Faults:

Tyres wore very quickly and had to be replaced three times during 1990 alone.

Stereo packed up after 79,000 miles.

Cut out three times during last six months of ownership.

General Comments:

Overall, the Cavalier was a very reliable car which gave good comfort and strong performance, showing little sign of its advancing mileage and age.

It was a superb bargain at £1,700, when it was six years old. Three years later I traded it in and got a disappointing £500. The next time I passed the forecourt it was up for sale at £700.

Faults:

Interior trim was already crumbling when I bought the car.

Exterior trim began to crumble very quickly within months of buying the car.

Stereo stopped working just a few weeks before I sold the car.

Broke down as its new owner was collecting it.

General Comments:

I forked out £1,400 for an eight year old Cavalier 1600 L in 1990. It was a dream to drive and gave me comfortable, reliable and inexpensive motoring for two years. The only downsides were its flimsy build quality and the fact that its stereo packed up during my last few weeks of ownership.

I sold it for £800 in 1992 and as the new owner was driving it home it broke down. But I already knew the owner and saw him quite often.

He kept it for three years and it gave him excellent motoring until it finally blew a head gasket and headed for the scrapyard.