Faults:

Head gasket needed replacing.

Water pump needed replacing.

Fitted new cam belt as a precaution - as there was no evidence of it ever being replaced!

Boot has damp areas - suspect a leaking seal!

Exhaust needs replacing - baffles worn!

Dash bulb blown - a bug-bear!

Windscreen wipers are poor.

General Comments:

I was surprised how solid, quiet and comfortable the car was to drive. There are no annoying squeaks inside the cabin (not bad for an 8 year old car).

The driver's seat doesn't offer the best comfort - and never feels quite in the right place.

Power is adequate - though not impressive.

Now the repairs are fixed the car drives like new, and will hopefully last me a good few years.

Faults:

Water pump disintegrated at 100,000 miles.

Wipers fell apart at 80,000 miles. Apparently, water drains down the driver's side directly onto the ball joint between the wiper arm and the mechanism, causing the joint to wear and separate.

Locked indicators, caused by a defective hazard warning switch.

Power steering pipes corroded through at 170,000 miles (not cheap).

Electrics can have a mind of their own. Bulbs blow at will, and get an uprated battery when the old one dies.

Exhausts, especially the back box, only last ~25,000 miles. Fork out for a stainless rear, and save in the long run.

Starting to rust a little. Rear wheel arch seams are always the first to go.

General Comments:

125mph and 40-50mpg - pretty good (but not at the same time). Can get 500+ miles from a full tank.

Not a great fan of corners, especially in the wet. Find a motorway, and will cruise all day at little over tickover. Does not like dawdling traffic, as progress can be jerky. This is due to the engine running extremely lean on light throttle openings.

Never actually broken down and left me stranded in 180,000 miles. Regular servicing (including cam belt change) and oil changes mean engine goes on forever, and still on its original clutch.

Generally comfortable and pleasant to drive, although the seats not very supportive.

Faults:

Four weeks after buying the cambelt went. It has been in two garages now, off the road for at least six months. It is still not fixed, nobody wants to work on the engine. Paid £650 for an engine off a scrap dealer, got ripped off. Just had a quote for another engine - £1000, beginning to think is it worth it again? I really think it's a great car, but I do not think I have really had the best out of it yet.

Faults:

Lower ball joint within the first month had to be changed (under warranty). Other than that, a back box last month.

General Comments:

An all round reliable, economical family car. 32mpg round town and 46mpg on a run.

Not a head turner, but if you are looking for something that is going to last, then a Cavalier is the car to go for, especially at today's prices.

Faults:

Abosolutly nothing. It was owned by my Grandparents before me, and it has had no major, or minor faults, Just normal wear and tear.

General Comments:

What can I say. The Cavalier is a truly fantastic car. Not the greatest looker in the world, but it does everything you would expect and more. They are fast and reliable, comfortable, and never fail to surprise passengers. A far better car than the Vectra which followed it up.

The biggest flaw with the 93 model is the lack of alloy wheels and ABS brakes, which came later on.