1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

[3cav3]

I can totally sympathise with you. I keep asking myself if I can justify keeping my Cavalier, particularly with all these restrictions ongoing meaning I can't fully use it.
I've had a dead serious offer of £2k for mine( got the feeling the chap maybe persuaded to go a bit more aswell), got to admit that I'm very tempted, however there's something just holding me back, I know if I part with old girl I will regret it, however if I don't start to use it more soon then it will start to deteriate. Hope you manage to find it in yourself and your wallet to hang onto yours.

[Mk3alan]

I think there's a few of us in the same boat, I only tax mine for 'summer' use the rest of the time it hides under a cover which seems to do a pretty good job protecting it from the worst of the elements.
Have thought about moving it on although having had it since 1996 I do feel attached to it! Doesn't get a lot of use but when I do take it out all thoughts of moving it on just disappear, it's a good drive, goes well and is economical.

Alan

[ilovedmymantas]

Head over heart has it's problems, justifying always gets in the way!

As an only car that's used three or four days a week mine is and has to be affordable. I reckon it is because i don't have a second vehicle leeching money - insurance etc. anymore (my other half bought a 1980 motorhome, no power steering, horrible to drive, i was glad to see the back of it).
Same funds divided by two just didn't work for me.

I've lost some enthusiasm for now so i'll be playing catch up but I know I just have to keep it going.
I've put too much into it to let it fade away, It's my forever car, a link to my past where driving was more relaxed and cars were easier to fix at home.

Nostalgia's kicking in, I must be getting old

I'm now only buying for identified problems and not because i might need them so now i can save for the next hiccup ( i've got eight headlights, including a pair of angel eyes - and a pair of wings still in the packaging from 15 years ago! ).

[Robsey]

Oh eck!!
We have three cars.
A 2005 Vectra which continues to rattle, bang fart and pop - but it keeps going thank goodness.
Everything is on borrowed time. Even the dual mass flywheel and clutch are the factory originals with over 170,000 miles on them.
If anything on that goes, it would be far too expensive to fix.

The Cavalier would be cheaper to fix than the Vectra's dual mass flywheel. But not cost effective at present.

And the VW T25 van. - A big sentimental white elephant that has been fun to work on, but is just a never ending haemourage on the bank account. To be honest, if I can get the wife to see sense, I would let it go tomorrow.
Storage is one of my biggest monthly costs.

I have invested a lot of time, enjoyment and money already, but there is not the slightest glimmer of light at the end of this perpetual tunnel.

[Robsey]

Well the New Year (2022) is now upon us.

Therefore it is time to look forward to new progress.

I really do want to get the Cavalier up and running again this year.
The catalytic converter still needs fitting - I have had it 2 1/2 years now. Still in it's packaging.




Fit my spare / repaired gear linkage assembly. That has also been waiting fitment for more than two years.



A pair of cross-rail reinforcer outer panels need buying and welding in.

Remember this?



I think this is one of the parts that I will need.



I am hanging on for the prices to drop before ordering them - because usually the prices go down after I have already bought mine - lol

We are talking approx £150 the pair delivered at the moment. Being Klokkerholm parts from Carz2 means that they could take a few months to arrive.
I cannot see them for sale anywhere else.

Beyond that, any other projects will be purely for fun...

Finish the Scorpion Alarm and / or Vectra-B remote central locking.

And - the most rediculous... refit the DAB version of the full CAN Vectra-C infotainment system with bluetooth and colour display that had been fitted ten or so years ago.

I saw the failure to sell my audio stuff before Christmas as a sign that I should have another go this year - maybe in time for one of the Northampton meets.
VBOA at the start of July, or VauxFest at the back end of September.

I am desperately hoping that I will actually gather enough motivation to do the work this year, rather than being lazy and do nothing as usual. And then whine about it later

Either way, I know that the catalytic convertermust be fitted if I am to get a new MOT...
And I presume the reinforcers are going to fail the test if I don't get them repaired.

[Envoy CDX]

for the re-inforcers any suitably shaped box section will do the job so long as it ties the same parts of the car together.

[ilovedmymantas]

It's good to hear you've found that elusive glimmer

I'm sure your enthusiasm will be restored when you can drive it, even if it's on a six month basis.

It's almost a weekly occurrence that someone approaches me to talk about the car (or ask if I'm selling).
I'm not an attention seeker but It's a nice little boost, it's what keeps me going

[3cav3]

Totally agree, it's always a boost when I can find an excuse to drive mine. Hopefully you can soon get your mojo back and get it back on the road.

[cavalier1990]

Would be nice to see it back on the road Robsey. If you get any motivation, send some up would you! Can't wait till it heats up a wee bit then that will give me a push to get things done.

[Robsey]

Motivation....
Oh what a blessed thing.
So tempting, but just beyond the reach of my finger tips.
Although that said, I am looking more at the Cavalier than the camper at this stage.
I am tempted to say 'the lesser of the two evils' at present.

[Envoy CDX]

That and the cav is a much better looking vehicle (in my opinion obviously).

[Robsey]

As an Admin, I should lead by example, but my car is still on SORN
My work in progress has completely stalled out.

It has gathered dust, moss and cobwebs in the 27 months that it has been parked up.
A very sad sight.







And my parcel shelf has separated - the upper snd lower layers need rebonding again.



I did wash the car in tribute to the VBOA weekend.
The paint looks much better, and still quite shiny..

But as you can see, plant life has started to grow under the car due to lack of disturbance from screaching tyres and handbrake turns.

[Mk3alan]

Makes me sad!

Alan

[vectra1903]

Sad to see that. Have to say that it was mostly this thread that gave me motivation to save my Vectra approx. 3 years ago.

I would've been a much wealthier man if I didn't have that motivation though.

And now I finally know why my parcel shelf has a piece of wood on the bottom that's screwed in from the top. Always wondered why that was done.

[Robsey]

The cold hard truth is finances.
If I had the funds, I would fix it tomorrow.

It was also finances that took it off the road in the first place - to cut down costs. Run one car full time, instead of two cars... one for me solo (work and essential shopping), and the other when I take the missus for days out or to appointments.

The parcel shelf looks like there are two layers simply glued together.
When the glue lets go, the panel sags to what you see now.

I have various pieces of wooden (plywood) or plastic sheeting that I could use to repair the shelf.
Or I could simply revert back to a parcel shelf without headrests.

[Robsey]

Sad to see that. Have to say that it was mostly this thread that gave me motivation to save my Vectra approx. 3 years ago.

I would've been a much wealthier man if I didn't have that motivation though.

And now I finally know why my parcel shelf has a piece of wood on the bottom that's screwed in from the top. Always wondered why that was done.

I am glad that it inspired you to give your Vectra a new lease on life.

These cars play games with your emotions - just like your own children (if or when you have them).
They bring utter joy when things go well and you watch them develop...
But they bring utter despair and misery when things get broken or when you cannot 'help' when they need you most.

But stay motivated - you have a great car now. Keep using it, and it will stay great for longer.

[ilovedmymantas]

More shiny after wash pics please, i need the encouragement

[3cav3]

Mines been on SORN since the weekend after passing its MOT. Originally I took it off the road because Lancaster Insurance drove me so mad by constant pressuring and pestering me to renew the insurance. Then as we all know the fuel went too ridiculous to buy for pleasure driving.
Hopefully you can get yours back on the road soon, you've invested to much time and money to let it simply rot away. Mine returning to the road is dependent on my wife getting a better job as basically every penny that I earn goes against the rising costs of running our house.

[Robsey]

Thankfully fuel prices are easing a little.

It is that age old juggle of finances.
I keep meaning to speak to my preferred MOT garage to see whether it would squeeze through the test or not.
I think it wouldn't, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

If it could squeeze through, I would have it back on the road within a few weeks.
Just needs the cat fitting (still)

[Envoy CDX]

Is it only the cat that is holding it back from passing?

[ilovedmymantas]

As 3cav3 says, you have so much invested financially and emotionally already. I do hope you find a way to get back in the cav.☺

Do you think it needs much doing for the mot, could you fit the cat at Troy's en route to a booked test perhaps?

My other half's disabled VED exemption keeps our car on the road, that and being old enough to have reasonable insurance!
I always check a couple of comparison sites but if there's 20 quid difference I'll stick with GA - they paid out even when I lost the details of the other driver, I did have dashcam footage though and they valued the car at 4-6 thousand .

[Robsey]

Is it only the cat that is holding it back from passing?

Sadly not dear chap.
The cat is the least of my worries.
It is the outer reinforcers that numpties like me use to jack-up the car.
Both sides are crushed and crumbly.
At nearly £80 per side plus carriage, plus welding and materials.
That is where it is currently cost prohibitive.

[3cav3]

Having seen so many cars over the years having been damaged by careless jacking, whenever possible since I've been driving ive always tried to jack them where a suspension component mounts. I've rejected several otherwise good looking cars when viewing them as underneath they had folded jacking points etc.
Such a shame you're so far away as I'd be happy to weld your reinforcers in place for you.

[Envoy CDX]

Is it only the cat that is holding it back from passing?

Sadly not dear chap.
The cat is the least of my worries.
It is the outer reinforcers that numpties like me use to jack-up the car.
Both sides are crushed and crumbly.
At nearly £80 per side plus carriage, plus welding and materials.
That is where it is currently cost prohibitive.

Damn. carpets out etc again then?

[cavalier1990]

The cold hard truth is finances.
If I had the funds, I would fix it tomorrow.

It was also finances that took it off the road in the first place - to cut down costs. Run one car full time, instead of two cars... one for me solo (work and essential shopping), and the other when I take the missus for days out or to appointments.

The parcel shelf looks like there are two layers simply glued together.
When the glue lets go, the panel sags to what you see now.

I have various pieces of wooden (plywood) or plastic sheeting that I could use to repair the shelf.
Or I could simply revert back to a parcel shelf without headrests.

I do have a good parcel shelf for a hatchback if you ever need it Robsey, obviously no use to me with saloons, I took it as part of that car I stripped a few years back.