Faults:

E.C.U fault after 1 week of ownership, £300.

Front disc`s and pads @82000 miles, £150.

General servicing, cam belt £60, rotor arm and cap £40, oil and filters.

General Comments:

Excellent sporty saloon, power there through all gears.

Good fuel economy, 30 mpg average.

All the relevant extras are standard.

Sharp handling, but liable to understeer in the wet.

Still an up-to-date engine pushing out 150 hp.

It will carry 4 adults comfortably.

Rear wheel arches susceptible to rust.

Faults:

Petrol tank needed replaced as it had developed a small hole.

Rear wheel bearing needed replacing.

Replaced the timing belt as a precaution.

General Comments:

Excellent fuel efficency. I can almost get 1000 miles on a full tank on a long journey.

Not so good around the town.

Excellent for comfortable long journeys.

Very reliable.

Cost £390. I have added around £250 in repairs.

Faults:

Completely faultless although transfer box was playing up when I traded it in (someone else's problem now!)

General Comments:

I bought this car because it had a gorgeous engine and went like stink. Within a couple of weeks, I realised it had a tenth of the all round ability of my previous Peugeot 405 Mi16, and I regretted buying it.

Although it is quite quick, this is a sports car in badge only. The steering has less feel than an arcade game, and although the grip is okay, it ploughs straight on in corners like a 1.4 L model if you push it too hard. Body control over crests and dips is a joke, and where the 405 would let you balance it on the throttle mid-bend, the Cavalier just wants to plough on everywhere.

If you can afford the insurance, I recommend this car to all 17 year olds. You can toast RS Turbos and the like off the lights, and it looks pretty cool as well. Anyone who wants more from a car than straight-line speed though, and anyone who remotely cares about real handling (and not just grip - there is a difference!) should avoid it like the plague.

Faults:

Water pump packed up at 93,000 miles.

Screen wash motor packed up.

Distributor cap & rotor arm had failed, when tested by breakdown recovery people.

Driver's seat is starting to show signs of wear & tear, but for the age of the car I can't complain really.

General Comments:

Apart from having to replace parts from general wear & tear, this car is very reliable, and lasts forever if looked after. And is still surprisingly quick for its age.

Faults:

Possibly needs a new set of lifters.

Previous owner had a rusted arch problem and a head gasket problem. These were cured when the whole car received a rebuilt engine, clutch, gearbox and re-spray. The car is currently on 16k miles with this engine.

General Comments:

It's by far the best car I have ever owned. In standard trim it is fast, capable and very reliable.

The engine responds well to modifications and stays strong. I estimate my current mods to give about 185bhp+. This sort of power on this engine is enough to worry 90% of the cars you'll encounter on the roads.

With mint GSi's going for under £2000 you won't find a better saloon.

Let's face it, show me a car in standard trim that looks better than the Cavalier GSi. No? Didn't think so.