RE: Vauxhall Cavalier time capsule for sale
Discussion
Earthdweller said:
Davie said:
Forester1965 said:
The Cavalier ceased in '95 (M reg). The first Vectras were produced autumn '95 (N reg). I had one in '96 (P reg).
My typo, though there were a handful of P plated Cavaliers about at one stage... granted very very late registered cars and yes, the production ceased in July 1995. N plated cars were out there though. I can't ever recollect seeing an N registered Vectra B, P plates were my fist memory of them. As in yes they existed on an N, but I don't think I've ever seen one. Edited by Davie on Saturday 30th November 11:16
Last Cavalier's were registered on 96N in March 1996 when we had a large batch
They were dripped into service over the next year or so
The first handful of Vectra's arrived as 2.0's on a P but didn't start arriving in numbers until 97R plate V6 models
Ah simpler days. I recall when we got our new Irish police (Garda) 1990 Opel Vectra to replace our 1988 Kadett saloon which I hated. They were called Vectra's in Ireland. I immediately loved the 1.6L vectra - so much so that in 1994 I bought my own Vectra 1.7TD diesel which I had for 5 years.
Garda Vectra - although this is the "Traffic Corps" version - the regular and by far more common vectra's were a light blue with just the Garda script and badge on both front doors.
My own private Vectra - on its Cyprus plates. I bought it when out with the UN in Cyprus and brought it back duty free to Ireland when I finished there. Loved that car too.
Garda Vectra - although this is the "Traffic Corps" version - the regular and by far more common vectra's were a light blue with just the Garda script and badge on both front doors.
My own private Vectra - on its Cyprus plates. I bought it when out with the UN in Cyprus and brought it back duty free to Ireland when I finished there. Loved that car too.
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.
Agreed (But I have one) That Calibra is a 2.5 24V V6
Also, little known fact, the Calibra turbo was on sale a few months before the Cav turbo.
popeyewhite said:
I also recall how light the back ends were in the Cavaliers. Had a few 'interesting'moments on wet bends. I remember some used to advocate a bag of cement in the boot to keep them true.
Did anyone have a 130? How did it compare to the bog 1.6?
All of the MK3 SRis had 130 bhp. My 1992 SRi drove so much better than my 1990 1.8L and neither ever felt light at the back, but then I'd had a couple of 2.8 Capris before that!Did anyone have a 130? How did it compare to the bog 1.6?
The best Cavalier I ever drove was a 4 x 4 2.0iL that despite what has been said on here had the IRS to accommodate the drive to the rear axle.
cerb4.5lee said:
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. .The M140i is a load of crap out of the box though. Far less desirable than a 1988 Cavalier SRI 130. In white.
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.
As I discovered with my MK2 Cortina, Fiat 125, Fiat 132, Rover P6B 3500S, 2.8 Capris, 2.0 GLSi Sierra, Mercedes C280, BMW E46 325ti, BMW 325i, BMW 330i and 2 BMW Z4 3.0si Coupes.
Although my Z4M Coupe does have one - first time for me!
Mr Tidy said:
cerb4.5lee said:
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. .The M140i is a load of crap out of the box though. Far less desirable than a 1988 Cavalier SRI 130. In white.
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.
As I discovered with my MK2 Cortina, Fiat 125, Fiat 132, Rover P6B 3500S, 2.8 Capris, 2.0 GLSi Sierra, Mercedes C280, BMW E46 325ti, BMW 325i, BMW 330i and 2 BMW Z4 3.0si Coupes.
Although my Z4M Coupe does have one - first time for me!
However I just personally prefer them though, so that probably explains why I've had 7 RWD cars with them to be fair!
Mr Tidy said:
All of the MK3 SRis had 130 bhp. My 1992 SRi drove so much better than my 1990 1.8L and neither ever felt light at the back, but then I'd had a couple of 2.8 Capris before that!
The best Cavalier I ever drove was a 4 x 4 2.0iL that despite what has been said on here had the IRS to accommodate the drive to the rear axle.
SRi cars had a few options - the first batch of SRi cars had the non cat equipped SEH 2.0 8v with 130bhp which was replaced by the 115bhp NE around the 95 facelift. The SRi was also available with the 2.0 16v C20XE "Redtop" with 150bhp then the run out cars had the X20XE 2.0 16v with 136bhp. The best Cavalier I ever drove was a 4 x 4 2.0iL that despite what has been said on here had the IRS to accommodate the drive to the rear axle.
I had a few, best was a grey 5dr hatch that was pretty immaculate and had the 15" Cesaro alloys. Actually went ok for 136bhp but I took that out and put my freshly rebuilt C20LET in it whilst my Turbo shell was getting work done... 250bhp via the F18 box, 15's and an open diff made for a rather exciting combination.
Good point on the base 4x4 models, they were IRS though largely forgotten about now as they were rare even back then. I'd be surprised if any more than the odd one or two remained.
Edited by Davie on Sunday 1st December 01:54
Edited by Davie on Sunday 1st December 01:56
Mr Tidy said:
All of the MK3 SRis had 130 bhp. My 1992 SRi drove so much better than my 1990 1.8L and neither ever felt light at the back, but then I'd had a couple of 2.8 Capris before that!
The best Cavalier I ever drove was a 4 x 4 2.0iL that despite what has been said on here had the IRS to accommodate the drive to the rear axle.
I think some of the SRi 8v ones with a cat on only had 115bhp. The late Sri 16v with the proper red top were all 150bhp because they were cat fitted and never had the extra few bhp of the early Astra 16v.The best Cavalier I ever drove was a 4 x 4 2.0iL that despite what has been said on here had the IRS to accommodate the drive to the rear axle.
My dad had loads of Cavalier company cars over the years and often had different model pool cars when his needed servicing etc
Echo what you said re the non GSI 4x4 though
Didn’t look anything particularly but fast enough to put a scare on a Sierra 4x4 with the V6 - the Vauxhall engines were always proper big horses.
Friend’s very late 2.5V6 felt way more than 167bhp to be honest - they were light though - modern GT86 sort of weight. Certainly quicker than the similar age 2.5 V6 Mondeos and quicker than the old E30 325 Sports - the traction control worked really well on his off the mark.
I thought even the non IRS ones handled well - I know my friend’s V6 had a quicker rack than the normal models ( like the late SRi 16v red tops ) and it wasn’t down to it being lock limited for the tyre width either. Maybe because the Cesaro V6s were a bit lighter than the luxury laden Diplomats the suspension felt tauter.
Never found them ‘light’ at the back like some have mentioned - that was more the 405 department which could be quite ‘adjustable’ when pushed hard
s m said:
Never found them ‘light’ at the back like some have mentioned - that was more the 405 department which could be quite ‘adjustable’ when pushed hard
The 1.6 on narrow 165 13? Tyres ploughed straight on in turns as many cars did then. It would also step out for lift-off oversteer, but not in a good, adjustable, way. The steering was not very positive. I was an over-enthusiastic, inexperienced driver who had not yet fully grasped weight transfer, but it seemed to be a choice between understeer or oversteer, with a very narrow band inbetween.
When it was replaced by a 1.8 Mondeo, it was a revelation.
Edited by MC Bodge on Sunday 1st December 13:38
s m said:
Mr Tidy said:
All of the MK3 SRis had 130 bhp. My 1992 SRi drove so much better than my 1990 1.8L and neither ever felt light at the back, but then I'd had a couple of 2.8 Capris before that!
The best Cavalier I ever drove was a 4 x 4 2.0iL that despite what has been said on here had the IRS to accommodate the drive to the rear axle.
I think some of the SRi 8v ones with a cat on only had 115bhp. The late Sri 16v with the proper red top were all 150bhp because they were cat fitted and never had the extra few bhp of the early Astra 16v.The best Cavalier I ever drove was a 4 x 4 2.0iL that despite what has been said on here had the IRS to accommodate the drive to the rear axle.
My dad had loads of Cavalier company cars over the years and often had different model pool cars when his needed servicing etc
Echo what you said re the non GSI 4x4 though
Didn’t look anything particularly but fast enough to put a scare on a Sierra 4x4 with the V6 - the Vauxhall engines were always proper big horses.
Friend’s very late 2.5V6 felt way more than 167bhp to be honest - they were light though - modern GT86 sort of weight. Certainly quicker than the similar age 2.5 V6 Mondeos and quicker than the old E30 325 Sports - the traction control worked really well on his off the mark.
I thought even the non IRS ones handled well - I know my friend’s V6 had a quicker rack than the normal models ( like the late SRi 16v red tops ) and it wasn’t down to it being lock limited for the tyre width either. Maybe because the Cesaro V6s were a bit lighter than the luxury laden Diplomats the suspension felt tauter.
Never found them ‘light’ at the back like some have mentioned - that was more the 405 department which could be quite ‘adjustable’ when pushed hard
They were saloon 130's on a K plate and very well received
What we got was 115bhp hatches that wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and struggled to get over 100mph .. they were hated
Pretty quickly they moved to the 2.5 V6 which were ace and felt very quick
Towards the end of Cav production we did get more 2.0 cars but they felt much stronger than the earlier ones before the Vectra V6 became the default pursuit car
MC Bodge said:
s m said:
Never found them ‘light’ at the back like some have mentioned - that was more the 405 department which could be quite ‘adjustable’ when pushed hard
The 1.6 on narrow 165 13? Tyres ploughed straight on in turns as many cars did then. It would also step out for lift-off oversteer, but not in a good, adjustable, way. The steering was not very positive. I was an over-enthusiastic, inexperienced driver who had not yet fully grasped weight transfer, but it seemed to be a choice between understeer or oversteer, with a very narrow band inbetween.
When it was replaced by a 1.8 Mondeo, it was a revelation.
Edited by MC Bodge on Sunday 1st December 13:38
Earthdweller said:
We had a few demo Sri's when they were looking to move from the Sierra as the area car
They were saloon 130's on a K plate and very well received
What we got was 115bhp hatches that wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and struggled to get over 100mph .. they were hated
Pretty quickly they moved to the 2.5 V6 which were ace and felt very quick
Towards the end of Cav production we did get more 2.0 cars but they felt much stronger than the earlier ones before the Vectra V6 became the default pursuit car
I can remember my friend using his V6 on a deserted road very early one morning and saying it just didn’t stop pulling even at an indicated 150 They were saloon 130's on a K plate and very well received
What we got was 115bhp hatches that wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and struggled to get over 100mph .. they were hated
Pretty quickly they moved to the 2.5 V6 which were ace and felt very quick
Towards the end of Cav production we did get more 2.0 cars but they felt much stronger than the earlier ones before the Vectra V6 became the default pursuit car
Really sounded nice too even on a standard exhaust
Forester1965 said:
Good luck getting to 150mph with something the size and shape of a Cavalier and 170bhp. I bet they felt comparatively quick with the extra torque over the smaller engined cooking models. In reality they weren't that quick at all.
Indicated 150 as I said - I think they only did a genuine 140 on the Millbrook bowl - knowing most speedos that was probably a more realistic 130.As I said, I suspect those quoted 167 horses were somewhat ‘under-rated’
At the time I had an E30 325 Sport Tech 1 …. the Cavalier would drive away from it - probably had a lot more going on atw than the BM which would have had more transmission loss - I think the Cavalier horses were just bigger than the BM ones too
Edited by s m on Sunday 1st December 14:56
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