why do you own a cav?

[cav_2.0_gli]

hey,

this thought just crossed my mind - why do i own a cavalier?

i think its mainly down to the fact, that from when i born to the age of 5, my dad had a 1988 F-reg cavalier 2.0i gli saloon, in Haze met blue (same colour and model as my other cav), and after that, he replaced it with a 1994 M-reg cavalier 2.5 V6 CDX manual. these are the 2 cars, that growing up, made me fall in love with cavaliers. going down the german autobahns once a year in the V6, at speeds in excess of 140mph, i think that made me fall in love with them.

i started off with a cavalier as my first car(had the cav 1.8 gl Mike's got now), then i went onto a vectra which i kitted out like a GSI and had CDX leather interior etc, it was a really nice car, and went very well, very comfy car and good cruiser etc, then the gearbox went so i sold that and got a carlton for a while which was an excellent car for travelling, very well equipped, extremely comfortable, and was good at power sliding in the wet lol, while i waited for my 1yrs NCB, just sold that, and now im back with cavaliers again.

the whole time i had the vectra, how ever pleasant it was to drive, how ever popular it made me at college, i never really like the car. it had no character, and the whole time i had it, i was regretting selling my white cav i had before, but that was getting really unreliable as the choke kept packing up on it (i put 3 sodding pierburg carbs on it in the 6 months i had it as i couldnt find a weber replacement at the times i needed one, and then 2 weeks after i sold it, 3 of them came on ebay, all brand new for 1.8 cavs, and all sold for £30 grrrrr). i dont know it is, i think it has to be the character that cav's have. i like the rattles and squeaks my 1st cav had, and the whole thing of 'are we going to make it there' when i took it on 500mile road trips lol.

i really dont know what it is, that draws me to cavaliers. i mean they are cheap, fast and well equipped motors. they are very reliable (the 2.0i 8v engines are bomb proof), and parts are cheap. i could have had a V6 vectra over a V6 cav, but for some reason, that i cant work out what, i chose the older rustier cav over the vectra.

personally, i think that if my dad hadn't of owned the V6 CDX cav he did when i was growing up, that i would never have liked cavs, and ended up liking corsa's etc lol


what is it that draws you to cavs? why did you choose a cav over any other car on the market?

sorry for this random topic, just something that ive been wondering for a long while lol.

[Envoy CDX]

Hmm, good question.

I think its because of all the other cars I've owned, the Cavalier has a certain appeal and character that suits my nature, it looks like a car should in my opinion, not boxy and not as curvey as the pie ladie in number 4 round square street.

Bought my first cav for £50 - little 1.6i recieved alot of fun, and abit of misery from the old girl, but moved onto my next cav, a G plate L spec accident damaged 1.8 carbed cav - lots of fun after a few issues were ironed out, but unfortunatly the dredded rot had taken hold and she died in the banger field - however the engine still lives on. I'm now onto my 3rd cav, almost 2 years of ownership and still going strong. Started life as a 1.8i SPI and has been upgraded to a 1.8MPi from a mk2 Cav.

[Mark]

No one in my family or friends ever had cav's whilst I grew up. I got into vauxhall's when I started Tarmac rallying Nova's some years back and when I decided I needed a bigger car and wanted to stay with Vauxhall I bought an f reg 2.0ltr GL saloon that blew up pretty quickly, I was then offered an 8v SRi which was fun and after a few more got a turbo, then a 3.0ltr V6, then back to a turbo and now a TD aswell. Loads of other cars inbetween too, but the only car that is the right size, capability and has enough character for me is a Cav.

[Squig]

I always liked mk2 astra GTEs, had a fair few then bought the cav cos it was alot of car for less than a grand... had to tow (hence the v6, honestly ), and the sound over 3000 rpm sold it.

never considered a cav before 18mths ago... now I'm hooked

[Adamw5433]

My Dad had a mk3 SRI (then a Talbot Sunbeam.... ick)
My uncle had a mk3 GSI (then a cali turbo)
(guess which 2 brothers raced each other)
My grandad had a cavy mk2 (never liked it)
My older brother had a Corsa B (sad git)
Then a work mate got a mk3 Cavy and sold it to me (£200)

So i guess its in my genes to have a cavalier.
As soon as I jumped into 'my' cavy, all the memories of my dads SRI came flooding back so I felt at home in the cavy.
While my uncles cavy GSI was in the garage more than it was on the road, my dad's SRI ran until a bus demolished it.
Although mine is a 1.8 LSi (SPi) It runs like a dream (if you ignore the slight mis-fire) The engine is absolutley bomb proof...

From a practicle point i can use it as a people-mover when my friends bug me for a lift somewhere, and when its time to leave the saxo crew behind.
I just drop a gear and floor it, and listen to engine come to life.
Not bad for a first car really, could have soo easily have become a Corsa, 106, Saxo or a clio owner.
But theres something about vauxhalls i just like.

In 7 short weeks i've spent £962.58 getting the old girl back to a presentable manner (not washed or hovered out for 18 months i was told)

Adam

[himselfunknown]

Initially I got into Cavs as the amount of spares for Mk 2 Astras was drying up, and I don't like Mk 3 Astras. My cousin has had a number of Cavs, which I thought had all the good points of the Mk 2 Astra, and none of the bad, plus they're a bit more modern looking.

As I'd owned a Mk 2 Cav when I was at uni, which was a cracking car (sold it for more than I bought it after a year trouble free driving!), I decided to buy a Mk 3 Cav. Somehow, I've ended up with 4 of them!! They're just all round great cars - a lot better than any of the Veccys I reckon.

[HAIRIBO]

, I've ended up with 4 of them!! They're just all round great cars - a lot better than any of the Veccys I reckon.

How do you insure 4 cavs?

Well I always wanted a saloon/sedan since being a bairn, oh and a mini cooper mk1, When I was 17/18 I was intent on getting a MK2 and having it on 17" Stealths. Calibre kitted. Yellow with green tinted windows. But my parents pursuided me to have my sisters 1.8SPI preface lift blue cavalier L (Which my dad had from new back in 1993, K reg, just as the facelifts were coming out. so While at uni I spend 3 years desidding how to moddify the car once it was mine.

It had the Blue interior, so I wanted to but a Lotus carlton front bumper on with ultra skirts and rear bumper, Evo spoiler. M3 mirrors, bonnet scoops, blue tints and 17" gold Wheels, cant remember the name, but look like soft stars. Painted a nice gloss black.

But when I finished uni and started work I needed a car quick. Looked at lots of cavs. So thought the car I really want is Diamind black CDXv6. The insurance would have been crazy. Saw a Prefacelift Grey SRi on 17"'s I loved it, even tho it was a dog. The eingine bay looked like a coal fire. the wheels were kerbed to bits, the paint work was rusted and had brake fluid poured on the bumper. the steering wheel, pedals and gear knob, were as smooth as a babies arse. ut Dispite this,, All I could think was, "How cool is this car". But My head (And dad) told me to leave it. Was getting desprete at this point as i was starting work and decided to buy the Gold Hatch 2.0 Gl I had seen. Rang them up, but It had just gone. Was gutted, then my dad said,
"If you could have any car now realistiacally, what would it be?"
I told him a Diamond black saloon CDX16v.
HE looked on the internet and found one 25miles away! Result!!!!! Having a crappy paid job stopped be getting the body kit I wanted, so decided to go Sutble. That cav was wrote off 6 later by a kind old man. On my way to a job interview. Gutted

While working away with courtisey car. I thought about what type of car to get. A Octavia VRS? Cost too much. A Honda accord? Nice but not for me.
I wanted a Black 2 litre CDX anvesis. But that was £7k,

Looked at thought I had my heart set on a car loan for a Vectra SXi 1.8 in petrol blue. Then while on the motor way a prefacelift SRi white saloon cavalier went past. I was remined of how much I adored the shape.

Next week work shifted hotels. Had the day off and the hotel was next door to a vauxhall garage. Was checking out a Vectra CDX with cream leather, was asking about SXi's they told me that the price second hand I might as well get a SRi. so I talked to the Network Q bloke, After a while looking round, I realided I really wanted a cav CDX. not a vectra. He said they dont sell them as they are too old. He could see I was disapointed. He told me that the valeter had a CDX cav and he might sell it for the right price. I'd never seen a Magic grey cavalier before, I saw it the next day and fell in love. Show room condition standard. Bought it one the spot.

That was 7years ago. And now it has my dream set up. a 3litre lump! Love her to bits And will never sell her

[branny361]

because I cant affor an Aston .... no seriously they are bottom dollar, cheap repairable cars, getting rarer everyday and its good to drive one thats mint.(even rarer!!)

They also are beginning to turn heads the older they get .

I have had my spanner throwing moments with it but at this time its close to spot on

WISH LIST........clips to stop back pads rattling. center box . and a new drivers door in the same colour after some t**t went at it with a chisel trying to rob it

all in all like the style and interior compared to todays knobbly hard plasic interiors knobbly hard plasic ???.... sounds familiar

[HAIRIBO]

Yeah the interior might be dated....... but in a good way! not Square as in the Mk2's but just not as you say Modern plastic.

Good hint to make your cavalier feel newer and tight. Fit a Astra Mk4 gear stick. Mine was feeling sluggish and sloppy, but now I've fitted the Astra's it has transfromed it! Get your selves down the breakers yards!!!!

[branny361]

good idea ..I remember reading about that somewhere.. is the stick a bit shorter?

[HAIRIBO]

Yeah its short and the bottom ball joint is better. I could not believ the difference. Was well chuffed for £15 posted! plus you can keep your Cavalier knob!I wasn't prepared to spent £250 on a B&M short shift

[himselfunknown]

Yeah the interior might be dated....... but in a good way! not Square as in the Mk2's but just not as you say Modern plastic.

Good hint to make your cavalier feel newer and tight. Fit a Astra Mk4 gear stick. Mine was feeling sluggish and sloppy, but now I've fitted the Astra's it has transfromed it! Get your selves down the breakers yards!!!!

Do you mean just the stick or the whole set-up? Sounds like a good mod that!

How do you insure 4 cavs?

I don't! I've currently got the 3.0 V6 insured, and the 2.0 CDX, which I use as a runaround. I also have a 2.5 V6 which I bought before the 3.0 with the intention of modding it, but then the 3.0 came along with all the mods already done, so now I'm putting it back together as a standard V6 to sell.
I also have an old GSI 4x4 which is a complete dog and I'll be surprised if theres any rear arches left by the time I get to it. The plan with that is complete stripdown, then rebuild with mods (it's a 10 year car as Mark would say!)

[Gaz]

Do you mean just the stick or the whole set-up? Sounds like a good mod that!

just the stick takes 5mins , slip the pin off the shaft at the bottom and pull the pin out and replace stick

[Squig]

...what... 5 minutes you say... £15 you say... nicer drive you say... scrapyard hunt say I!

[Gaz]

I paid a fiver for mine

[HAIRIBO]

Yeah just the stick with the reverse lift bit.!

[HAIRIBO]

http://www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk/ ... p?t=117964

Thats the how too off VOXN. A Guy from Manchester called Terry.

Might be the guy that was just joined this site?

[FoxyCav]

lol that bloke Terry is Gaz's mate who's just joined the site.

I own a Cav because theyre reliable (especially after owning 2 unreliable pug gti's ). they look gorgeous, they are fairly cheap to run and fix and when subtly modded looks stunning. Think they still look fairly modern even next to todays cars. Thats the reason i have owned mine for 4 years, and if i ever got another car it would be another Cavalier mk3

[Gaz]

My Dad had a mk3 SRI (then a Talbot Sunbeam.... ick)

OI ive got a sunbeam!

My dad had cavs as company cars for a while (not that i really remember them). I got my cavs as id had my nova and corsa and wanted something quicker that didnt kill the insurance (cav sri 16v was £50 a year more expensive than a 1.3sr nova) and im vauxhall man at heart, i got my gsi as i wrote off the sri, then bought the blown gls to reshell the cav gsi into but realised i couldnt be bothered so parted it out, and sold the cav gsi as it was properly iffy.

[Squig]

and now he drives a vec

[Gaz]

Whats your point, no cav's died in the making of my car, unlike yours

[HAIRIBO]

I've had 4 cavs in my name. Ok 2 were never driven and broke.

2 saloons 2 hatch backs.

All CDXs

2 Diamond blacks, and 2 magic greys.

3 16v's and 1 v6.

I broke a v6 hatch for the engine, interior and door lol. the engine was a dog which blew up on me, the oli cooler had gone when I bought it, so it was going to ascrappy anyways. and the other was black hatch 16v. I bought it for £25 for the bottom end. It was part broken when I got it, the head gasket had gone, only had one seat, (fudgery) lol

So I can safely say I've never put a good cavalier down. I not like these ppl that buy perfect Cavalier/Calibra V6's and turbos just to brake for the engine.

Theres been a lot of good cars lost that way! R.I.P.

[Squig]

Whats your point, no cav's died in the making of my car, unlike yours

What cav's did I kill?

[Gaz]

Whats your point, no cav's died in the making of my car, unlike yours

What cav's did I kill?

The white sri you butchered for your kit

[Squig]

where did the XE appear from?


and that cav was already dead... it had no engine when I got to it!