Magic little car, lots of fun for not so much money, NICE!!!
Not very much apart from being an old engine and the amount of miles, I would say what has gone wrong is pretty common.
I loved my little Nova until I wrapped it around someone's garden fence and ended up outside their living room window.
Good cars for little money. Nippy and fun.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th December, 2000
A young modifiers' dream!!!
The car needed a new petrol tank because the car didn't register any petrol when it had a full tank, and it never started in the mornings when it was cold.
The petrol gauge itself went, and needed a good thump on the dashboard to get it working again!
The car is a brilliant little car to choose to modify, the reason I've got one, they are cheap to run, and parts fit from all the other models in the range, i.e the GTE front bumper will easily fit onto an SR.
I've got the car lowered by 60mm with GMAX springs, and got 14" alloys on it, soon to be 15" alloys.
The handling is OK, but the suspension is a bit hard to say the least.
Overall I'm very pleased with the car, it's my second Nova, after my first one got traded in against my other car, a Citroen Saxo.
That was a J-Reg 1.2 Saloon which drove like a dream.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 13th November, 2000
Great sporty first car!!
Broken radio and aerial. Just little things.
I'm lucky enough to have found a 1.0 SRi replica. Well happy with the car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 18th May, 2000
Everything, but that's because the car has been rebuilt from a rotten 1.2 shell. So basically everything is off an '88 GTE. (except engine & box, rear brakes & roll bars) Just had a 'new floor' welded in from another Nova. Stolen twice, broken into once. Brakes are poor.
Excellent car, be it a first car, or modified machine. Cheap to run and insure. Common faults: rusty rear arches & faulty petrol gauge on early models, blue exhaust smoke on higher mileage, faulty auto choke on 32/34 SR carbs. If buying new alloy wheels they must have an offset of 49mm (47 at least) to prevent poor handling, premature wear.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 13th September, 1998
Outer sills, trackend ball joint p/s, new battery, tyres, p/s head lamp, oil filters, new head and most of the usual odd problems.
Has to be the best small cars of its type. Nova's have the STYLE and CHARACTER of a EXCELLENT car.
I wouldn't sell it for all the TEA IN CHINA.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 26th July, 1998
Front shocks and springs, front brake discs, new tail gate - due to rust along bottom edge of rear window - £20 from scrap yard.
New battery, a few dashboard bulbs (quite normal for most Vauxhalls), new clock, new door armrest, mostly little things due to age. Other rusty bits such as bottom of doors, rear wheel arches and front valance, all easily repaired though.
May need new outer sill for next M.O.T. test.
This is my second car which I bought as a run around as my other car, a 1976 Cortina is being restored, and now I'm hooked. I just love the Nova, it's not the quickest of cars, but still good for a 1.2, and quicker than the newer 1.2 injection, the carb version has 10 P.S more!
I would definately recomend a Nova to anyone who wants a cheap to buy, cheap to run, fun to drive little hatch.
With a bit of cash, you'll soon having your 1.2 looking like an SR or a GTE.
Definitely needs wider wheels though!
Older ones are more Fun!!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 31st May, 1998