Faults:

Lambda sensor at 150000 miles.

New brake disc's and pads on the front. 149000 miles.

General Comments:

Personally I think the Cavalier is an excellent car. It was the perfect rep mobile and now it seems more and more boy racers are getting their mitts on them because of the mod's available and the performance.

My car, which is the ecotec model, has covered 150000 miles and it still feels tight as a drum and pulls well. It's a 1 previous owner car and is immaculate; it's totally standard and could possibly do with updating. The previous owner said that the only problem he had was a head gasket failure at 89000 miles, and apart from regular servicing and maintenance, never had to do anything to it!! Since I've had it I've covered roughly 13.500 miles in about a year and have only replaced the lambda sensor.

I'm told that these will go up to about 125mph, but I don't thrash mine as it serves me well and has been reliable!

The handling is not as good as an Alfa Romeo, but the overall value for money is better by miles. Alfa Romeos are my love affair, but for every day motoring, which is not mundane and boring (sorry Mondeo driver's) this is the car. Definitely a future classic; get one while you can!!

Faults:

Seats are becoming worn.

Starter motor worn.

General Comments:

For a diesel, great, quick above 2600RPM and fuel efficient.

However, wear and tear are setting in very quickly.

Faults:

Nothing other than normal service items.

But I have an intermittent electrical problem. Earlier this year I had an alternator problem, in that the airbag light flickered when pulling away; sure enough alternator was faulty (thanks for the tip who ever left the message on this board).

After replacing it with 3 Vauxhall ones (fault still persisted) it was repaired, then it packed up altogether. Fitted a new alternator, but since then, when you start up from cold, the battery light does not come on and the rev counter does not work unless you blip the throttle, then it works. When car is hot and restarted everything works. Fitted a new battery in October, but still problems persists. Rev counter works off the alternator/turbo? Am I correct? Could it be another alternator?

I realise the car is 12 years old, but there is so much life in her I do not want to sell her. Any ideas where to look?

General Comments:

This car is a dream to drive, economical on diesel, NEVER lets me down, and is worth every penny I bought her for and spent on her since.

It will be a sad day if & when I have to part with here. Why did Vauxhall stop making this car?

Faults:

Cam/Crank sensors replaced 2 times

Lamda Sensor

Idle Control speed valve sticking

Faulty Key (microchip)

Water Pump leaking

Engine often used to cut out for no reason.

General Comments:

What a complete joke in comparison to my 1990 2.0 8v cavaier that I once owned with 160k on the clock and still going well when I made the mistake of getting ride of it!!

A lovely looking car if that's all you wanted to do with it. This Cavalier cost me a fortune and 9 out of 10 times it ended up being taken to a Vauxhall Dealer for repair.

I'm not sure if I had a bad one or what, but in my mind Vauxhall seemed to have lost the plot in the mid 1990's when they introduced the "ECO TEC" engines.

When the thing used to work, it was fast, comfortable drive and good on petrol... but as I say When it used to work. In the end I traded it into a garage with the engine management light!!!

A really nice car completely let down by poor engine management design.