Vauxhall Cavalier Hatchback 1.8i CDi 5d (1985/B) Owner Review
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Economy
Value
Biggest problem now is trying to find one that is out of your price range.
Costs
Being a front wheel drive 4 stud Vauxhall, everything else with other front wheel drive Vauxhalls is interchangeable.
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On the road
Driving
Predictable and safe. Does what you'd expect it to.
Performance
With nothing like airbags, side impact protection bars and other modern bits to slow it down, it's surprisingly competant. Swap a bigger engine in for big grins :-)
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Living with it
Reliability
Being an early mechanically injected unit, there isn't an awful lot to go wrong with them. What does go wrong is easily (and cheaply) fixed by your local spanner man.
Image
Yeah, well, you can't have everything but then they are beginning to be very thin on the ground now.
Comfort
Put seats from a sporty model in such as the SRi and it'll stop you falling off the seats when you go round bends. Did I mention you can interchange bits from other Vauxhalls?
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Security and Service
Security
Buy a big dog.
Service
N/A (never took it to the dealer, so easy to fix yourself.)
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Problems and Ownership
Problems
Engine
Changed that years ago. Easily swaps for a 2.0 lump.
Other
After 14 years of ownership it's probably best to email me for a list, but all were easy to fix. I still own it after all! :-)
Ownership
Did you buy the car new?
Used
Would you buy the same model again?
Yes
Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?
Yes