1980 Holden Gemini SL 5.7 Chevrolet from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

I just love it, and the way it turns heads just gives me satisfaction that I did well building it

Faults:

I broke an axle and had a nut work loose on the dizzy rotor, and damaged the internals.

General Comments:

I wouldn't say it handles like it's on rails, but it turns pretty good, and yes it's extremely quick.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st July, 2001

13th Aug 2001, 10:09

Mate, had a look at the web page, this car is unreal.

1980 Holden Gemini TE 1.6 petrol from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

The car handled and drove like a dream, but its reliability to run %100 all the time was an issue

Faults:

First the motor started blowing smoke, which required a rebuild including bearings, rings, and gaskets.

The boot started to rust out.

The differential housing bent, with no apparent accident to cause it.

The water pump stopped circulating water which in turn blew the radiator.

After replacing the radiator, thermostat, water pump, and flushing the motor, the head gasket blew.

The head then cracked.

General Comments:

This Gemini handled really well, and drove fantastically when it was working.

Even when the differential housing was bent it was hardly noticeable in the steering, only in the tyre wear.

I had a custom 2 1/2 inch sports exhaust fitted, and this made the car run a little hotter, which gave better fuel economy.

Even with a cracked head, and water pouring out of the exhaust pipe, the car would still start up, though it would not go fast.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 6th July, 2001

1980 Holden Gemini SL 1.6 petrol from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Unbeatable for cult appeal

Faults:

Rust in the boot floor, doors and rear quarter panels.

Window seals have perished to the point where they let water in.

Usual mechanical problems with a 21 year old car!!

General Comments:

The easiest car to fix ever, with parts available at the corner store. Everyone you know has either owned one or was driven around in one when they were a kid.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th April, 2001

1980 Holden Gemini TE 1.6 petrol, 4 cylinder from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Best car ever. It's awesome

Faults:

Rust in the boot floor and around the back window. Boot leaks when rains.

Head gasket has gone as well as leads and corrosion in the radiator.

General Comments:

I love it.

The best and tidest Gemini ever, like new. It has been well looked after.

Takes a bit to get going, but she flies once she's on a roll.

Interior is fantastic.

Nice and comfortable.

Love giving it a good spin.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th April, 2001

1980 Holden Gemini SL 1.6 SOHC from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Great 1st car

Faults:

Rust in the engine bay.

Radiator thermostat screwed.

Indicator relay died.

Piston rings need replacing.

General Comments:

Excellent 1st car.

Not much guts, but a good project to fix up the motor.

It's great fun finding a roundabout in the wet and flicking the ass of the car out and holding it in a slide all the way round.

If you don't get off the go pedal at the right time, it understeers to the maximum.

Cramped interior.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th March, 2001

18th Mar 2001, 23:10

Yes, the Gemini doesn't like 5 people in it at once. It is slow with a full load, and the passengers aren't exactly comfortable.

4th Apr 2001, 22:44

Gemini's rock! I'm an owner of a TE and I love getting it sideways around corners especially in the wet

You should of seen the smoke show I put on the other day in front of school. I got expelled.

8th May 2001, 05:26

I love going around corners in the wet, dropping it back to 2nd, pulling on the handbrake for a moment to get the back sliding, then bring the revs up and drop it. You can hold it sideways for so long. Be careful, I put my Gemini into the gutter and nearly rolled it learning this!

17th Jun 2001, 07:06

Ah the memories! The old TG Gemini was indeed a real blast in the wet, and it was tons of fun on the gravel too!

1980 Holden Gemini TE 1.6 sohc 4 cylinder from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

A good first car

Faults:

Boot floor rusted.

Leaked out of every door and both front and rear windcreens.

Differential and gearbox are on their last legs.

General Comments:

A rough and unrefined, but economical and thrashable first car. It's cheap to run and cheap to buy.

Mine was an already very thrashed example but continued to run and never left me stranded except at home where it had trouble starting on cold mornings. These were its good points but

I hated the car and thought the bad outweighed the good.

The terribly designed, simple live rear axle setup gives a jerky, bouncy and uncomfortable ride.

The 1.6 with only 50 kilowatts and a 19.5kg/kw power to weight ratio leaves a lot to be desired. I always felt in the way of the other cars behind me when the traffic lights went green despite using all five forward gears.

Other inadequacies of the car included the inadequate heater, lack of sound insulation, pedals too close to the steering wheel, early brake fade, I could go on but what do you expect for a 2 grand car?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd January, 2001

4th Apr 2001, 22:33

I am a recent owner of a Gemini TE. I am 17 and have owned my Gemi for about three months. I think they are an awesome little car.

8th May 2001, 05:30

I'm 17 and I got my aunties old TE Gemini. Of course it's going to seem poorly designed and uncomfortable and gutless - because it was made 20 years ago, you can't compare it to a new car, compare it to an old datto 1200. I know which I'd rather have.

12th May 2001, 05:01

Nah, TE/F/G's did have 49KW, TX/C/D had 61Kw.

31st Aug 2002, 08:13

Rough, unrefined, and jerky suspension from the single rear axle? I'd suggest you bought a poorly maintained vehicle in the first place.

I recently drove a late model Lancer (all the rage with the younger set), and there is no way it handled as well as the old Gemini. Granted, the sound insulation on old cars is nowhere near as good as on new cars, but in all other respects, the Gemini still holds up well against a modern car, especially in the hip pocket.