1990 Vauxhall Belmont CDi review from UK and Ireland

Engine cutting out and difficult to restart. Replaced fuel pump relay.

Slight wheel wobble at motorway speeds. (Need balancing).

Very low tick-over speed (500 when purchased - would not run properly when cold). I have adjusted this myself to approx 800rpm.

Revs tend to wander at tick-over.

For about 9 years now I have wanted a Vauxhall Astra Belmont. After originally looking for one in 1993, I settled on a 1986 (D) reg 1.6 GL Vauxhall Cavalier Hatchback that had high mileage but was in great condition. I paid £1,495 which wasn't bad back then. The car was superb.

Last month though, I finally managed to get my Belmont. It is a 1991 (H) reg, 1.8 CDi in red. It is immaculate and obviously very well looked after, though the bonnet, roof and boot lid needed a good t-cutting to bring them up to the rest of the car's standard. The interior is unmarked and the bodywork is rust free, save for a tiny bit around the lip of the rear arches. It was for sale at £800. On test drive it was fine, though the clutch was heavy, so I offered £700, which included a fresh MOT.

The car has a remote alarm and immobiliser fitted from new, which must have been an option I guess. It drives very smoothly when on the move, but needs a good service though, some of which I have done myself. (Plugs, leads, air filter, cam cover gasket). The seats are extremely comfortable and even have lumbar adjustment, which I was surprised at.

When the car drives at motorway speeds (70mph) it is revving at only 2,500 rpm, so it should be great for long distance cruising. The boot is vast for a car of it's class.

My main bugbear so far has been the dreaded fuel pump relay problem. After purchase, the car would drive fine, then just cut out for no reason. I would struggle to start it sometimes, other times it restarted after only a few seconds of cranking. I read other similar reviews on this website and tried replacing the fuel pump relay, which is located on the passenger side front suspension turret. I ended up paying £25 for a replacement relay from Vauxhall, which I was able to fit in seconds. Since then, the car has been trouble free.

It still idles a little lumpily and is a bit thirstier than I anticipated, though I hope a full service from a proper mechanic will resolve this.

In summary, well worth the wait, as long as I can be sure these teething problems can be sorted out. I can't wait to see how it goes!