1994 Vauxhall Carlton CD 2.0i petrol from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Best car I ever had
Faults:
Required a new water pump and alternator at around 100,000 miles.
Locks froze up in winter; had to disable the central locking as it was the only way to open and close the doors if it jammed.
General Comments:
An excellent car and I miss it so much. The 3 years I had it, it proved to be the best all round reliable car I ever had. Apart from the wear and tear mentioned above, and a few cosmetic niggles, this car didn't cause me any problems/breakdowns. Owners of Carltons often say it was the best car they ever had. Mine was already pretty old when I acquired it, but it drove like new.
Performance was adequate from the 2 litre petrol (avoid the 1.8, it was very slow), fuel consumption only averaged 34 MPG, but this was the early 90s remember, so it was acceptable. I've heard the automatic 2 litre version of this car barely gets above 30 MPG, but it's more suited to an auto; this manual version I had didn't feel right on an executive car. With that said, it was an otherwise excellent drive with fine rear wheel drive handling, and a smooth ride. If you are looking for more performance, there were 2.6 and 3.0 straight six engine cars, which I've heard were fast. All were well equipped, with electric windows, leather seats and air con on higher models. The CD version I had was mid-range, but it had air con and cruise control, both of which still worked after 150,000 miles!
So, what more can I say, a great car in its day, and I'd still have one if they still made them. The old cliché is true - they don't make them like they used to. I like and have a more modern car now (BMW 5-series from 2005), but it just doesn't have the charm of the big old Vauxhall.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 26th June, 2015
23rd Aug 2005, 18:59
That's why they're used for taxis.