Festival of the Unexceptional candidate
Discussion
1989 Cavalier 1.3L, 8,700 miles and one owner. With a bit of elbow grease surely a prime candidate for The Festival of the Unexceptional?
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1418064
(No connection to the sale, btw)
In some respects the older I get I could be tempted to buy a car like this rather than a rusty and worn out more desirable model and fight restoring it. You could tinker away on the 'poverty spec mobile' cleaning and preserving to your heart's content and probably not be fighting rust, seized bolts/nuts, damaged and irreplaceable trim etc. Sure, it won't be worth as much, but hey, its a hobby....I'll get my anorak....
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1418064
(No connection to the sale, btw)
In some respects the older I get I could be tempted to buy a car like this rather than a rusty and worn out more desirable model and fight restoring it. You could tinker away on the 'poverty spec mobile' cleaning and preserving to your heart's content and probably not be fighting rust, seized bolts/nuts, damaged and irreplaceable trim etc. Sure, it won't be worth as much, but hey, its a hobby....I'll get my anorak....
geeman237 said:
In some respects the older I get I could be tempted to buy a car like this rather than a rusty and worn out more desirable model and fight restoring it. You could tinker away on the 'poverty spec mobile' cleaning and preserving to your heart's content and probably not be fighting rust, seized bolts/nuts, damaged and irreplaceable trim etc. Sure, it won't be worth as much, but hey, its a hobby....I'll get my anorak....
Yeah, either that or examples such as these need preserving in a museum somewhere, sure in instances such as these the SRI (or RS/M/whatever models) probably now outnumber the 'cooking' models by a reasonable margin. Remember them well!
A girlfriend's dad had a new red 1.6GL in 1984 as a company car. It went pretty well on a deserted M23 at silly o clock to get us to Gatwick when we were running late for our flight!
I'm sure it had a button on the dash for an electric boot release - the joys of flash GL trim.
A girlfriend's dad had a new red 1.6GL in 1984 as a company car. It went pretty well on a deserted M23 at silly o clock to get us to Gatwick when we were running late for our flight!
I'm sure it had a button on the dash for an electric boot release - the joys of flash GL trim.
littlebasher said:
I imagine in 1.3 form it's pretty slow!
It really was, even in the 80s! My boss had a 1.3 Popular MK3 Escort company car and his boss had a 1.3L 5 speed Cavalier and there wasn't much to chose between them in performance, although the Cavalier was way more refined - although the Escort didn't set the bar that high.
.
1983 and my daily driver:-
And then in 1986:-
For what it was, an upmarket repmobile, the SRi was a superb car for its time. I think it cost me about £7,500 new, but then in 1986 I fell in love with this 325i in the showroom and that was another thing entirely, what with the straight six 2.5 turbine of an engine, trip computer and -oh - the image! But that was £16,000 from memory.
And then in 1986:-
For what it was, an upmarket repmobile, the SRi was a superb car for its time. I think it cost me about £7,500 new, but then in 1986 I fell in love with this 325i in the showroom and that was another thing entirely, what with the straight six 2.5 turbine of an engine, trip computer and -oh - the image! But that was £16,000 from memory.
k I have to add.
Of all the cars I've owned mk2 cavaliers have a special place in my heart.
Both of my children came home from hospital in a 1987 1.6 GL, bought of my fil with just 30k on the clock.
Later I paid a bottle of Iceland Scotch for a Preface lift 1.8Cdi Auto.
Then I paid £40 for a 1.8 Sri
And then I owned a CalibrE.
I regret selling all of them.
If I had the space, they would be in a private collection with thier own personal mechamic, who woukd have very little to do as they wete quite reliable.
The they'd be joined by the omega I owned and a Metro Turbo.
Of all the cars I've owned mk2 cavaliers have a special place in my heart.
Both of my children came home from hospital in a 1987 1.6 GL, bought of my fil with just 30k on the clock.
Later I paid a bottle of Iceland Scotch for a Preface lift 1.8Cdi Auto.
Then I paid £40 for a 1.8 Sri
And then I owned a CalibrE.
I regret selling all of them.
If I had the space, they would be in a private collection with thier own personal mechamic, who woukd have very little to do as they wete quite reliable.
The they'd be joined by the omega I owned and a Metro Turbo.
lowdrag said:
1983 and my daily driver:-
And then in 1986:-
For what it was, an upmarket repmobile, the SRi was a superb car for its time. I think it cost me about £7,500 new, but then in 1986 I fell in love with this 325i in the showroom and that was another thing entirely, what with the straight six 2.5 turbine of an engine, trip computer and -oh - the image! But that was £16,000 from memory.
They were some cars back in the day and as used versions I lusted after both. As a 17 year old back in 1990, I had an ex fleet Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6GLS and in 1993 a 1986 low mileage (cared for wife’s car) BMW 320i SE that I kept for 4 and a half years. However what I really wanted was a 325i like yours. Apart from M Cars I don’t think any BMW has had so much appeal and I’ve owned among others an E36 325i Coupe, an E46 330i Sport and I’m 2 and a half years into ownership of a 2019 530d M Sport. And then in 1986:-
For what it was, an upmarket repmobile, the SRi was a superb car for its time. I think it cost me about £7,500 new, but then in 1986 I fell in love with this 325i in the showroom and that was another thing entirely, what with the straight six 2.5 turbine of an engine, trip computer and -oh - the image! But that was £16,000 from memory.
Ah, reminds me of one of my dad's Cavaliers - E633JOR. His was a base model (the one below the 'L') but it had the 1.6 engine so was reasonably nippy., Only a 4 speed box though, and ICE was an analogue MW/LW radio with push-button presets (4 on MW, 2 on LW)! It did at least have two speakers though, unlike his previous Y-reg version that only had one.
I saw it on the road a good ten years after he sold it and it was still in great condition, but it appears to be gone now.
I saw it on the road a good ten years after he sold it and it was still in great condition, but it appears to be gone now.
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