wrxcraig

Absolutly adore these cars and had one for 3yrs trouble free, how many of you owned one or driven one and whats your thoughts.
Would anyone consider about getting another, even though its quite hard to find a tidy one.

i know alot of people prefer them standard but heres mine, the arches were in progress.

Big_Papa_T

Don't know about the GSi but I had a turbo about 2 years ago and it was far from standard. I absolutely loved it and to be honest I miss it and wish I had kept it. Would have another one but as you say it would be hard to get your hands on a good one. If I saw my old one back up for sale I'd consider buying it back.

wrxcraig

never got round to owning the turbo but a m8 had one at 350bhp but basically wasted the power as he had nothing done to stop the spinnig, he had 4 wheels system there if he wanted to but he ddint like the thought of loosing that bit of power.
I had throttle bodies, kent cams and pulleys, janspeed s/s exshaust, magnacore leads, power boost valve thingy and bigger injectors. I was thinking of puting the calibre V6 brake setup on it but was told it doesnt make much difference.

matchmaker

I had a 4x4. The 8v, 130bhp model, not the 150 bhp GSI.

One of the best all round cars I've ever owned

sti-04!!

wrxcraig, thats disgusting.
The GSI in standard form was amazing to look at, all square & nothing else.

finchyboy

Nice but i still much prefer the Mk 2 ASTRA GTE 16v i would love to own another one but it would have to be bog standard concourse condition. In my view you have to be very carefull with the cav and the astra with styling because they can very easily look like chav sheds!!!

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

I use to drive a 4x4 gsi at work, it was totally over engineered for the era, early 90s. That thing had so much grip, and the power was pretty decent from what I remember. Standard suspension was firm but not perfect, but a great chassis.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I just got rid of a Saab 9-3 which was basically a re-engineer Cavalier chassis with a strut brace as standard and alloy, as opposed to pressed steel wishbones plus some other bits and that didn't handle so I cant imagine what you would need to do to a Cavalier to make it handle, handling isnt just big tyres, rock hard suspension and going round corners fast !

The trouble is with cars you drove 15 years ago is that you get stuck with the memorys how they were at the time, things move on, the remaining examples get worse so when you drive one again its a dissapointment.

So it may have felt like a fast, refined beast back then, now it will feel like an old woofer, though I dont doubt they are still fun and could surprise some more modern stuff.

Craig, Each to their own, but, keep the wheels, lose the spoilers and it will look ok, the spoilers ruin it, are the headlamp washers original ?

wrxcraig

jacko the headlamps are original. Looking back it does seem chavy but at the time i wanted to be different than the others i saw.
The power might not be a great deal to modern cars now but the handling is very good and imo suprise some modern cars.

cos500

Spoiler was abit ott but apart from that mate looks good, never owned one myself as i just dont like vauxhalls, but a mate of mine had a cavalier sri and i really liked that, did over 200k miles and he still sold it on in good condition.
I remmember the turbo ones wern't very strong and used to blow up alot.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

The first time I drove an SRI 8 valver it absolutely blew me away. The car accelerated like nothing else I had driven previously. At the time (early Nineties) Vauxhall had some decent models in their line up and had Ford well and truly beaten.

mozzaITA

YEah i was a vauxhall man too, the joys i had with my 91 Astra GSI 16v, owning that car 8/9 years ago when i was 20 was amazing, it was SO much fun back then every day was like a gran prix lol.....

Nowadays have a more sensable head on the shoulders..... now i cant be driving like that all the time in the sccob i might break something lol

Happy days, im looking for a runabout to leave at the station everyday i cant help looking at old sport vauxhalls.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Always wanted one of these, its on my must own at some point list

matchmaker

I'd love a GSI 2000 4x4 for a daily hack

Mike123

- I ran a Mk2 GTE 16v for 3 years as a daily hack - I've got to say that out of the hot hatches I've driven extensively,( Mk1 Golf Gti, 309GTi, Saxo VTS, Mini Cooper S ) it's the one I enjoyed the most. Same engine as in the Cavalier GSI

blu scoob

maybe 16 years ago,and they brake for fun,had astra valves 2 gsi cavs cav turbo calibra turbo,and learnt the hard way,never again will never have a vauxhall again,(any)

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I have ended up a Vauxhall man by buying a Saab, it has a short stroke turboed version of the 2.2 alloy engine as fitted to Bigger Astra's, Vectra's and Omega's and is basically a shortedn Vectra Chassis with Saab components and tuning.

exvaux

iTrader: (1)

One of the best cars ive ever owned,fast,comfortable and for its day well specced,in the end the arches rotted and the head went porous so i sold it and bought a rare xe sri hatch.

Mike123

Those are quite rare - about a K-plate?

exvaux

iTrader: (1)

was an L reg actually late august 93 iirc one of the very last,was an anthracite/grey colour,was a superb car,i had many 8v sris before and just loved the way they drove,the comfort at speed and can always tell the sound of an c20 xe engine shame they changed the engine to the x20,i had 2 16v sri hatches with the early ecotec engines and had no end of problems with them,thats what put started to put me off vauxhalls

killerscoob

I Had a bog standard 2.0 GLi 6 years ago which I bought of an old bloke, The car had only done 24000 on a H Plate I had it for 4 years and not a single thing went wrong with it apart from when it got pinched for my speakers after only having it 6months, but It is the best car I have ever owned and I regret not taking any pics of it.

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

I had a Cav GSI before my Impreza. IMO the red top engine takes a lot of beating for N/A power output, even more so when they were first introduced.

Quite easy to get off the clock too.

Finding a decent one now, is nigh on impossible, as is a "low miler".

Mine, I sort of pranged it when someone who pulled out on me. G-plate, 97K miles, 2.5 years ago, quite low mileage for the age. Coscast head was a bonus.

wrxcraig

also found mine went off the clock too iirc about 156mph (private track ofcourse) i did have the gear cog thingyvchanged to calibrate for the bigger wheels. Mine was also the redtop, and i think they were 158bhp standard.

sti-04!!

JACKO, its a SAAB you own not a Vauxhall, get with the badge snobbery ............ you're letting the rest of us down

sti-04!!

My old Nova used to go off the clock, foofin scary. SRI shell with a redtop stuffed under the bonnet

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

They were 148BHP standard from Vauxhall, IIRC. Mine was 150BHP ATW.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

Yep the Ecotec whilst a good engine did have lots of sensors that were prone to failure 02 sensor being particularly fragile It was a shame as it was corker of an engine great low end torque and decent spread of power. It was also very economical but the niggly faults were the death knell.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

Ahh the Cav Gli. Fond memories rekindled. My brother had one as a taxi, bought it with 89k on the clock had it for four years and at over 200k it was still going strong. Comfortable, smooth and adequately quick with excellent economy from the longer gearing.

RB5 Boyo

Iv had 4 sri's (3 2.0 16v redtops and one sri 130) and i still have a 1.4 astra in my garage which has converted to a 2.0 16v redtop with rebuilt engine and flowed head/lightened flywheel etc
I also had a 4x4 turbo cavalier with a superchip, dump valve, full exhaust and konis, and it went like stink.... i loved them all to bits, theyre some car the cavvys and many of the old redtop engined ones would put many a newer car to shame even yet

Heres my 2.0 16v Redtop astra....

http://jon44w.com/images/events/2006...50900/0052.jpg

http://jon44w.com/images/events/2006...50900/0034.jpg

wrxcraig

in my gsi i used to play a game with the digital petrol range, especially on a long journey i tried to see how high i could get it lol got it over the 500 mile range.
Mine was very very low, with the bumper it was about 1" 1/5 off the floor and couldnt put your hand in the arche, but had to higher the suspension as i was going on holiday and would be screwed if they had big speed bumps.
But as you prob would know, where it had 60mm spring on all you had to do is jack up the back and pull the spring out, i did that and the top suspention mount came with it lol.