Mk3 Cavalier Owners Club | Vauxhall Cavalier Dot Com

Hi girls and guys

This thread is to let you know that i got a Cavalier SRI Hatchback, light gold, '92, 142k miles, 2.0 8v and completely standard.

Got delivered of it yesterday and there's a few bits that i'll need some help from you Cav-pro's. These bits are:

- Electric mirrors don't work, although the de-frost yellow light switches on when i turn on the rear window defroster (switch failure or motors gave up?)
- The regulator which is in the switch panel for the headlights is a little stuck (may need a new one?)
- Driver side window works but goes down and up in an alternated motion, not in continuous motion as it should (window motor or switch?)
- When i start to go, if i go on a low gear (1st) with little throttle, car goes like a horse kicking the rear legs ( plugs, air filter and change oil and filter sort that out?)
- Few rust around rear arches and in the front panel bellow the headlights and lacquer start to peel off the bonnet - in this point, i'm looking for someone who may know a resprayer that can do that at very reasonable prices.

Apart of that, the car runs perfectly and pulls like a train and has the comforts that the SRI should have (and i was looking for... ).

Pics of the car i'll put them after give it a good wash outside and cleaning it inside.

Cheers

Hi and welcome. Nice choice of cav you have there.
It could be the switch for the mirror motors. I do have a spare which i thought would fit my turbo but didnt so is an early switch which may fit yours.
If you are taking the door card off it would be worth lubricating up the window motor mechanism and runners it worked for mine.
If you do go down the route of a bodyshop spray. I would suggest you get them to replace the panel under the headlamps. you can still get a genuine GM one and if its wax protected it shouldnt give you any rust problems. I went down this route for the turbo and it saves having to get it done again (hopefully).

How far are you prepared to go to get it sprayed?

The judder can be down to a sticking clutch (Known as drag) or oil contamination

seems to be just niggly things mate, the window will be down to the motor, my old SRi use to do this but it never bothered me to the extent of replacing the motor, the heated mirrors is most defo the unit itself, they will need changed if you want them to work.

the juddering could be down to a clutch but I would give it a full service, fluid changes also, take off the idle control valve and give it a clean out, see how you get on from there.

Thanks for the opinions given. I've booked the service to the next Thursday which includes the MOT as it's getting close the date and after that i'll see what i can do.

About the respray, i'm not willing to go too much far away from my area as this Cav is my only car...

This is the Cav i got (ebay link):

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0283429552

Comments please

The rust is as i would expect it to be round the wheel arches. If you have a look in your yellow pages you should find a bodyshop willing to take it on in your area that could maybe get it done if you have a week or two off from work or something. The interior looks okay too. Its not that much different from my Turbo when i got it.You are just catching up on a bit of neglect which the car has had for a few years.

Wouldn't have thought sorting rear arches would take 2 weeks... and if your quoted a timescale like that I'd ask for a courtesy car anyway...

I was just thinking worst case scenario,! and if there is anything else needing doing bodywork wise while the car is there.

I'll check Yellow Pages for the bodyshops to sort it out for me.

About the rest, we'll see tomorrow as i'll going through the MOT test.

Cheers guys

Well good luck. If there is any underside corrosion he should be able to point it out for you

Well, i went through MOT today and it failed on...underside rust (bad rust) mainly. Also will need service to brakes and 2 new tyres (this one is an advisory). I got quoted 300 quid to get it back on the road.

I was suspecting something about that but i'm going to repair it and keep it with me. If someone can help with parts, which are, sills and both rear wheel panels.

Otherwise it's good to roll.

Sorry to hear about the failure, moving this to WIP rather than the showroom

Sorry to hear it failed. The sills you can pick up quit cheaply. My bodyshop got a pattern one for about £14.00 which they used to repair part of my Turbos sill. Not sure about costs for the repair sections for the rear arches though. Glad you are keeping it.

Cheers for the comments guys.

I've met a store in ebay (thanks Envoy CDX) that has those panels cheap and i think i'm gonna buy those panels from there. Otherwise, there's more to do but it'll take time to do it.

By the way, plans for the car are the following:

- Check humidity in the driver footwell
- Check windscreen ans i found that it gets wet inside (windscreen replaced by previous owner in an insurance cover)
- Check side mirrors switch as i can't regulate the mirrors
- Respray or replace the bonnet (to be painted on the original colour, of course)
- De-badging (although the badges on the sides and at the rear may be difficult to find if i change my mind...we'll see)
- Lower it (40mm i think should be enough)
- Side repeaters clear (already ordered - should arrive home in the next few days)
- GSI pre-facelift rear clusters (do they fit without modifications? - help needed)
- May be colour-coding door handles
- Facelift front grille

Plans to be done in a (very,very) long time period...as money is short these days

Just take it a bit at a time. Do take out the rubber drainage hose out from the middle of the bulkhead under the bonnet. And clean it out as a matter of course. Even if it isnt fully blocked it is good housekeeping to do it. It may even help to cure any dampness inside the car.

While i'm on holiday away from Uk, i've checked the universal ebay and i found this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0271679814

Which i bought, of course...

Wheni get back to UK i'll respray it and fit it. Would look fantastic, i think.

I did the same when i had my SRi and it does look good.

Well, changes in my life will determinate that i may need to sell the Cav i got. If anyone wants a goldie Cav with some work to do and have time and money (things i don't have, unfortunately) early SRI trim with spare GSI grille and clear side repeters included, give me a shout. It's taxed until April 2009 and no MOT.
Offers in the region of £250 or may px with a running Cav mk3 (may be an SRI or another trim) in any colour, except "ferrari" red.

It's a sad news but we must make difficult choices in life...

Cheers everyone

As announced, my Cav is for sale. More details and pics here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vauxhall-Cavalier ... 240%3A1318

For CAVMK3OC.com members i can negotiate the price posted on the ebay advert.

Great news (or bad news, depend of the point of view): the Cav is now sold.

When i foind another one, i'll open new topic here.

Thanks for all the help provided from you guys.

I wonder if the new owner will end up on here?