1993 Vauxhall Carlton CDX 2.0 petrol from UK and Ireland
Summary:
I do miss the Carlton
Faults:
Minor cosmetic rust here and there.
Exhaust back box fell off.
Erratic idle - Faulty MAF sensor, replaced very cheap, easy fix.
Central locking was inoperative.
Usual brakes and suspension wear and tear.
Cruise control stopped working at around the 100K mark.
I carried out the oil changes and timing belt as per schedule, never had any engine or gearbox issues.
General Comments:
An excellent car from times gone by. Bullet proof engine and gearbox were its strong points. Minor cosmetics and other annoying issues (that you would get with any car) were its Achilles heel.
Driving one of these is fun even with the auto box; fuel economy was not great at just over 30 MPG, but was acceptable at the time. Performance was decent from the 2.0, but definitely not a fast car, get the 2.6 or 3.0 GSi if you want speed. Avoid the 1.8, it was painfully slow.
The CDX is very well equipped with all the electronics you would expect. The only thing missing was leather, which was available as an option on some models. This car had the most spacious, nicest interior and well laid out controls; I've yet to see better since. On the outside it was good looking in metallic dark blue with the standard multi spoke wheels.
Mines was scrapped at 13 years old and just over 150,000 miles, due to needing too much work to justify keeping it at an MOT, but I found it a very reasonable car for the money, and I had it 6 years and still miss it to this day. Modern cars have come a long way, but there is something I miss about the simplicity and design of cars from the 1980's and 1990's.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 23rd September, 2020
17th Oct 2020, 14:28
They were nice cars from times gone by :) Friend of mine has the 6 cylinder 2.6 Diplomat off the road stored in the garage for years. Nice second car for summer cruising, but has never gotten round to putting it back on the road. If it were me I would love to drive it everyday, but 25 miles per gallon just isn't doable these days.