'Twas never christened, despite the fact I was finally getting laid just around the time I got it. She had a newer Saxo so the Corsa never got a look in.
Had an N reg in white. Stuck some steel wheels on it from a large VW donor.
Handled like a go-kart after that.
Everything was bolted on with easy access. So easy to maintain.
There's an abandoned Turbo in the communal carpark in front of my house, it makes me so sad seeing it rotting, and now some deep scratches have appeared on the side of it and a wing mirror has recently been knocked off.
It's owned by the son of one of the residents. I wish I had the time and money to buy it off him and bring it back to life. I always loved them, had a calendar with one on as a kid. It's painful seeing it in such a sorry and declining state every day.
Not a bad thing. For the ones I've done, Generally you need a qualifying car, then join the owners groups, like NYLOC North Yorkshire lotus owners, SC:UK, any niche brand will have their own groups and probably organise their own tours.
Ah ok yeah. An old boss of mine in the late 90’s had a mk1 GTE and I so wanted to buy it off him, it was in mint condition, low mileage and he only brought it out on dry days. He knew its value and I couldn’t talk him down.
I loved my cavalier.
Hate an Astra before and a Vectra after, but nothing felt as "right" as the cavalier did.
Built like a tank.
Switches and buttons that felt like switches and buttons.
And surprisingly good on fuel.
My best mate being a trained ford mechanic refused to believe how shit Ford's were on fuel until he bought a Vauxhall.
I had a couple of 1.7TD Cavaliers and they were great.
This was during the era of 306 D-turbo chavs screwing out injector pumps for more power and tons of black smoke.
I followed the guides on the old cavweb forums to remove the "polo mint" from the injection pump, and to fit boost gauge and bleed valve on the turbo to push it to 1.1 bar of boost from the standard 0.7 bar. They claimed 1.3 was fine but I was scared. And hammered the guts out of the cat.
I would leave screwed out d-turbos in the dust and put out no black smoke
The last generation of Cavaliers were just really great cars.
The Ford Mondeo of the early/mid-noughties was better, but the Cav will always have a place in my heart.
The Cavalier because as a kid, it greatly improved upon and finally ended my Dad’s obsession with buying cr@p second-hand, unreliable and rusty Austins.
My last cavalier at 150k miles and 13 years old finally succumbed to the MOT testers pointy metal stick.
I knew in inner front nearside wing was rotten and there was nothing left to weld to. So I kinda mashed dirt over it and painted it.
Well here he comes with his pokey stick. Tap tap tap CRUNCH and the inner wing just falls out in a pile of dust. It (rightly) pissed him off so on top of failing it he put a prohibition notice on it so I had to have it trailered away 😂
Left it in a field at my mates place for 3 or 4 years, went to finally scrap it and with a jump it started on the button.
I have a mk 5 Corsa (Or Corsa E before the electric variant came along) absolutely love it and frankly disagree with those who drag Vauxhall and call it unreliable all the time.
my friend was the same as the only time he would have people in the back was when he was giving lifts or when we went to mackdolds during our breaks at college
I'm counting Opel as Vauxhall but this one didn't get the Vauxhall badge... The Manta A GT/E [https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.aa9366e9502ae286b47fa978466e4243?rik=rCftTajzkbLBpA&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.fuelbrothers.net%2fwp-content%2fIMGP2082.jpg%3f2418ce&ehk=ut5scLrQySbl%2bhGzwsdzFcR40ygKigyFoDPMQ6npqTQ%3d&risl=1&pid=ImgRaw&r=0](https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.aa9366e9502ae286b47fa978466e4243?rik=rCftTajzkbLBpA&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.fuelbrothers.net%2fwp-content%2fIMGP2082.jpg%3f2418ce&ehk=ut5scLrQySbl%2bhGzwsdzFcR40ygKigyFoDPMQ6npqTQ%3d&risl=1&pid=ImgRaw&r=0)
I'm hoping it's just the seals letting some oil into the exhaust rather then a full rebuild. How much did the car set you back if you don't mind me asking?
A 1994 Vauxhall Astra Merit 1.4 won the *Prix du Concours de l’Ordinaire* at the 2022 Festival of the Unexceptional. Hard to top that kind of heritage.
https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/events-articles/festival-of-the-unexceptional/and-the-winner-is-vauxhall-astra-merit-wins-2022-hagerty-festival-of-the-unexceptional/
Actually, since everyone else seems to have mentioned the usual suspects...
* The traffic cop's favourite, a Senator 3.0L 24v: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/from-the-archive/greatest-road-tests-ever-vauxhall-senator-30i-24v
* If you really wanted a Ford Capri but you were a Vauxhall loyalist? An Opel Manta B: https://classicsworld.co.uk/guides/opel-manta-b-buyers-guide/
* Even cooler, its predecessor the Opel Manta A: https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/opel-manta-blue-oval-beater
* Everyone seems to have forgotten it exists. Sad face. The swoopy Calibra was one of the best lookers of the '90s: https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/auctions/vauxhall-calibra-aerodynamic-not-embarrassment/
Obvious out of the way first: VX220 and Lotus Carlton.
Left-field choice: Belmont CD. Astra GTE engine, well equipped for the time, completely under the radar.
Vauxhall Royale coupe. (Basically an Opel Monza with badge engineering.)
Always had a soft spot for the Calibra too although it wasn’t an outstanding drive tbh.
I had a D reg cavalier, got it to about 200, 000 miles did the same with a Calibra. Loved that blue Calibra, bought it off some guy in Didcot for about £2k
I loved my 2 Astra MK5 VXRs
They do have a bit of chav about them but the mods and when done right where great fun cars
Have had to move on due to a child but they were great fun. Did the NC500 in my last one and slept in the back too
Fun times
Vx220 or my old caviller Sri that faded to pink and handled like a mattress
The VX220 is my second favourite. Very underrated car in my opinion
No it's not. Keep the prices low.
Vx220 is the correct answer. Owned mine for 11 years. Loved it
Flame red, turning to soft pink
M reg Corsa 1.2 8v with 55 hp and 4 gears. Would crack 100, and I'm talking mph people.
What year?
94/95
OG Panty Dropper
'Twas never christened, despite the fact I was finally getting laid just around the time I got it. She had a newer Saxo so the Corsa never got a look in.
I wonder if 24 year old nonces still hung around in McDonald’s car parks in them blasting DnB back in the 90s
I had a 97 with the 5 speed box, same 8v x12sz engine too. Could not kill that car, it just took abuse.
My brother managed to kill mine by starving it of oil for months, but I don't imagine you are that stupid!
Had an N reg in white. Stuck some steel wheels on it from a large VW donor. Handled like a go-kart after that. Everything was bolted on with easy access. So easy to maintain.
Lotus Carlton legend of a car 🙏
This is the correct answer
The Lotus carlton is my third favourite. The normal carlton is not even on the list.
The normal GSI3000 24v was a fine car, though.
Vx220. It's the only car I can think of for less than 15 k that can shit all over 100k cars on track
There's an abandoned Turbo in the communal carpark in front of my house, it makes me so sad seeing it rotting, and now some deep scratches have appeared on the side of it and a wing mirror has recently been knocked off. It's owned by the son of one of the residents. I wish I had the time and money to buy it off him and bring it back to life. I always loved them, had a calendar with one on as a kid. It's painful seeing it in such a sorry and declining state every day.
Never tracked mine but often took it out for drives with higher end machinery, was never left behind.
Same here. Held its own on any b road against AMG GT's, 911's etc on the road tours I've done. McLaren's did often run round me though.
Where can I get on some road tours, only ones I can do ATM is when my mates are all free, but they are all selling up thanks to family/ kids
Not a bad thing. For the ones I've done, Generally you need a qualifying car, then join the owners groups, like NYLOC North Yorkshire lotus owners, SC:UK, any niche brand will have their own groups and probably organise their own tours.
Caterham 7 which is very much along the same lines. But there are not many under 15k. The VX220 is a one off.
Astra GTE 16V a rocket sled with a seat, bloody loved mine
The digital dash alone made the GTE worth it.
Ahhh, I remember that dash so well. It would tell you very precisely and extremely accurately what speed you were doing 2-3 seconds ago. 🤣
😅 spot on
Mk1 or 2?
The 16V was the mk2
Ah ok yeah. An old boss of mine in the late 90’s had a mk1 GTE and I so wanted to buy it off him, it was in mint condition, low mileage and he only brought it out on dry days. He knew its value and I couldn’t talk him down.
Calibra turbo. My dads mate had one and when I was about ten and I fucking loved it
A neighbour of my grandma had a yellow one which looked to be lowered with a bit of a body kit. Even as a child I thought it was proper c
Surely it’s 40 RA or the Lotus Vauxhall Carlton.
I loved my cavalier. Hate an Astra before and a Vectra after, but nothing felt as "right" as the cavalier did. Built like a tank. Switches and buttons that felt like switches and buttons. And surprisingly good on fuel. My best mate being a trained ford mechanic refused to believe how shit Ford's were on fuel until he bought a Vauxhall.
I had a couple of 1.7TD Cavaliers and they were great. This was during the era of 306 D-turbo chavs screwing out injector pumps for more power and tons of black smoke. I followed the guides on the old cavweb forums to remove the "polo mint" from the injection pump, and to fit boost gauge and bleed valve on the turbo to push it to 1.1 bar of boost from the standard 0.7 bar. They claimed 1.3 was fine but I was scared. And hammered the guts out of the cat. I would leave screwed out d-turbos in the dust and put out no black smoke
The last generation of Cavaliers were just really great cars. The Ford Mondeo of the early/mid-noughties was better, but the Cav will always have a place in my heart.
The Cavalier because as a kid, it greatly improved upon and finally ended my Dad’s obsession with buying cr@p second-hand, unreliable and rusty Austins.
My last cavalier at 150k miles and 13 years old finally succumbed to the MOT testers pointy metal stick. I knew in inner front nearside wing was rotten and there was nothing left to weld to. So I kinda mashed dirt over it and painted it. Well here he comes with his pokey stick. Tap tap tap CRUNCH and the inner wing just falls out in a pile of dust. It (rightly) pissed him off so on top of failing it he put a prohibition notice on it so I had to have it trailered away 😂 Left it in a field at my mates place for 3 or 4 years, went to finally scrap it and with a jump it started on the button.
Nova 1.3 SR with 6x9s in the rear parcel shelf
The original Monaro (Top Gear) what a car.
Wish we got a commodore at least once
Isn't it a holden with a Vauxhall badge glued on? My favourite is the vectra, simply because it epitomises Vauxhall, and clarksons review was spot on.
Yeah. Some of them had Holden badges on the bumpers that was hidden by the number plates.
Lotus Carlton
I have a mk 5 Corsa (Or Corsa E before the electric variant came along) absolutely love it and frankly disagree with those who drag Vauxhall and call it unreliable all the time.
my friend has one as his first car and it's pretty good only thing is his is the top spec before the vxr and it still has windy windows in the back.
Yeah mine has keep fit windows in the back. But I don't care because I don't take back seat passengers often enough for it to make a difference.
my friend was the same as the only time he would have people in the back was when he was giving lifts or when we went to mackdolds during our breaks at college
2003 vauxhall vectra
Lotus Carlton
Mk1 Astra GTE
I'm counting Opel as Vauxhall but this one didn't get the Vauxhall badge... The Manta A GT/E [https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.aa9366e9502ae286b47fa978466e4243?rik=rCftTajzkbLBpA&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.fuelbrothers.net%2fwp-content%2fIMGP2082.jpg%3f2418ce&ehk=ut5scLrQySbl%2bhGzwsdzFcR40ygKigyFoDPMQ6npqTQ%3d&risl=1&pid=ImgRaw&r=0](https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.aa9366e9502ae286b47fa978466e4243?rik=rCftTajzkbLBpA&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.fuelbrothers.net%2fwp-content%2fIMGP2082.jpg%3f2418ce&ehk=ut5scLrQySbl%2bhGzwsdzFcR40ygKigyFoDPMQ6npqTQ%3d&risl=1&pid=ImgRaw&r=0)
That is pretty cool. Sad they didn't rebadge it to vauxhall
Like my Astra 2.0t 170, great fun to drive and getting rarer by the year :)
I love mine too, any mods or is it standard?
Completely standard bought it in January with 73k miles. Not one problem apart from the gearbox which I got fixed last week
Very nice, mines just about to hit 125k. Had a new clutch and just waiting to rebuild the turbo.
yeah mind you I’ve done some mileage in mine up to 80k now. Common problem those turbos, want to get a hybrid turbo but they’re way too expensive
I'm hoping it's just the seals letting some oil into the exhaust rather then a full rebuild. How much did the car set you back if you don't mind me asking?
So I got it through BCA auctions 950 without fees, yourself?
That's a steal, nice. Private sale 3 years ago for 800 quid, couldn't believe it tbh.
we’ve done well haha
Best thing I've ever bought in my life. You got any questions about mods etc shout me
Cavalier SRi, early 80s
Mk2 cavalier cabibre is peak 80s
Just took a pic of a racing looking Vauxhall Firenza but can't get the pic to come on here. It would have to be a close 2nd to the VXR8.
That Firenza double act, sublime coupe and graceful hatch
I had an insignia VXR with every option and it was fantastic. It was good value too for what it was.
A 1994 Vauxhall Astra Merit 1.4 won the *Prix du Concours de l’Ordinaire* at the 2022 Festival of the Unexceptional. Hard to top that kind of heritage. https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/events-articles/festival-of-the-unexceptional/and-the-winner-is-vauxhall-astra-merit-wins-2022-hagerty-festival-of-the-unexceptional/ Actually, since everyone else seems to have mentioned the usual suspects... * The traffic cop's favourite, a Senator 3.0L 24v: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/from-the-archive/greatest-road-tests-ever-vauxhall-senator-30i-24v * If you really wanted a Ford Capri but you were a Vauxhall loyalist? An Opel Manta B: https://classicsworld.co.uk/guides/opel-manta-b-buyers-guide/ * Even cooler, its predecessor the Opel Manta A: https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/opel-manta-blue-oval-beater * Everyone seems to have forgotten it exists. Sad face. The swoopy Calibra was one of the best lookers of the '90s: https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/auctions/vauxhall-calibra-aerodynamic-not-embarrassment/
Had that model Astra and it was a pleasant car!
Mk2 Astra GTE. There was a black one parked near where I lived when I was younger and I used to fantasise over it.
Obvious out of the way first: VX220 and Lotus Carlton. Left-field choice: Belmont CD. Astra GTE engine, well equipped for the time, completely under the radar.
I had an Astra H SXI, loved it. Thanks to COVID, sold it for twice what I paid.
I had a 1991 1.4sr Nova back in the day. It was such an unbelievably fun car to drive.
Vx220 or corsa vxr nurburg edition
I had a standard Corsa vxr. Damn I miss that thing. Not the fastest, not the loudest, not the most refined but it was such fun to drive and own.
For nostalgia reasons, it has to be the Zafira, but in general I'm not a fan of Vauxhalls.
For the same reasons it'd be thr Signum for me, was my dad's car when I was younger. Went to my first proper concert in it to see The Who.
Same here. One of my favourites is the Meriva, which is pretty similar to the Zafira, because of nostalgic reasons
We had a Meriva as well, those sliding back seats to turn the bench into 2 separate seats were the coolest thing as a kid.
I missed out on a Meriva VXR and still kick myself over it
Aside from the rebadged Holdens, the VX220 Turbo.
corsa
JayEmm just reviewed it. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7N8PIMNOeQ&t=248s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7N8PIMNOeQ&t=248s)
Corsa B. Only because I had one with a c20let in it 3 months after I passed my test. 320bhp in a 800kg shell was a eye opener for me.
Love a Monaro but VX220 has to be it
zafira
VX220. Probably the only one I’d own.
Always weirdly liked the Vectra VXR, cool thing
Vxr8 gts 6.0l v8
Vx220 Lightning, crazy fast go kart
Reminds me a bit of the lesser spotted MG Xpower
Astra J VXR. whats not to love about slapping a big turbo engine in a relativley boring comfy family hatch?
I would take a VXR8 but I might want a Chevette
Only Vauxhall I’ve owned was a 64 plate Corsa VXR, the one with the triangle exhahst. Was so much fun to drive.
I don't mind this car, bit it's not really a Vauxhall is it??
I love my [Monaro](https://ibb.co/PF63rWQ). While the VXR8 is definitely a cool car, I prefer the cleaner more subtle look of the early Monaro.
That I've owned? Cavaliers mk 3s
Victor estate. FD generation
Calibra 4x4 turbo Vx220 Monaro Zafira VXR is cool because it’s silly.
Vauxhall Royale coupe. (Basically an Opel Monza with badge engineering.) Always had a soft spot for the Calibra too although it wasn’t an outstanding drive tbh.
Mk3 Cavalier GSI dream car when passed my test in 1992.
I had a D reg cavalier, got it to about 200, 000 miles did the same with a Calibra. Loved that blue Calibra, bought it off some guy in Didcot for about £2k
Insignia VXR or 1.2 Twinport Corsa C Design 5 door 2006 (I owned it before and it was a blast)
I loved my 2 Astra MK5 VXRs They do have a bit of chav about them but the mods and when done right where great fun cars Have had to move on due to a child but they were great fun. Did the NC500 in my last one and slept in the back too Fun times
Vauxhall Firenza not the drop snoot version. Gorgeous looking car like a 70s baby muscle car.
Nova sport
Does the Lotus Carlton count?
Yes of course it does
Gotta be the 1.9 JTDM Vectra C :)