1993 Vauxhall Senator CD 3.0 24v from UK and Ireland

Summary:

High performance, luxurious, cheap to buy, gas guzzler

Faults:

I think the gear box is beginning to show wear as judders on hard exceleration.

Recently replaced water pump.

General Comments:

Considering it's mileage this car is surprisingly sound, drivers seat showing minor wear (leather) which is strange as I have seen cars with a lot less miles with tattier interiors. body work is also remarkably good. the quality of these cars is so variable.

Performance is very good, it just keeps going.

Replacement suspension (for Carlton GSI units I suspect) has made the car firmer than it would have been originally.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 27th April, 2002

3rd Sep 2002, 02:30

I noted on your review for your Senator you called it a "Gas Guzzler", what kind of MPG where you expecting from a 3 litre 24 valve engine?

1993 Vauxhall Senator CD 24V 3.0 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Excellent value and easy to service

Faults:

Driver's heated seat not working.

General Comments:

The senator is a car which has all the right ingredients for a powerful cruiser, and the 24v variant is really potent. Although horses are not crammed under the bonnet, there is a hell of a lot of torque, which means that the car just goes on up to 150mph easily.

Just make sure the engine oil, transmission fluid and final drive fluid are checked every 10,000 miles and you're laughing.

If the car seems to surge forward when accelerating, check that the suspension is not on C (comfort) as this makes the car rock back and forth, giving the sensation to the driver that the car is surging forward.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th March, 2001

1993 Vauxhall Senator CD 3.0 24v petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

An expensive badly built load of junk

Faults:

Timing belt broke, leaving me stranded.

Auto transmission (twice) at vast expense.

Cylinder head gasket.

Myriad of minor electrical faults including stereo, central locking, dashboard lights etc.

General Comments:

Lovely when it works, costs an arm and a leg when it goes wrong.

Does 35+ mpg on a motorway.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 26th November, 2000

29th Mar 2001, 15:21

I acquired my 1990 24v cdi in April 1996. For 2.5 years I had nothing go wrong on it at all. It was really superb and king of the road. 130mph on M5 with loads to spare! However, in 1998, things started to go wrong. admit my timing chain / belt snapped and caused me to have recon engine at 146k which was disappointing. I then stupidly overheated it by leaving rad. cap off (LED dash was difficult to read in sunlight!) and cooked the head so by then it was getting expensive. In addition, I had to have a completely reconditioned gearbox. In summary, a great car but be prepared to spend if things go wrong!!!I still have the beast on the driveway but have bought a 1.9TD Xantia which is very economical but too sensible by half! I plan to give the Senator a blast this summer so watch out drivers in SW!

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1993 Vauxhall Senator Ex-police car 3.0 24v petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

The best car I have ever had in 40 years

Faults:

One or two dashboard-switch lights have blown bulbs.

The bonnet release jammed whilst the car stood for six months before I bought it.

The back exhaust box has started to blow.

Not a lot, really...

General Comments:

This car is magnificent. It has been rebuilt and refurbished from the ground up and is immaculate, but being ex-police it lacks cruise control, air conditioning, electric sunroof and three-position adjustable suspension (all expensive if they go wrong).

PERFORMANCE - the car is a close cousin to a ballistic missile and it sticks to the road like glue, despite the Chinese tyres currently fitted.

ECONOMY - well, it uses no more fuel overall than did the 1.6 Cavalier which it replaced.

WARNING - the Vauxhall main dealer could not work out which distributor cap to sell me for it. Avoid main dealers like the plague if you have a Senator. I use a renowned expert on Vauxhall Senators (Paul Spence on 0850 693141) who knows them like the back of his hand.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th November, 2000