Faults:

Temperature gauge never worked.

Quite bad brake judder.

Rust on rear wheel arches.

Oil pump failed.

General Comments:

My relationship with my 3rd car didn't start too well when the oil pump failed whilst showing it off to my little brother on the first day I picked it up!

It went back to where I got it from and he duly offered to fit a new one (having a Dad in the police probably helped!).

After this it was a good, reliable bit of kit, and being only 19 when I owned it, was a lot better than most of my mates cars.

Compared to my old BX diesel it felt like a rocket ship, and actually wrongfooted quite a few new rep mobiles at the time, until you came to a corner, when it didn't anymore, but at 0-60 in 9.2 seconds it would annihalate a 2004 Vectra 1.8.

Also the brakes were crap, it drank fuel like the QE2,and the interior always smelled a bit damp, but I'll always have a soft spot for the MK2 Cavalier.

Faults:

The headlight wipers were not working when I purchased the vehicle.

General Comments:

This car comes with all the modern conveniences such as electric windows and electric mirrors.

There is plenty of luggage space in the boot and the cabin is very roomy making it very comfortable for passengers.

However, the pedal arrangement is awful with the brake pedal being at least two inches higher than the accelerator.

The 1.8 injection engine certainly provides a bit of punch though, and the suspension is fairly good.

The engine tends to cut out a few times when starting it on a cold morning.

Faults:

Gearbox made awful noises - replaced for £40 from breakers!

Fuel pump relay burnt out.

General Comments:

No spoilers, no skirts, no splitters, nasty 13" alloys, yet would eat a BMW 320i for breakfast off the line. This car really used to wind people up. Especially when the gearbox died, and I replaced it with a close ratio box out of an SRI.

It had a lovely 1.8 engine, which was sweet and ridiculously punchy for its size. This car was more than a match for 2.0i Sierras, BMW's, Peugeots and the like. Shame it handled like a drunken barge, but what do you want for £400?

Build quality was awesome. Everything worked, nothing squeaked or rattled, and it would cruise along the motorway 5 up at 70 mph in fairly quiet comfort, with bags of power in reserve. It would sail through the MOT every year too.

I'm lucky enough to drive a company car now, and the year-old Peugeot 406 that replaced this car was slower, thirstier, rattlier and less well specced.

You can now buy a decent mk2 Cavalier with a new MOT for a couple of hundred quid. Makes ridiculous amounts of sense at that money, and I reckon to this day, it's the best car Vauxhall ever made!

Faults:

The heater matrix leaked at 100,000 and the clutch cable snapped at 115,000.

That was it.

General Comments:

Absolutely brilliant second-hand buy (£1650 at six-and-a-half years old).

Setting the manual choke was an art form in itself, but apart from suffering from damp once it always started.

British racing beige, so the rust was a compliment. Re-built the wheel arch with a washing machine hose.

Quite fast for only 90bhp. Original clutch and gear box when traded in for generous £250.

Drank oil but never burned any.

Why on earth did I sell it? Fool!

Faults:

Key failed in the ignition and had to be replaced.

General Comments:

Exellent car.

Superb value.

Very fast.

Good build quality, although it lacks some luxury items, ie power steering, central locking etc. Has electric mirrors.