Mk3 Cavalier Owners Club | Vauxhall Cavalier Dot Com

It may sound crazy and strange but will an L reg Cavalier 4x4 Turbo be a good first car? I have done some research and I learnt somewhere that a Cavalier 4x4 Turbo is a car 'many people will wish to avoid with the longest of barge poles.' On Autotrader, I have seen some advertised for roughly £10,000, which is cheaper than VW Golf GTDs I've seen on CarGiant's website. Moreover, i will be using the Cavalier as my daily driver to take me to school and back.

So do you guys think that a Cavalier 4x4 Turbo is a great first car or should I go for something else?

A 20-odd year old car will need regular attention. So regular dips into your deep pockets.

It is a car for a Cavalier enthusiast.
Purely for it's driving experience and general simplicity.

Running a 1990s 2 litre turbo petrol lump will be quite an expense - road tax, insurance and unleaded fuel.

£10,000 is more to do with rarety. There are very few 4x4 turbos about.

For it's age fuel economy and a willing 16 valve engine make it a good car.
Not the fastest by modern standards but quick in it's day.

Heavy feet on the noise pedal means a heavy heart on your wallet at the petrol pump. Quite economical if driven conservatively or if doing a lot of motorway miles.

Some rear suspension and prop-shaft components are virtually unobtainable.

Many cars have been restored, but be sure to check for underside and rear wheel arch corrosion.

If you want a bit of 90s fun and fancy a dabble with good old fashioned Vauxhall mechanicals then go for it.

If you want cheap "get in and drive" motoring, then look for a more recent car.
Newer and simpler (lower trim level) cars will need less maintenance and repairs in the long term.

But if you are keen to learn basic mechanicals - you can't get much simpler than an early 90s Vauxhall with an 8 valve engine.
Not particularly sporty, but a doddle to work on.
The 16valve, 4x4 and turbo obviously add to the complexity and expense of repairs.

A modern classic 4x4 Turbo or a boring ass golf? That's a no brainer right there, easiest choice ever.

Not sure about having one as a first car though, but if you are a careful driver and don't take risks (easier said than done) then by all means, if your heart is in it, then get a Turbo, but you really need to keep on top of maintenance and generally look after it, which to me makes ownership so much more interesting and satisfying. Why have a boring modern plastic bucket and blend in with all the other sheep on the road?

I really can't recommend a turbo as a first car.

Turbos are generally high maintenance cars. They need to be looked after and special attention has to be paid to things like tyre tread depth if you want to avoid any issues with the 4x4 system.
Remember, they are modern classics and should be treated as such; the youngest Cavalier is 22 years old, the youngest Turbo will be 23 years old. Even if you find one in concourse condition it's not going to be 100% reliable.
Not to mention, if you're under 25 the insurance will be sky high.

Don't get be wrong, they would make an absolutely awesome first car, but can I recommend it..? No.

As Robsey said, one of the 8v would be a better choice.

To add to the topic,.... I've got a turbo and it's great fun, while everything works. Get stopped by people and throw back in memory lane which is always nice! It also raises the eye of pc blob!

As mentioned, parts are generally getting hard to get. They are available but it's a lot of searching and phoning around. Don't expect your local mechanic to look for the parts as he'll just check with his suppliers, ... they generally only stock the new parts. You really have to go to the old school dealers and word of mouth.

Service parts - most are available but expensive compared to back in the days. Most of the owners I knew had a good stock of surplus serviceable parts,... probably still do!

Trims, badges ... for the turbo have shot in price as they are so rare! So keep the tissue boxes close by!!!

As a daily runner - I don't use my turbo. I just use the other car for the taxi runs.

Economically when driven well the consumption is pretty good but is dependent on it being serviced regularly. Keep close on the tyres because it's old school 4x4

Also, tax/mot/insurance... higher

Do your homework/aa inspection before you buy!!!! There's a few on the web that you need to stay clear from ...! I've heard people checked them out and were simply a waste of time.

It's comes down to a few factors, but it's passion for the car and the headaches along the way.....

So to summarise - would I recommend it to my son or anyone else, absolutely NO!

Get something new that you can jump in/out and drive without worrying about xyz...
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