Mk3 Cavalier Owners Club | Vauxhall Cavalier Dot Com

Out for a drive on Saturday and passing through a nearby town there is a VX dealer, ironically my current cav has their dealer sticker on it, and what do I spot sitting outside....what looks like a gold/silver CD saloon with a big promotional scrappage scheme flyer on it

Despite my sinking stomach and spending the rest of the day in a huff (GF not pleased and telling me I don't need another car!) I decided to phone the dealer and ask about it, hoping to save it from the crusher. So info got so far is one of the sales guys owns it and so must be using it for scrappage scheme promo. He wasn't there but to phone him on Monday coming.

Oh dear hope it's not been condemned for the crusher I really hope not. Needless to say I will be on the blower monday in my best "not really concenered but just enquiring voice" to see "what is happening" with their old cavy.

I couldn't get a good look at it but it had what looked like the period CD alloys, Hlight wipers and tinted glass so assuming it's a CD model.

Hope we can come to some sort of arrangement as I want it!

I noticed Vauxhall have restarted their 'scrappage' deals again. I wonder how many older VXs might disappear in part exchange deals...

That makes me sick. I remember once passing an old small time dealership in my old auto, seeing a white Mk3 Astra estate, reasonably tidy, I stopped and went in and asked about it, all I got was a useless "oh it's going back to the yard soon" bollocks story. Saw the very same car in another dealership down the road from me about a week later, soon after it was gone. Proper pissed me off.

Also at our local Vauxhall dealership there was another Mk3 astra, hatch, with the same stickers all over it. I'm not even going to bother asking about it as I know what they'll say.

lowrider dave wrote:I noticed Vauxhall have restarted their 'scrappage' deals again. I wonder how many older VXs might disappear in part exchange deals...

I reckon there will be a few unfortunately, I was dead against it the last time after i heard of lots of good stuff going for scrap. I did hear though that some dealers are offering the classics up for sale and not putting them into the scheme. How true this is I dont know.

The only saving grace about all this is that there will be a lot of good spare parts going around if you can find out where the cars are being taken - should be just a quick word with your local dealer.

Spoke to the guy today and he seems quite open about selling it as he said he bought it off an old guy (One owner) and it's been lying about not doing much. Said it needs a bit of work around the sill and stuff but generally tidy, and would let it go but not for silly money, said about 600. Best of all it's wait for it.....a 4 door diplomat 2.0K plate !

lowrider dave wrote:I noticed Vauxhall have restarted their 'scrappage' deals again. I wonder how many older VXs might disappear in part exchange deals...

He said scrappage scheme ends tomorrow, not sure if that VX scheme or there own version if it - still bad news for old cars but hey ho I wouldn't have seen that if it wasn't for the scheme!

Tonight I went over to see this cavy diplomat and although I was expecting some sort of rust somewhere I was pleasantly surprised with the car overall, even though it will require a good bit of work on the sills and arches and likely underneath at the usual points.

Good points:

• low miler 78k
  Leather interior (not actually a great fan but it looks cool)
  All interior looks still in good nick (electric sunroof works, headliner looks good etc. etc.)
  Well looked after and literally hundreds of receipts from day ONE yes from new! He even kept a log of the MPG from new - old guy lives close by and is 96!
  2.0 8 Valve
  Diplomat
  Lots of spares in boot
  Original spare never used - how cool is that!
  Bonnet not rotten or rusted anywhere - most of mine have been
  Correct diplomat alloys

Bad points:

• Most of the sills look as if they will need a bit of work, especially front drivers and rear O/S but probably all corners once stripped back. It felt mostly like their was surface rust with paint peeling off more than actual rotten through rust. Apparently the guy had had the underneath redone several times. I don't know why this is but I would probably put it down to lack of use and being used for regular trips to UIST where the salt would have gotten to it. However running my hand along the downward facing lip where sill and floor join was solid enough feeling, as they usually are with cavys; that's the worst bit to fix on any car.
  
  Back Arches look the same, some bits look more like the paint is flaking rather than bubbling, however more than likely it'll be new arches at some point.
  
  N/S wing rotten at bottom so it's split and popped out a bit from being flush with door, also wing has a ding under the indicator so looks likely that will be getting replaced.
  
  Fuel leak, I put my hand under where the pipes go up under the tank and immediately felt a wet "drip" on the pipes, smelt it and was fuel. Not surprised the fuel pipes will probably be rotten.
  
  I wasn't really suitably dressed for full inspection but had a look under the tail and looks pretty much standard fair for a cavalier, bit of surface rust here and there on the chassis legs, didn't look that bad along the axle, which is something my other cavy has - a pretty rotten axle at the back. I'll not be surprised if the spring seats need done, every other one I have had needed it.

So all in all it's an honest car I think, I can tell it's lowish miles and has been (mainly mechancially) looked after and hardly been used by the old guy, shame he didn't try and keep on top of the bodywork more or clean the mud out from under the arches, and probably the sea salt from it when he got back from UIST; I put my hand under and it was absolutely caked with mud under the lip.

Trying to currently upload the (dark and hazy) pics I got as it's sitting in their compound the now.

Images:

Looks quite good from the pics, will it be coming home with you then?

Another one saved?

2.0 DIppy - I'll have it!

vauxhallnutter wrote:Looks quite good from the pics, will it be coming home with you then?

Yes, I need to get a tow home and that'll be with me ready for overhaul.

humbucker wrote:Another one saved?

Sure is, especially as it's a diplomat makes it all the more worthwhile saving.

lowrider dave wrote:2.0 DIppy - I'll have it!

Hehe my thoughts exactly!

cavalier1990 wrote:

vauxhallnutter wrote:Looks quite good from the pics, will it be coming home with you then?

Yes, I need to get a tow home and that'll be with me ready for overhaul.

Nice one, look forward to the progress reports.

Excellent news, glad to hear this. Shame I never got to save one in the same circumstances.

vauxhallnutter wrote:

cavalier1990 wrote:

vauxhallnutter wrote:Looks quite good from the pics, will it be coming home with you then?

Yes, I need to get a tow home and that'll be with me ready for overhaul.

Nice one, look forward to the progress reports.

Will start a thread soon for it once home and in garage. Just got new house and new project already taking up all the garage space!

Look forward to updates on this