MIssed out on a Senator 24v on eBay a couple of weeks ago...... Was a K plate with 120000 miles but with stamped history as a company car given to the bloke selling it when he retired and he put on another 20000 miles since 1996.
So one owner from new! I was prepared to go to £1000, as it was absolutely top spec and manual. But it went for £1700 in the end.
@Cookiefan1876 check the reg was actually on a vauxhall at that time. Seem the reg was transfered to something else.... Doesnt mean the senator was either on the road or not... Just means it hasnt retained that reg...
@NikiDaDude Citroen XM!! I,ve not seen one of those in years, I would go for a Ford Scorpio/Granada 2.9 24v, Cossy engine, The Senator was a good car, my dad had one new in 1986 on a C reg, and i remember it was a fast car on the motorway.
i have this car and i fucking love it, it's a thunder, powerfull, comfortable, sounds sick, and has a extremely good maneuverability for a 5 meter long berline. Top of his time, and a very good car even nowadays.
It is truly a good car, once had a 12v Opel Senator, sold it and now I feel it was the stupidest thing to do, same was said by a friend who also sold his 12v Senator. So if I ever find a 24v Senator i will surely buy one, drive it in the weekends...
Absolutely love it. Definitely one of my fav cars ever. Dont see many around here unfortunately but if i do, i just stare and stare and stare in delight. Driving my Cav makes me feel closer to the Senator too.
I got one of these as a spares car just for the engine, for a monza. Have since decided to do the car up,its a white manual no electrics no aircon 100k ,and since bought another one for spares,presently running a v6 omega so looking forward to getting the senny on the road..
This truly was a great car that was far more refined than a Granada and far more reliable than a Rover 800. It offered Mercedes like performance and reliability for far less money, but, of course, having a Vauxhall badge saw it ignored by the badge snobs even if it was great value and excellent to drive.
Its so not an Holden, cause your Holden is a shameless ripoff of the Senator, just look when the Senator was produced and then look at your ossie bushwasher, when they started producing, you ossies never get it that without the germans and the americans you would still drive around in postboxes!
Ha! I had one of these - my favourite car ever!!!! It was plenty quick for a cruiser, and when the exhaust had a hole in it the old girl sounded like a chieftan tank.
Amazing to think that you can pick a decent one up for less than a grand.
this is a shocking lookin version of the senator must check the holden senator for a look at what they really should be v8 standard, climate control, stackers, factory subs, leather and all the extra fun parts
@paterson022 - come on! Straight-sixes are better than V8s (usually just as powerful, smoother and more refined thanks to inherently balanced primary and secondary moments, better noise, better fuel consumption). The V8 is a dinosaur - lovely in many respects, but not as good as a straight-six.
Opel is the euroversion or the LHD versions and vauxhalls are the RHD british version and Holden is mostly the australian version..and to be presice they are all under the now poor GM. But it keeps the expenses down. So correct me if I'm wrong but I think they're all Opels with different badges(vauxhall & opel that is,holden is a different company)
Here in Finland we still do have them quite a few :) thinking about it, I'd like to buy the 4.0 irmscher version,bit on the expensive side, but even more I'd like to have a Manta :D
Not so, fella. I had a Carlton CDX estate fitted with the dual ram 2.6 6 cylinder that was still going strong after racking up 172000 miles. The MK1 Carlton 1.8 I had before that did 136000 miles before the rust bugs ate it.
Its a shame a lot of these have now been scrapped after the senator vauxhall gave up building decent cars .Vauxhalls v6 is rubbish compared to the tough as hell straight 6 .I have sat in a few police senators after being pulled over for routine checks.
My uncle had a 24v manual in white. You seen alot of people looking in there mirrors alot when you where behind there. we got 154mph (+10bhp) out of it with the afm tuned
My parents had one of these in the mid 90's, they both really liked it. I thought it was a fantastic car. My dad used to love the sport mode on the auto transmission. The glovebox was a fridge too!
I own a 3.0 24v manual, its now retired to a life of sunshine in lanzarote, it is as new condition and i absolutely love it, every time i have a s*** day i just jump in, and give it a caning round the island. any1 who has driven know the truth, thank you opel its really the worlds best kept secret!!
As a serving traffic police officer of some years the senator was a first class patrol car. Fast reliable safe handling, wonderful straight six engine and rear wheel drive.The best police car ever for my money. Far better than the Omega that replaced it.
Its funny you should say that, I was talking to a Traffic officer recently and he said basically the same thing. He ranked the Senator first, The Rover SD1 Vitesse and then the 5 series BMW. His current ride, the Omega, didn't even feature. When I asked about the new V6 Vectras that Derbyshire police are starting to use, he just laughed!
The V6 Vectras sound nice and are fine in a straight line but as soon as you show it a bend it waves the white flag! A lot of forces are tied into very lengthy contracts to buy vauxhalls and are only allowed a small percentage of other vehicles and only a fraction of those are allowed to be "marked up". We've got a few ST220's and my colleagues really rate them.Not the quickest thing off the mark but stir them up they're great and they stick to the road like s"*& to a blanket !.
I agree, i used have an 1989 f-reg 3.0i CD 12v and it had done 197,000miles and it still drove really nicely and it was very quick, i even believe that it was an ex-unmarkered police car, It was fantastic! I loved it! :-)
that car is massive compared to other saloons, looks ugly though
DLongmuir16 2 hours ago
There were some rumors about Opel Senator C (rebadget Saab 9-5), but still nothing...
It is sad that Opel doesn't produce anymore luxury class cars...
dragonny4master 2 months ago
OPEL , another great manifacturer...European, sure.
magimicsss 5 months ago
crap cars, handle like a pig in the wet, headlights like candles in brown bottles, lethal in the wrong hands...
badgern100 5 months ago
god quentin was annoying rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrolllllling the letter r all the time
00kirbyd 5 months ago
The 3.0l 24V engine was brilliant and had a great sound
jey2010 6 months ago
MIssed out on a Senator 24v on eBay a couple of weeks ago...... Was a K plate with 120000 miles but with stamped history as a company car given to the bloke selling it when he retired and he put on another 20000 miles since 1996.
So one owner from new! I was prepared to go to £1000, as it was absolutely top spec and manual. But it went for £1700 in the end.
TheYorkMan 6 months ago
Granada scorpio ?you having a laugh,rust buckets,vauxhall engine was fantastic,economical and quick.
MrT9alizee 7 months ago
@Cookiefan1876 horrible looking car
kenjoje 1 year ago
Lets get this straight tats fifth gear not Top Gear
Paddyza1403rwd 1 year ago
@Paddyza1403rwd You idiot, go google Top gear.
Ottoplemeniti 1 year ago
@Paddyza1403rwd it's "Old Top Gear"
TheDirector17 1 year ago
lol the manuals are to quick! manual is the only way to go then!
DB1410 1 year ago
@Cookiefan1876 It's J781 NFP, and it's off the road, too. Last liability was 2005.
davek12 1 year ago
@Cookiefan1876 check the reg was actually on a vauxhall at that time. Seem the reg was transfered to something else.... Doesnt mean the senator was either on the road or not... Just means it hasnt retained that reg...
retrowagen1234 1 year ago
opel senator its a shit
ILOVEFIATBRAVA 1 year ago
@ILOVEFIATBRAVA your a shit
rekord20se 7 months ago
@Cookiefan1876
I think you need to check your database mate,... a 1.6 engine in a Senator???
LukeJonesInFlames 1 year ago 4
It might have been a good machine, but its so faceless and forgettable, such a bland car :(
By the way did it rust away like other Opels before 1996? I'd rather have a Citroen XM.
NikiDaDude 1 year ago
@NikiDaDude Wow, this is ironic, since the same car was sold in Australia as the Holden Commodore!
silac1993 1 year ago
@NikiDaDude Citroen XM!! I,ve not seen one of those in years, I would go for a Ford Scorpio/Granada 2.9 24v, Cossy engine, The Senator was a good car, my dad had one new in 1986 on a C reg, and i remember it was a fast car on the motorway.
WAYNE1977100 1 year ago
not even ford sierra cosworth could escape this
mitanka78 1 year ago
i have this car and i fucking love it, it's a thunder, powerfull, comfortable, sounds sick, and has a extremely good maneuverability for a 5 meter long berline. Top of his time, and a very good car even nowadays.
ComandanteJ 1 year ago
It is truly a good car, once had a 12v Opel Senator, sold it and now I feel it was the stupidest thing to do, same was said by a friend who also sold his 12v Senator. So if I ever find a 24v Senator i will surely buy one, drive it in the weekends...
WolfDog375 1 year ago
I just bought one of these yesterday for £450, its fast becoming one of the best cars ive owned, i love it!
PatrickIngham21 2 years ago
they are so comfy and fast but rust on arches buggered mine
afertyus1000 1 year ago
minty has one of these
SKnight2208 2 years ago
Absolutely love it. Definitely one of my fav cars ever. Dont see many around here unfortunately but if i do, i just stare and stare and stare in delight. Driving my Cav makes me feel closer to the Senator too.
Eagle1ZX 2 years ago
I got one of these as a spares car just for the engine, for a monza. Have since decided to do the car up,its a white manual no electrics no aircon 100k ,and since bought another one for spares,presently running a v6 omega so looking forward to getting the senny on the road..
cookybrooky 2 years ago
This truly was a great car that was far more refined than a Granada and far more reliable than a Rover 800. It offered Mercedes like performance and reliability for far less money, but, of course, having a Vauxhall badge saw it ignored by the badge snobs even if it was great value and excellent to drive.
Glenn1967ful 2 years ago
Yay, it's a Holden. VP model with an odd engine and an odd interior. Holden's had a 3.8L V6 or a 5.0L V8.
Shanksy33 2 years ago
Its so not an Holden, cause your Holden is a shameless ripoff of the Senator, just look when the Senator was produced and then look at your ossie bushwasher, when they started producing, you ossies never get it that without the germans and the americans you would still drive around in postboxes!
Dog328 2 years ago
After all it was and is a OPEL from germany, not a Holden and even not a Vauxhall...
TheSheepherd 2 years ago
But this car came out in Europe 2 years before we ever saw the VP, This I guess we just copied it and stuck American stuff in it?
aus2045 2 years ago
baldy boring bastard!
rabg1 2 years ago
Ha! I had one of these - my favourite car ever!!!! It was plenty quick for a cruiser, and when the exhaust had a hole in it the old girl sounded like a chieftan tank.
Amazing to think that you can pick a decent one up for less than a grand.
kroony16 2 years ago
What? Leather was a "no cost option" in GB???
SeniPower 2 years ago
Standard Issue was full leather. You had to specifically ask for and wait extra delivery time to have velour.
LukeJonesInFlames 2 years ago
These are the seats in Top Gear....
JohnHFilms 2 years ago 2
The Senator TG seats were destroyed in the '5th gear' fire that destroyed the prop house, along with the old cool wall.
LukeJonesInFlames 2 years ago
this is a shocking lookin version of the senator must check the holden senator for a look at what they really should be v8 standard, climate control, stackers, factory subs, leather and all the extra fun parts
paterson022 2 years ago
They did have Climate, a 6disc stack, and Leather as standard..
LukeJonesInFlames 2 years ago
@paterson022 - come on! Straight-sixes are better than V8s (usually just as powerful, smoother and more refined thanks to inherently balanced primary and secondary moments, better noise, better fuel consumption). The V8 is a dinosaur - lovely in many respects, but not as good as a straight-six.
EccentricRichard 1 year ago
one of the best 24v str8 6 engines ever
Soulvex 3 years ago 2
I've just always wondered, does Vauxhall actually build their own cars? Most of what I've seen are re badged Opels or Holdens.
Just wondering. No offense.
FoxGTR34Nismo 3 years ago
Opel is the euroversion or the LHD versions and vauxhalls are the RHD british version and Holden is mostly the australian version..and to be presice they are all under the now poor GM. But it keeps the expenses down. So correct me if I'm wrong but I think they're all Opels with different badges(vauxhall & opel that is,holden is a different company)
rantty 3 years ago
Correct. And the Opel Senators are rare now, glad I bought one in 2005...:)
janidars 3 years ago
Here in Finland we still do have them quite a few :) thinking about it, I'd like to buy the 4.0 irmscher version,bit on the expensive side, but even more I'd like to have a Manta :D
rantty 3 years ago
there all vauxhall at the end of the day just depends on were there sold
cardie1234 2 years ago
I guess it's special for Vauxall to have no problems after it has driven 100.000 miles!
CheapBastard1988 3 years ago
Not so, fella. I had a Carlton CDX estate fitted with the dual ram 2.6 6 cylinder that was still going strong after racking up 172000 miles. The MK1 Carlton 1.8 I had before that did 136000 miles before the rust bugs ate it.
TerraErro 3 years ago
god i hate quentin so much
but the senator is great
FlamerK6 3 years ago
"..don't go for the manuals, because they are too quick.." Really?
cordoser 3 years ago 11
Its a shame a lot of these have now been scrapped after the senator vauxhall gave up building decent cars .Vauxhalls v6 is rubbish compared to the tough as hell straight 6 .I have sat in a few police senators after being pulled over for routine checks.
paulb4uk 3 years ago
listen to his voice wha a twit
dannywoolli1983 3 years ago
My uncle had a 24v manual in white. You seen alot of people looking in there mirrors alot when you where behind there. we got 154mph (+10bhp) out of it with the afm tuned
AMQR 3 years ago 2
My parents had one of these in the mid 90's, they both really liked it. I thought it was a fantastic car. My dad used to love the sport mode on the auto transmission. The glovebox was a fridge too!
eradeziel 3 years ago 3
my dad had 2 a 3.0 12v cd petrol
and a 3.0 24v cd petrol
best cars eva
lce124 3 years ago 3
I own a 3.0 24v manual, its now retired to a life of sunshine in lanzarote, it is as new condition and i absolutely love it, every time i have a s*** day i just jump in, and give it a caning round the island. any1 who has driven know the truth, thank you opel its really the worlds best kept secret!!
lasadelfas 3 years ago 2
As a serving traffic police officer of some years the senator was a first class patrol car. Fast reliable safe handling, wonderful straight six engine and rear wheel drive.The best police car ever for my money. Far better than the Omega that replaced it.
anpr1984 3 years ago 2
Its funny you should say that, I was talking to a Traffic officer recently and he said basically the same thing. He ranked the Senator first, The Rover SD1 Vitesse and then the 5 series BMW. His current ride, the Omega, didn't even feature. When I asked about the new V6 Vectras that Derbyshire police are starting to use, he just laughed!
TerraErro 3 years ago
The V6 Vectras sound nice and are fine in a straight line but as soon as you show it a bend it waves the white flag! A lot of forces are tied into very lengthy contracts to buy vauxhalls and are only allowed a small percentage of other vehicles and only a fraction of those are allowed to be "marked up". We've got a few ST220's and my colleagues really rate them.Not the quickest thing off the mark but stir them up they're great and they stick to the road like s"*& to a blanket !.
anpr1984 3 years ago
wasn't that saleman from flock of seagulls ?
dontsqueezethecheese 3 years ago
i own the 12valve 3.0 and what a car .Superb fast cruiser with all the kit .Blows all the so called boy racers into the weeds .Silly little boys.
b3nb1rd 4 years ago
used to have a ex cop senator.. no electrics, no speakers, but without all the excess weight it was frightenigly fast......... awesome car..
specialsenna 3 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
such a heap of shit.. its just not a good car stop licking your own asses, terrible terrible car. ugly heap of vauxhall shite.
checkerz18 4 years ago
Have you ever driven one? If you haven't you are not qualified to comment! Why do you think it is shit? Come on, back up your comments!
TerraErro 3 years ago 13
I agree, i used have an 1989 f-reg 3.0i CD 12v and it had done 197,000miles and it still drove really nicely and it was very quick, i even believe that it was an ex-unmarkered police car, It was fantastic! I loved it! :-)
1982sm22 3 years ago 3
Nice wheels, horrid colour though ;]
HeidiLevy77 4 years ago
used to have one did 140 once it was blue had a cloth interior and an analougue dash and also a manual but it was the 3.0 and it went so quick!!
indra789 4 years ago
These are really that good!!! i own one!!! and still lo0ks as good as new!!! see for yourself on car domain.
cardomain dot com/ride/2659972
nitrolightning 4 years ago
Top Gear today is aimed at people with the mental capacity of a five year old. Wish someone would take over from the old style Top Gear.
1herp1 4 years ago 3
BUt then it will be boring!!!!
Archer28M 4 years ago 2
Not to people over the mental age of five
emeraldxm 4 years ago 2
I had one of these cars. Near as damn it 150mph for £700! The only reason I got rid of it was because of the fuel bills. :(
This was when top gear actually reviewed sensible cars rather than pratting around with supercars all the time!
TerraErro 4 years ago
J189 NFD god i wish i still had it!
indra789 4 years ago
excellent post thanks for this!! love all the old school reviews on top gear.
weekendoff 4 years ago