Vauxhall Senator 3.0i CD 24V 4d Auto (1990/G) Owner Review
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Economy
Value
Built by Opel in Germany, they were affordable when new and seriously cheap now. Pick one up for less than £1,000 - try doing that with a BMW 5-series! Tons of performance, tons to play with, sell it for what you paid for it when you're done!
Costs
Big, complex car, so lots of things to go wrong. Dealer parts not cheap, but huge enthusiast following means cheap parts, advice and servicing available through various owners' clubs. Autobox expensive to fix - good second-hand units cheaper. 20-30mpg.
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On the road
Driving
Comfortable, quick and quiet. Silky 6-pot and smooth Autobox never fail to amuse, especially in sports mode. Adjustable dampers allow comfortable ride on motorway and sharp handling through lanes. Doesn't drive like a big car. Big grins all round!
Performance
Unburstable 24V engine gives huge power/torque and is beautifully progressive. Dual ram system means performance right to the red line. Chip for even more, but most people wouldn't need it - talk to owners club. Police loved these cars for a reason!
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Living with it
Reliability
Niggling electrical faults irritate - dash bulbs can be an all day job! Engine is one of the best and easy to service. Build problems fixed under warranty, notably vibration at 65mph - new diff, prop/drive shafts, discs, gearbox! Thank God Vauxhall paid!
Image
Never very popular when new, probably due to the badge and dubious chip-cutter grille, but the Senator is one of Vauxhall's best kept secrets. Who gives a stuff about image with this sort of package?! Becoming a cult car among those in the know.
Comfort
Understated luxury. Leather standard, velour optional. Cossetting, comfortable, quiet. Never tiring. Front seats are too wide to be fully supportive in corners (esp. leather). Adj. shocks give good ride, but comfort setting makes rear passengers sick.
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Security and Service
Security
Good for the time with double deadlocking, high security keys and standard alarm/immobiliser. Alarm can be overridden if you know which access panel to go through and which wires to jump, though. Alloys lock as standard. Fit an extra alarm, just in case.
Service
All 3 Vauxhall dealers I tried were sloppy and didn't seem to care. Car always came back with more new problems than it went in with. Find a good independent specialist - the car deserves better than the dealers can give. They really let Vauxhall down.
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Problems and Ownership
Problems
Engine
Bulletproof with regular servicing. Idle air valve can coke-up - make sure it's cleaned regularly with solvent cleaner or engine will take on a mind of it's own, revving to 3,000+rpm without warning. Alarming if you're sitting in gear at traffic lights...
Other
Heater matrix can leak and is a pain to replace (most of dash has to come out). Beware of neglected or thrashed cars - there are some gems around, but also some serious dogs. Ex-police stuff is ok with history, but white never suited it outside the force!
Ownership
Did you buy the car new?
New
Would you buy the same model again?
Yes
Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?
No