. Even my old 200SX had an LSD as standard for example.

I can't understand anyone who drives a RWD BMW (or anything else for that matter) without an LSD... .

The M140i is a load of crap out of the box though. Far less desirable than a 1988 Cavalier SRI 130. In white.

[njw1]

I wonder if all the people posting with the one line 'load of crap' replies have actually driven a Cavalier or are just spouting the 'it's a Vauxhall so it must be crap' drivel?
To be fair, the 1.6 was a bit of slug but they were solid and reliable, the 8v engines were bulletproof. The 2.0 cars, whilst not being the last word in driving dynamics were quick cars.
And why are they being compared with BMW's? How much more did an e30 cost? I wonder how many fleet managers were buying BMW's instead of Vauxhalls...?

[cerb4.5lee]

911Spanker said:

I can't understand anyone who drives a RWD BMW (or anything else for that matter) without an LSD... .

The M140i is a load of crap out of the box though. Far less desirable than a 1988 Cavalier SRI 130. In white.

Agreed, and all 3 of my RWD cars have an LSD.

Yes and the M140i isn't the most resolved thing in the world from what I read. Although with the power/torque it has, it would definitely benefit from an LSD though I reckon.

I used to love the Cavalier SRI 130 in white years back for sure.

[cerb4.5lee]

njw1 said:

I wonder if all the people posting with the one line 'load of crap' replies have actually driven a Cavalier or are just spouting the 'it's a Vauxhall so it must be crap' drivel?
To be fair, the 1.6 was a bit of slug but they were solid and reliable, the 8v engines were bulletproof. The 2.0 cars, whilst not being the last word in driving dynamics were quick cars.
And why are they being compared with BMW's? How much more did an e30 cost? I wonder how many fleet managers were buying BMW's instead of Vauxhalls...?

My BIL used to have a Cavalier CD(1986 model I think it was), and it only had the 1.8 engine, but I always thought it was a sweet engine to use though.

Also as a general rule I've always preferred Vauxhall engines to Ford ones to use. He also had a couple of 1992 Astra GSI 16v's, and I absolutely loved the engine in those for sure.

[Neilbolts.]

cerb4.5lee said:

njw1 said:

I wonder if all the people posting with the one line 'load of crap' replies have actually driven a Cavalier or are just spouting the 'it's a Vauxhall so it must be crap' drivel?
To be fair, the 1.6 was a bit of slug but they were solid and reliable, the 8v engines were bulletproof. The 2.0 cars, whilst not being the last word in driving dynamics were quick cars.
And why are they being compared with BMW's? How much more did an e30 cost? I wonder how many fleet managers were buying BMW's instead of Vauxhalls...?

My BIL used to have a Cavalier CD(1986 model I think it was), and it only had the 1.8 engine, but I always thought it was a sweet engine to use though.

Also as a general rule I've always preferred Vauxhall engines to Ford ones to use. He also had a couple of 1992 Astra GSI 16v's, and I absolutely loved the engine in those for sure.

Back in the day a Vauxhall engine was definitely far superior to that of a Ford , always seemed to have a fair advantage, a 1.3 Astra would be much quicker than a 1.3 escort, but I guess the Ford had a CVH ! Which as we all know wasn’t the best thing. I did love my mk2 xr2’s though , Vauxhall was definitely a great competitor to Ford back in the day .

[TheDoggingFather]

MC Bodge said:

The Mondeo was a vast improvement on both of them dynamically (I have never driven a 405, but the 406 drove well too).

Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 29th November 11:22

I have always loathed the Mondeo, well the mk1 and mk2, everything in it felt like it was built to a price point, a very low price point at that. I drove my mate's 2.5 Si and once again people raced about it and how well it handled. At the time, my dad had a V6 Vectra SRi and that was way more sporty, if it didn't have a flywheel that was heavier than the moon it would have been even better.

Now, the 405 Mi16 I drove was superb, felt like a giant go kart, very nearly bought that car. Good job I didn't because it was rotten as a pear. Hey how.

[cerb4.5lee]

TheDoggingFather said:

MC Bodge said:

The Mondeo was a vast improvement on both of them dynamically (I have never driven a 405, but the 406 drove well too).

Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 29th November 11:22

I have always loathed the Mondeo, well the mk1 and mk2, everything in it felt like it was built to a price point, a very low price point at that. I drove my mate's 2.5 Si and once again people raced about it and how well it handled. At the time, my dad had a V6 Vectra SRi and that was way more sporty, if it didn't have a flywheel that was heavier than the moon it would have been even better.

Now, the 405 Mi16 I drove was superb, felt like a giant go kart, very nearly bought that car. Good job I didn't because it was rotten as a pear. Hey how.

I didn't have the best introduction to the Mondeo either really(although I am still a big fan of them and I've had 3 over the years). My XR4x4 got wrote off(funnily enough by a Mondeo who jumped a red light and crashed into me) after 5.5 years of me having it.

I replaced the XR4x4 with a year old Mondeo ST24, and I just didn't gel with it, and I much preferred the Sierra in comparison at the time. So the ST24 only lasted 8 months with me, and I swapped it for the S14a 200SX which I absolutely loved in comparison.

I did latterly have a Mondeo 1.8LX and a Mondeo V6 Ghia X though, and I did really like both of those in fairness. They were only bought as cheap cars though(to run alongside the 200SX/Cerbera), but they did an excellent job for what I wanted them to do though for sure.

A close mate of mine had a V6 Vectra years back, and I was always a big fan of it. Predictably I liked engine in it a lot too.

I'm really enjoying the nostalgia chat on this thread for definite.

[Pit Pony]

Davie said:

carguy45 said:

Calibra Turbo was a nice spinoff too. Basically a Cavalier inside (and probably underneath too, I'm not enough of a Vauxhall beard to know) but was a nice looking car. I think they've aged well personally.

They were basically a Cavalier with a pretty dress on... which was sort of their issue as they were, much like a few Vauxhall models of that era, not the most well regarded drivers cars due to softer suspension set ups / slightly lazy steering feel. But, again easily improved. The Calibras all used the independent rear suspension floor pans, regardless of engine spec whereas with the Cavalier, only the GSi2000 and latterly, the Turbo used the IRS, all the other models all being rear beam equipped.

Puts on anorak.

My mare had a H reg 2.0 8V 4x4 which had L trim. Grey bumpers 14 inch steel wheels but the 130 BHP SEH engine from the SRi. The rear suspension was IRS to accommodate the rear drive. 5 Speed gearbox unlike the turbo with 6.
Works have been a proper sleeper if it wasn't for the 4x4 badges.
Later versions had 115 bhp

[Forester1965]

I love that bearding.

[911Spanker]

Mondeo, Laguna, Cavalier, 406, Primera, E36 etc...what a great era it was.

The cars were ace (much better than the ste the manufacturers now produce) and you stood by your man/marque at the weekend watching the BTCC.

Good times.

[popeyewhite]

njw1 said:

I wonder if all the people posting with the one line 'load of crap' replies have actually driven a Cavalier or are just spouting the 'it's a Vauxhall so it must be crap' drivel?
To be fair, the 1.6 was ...

LOL, the irony is strong with this one.

[cerb4.5lee]

911Spanker said:

Mondeo, Laguna, Cavalier, 406, Primera, E36 etc...what a great era it was.

The cars were ace (much better than the ste the manufacturers now produce) and you stood by your man/marque at the weekend watching the BTCC.

Good times.

Totally. Times have certainly changed, and not always for the better as you say either.

I know that I'm an engine man, but I loved that era where pretty much all the cars you mention had a V6/6 cylinder engine in them for example as well.

[911Spanker]

cerb4.5lee said:

911Spanker said:

Mondeo, Laguna, Cavalier, 406, Primera, E36 etc...what a great era it was.

The cars were ace (much better than the ste the manufacturers now produce) and you stood by your man/marque at the weekend watching the BTCC.

Good times.

Totally. Times have certainly changed, and not always for the better as you say either.

I know that I'm an engine man, but I loved that era where pretty much all the cars you mention had a V6/6 cylinder engine in them for example as well.

Yep! A fit 406, Primera, E36 would kills it's modern equivalent as an engaging road car. I quite fancy running a car from that era as a daily to be honest.

And great adverts too - stuff like the M People 406 ad was a cracker.

Always smitten by the Cavalier too..

[Stick Legs]

Pit Pony said:

...H reg 2.0 8V 4x4 which had L trim. Grey bumpers 14 inch steel wheels but the 130 BHP SEH engine from the SRi. The rear suspension was IRS to accommodate the rear drive. 5 Speed gearbox unlike the turbo with 6.
Works have been a proper sleeper if it wasn't for the 4x4 badges.
Later versions had 115 bhp

I have an Observer's Book of Cars from 1991 with this in it.
Stuart Bladon remarked something along the lines of '...with the emerging popularity of 4wd & ABS will we one day see all cars so equipped?'

How surprised would he be if you told him that actually 30 years in the future people will be buying things that look like 4wd vehicles but only have 2wd and can't manage better fuel economy than a Citroen BX diesel from 1988.

[Mr Tidy]

popeyewhite said:

Because they are quite good cars.

Cavaliers were largely pretty poor. I owned two, a GLS and a GSi2000. The equivalent BMW (316? The 320 was a different league) was a significant step up.

Rose tinted specs?

But they were never going to be on the same shopping list as a Cavalier were they?

I loved my 1992 Cavalier SRi hatch, but would have struggled to get a gutless wonder 316 for what I paid for it.

Even my 1990 1.8L had a sunroof, central locking and PAS as standard, plus a radio/cassette that was an option on BMWs of that era!

[Cups Renault]

Asking orice apart

This is what these cars are PH wise

Better that than another staff thread about a house value plus car that means feck all to the vast majority. The high priced vanity wagons bought about crass, manufactured stripping of wealth taking place over the last decade or so.