1996 Vauxhall Frontera SWB Sport from UK and Ireland - Comments

Exhaust needing replacement at an unreasonably low mileage (under 30,000) due to a bad design.

Various body panels - front wings, bonnet, o/s door, needing slight adjustment by me to avoid rattles etc (Monday morning car at Luton?)

Interior bordering upon appalling with plastic bits being collected and put away for safe keeping.

Tiny rust spot on the leading edge of the bonnet.

A nice car to drive as a FUN vehicle, also tows a 16ft. old Sprite Major caravan with ease, even up wet grassy slopes!

When you get a sunny day try taking off the roof and windows - great! But NOWHERE to store roof panel so don't take chances.

4 new tyres locally for £300 dead (not bad for a 4x4).

Ideal medium 4x4 - but not recommended as an only vehicle (we also own a Ford Mondeo Estate).

UPDATE BY ORIGINAL AUTHOR: Try looking at the Landrover Freelander reviews in this website. What pieces of junk they have turned out to be but yet the 'in set' still have given them top sales! Forget the Frontera myths from ignorant TV commentators on BBC Top Gear etc. - just give one a try! Still enjoying our 1996 SWB 2.0.

You can have the roof panel in the car if you are not using the back seat, just fold down the backrest (only) and put the roof upside down and turned sideways through 90 degrees. Though I'm not too happy about what it would do to the occupants in the case of an accident...

Thanks for storage tip! - original author, - but no room for the kids and dog then!

Update: Still very pleased with car. Have you replaced your petrol fuel filter? What a difference it makes! I also Waxoyle the chassis and protective shields at least once a year. Also greased out the front hubs and hub springs for winter. There are now also lots of Frontera/Amigo/Campo websites - with lots of good reports.

Re: Storage problems for removable rear roof... Removable hardtop Frontera's 1992-1998, there is a removable folding cover available from Vauxhall which allows you to carry back seat passengers with the roof down. The cover isn't designed as a permanent fixture but more as a get you home measure if you get caught out, it allows you to leave the bulky roof section behind on a nice day therefore freeing up the rear seat space... Ask your Vauxhall dealer for: Removable roof cover : Part Number :- 91145894.

This part is still available as I've just phoned my local dealer 18/12/2001 and they quoted me a price of £102 + VAT

Hope this helps..

Original Author, now Sept 2002. The Frontera still as reliable as ever although only used a couple of days a week apart from August when it towed my large caravan every other day as usual. The exhaust is starting to concern me again. It seems the baffles are working loose in the main silencer. This could be down to the quality of the exhaust I bought last time, or maybe Fronteras do eat through exhausts. One thing for sure they run very very hot on the exhaust system compared to other makes. I am still satisfied with my Frontera at 48,000k as I maintain it and know it's full history. Would I buy another? Debatable, as I also have a Suzuki 4x4 which I find an absolute knockout and a far superior design.

Hello Original Author. I'm the person who commented

on roof storage. Yes, the main box baffles do

go surprisingly soon and make a very distinctive

noise that is a cross between a rattle, a buzz and

a fart. The explanation is that the box is

at a low point in the exhaust run, and water

from the combustion process tends to collect

there and corrode the box from within.

The problem is especially bad if you make lots

of short runs (water builds up, but doesn't have

time to evaporate away). I must have replaced

the main box on my '92 about four times - but the

good news is that the part is cheap (non-genuine

from my local independent exhaust place) and

also that the original Cat is still going strong

after all those years.

I'm surprised you find the Suzuki a far superior

design; for an off road vehicle it's got poor

ground clearance. How does it compare as a towcar?

Re: Suzuki comment. Rear diff. about same ground clearance as Frontera. Obviously a much lighter vehicle even though a 5 door. Find I am able to switch from 2H to 4H with the Suzy on the move by depressing clutch and holding two or three seconds and vice versa. Suzy '97 5 door like an MPV and very user friendly. Tows caravan well, but of course only a 1.6 16 valve engine so the Frontera better for tow duties. I believe there is now a Vauxhall Code Fault Finder available in the UK from Halfords for £18. This maybe handy for anyone having engine management problems. The Frontera 2.0 Sport is still an incredibly cheap 4x4 to run. Just replaced both sunvisors - only around £11 each!! I think you will agree the main thing is to either be a good DIY mechanic or have a good mobile mechanic or reliable small workshop to maintain these cars in top condition.

I've only had my Fronty for 6 months and just started looking round for the removable roof cover quoted earlier - my Vauxhall dealer tells me its discontinued and they don't have any in the UK or Europe - if anyone wants to sell me one if there selling their fronty i'd gladly buy it - you can reach me at theabductee@hotmail.com - I check this nearly every day, or via my website listed below.

Fingers tightly crossed.

The Abductee

http://www.theabductee.co.uk.

I have had my frontera for nearly a year now. {1993,2.0 sport} I am very happy with it, but how ever it has just failed its mot on the steering idle {£160 vauxhall dealer only}. Front brake discs, which I did not know that you have to take the half shafts out to replace the discs. And also two tyres. The thing is every thing is so expensive so when I am looking for spare parts in breakers yards they are very few and far between. I did not try to replace the above parts through breakers yards, but I do require some new front and rear bull bars plus some other bits and bots if any one knows of some adresses or web sites I can go on apart fro this one please do tell.

I have had my 2.8 dti lwb frontera for some 6 months now, it is a 96 model, forget the myths about vauxhall/opel this is a solid vehicle capable of towing my compass rallye caravan with ease and without any noticeable rise in fuel consumption.

November 2004. STILL got the car. If you value the report of a family that has had the same Frontera for over six years, well here it is.

Past year: Radiator burst (fortunately on my driveway), so got a new one in 3 hours delivered to my local car parts shop. Simplicity itself to fit (really) and cheap - about £118UK. Fitted all new brake pads. Fitted camshaft belt whilst working on radiator (very easy again on an 8 valve). No other problems, no corrosion apart from where the front bumper hides under the front wings. Caravan long gone, but it still tows a large metal trailer for me. Just changed engine oil/filter and plugs, cost £35Uk Halfords outlet. Mileage now just under 60,000 - engine still very sweet, no camshaft clatter, - thank you Castrol GTX! This old technology 4x4 let's face it, is a truck, and drives like a truck compared to modern 4x4 technology, - but it still never ceases to impress us in bad weather, ice and snow. It's still the business, it still 'cuts it'.

I am considering buying a 1996 2.2l petrol LWB from a friend and was wondering what I need to look out for on these vehicles.

Hello I am thinking of buying an N reg 2.0l sport, 4x4 front era, after looking at reviews the results are about 50/50 for good & bad.

Any advice on what to look for would be great, so I know whether it is a good one or not.

Thanks.

Just purchased a 1994 2.0 sport, very pleased with it so far.

Yes it's a truck, but it does what is needed in getting me to work, in the S Wales country side.

I was the owner of a Suzuki Vitara JLX for many years and can honestly say the Frontera is a much better equiped car, much comfier and overall a superior vehicle.

I am still suprised at it's level of performance, although the wind noise is very annoying on the M way's.

My wife as even hinted that we should by a newer version, but we will wait to see what, if any problems arise.

Love the Vauxhall Frontera model and currenty own a 1994 3 door Sport 2.0i type. Runs OK on short trips, but whenever you head on the motorway travelling at around 65-70km/h, after about 45 minutes to an hour, it starts juddering and loses power. Especially when you take your foot off the accelerator and try accelerating again, no power at all. You have to pull over (not the easiest when travelling in the fast lane) and wait for a while before driving off. The same thing happens again after the same sort of time. Have had it looked at, but alas, no luck, still doing the same. If anyone has any help about this problem I would be very very grateful in hearing it on this forum.