Faults:

Bought the car in 1997 with 92,000 Miles on the clock. To date I have had the gearbox replaced approx £850 fitted (new), have had the cam belt changed (Although I didn't need it!). Exhaust has been replaced.

General Comments:

The car is still superfast considering a high mileage of 110,000 miles. Very comfortable drive, bodywork in excellent condition.

Faults:

I purchased the car with 27K on the clock. The handbrake needed rebuilding, the gearbox seal went. It just failed the MOT on the CO level. A tech 1 diagnostic revealed a faulty Oxygen sensor (previous Vauxhall dealer missed this). After new sensor car was fine.

General Comments:

Very quick car, wheels will spin too easy. Close ratio gearbox means that 1st is a bit too highly geared and 5th is a bit low. It will still pull speeds in excess of 130 quite easily though (so I'm told of course). I get about 30-40 MPG depending on right foot! I recommend the 'Cav', servicing is cheap (ish) and the 16V climbs all over the 8V. Bog standard it's approx 150BHP (pre eco-tech engine) but can be tweaked to around 200. Buy buy buy!!! (16v's getting rare now)

Faults:

Had a potentially fatal failure of the Water Pump which could have cost a fortune if I hadn't stopped in time.

Fairly heavy front tyre wear if driven with a heavy right foot.

Had the front wing mirror pulled off by vandal, dealer wanted £110 for replacement unit! (excluding fitting)

Front Brake discs prone to heavy wear and warping so they need to be replaced with every other set of pads.

General Comments:

Generally very good reliable car although not particularly exciting or exceptionally quick.

Requires a delicate right foot to pull away briskly in the wet without spinning front tyres. Traction very limited in Snow - doesn't seem to be enough weight over the front wheels.

Gearing is good for motorway cruising (2200 RPM at 70 in 5th!) and as a result it gives fuel economy, but this blunts acceleration in 5th. The gearing is also very spaced which also affects through the gears performance.

Petrol economy is very variable depending on driving style and seems to drop quite dramatically if you average more than 90 on the motorway. At a steady 65 mph, the tank is good for around 500 miles (even 550 if you trail a lorry), but doing 100-110 results in the range dropping to around 350 miles which is quite a difference.

Handling is safe and predictable. It is fine for fairly quick progress over A roads and twisty motorway sections, but starts to become a handful if you try to hammer it on a twisty B road. Engines can safely take hard driving, but they do go through lots of front tyres and brake pads/disks.

Seats are good and supporting (even for me at 6' 4") although the lumbar support is best left 'off' as it only causes backache.

Cavaliers can take VERY high mileages without bother, but make sure the oil is religiously changed on the intervals and the cambelt should be renewed without fail. I have seen quite a few Cavaliers with over 150,000 miles and the engines drive and sound the same as new cars, so if the engine sounds at all tappety or rough don't buy it. Don't be afraid to buy anything with up to 150,000 (or higher if mint) miles as long as it has FSH.

Faults:

Alternator failed earlier this year but car has been 100% reliable other than that. Cost for replacement was reasonable.

General Comments:

Bought the car two and a half years ago with 27.000 miles and have just sold with 62,000. Very reliable, good blend of performance (they really do go), comfort and practicality with loadsa extras such as ABS. Good tyres can be expensive but are well worthwhile. Dealers are generally good. Get a good alarm/immobiliser, standard alarm and deadlock is rubbish as it's key operated, inorder to nick the stereo they drilled the barrel, then turned the lock, thus disabling the alarm! Overall, its still excellent fun to drive!