RE: Vauxhall Cavalier time capsule for sale

RE: Vauxhall Cavalier time capsule for sale

Author
Discussion

cerb4.5lee

33,798 posts

188 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
I'd personally much rather have the GSi2000 16v/V6 or the turbo model, however it is still nice to see one of these from a nostalgia perspective though I reckon.

You always knew that you weren't doing very well if you had a car without a rev counter back then for me, and the equivalent to this today would be having to drive around in a Tesla Model 3 I think. Granted the Tesla is a bit quicker though!

7 5 7

3,520 posts

119 months

Thursday 28th November
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N.A.R.T Spyder said:
This era of Cavalier always reminds me of that wonderful TV documentary 'A to B' which featured various sales reps discussing their company car's and how important it was to have an 'i' badge on the boot lid.

https://youtu.be/CQsMFQZa8os?si=7D-SUlegHEpFaV5h

Back in the day when Ford and Vauxhall would battle it out every year to be crowned king of the corporate car park and an A4 was the size of paper you put in the photo copier.
Guilty pleasure watching this, when Alan Partridge wasn't even a known entity. Great bit of indulgent nostalgia.

As for the this Cav, think there are some harsh comments on here, it did/does a job, and that was all its was ever meant to do - brief complete! - Absolutely bullet proof repping cars from what I read especially the lower spec/engine cars. Dull but dependable, says alot about todays cars.

Price is abit spicy though even with double prescription rose tinted specs on, but this would turn my head on a high street more so than any new car today, funny really!

It is a means to an end car, and very unpretentious which is a positive thing for many people, me especially.

Edited by 7 5 7 on Thursday 28th November 08:07

Earthdweller

14,494 posts

134 months

Thursday 28th November
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My father in law bought a basic four door cavalier 1.7d (non turbo) brand new in 1992 in Ireland

It was identical to this one albeit a lighter non metallic blue

He kept it for about 15 years and put about 250k on it

I was in it many times and drove it on a few occasions, it was comfortable and once moving you could forgive its total lack of any power

It was a far cry from from the Sri130 or GSi models for sure

Magikarp

974 posts

56 months

Thursday 28th November
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A British brand! When was Vauxhall last a British Brand? Oh that’s right - sold to GM in 1925, then PSA, then transferred (presumably) to Stellantis.

Hairymonster

1,528 posts

113 months

Thursday 28th November
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I would rather drive this than the Jag SUV thing that was in a used buyer's guide a few days back. Really.

GreatScott2016

1,507 posts

96 months

Thursday 28th November
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I think it’s great to see, and it’s certainly more appealing than that horrific LR EV thingy posted today smile

MC Bodge

22,749 posts

183 months

Thursday 28th November
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Cambs_Stuart said:
For everyone saying these are underpowered, the previous generation came with an 1.3.
The Mk came with a 1.4 too.

The Mk2 1.3 on 4 Star petrol was probably reasonably responsive, as it was in the.Astra.

The first unleaded generation carb'd engines were a bit gutless.

Robertb

2,127 posts

246 months

Thursday 28th November
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Well it’s come this far without all its buttons going sticky like numerous newer cars.

My Dad had a Cavalier CD, earlier model, brilliant car which we all remember fondly. Black with spoked alloys, which was just like a Sierra Cosworth to 11 year old me!

dontlookdown

1,971 posts

101 months

Thursday 28th November
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Had a summer job with a rentacar biz back in the early 90s. These and Sierras were the mainstay vehicles.

The cooking Cavalier was a better car than the cooking Sierra, which felt heavy, old fashioned and wheezy by comparison. Neither was going to make your heart beat faster, but the Cavalier was decent enough in its day.

AlexGSi2000

409 posts

202 months

Thursday 28th November
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This is fantastic, in all its simplicity.

Usually only the models higher up the range that get saved.

I'm always keen to try and find out the history of how cars are preserved like this - fascinating.

When I was a kid, there was a GSi2000 that lived not too far from me, I loved them and really wanted one, of course - by the time I started driving in 2006 they were even more rare, the ones in my price range of around £1,500 were rotten - even then, insurance was a no-go, so never had the chance unfortunately.
Still hold a special place in my heart though.

Remember buying a GSi boot trim (the plastic bit between the rear lights) off ebay for about £15 when I was about 16... no reason for it, think its still in my parents garage somewhere.

WPA

10,283 posts

122 months

Thursday 28th November
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I could understand saving a GSI / CD or SRI but this is just dull and then asking £6k for it no thanks, I had a mk3 1.6GL (1989) and always felt my MK2 drove better.

For say £3k to park on a field and reminisce how crap cars were I get it but not at £6k

georgeyboy12345

3,655 posts

43 months

Thursday 28th November
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These were utter crap even back in the day. No thanks

Andy86GT

461 posts

73 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
cerb4.5lee said:
I'd personally much rather have the GSi2000 16v/V6 or the turbo model, however it is still nice to see one of these from a nostalgia perspective though I reckon.

You always knew that you weren't doing very well if you had a car without a rev counter back then for me, and the equivalent to this today would be having to drive around in a Tesla Model 3 I think. Granted the Tesla is a bit quicker though!
Completely agree, a colleague 'back in the day' had a GSi 2000 4x4 which seemed light years ahead of my Manta GT/E that I had at the time. Such luxury of electric windows and an outside temperature guage! Of course his was stolen as it was the early 90's.

Earthdweller

14,494 posts

134 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
MC Bodge said:
Cambs_Stuart said:
For everyone saying these are underpowered, the previous generation came with an 1.3.
The Mk came with a 1.4 too.

The Mk2 1.3 on 4 Star petrol was probably reasonably responsive, as it was in the.Astra.

The first unleaded generation carb'd engines were a bit gutless.
We had loads of the previous gen cavaliers to this with the 1.3 engine at work, a lot of them were autos as well ( they might have been 1.6 though) oddly most of them seemed to be in a pea green colour .. it's fair to say they weren't the quickest

They were replaced by Astras with the 1.3 engine which did seem more lively and were almost exclusively maroon in colour

cerb4.5lee

33,798 posts

188 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
Andy86GT said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I'd personally much rather have the GSi2000 16v/V6 or the turbo model, however it is still nice to see one of these from a nostalgia perspective though I reckon.

You always knew that you weren't doing very well if you had a car without a rev counter back then for me, and the equivalent to this today would be having to drive around in a Tesla Model 3 I think. Granted the Tesla is a bit quicker though!
Completely agree, a colleague 'back in the day' had a GSi 2000 4x4 which seemed light years ahead of my Manta GT/E that I had at the time. Such luxury of electric windows and an outside temperature guage! Of course his was stolen as it was the early 90's.
My dad had his 2.9 Sierra XR4x4 stolen as well back then! frown

Plus that was one of the big reasons why I couldn't afford the insurance on the Fiesta RS Turbo that I really wanted back in the 90's as well.

MC Bodge

22,749 posts

183 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
kambites said:
This is precisely why someone will be willing to pay a fair chunk for it. Some people lust after cars that remind them of their youth, there's bound to be at least a handful of those for whom the answer is one of these
The car (my Dad's) that I drove after I passed my test.

I wouldn't buy it....

evojam

638 posts

168 months

Thursday 28th November
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Whilst not a desirable model its always nice to see 'survivor' examples like this that have somehow managed to escape the ravages of time.

itcaptainslow

3,870 posts

144 months

Thursday 28th November
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Jon_S_Rally said:
Drinksleeprepeat said:
Exactly why bother. One of the most common repmobile cars on the road at the time. So neither rare nor collectible especially as about as basic unappealing spec you could find.

Edited by Drinksleeprepeat on Thursday 28th November 05:45
Not rare? How many sub-40k Cavaliers do you reckon there are out there?

It might not be collectible to you, but I can definitely see someone buying it if it has some sentimental meaning. A good family friend of ours had one similar to this, albeit a 1.8. I travelled all over the place in it, and it always sticks in my mind as he had a reputation for driving like a bit of a lunatic which, to young me, was the most exciting thing in the world. He eventually replaced it with a 2.0-litre GLSI which was much cooler, but I still have fond memories of the L.

It only takes someone with a similar story that's looking to reconnect with a certain time in their life, and 6k is hardly massive money these days.
This chap gets it. Someone wouldn’t buy that car objectively driven by how good it is. They’d buy it because their Dad had one/they had one as a company hack/they lost their virginity in exactly the same spec. It would be a purchase driven by nostalgia.

Pistom

5,624 posts

167 months

Thursday 28th November
quotequote all
itcaptainslow said:
This chap gets it. Someone wouldn’t buy that car objectively driven by how good it is. They’d buy it because their Dad had one/they had one as a company hack/they lost their virginity in exactly the same spec. It would be a purchase driven by nostalgia.
Exactly - and this is why it doesn't matter whether it's £3K, £6K or £10K. None of those figures are a huge amount of money for the pleasure that nostalgia brings.

I get it that some people value money more than experience or feelings but measured in those terms - it's worth it for someone.

I never found these to be as bad as some painted them to be. The thing is - media is a powerful persuader and when someone like Clarkson makes a reactionary comment about a car - just to be entertaining, the morons follow his words.

It was OK in its day and a survivor like this is worthy of garage space for someone.

fantheman80

1,658 posts

57 months

Thursday 28th November
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Dombilano said:
I can almost smell the Feu Orange
clap

that took me back!