Summary:
A less obvious classic
Faults:
This one has been very reliable, since it has an alternator rather than the unreliable dynamo. But, of all things, the alternator did fail and was easily and cheaply replaced. I've had Avengers in the past too, they are fairly strong.
Had a dirty fuel line problem, caused the car to stop after being driven over 60mph for a while. Had fuel line from tank replaced and fuel tank cleaned out.
Needed a new steering rack when I first bought it, wasn't expensive.
General Comments:
Probably better than most of the cars of its time, such as Viva, Marina, Minor, MK2 Cortina. Certainly handled much better than any of them. Only competition would have been from Escort, but that is significantly smaller and less of a family car. Avenger boot is capacious.
Rust is bound to be an issue with a 31 year old car, but it is often just wheel arches and wings which can be replaced. If floor pans get rusty then it is more expensive to put right.
Now a collectors' item, but less obvious than all the Minors, Beetles and Minis that seem to make up most of the classics from the era. Even so, a good following these days.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 24th May, 2003
15th Nov 2004, 14:51
The Avenger was the first car I clocked 100mph in! I never owned one, but drove several at a time when my company wagon was the Hunter. Funnily enough I saw an Avenger the other day. It wasn't a bad car much better than Marinas, allegros and vivas.
20th Oct 2008, 16:36
The Avengers were good cars. My mum had one for about 10 years from 86-96 and hated my old man for buying her his sister's cast off Vauxhall Cavalier as a "present", and then an even worse Vauxhall Astra when the Cav conked out. She loved the light handling, the outstanding reliability and how cheap it was come MOT time, certainly compared to two of Luton's finest she got lumbered with afterwards.
So yeh, no surprise when the divorce papers went through...
2nd Sep 2011, 10:59
Dad had one of these in the early 1980s, and he was forever fixing it. I remember trying to drive it, and could not muscle the gear shift around. I loved the bronze metallic colour and the chrome work, and fondly remember the way the vinyl burnt my legs in the hot NZ sun. The British car industry really went out with a whimper rather than a bang.