1991 Vauxhall Senator CDi review from UK and Ireland

I owned two Senators during in a ten year period: A 2.5 180,000 miles and a 3.0CD 175,000 miles.

My father-in-Law also had a 3.0i 130,000 miles for eight years.

Water pump at 120,000 (on all three cars)

Brake discs at 110,000 (on both my cars)

Front wheel bearings (on the 2.5 model)

Shock absorbers at 110,000 on 2.5 Senator and - 140,000 on 3.0CD Senator.

Exhaust at around 60,000 mile intervals

The finest car I ever owned! (And may ever again own).

I previously had a 100,000 mile three year old 1988 2.5 base model Senator for six years during which I covered a further 80,000 trouble free miles and was constantly astounded by its condition, reliability and longevity. I had always wished that I had bought the CD with all the gadgets so in 1996 I bought a 3.0CD with 101,000 miles on the clock and ran that for another 74,000 miles with absolutely NO problems whatsoever apart from the usual consumables.

Parts are rarely needed which is just as well when you check the prices!!

Brake discs, batteries, water pumps, wheel bearings MUST NOT be bought from Vauxhall dealers if you wish to remain financially solvent!!!

e.g. Discs from Vauxhall - £150.00 each!

The same Lockheed Girling items from motor trade suppliers - £45.00 each.

Wheel bearings from Vaux - £140ea

Same very item (same part number also!) from bearing supplier - £40.00.

This car (apart from fuel!) is CHEAP to run but it is essential that you learn to do all your own maintenance and where to get parts for this to be the case.

Biggest potential problem with this car:

The front chassis members (way down and towards the rear of either side of the engine where they join the bulkhead) can rust severely RIGHT through leaving the whole front of the car held to the rest of the body by the bulkhead join... which is only glued on!!!

It is seriously in your interest to get your MoT's done by an experienced strict MoT station and will spot this early on, cheap backstreet MoT stations wont. I know this from my father-in-laws experience. His 3.0i was MoT'd on the cheap for five years... then he had a very big shock when he had an MoT by an experienced inspector who said it was a very common problem!

£185.00 to have it welded by a friend in the trade.

I quote: "Vauxhall's biggest best kept secret - amazing quality" - Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear used car episode, about 1997 I think.