Faults:

Internal plastic plunger on cap for expansion tank has since crumbled - also common fault with Carlton meaning radiator level warning light stays on.

Bizzare fault where door courtesy lights come on all at once or just down either side seemingly at random irrespective of whether or not doors are open.

Central locking can be quirky.

Key/lock worn meaning sometimes undignified wrestles to get key back out of lock..!

Above are minor niggles which will be sorted once I have the time, ie never...

General Comments:

This is an x police wagon.

Excellent visibility for such a large car, rear spoiler shows where the boot finishes for easier parking.

Huge boot and fold down rear seats make this a good load lugger.

Not too good in town - wide boy car not too good for nipping thru tight spaces!

Manual gearbox bit of a drag in stop start traffic, but brilliant on open road.

Need to spend time getting used to powerbands to make most of awesome performance. After 4k rpm, 2nd ram comes into play then things really start happening.

Very capable, comfortable cruiser - quiet and soaks up bumps well.

Handling good for such a heavy car - speed sensitive power steering is weighted well, but feedback from steering not always to my liking - but then again, I'm used to the Manta!

Bought as a donor car for my Opel Manta (engine transplant), but having had it for 3 month & realising it's too good to break have bought a rotten Sennie for the engine and gearbox and other spares to keep this Senator on the road.

Watch for rot on bottom of rear doors and spot welded area above rear arches - road crud accumulates here and inner arches at back high impact areas.

Seems to get fair amount of respect on the road, but not so blatant the spuddy boys give you hassle or the police are always eyeballing you.

Average consumption I get is 27mpg - mixture of city commuting and open road, mostly trolling along with spririted moments. If you're worried about fuel costs why are you reading this???

Faults:

Front oil seal leaking at 186000 miles!

Distributor arm exploded possibly given wrong one by dealer!

General Comments:

Ex Police 3.0 24V manual totally rebuilt in 1999 by a very nice person!

Devastating performance as witnessed by numerous boy racers including one disgruntled Imprezza driver!

Just keeps accelerating when other cars are out of steam 160mph indicated speed no problem!

Bullet proof design!

Faults:

Had the tracking done, stopped the wheel shake.

General Comments:

The best car I ever owned. It looked like the kind of car your grandad would have, the kind of car that from factory should have a tartan blanket and a couple straw hats on the rear parcel shelf. Once you've driven one though it's a differnt story.

I had the 2.6, not the 3 litre version, although mine only had cloth trim and no air-con, I didn't mind leather gets hot in the summer and the air-con rarely works on the old senators nowadays, it was still a pleasure to drive.

I bought the car for my wife, but after a year It was handed down to me. The car never used a drop of oil or water, turn the key it was on the button. The odd thing about the car (probably why I liked it so much was it's almost split personality, as in you could drive this large comfortable car around at 50 or 60 all day long, or hit the sports mode on the gear selector and turn that boy-racer that's been following to close into a blip in your rear-view mirror.

In the time I had the Senator I serviced it every 6000 miles, kept it polished and the only time the hazard lights came on where for it's MOT.

I sold the car thinking I'd get better fuel mileage from a 2 litre cavalier, but there's no difference at all. I now have an Omega Elite 3 litre. It's nice, but not as good as the older Vauxhalls.