The Vauxhall Cavalier Mk3 Was The 1980s Rep Car Favourite! (1989 2.0 CDi Road Test)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ต.ค. 2024
- WIN With Lancaster Insurance: bit.ly/3Gk3gzS
Vauxhall couldn't quite square up to Ford's all-new Sierra in the fleet market with their existing Mk2 Cavalier. The Mk3 was a far more modern proposition that put the Griffin on top, Jeff and Joe reckon it could be the perfect daily classic!
Thanks to WB & Sons for loan of this car: wbandsons.com/
Proudly supported by Lancaster Insurance - get a quote on YOUR classic car insurance here: www.lancasteri...
Music -
• Freedom Trail Studio - Amazement: • Video
Classics World is a family of brands that includes ten classic publications plus many souvenir bookazines. Check out great offers on these and more on shop.kelsey.co...
More classic car news and reviews online. Stay up to date with our weekly newsletter - register today at classicsworld....
• Facebook: / classicsworlduk
• Instagram: @classicsworlduk
• Twitter: @ClassicsWorldUK
All content on this channel is - unless otherwise stated - the opinion of the given party and any offence caused is severely apologised for. Any and all third-party content is credited and referenced to the best of our ability and all externally-created content is entirely the legal property of its original and rightful owner/s. All rights respected. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Good review guys. I bought a 1993 facelift 1.8LS auto in 1994 as the family car and it served us very well until 2005. I stuck in my garage with the aim of getting it back on the road. 18 years later (!!!) I'm pleased to say that I have and I will say that it still is a joy to drive and easily holds its own in modern traffic. As you say a very practical modern day classic.
Well said!
Superb car, as a child I always used to be envious of my neighbours G Plate Cavalier CDi because it had electric windows all round whereas my Dads Mondeo GLX only had them in the front...
Like my mates with me. I was the bees knees because my dad went out and brought a “SRI” spec. He came back in it and I was chuffed too bits my dad had got the best car in our cul de sac😂 my mum wasn’t best pleased saying how we going too afford that, remember this was the days of joy riding so car insurance was ridiculous, but my dad managed to get it insured through his company he worked for somehow and got it way cheaper, but it was my dads pride and joy. When it was just me and my dad he would search around for XR2s and XR3s too race or Peugeot GTi’s especially at drag race from the red lights, back then everyone seemed up for it. Quick rev of the engine, the other guy would rev back and it was game on and I’d sit there hairs on my legs standing up, he say “ get ready son” 😂 and boom off we’d go. Now he could usually beat the XR2s and XR3s because they were twin carb fed so not as quick as his fuel injected SRI, but the Peugeots were a different ball game because they were fuel injected, especially the 205 1.9 gti they were quick even by todays Standards, 130bhp in a car that small? Just insane power too weight ratio, and the Escort R.S Turbo he’d never race them because they did go like the clappers. But all fun non the less. Growing up in the 1980s was a truly blessed time. Then Christopher Beaumonts dad brought a Citron B.X fuel injected GTi, he lived opposite, obviously too match my dad. He knocked our door said “come and have a look at my new car John, look on my dads face, he no longer had the fastest car in the cul de sac lol, and could Chris’s dad see it on my dads face🤣 Tbf my dad congratulated him and said to him it’s a lovely car. Then at the bottom of the road where Kerry Dolloway lived in the biggest house her dad was a high up manager at British Gas (remember them)? Who brought a Sierra Sapphire Cosworth? Too dump on everyone? Yep her dad did. She came too school Monday with photos of it showing everyone “my dads got a Cosworth. No one could match or afford one of them. It was like battle of the sports cars on our estate, like urban 80s top Gear😂 he rocked up the following Saturday took my dad and Chris’s dad out for a ride in it. they got out and and looked at each other in disbelief of obviously how fast it was. My dad said it’s like a missile it goes that fast. Sorry too waffle on but I remember all this like it was yesterday. After all the 80s was the fast car decade.
@@matty6848 Don't apologise! I adore stories like that, I always love hearing the memories that people attach to cars! A Cavalier SRi is still a lovely thing
@@kieranwhite6647 thanks Kieran🙂👍🏻
I had a MK3 Cavalier V6 GLS as a company car . I was amazed how much I liked it, having been used to and loved my Alfas and Golf GTi. It was surprisingly competent and nice to drive. I was sorry to see it go.
I had 7 cavaliers in a row they were absolutely brilliant cars
Loved all my cavaliers in the 90s, I also had a silver GSi 2000, lovely engine.
Cavalier mk2 and particularly the mk3 were great cars. Still amazes me how cars produced in the millions can disappear off our roads so quickly.
They all fell apart, trust me, I had one
@@MisticDW Probably a certain amount of truth in that, but I suspect the scrappage scheme was what did for most of them. Loads of once common cars seemed to disappear overnight while that was going on.
@@robblair3703 in our part of the world too I am amazed that a car model that is seen in thousands one year, is almost rarely seen the next year!
Bloody brilliant car.
As a biker, I was impressed by how well you could see. So comfortable, cruised well, would eat up the miles and spit them out.
But like all Vauxhalls at the time a certain "journalist" who happened to be in the pocket of Ford slagged them off at every opportunity.
Loaned mine to my brother for a drive to Newcastle, and much as I loved playing silly buggers in his Land Rover, I missed my Errol.
His next car was a Vauxhall...
I was working for a leasing company when the Mk3 was launched and the demand was such there was a waiting list (usual now, but not back then) as it ran rings around the Sierra which was looking and feeling a bit tired, especially in the engine department. A colleague insisted on trying the not trap electric windows that would stop when it met some resistance.. sadly he found out the hard way that the first cars had a fault and it wasn't operating correctly..
I used to have one of these,mine was a 2.0 cdi auto,g reg,went like a rocket once I pushed the sport button,still miss it,was one of the best cars I ever had
When these first came out my dad used to be a driver for the local Vauxhall garage and he delivered the first mk3 cavalier they ever sold which was an F reg metallic red 2.0i CD 4door to a natwest bank manager
I used to go to the garage with him on my school holidays and i used to help him remove the radio's and book packs at the compound when they were delivered on the transporter.... nova/astra/cavalier/carlton/senator and bedford astra astramax and midivans 😁
I remember when they were brand new (before the techs PDI'd them they used to stink when the wax from the factory used to burn of from under the car and smoke like a chimney 😉
My friend had one of the earliest as a company vehicle . The interior was astonishing and much quieter than the mk2.
I learned to drive in my dad's 1990 hatchback. He later got a 2001 Astra hatchback, when the engine in the Cav conked out and he could not find a replacement from the scrap yard. I felt the Cavelier drove better, and I liked the longer gear travel.
I had 4 SRi's in a row as company cars between 1989 and 1993. Absolutely loved those cars.
I had a H plate SRi (130) in 1995 and loved that car, the same colour as yours. I think the CDi had interior wood effect trim and headlamp washers over the GL and SR models and not much else (maybe rear electric windows too, can't remember if the SRi had those, it may have had headlamp wipers too).
My Dad had another early Mk3; a 2.0 GLi saloon in Aubergine - half similar rego too: F400 VEL
Bournemouth registered “EL” plate
Correct! Grand Parade Motors in Poole sold it to Dad.
@@andybrook1585 wow ! Almost next door to Hollywood bowl then dealer still there now Eden vauxhall
I have mate who lives in wills road which is right behind there across the railway line and I go to his place after bike nights most Tuesdays in summer
Brilliant cars I had 3 the best one was my GLS I still get a tear in my eye when I think how happy we was together ❤ foolishly we parted as my head was turned by a vectra big mistake one I regret to this day 😭
Nice little review, great cars I have the 2.0 mated to a Automatic gearbox, not my first choice but a good box all the same great car that still get great MPG on a run even by today’s standards.
Remember my dad brought the Cavalier SRI in white and I thought it was the bees knees. I remember knocking on my mates doors, so I could drag them too mine so they could look at my dads new sports car a “ SRI” where as most of my mates dads had boring Montegos, box standard Astras, or weird Citroens with the pump up suspension which was pretty cool, my dad had a proper fast car. Tbf it was pretty quick.when it was just me and my dad without mum my dad would look for XR2’s, XR3’s or Peugeot GTi’s too race. However he would always give the Escort R.S turbo a wide birth because he knew they blow him away😂 and I remember back in the 80s anyone in a sports SRi or GTi they were always up for a race, especially a drag race from the red lights. Can’t do it now, too many speed cameras about😏
Remember the Mk 3 Cavalier at launch at the N.E.C Motor Show I was there aged 14 great shape lovely top range CD model
A now defunct church I was involved in during the 90`s used to buy used MK3 Cavaliers to use as church cars as they called them. They`d buy ex company cars often with over 100,000 miles on the clock when replaced after 5 years or so they`d often have over 200,000 miles on the clock still with the original engine !
Impressive!
Had a few mk3 cavalier cars, they were ace motors, capable of crazy miles without trouble. Super reliable cars.
My father had a taxi company & had three of these in diesel form. 1.7td all three of them did 300000 miles with no major issues, regular serviced help them.
The Isuzu 1.7 was bomb proof great cars and great engines
Love it - had one back in the day and 3 mark 2's. I have been looking for a decent Cav at reasonable money for a while, but not a lot around, so settled on a 36k mile 1996 Vectra B instead. Another Great vid as well
I remember this shape well. The diesel ones always got used as minicabs and I remember them clocking around 300k. They just kept going 👌🏻
Durable cars for sure!
@@ClassicsWorldUK I don't know when it comes to durability I have never seen any car take the punishment them 8Vs would every single day
And I have killed a lot of cars without crashing started buying the 8Vs and the car would fall to bit first because of lack of heavy maintenance with running gear ect but then engines where bullet proof
I once drove one of the 8Vs around for two whole hours in only second gear to see if it would die I had not tyres left and it wanted more
I missed seeing these on the roads
Had a red 1990 Sri hatch . Really loved that car . It was a bruiser !
You have 4 elec windows, all one touch up and down (and closure from key). How many cars today can claim that ?
Most
the mkii Cavalier/Vectra A was launched at the same time as the mkii Carina II and the mkiii 626 (GD as far as I remember) and sold almost as good as the two japanese rivals over here in Denmark which was surprising could there be a test drive video on the 2 japanese cars if possible?
Vectra B Sti and a non turbo diesel were on the fleet when i joined NCR as a placement student. The SRi was fantastic, flat diesel was shocking
The company I started working for in 1989 had a load of Cavaliers in the fleet. I don't remember any 2.0 CDi's though. They were all 1.6 L's. I wasn't even that lucky. My company set of wheels back then was a Mk4 Escort 1.3L, in which I eventually did 152,000 miles!
That's impressive mileage in a Mk3 Escort, Sid! 💪🏻
@@ClassicsWorldUK I took it on holiday to the Black Forest in 1992. On the way home I clocked 100,000 miles while doing 100mph on the Autobahn somewhere near Cologne. I wouldn't recommend trying it!
“ The Mk2 Cavalier up against the more aerodynamic Sierra, it was never going to win. “
I have to disagree with you here, chaps. It did win and it won big time against the early Sierras. It massively increased Vauxhall’s fleet sales in the early 80s whereas the then new Sierra was a bit of a sales flop for Ford.
Apart from that, great video. ☑️
Why wasn’t there an estate version of the Mk3 Cavalier, and even though there were plans for an estate model exclusively for Europe, why didn’t these plans materialise?
Had exact model in blue.excellant car p.x it for another excellent car mg Montego 2.0 efi. Loved both however had a ford sierra and hated it used more oil than Petrol.!!! Would buy another cavalier or Montego both great cars.
Nice car 🚘🚙🚗👍👍👍👍👍👍
I might buy a Opel Vectra A, because my gramps had one before he passed away.
In mid 90s I was a vauxhall sales exec and I took in part exchange a 1990 H Rembrandt silver CDi saloon auto ( same or similar colour to one in video which may have been platinum silver on the F plate ) it had only 36k on clock I loved it offered strong Binet to do the deal and bought that car myself H898YAM
Kept until 2000 when had left Vauxhall but got 1st it 3 calibra’s an SE8 97 p with 88k on in just over 2 years P696MOK
Miss them all a real sweet spot late 90s through till end of Vectra B
Offered strong money that meant to be for part exchange .. auto correct !!
Hi, Just read your comment and i saw your reg number of P696MOK...
Small coincidence, In 1997 i purchased a brand new CORSA1.2 LS 3dr in atlantis blue (V-grill) from a salesman called Trevor hollies nick named (tricky trev whom unfortunately is no longer with us and neither is the dealership) of (Appleyards Vauxhall) Stafford st' Dudley and the reg number was R92MOK??
Is it possible that your car was originally supplied from the same garage as mine??
Also i had 2x mk3 cavs the 1 was flame red 1.6LS 5DR with an irmascher body kit (L472KET)
and the other was nautilous green 4dr SRi Cavalier ecotec with v6 "blade alloys"
reg-M24KON and it seems to be still around (DVLA) check.
that one was supplied new from ADAMS OF TIPTON VAUXHALL.
My question is does any of the above names of garages and sales guys ring any bells or memories?
Many thanx.
@@BlueSky-ec7wn hi my calibra SE8 was bought from a trade centre in Bristol as was ex fleet car at 3 yrs old had almost 90k on clock and that was 22 years ago so I can’t honestly recall what dealer was originally supplied from though did have FSH
@@elvetwilliams9013 oh i see well thanx for answering my question👍
On a humorous note: i remember as a young lad they used to say there is only one 1.6 astravan that is quicker and that was the 1.6 ASTRAMAX 😅
Thanx again.
The CD was the top trim at the time. I remember the steering being heavy.
My dad had the 16v Diplomat. Absolutely loved that car. Gutted they all got scrapped because of that idiotic scrapping scheme
Not for me, my boss had one as a company car kept forever breaking down and was an awful drive.
Great cars I had 5 altogether two Sris two Gsi 2000s and and 2.0 cdi to like hens teeth now.
I love them 8Vs you could torture them daily
Certainly wasn't my favourite company car, switches all over the place and all different types - bizarre! My first new company car was a 1987 Ford Sierra 1.6GL in that old terracotta red, we all had the Alcatel mobile phones fitted that year. I think I did about 145K miles in 3-4 years and the only issue was a fuel lift pump at about 120K miles. I've never had a Ford let me down!
I had a mark 2 and a mark 3 cav
I loved my mk3,s but i prefer my mk2 1.8 sri i had it was quicker than the 2,0 mk3 .
I thought it was more 1990s ..my uncle had 2
I always preferred the Sierra, only really for the link to the Cosworth, XR4I & XR4X4. But the Cavalier was a much better car...
Nice rebadged Opel
I had one of these, it was manure
90s more like
89 on a F reg
Reps favourite with no estate in the range? hmm.
Thats a carlton not a cavalier
Mk3 cavalier was 1990s
89 on a F reg
@@rayaspo4893 88-95 is mostly a 90s car
I was never a Vauxhall man I always drove fords . Always prefer the Ford Sierra during this period