In the wet, Cavaliers are so twitchy, at least the 1800's are. I wouldn't dare doing that in mine. They only understeer because of the weight and the FWD layout and if you go into a corner with your foot down on the gas. As in any FWD. But at higher speeds the rear end is treacherously unstable in the wet. The solid beam doesn't help but then again no car is perfect in the wet. For more grip all you need are specially designed tires.
Engage brain then type! I'm a 30+ year old proffesional who happens to have a passion for cars. Just because we were larking about in a shonky old Cavalier does not mean we are uneducated chavs.
The driver (not me) simply applied a small dab of handbrake and then released it and then used the throttle and steering to control the slide. Errr. ... apparently
Well, they weren't really.. soggy chassis, dull looks, poor interior, the only thing that people bought them for was the engine, only people who have owned them sinse new and complete chavs buy these.
The chassis wasn't the best, but they were helped a lot by multi-link suspension at the back on any that were SRi or upwards. Comfy though, and had a good feel to them, pleasant cars to drive. Dull looks is a matter of perspective, but I don't agree about the interiors, a bit generic maybe, but not poor.
Engines were excellent, but weren't their only selling point. Fuel economy was too because the drag coefficient was only 0.29
All sorts of people own Cav's, i've had 2, and i'm no chav.
Depend's which way you look at it i guess, personally i'm not fan, it has no finesse or class or character, just a euro box for eco standards, but even though it was "average" in the day i still wouldn't of bought one. They are a dull drive *with exception to the c18xe, x20xev, c20xe and c20let engine models* with negative feedback from the steering and poor response through corners, a nice motorway cruiser sure, but not a drivers car..
I know what you mean, they're just a typical eurobox of the time. Still, I got both my Cav's for under 200 quid and had a lot of fun.
I wouldn't call it a drivers car either, there are in fact very few FWD cars which i'd call drivers cars.
I take your point about poor response through corners, though call me mad but I loved the feedback through the steering on them, felt very direct to me even though the suspension is too soft, n they're understeerey and wheelspin easily. Made it fun tho.
Hmmm, well its cheap cheerful motoring for that price but compare with a saloon that does handle like mondeo and you'll see what i mean. I don't mind FWD cars its usually just japs, germs and fords that handle though, vauxhall don't really do the handling part which is like 50% of the fight for me. If it can't handle then i wont have it.
Yeah I see your point, a lot of people aren't into Vauxhalls for that reason. I quite enjoy the combination of straight line performance speed and crude suspension/chassis design, seem to get more of a thrill out of it that way.
I had a Mondeo before the Cavalier and found the Cav generally lighter, faster and more nimble for throwing around at lower speeds, but the Mondeo had a tidy chassis and was a much better car around the bends. The ride was a bit firm for me though.
Yeh well each to their own, i live in the country side so we have lots of challenging amazing roads so it's great to own a car that is capable of taking them, so many people have crashed trying this in corsa's astra's cavs' and vectra's.. but frenchies fords japs n germs fly around there like the nurburgring, its brilliant. I know what you mean by the "optimistic steering" being fun but that is unsafe at high speeds on these roads. I like cars that hold their own at 75mph around a tight bend :)
It's the unsafe bit that makes it fun for me really. I have a tuned Manta GT/E which I use for track days and I really appreciate good handling on the track, but on the road I get bored by it. I'm local to the westcountry and s. wales so i'm no stranger to some interesting roads.
As you say though it comes down to a person's perspective at the end of the day, (real) driving is an art and each driver will have their own preferences.
I love Manta GT/E's, the coupe is my favorite.. which one do you have, exclusive? I know what your saying i just prefer cars that handle, but yeh depends what driving style you have. I like a precise taught nibble chassis so i can throw it around corners flat, but understeer can be fun, in small doses lol.
It's a coupe (much nicer than the hatch), the model which just preceded the exclusive but came after the suspension revisions in the early 80's. Smaller spoiler and different seats/trim etc.
I can see totally why people prefer sharp handling and minimal roll, I know many people who do, probably more often than not in fact. Each to their own though as you rightly said.
Always good to speak to another driver and car enthusiast :)
Like wise, good to hear other views and opinions.. yeh the coupe GT/E was my favorite, my friend nearly bought one but instead got an 86 VW scirocco GTS 1.8 in near enough new condition.
I suppose they're shortcomings I don't really notice so much, I even enjoyed them really. I usually drive tuned classic cars and handling/brakes aren't always great, so I usually notice a gutless engine before below-par handling (saying that though I have an E36 coupe at the moment which is quite a treat when it comes to road-holding).
Check out a video called 'cav action at the ring', we had a real blast that day. The most fun bit about it was its questionable handling, never a dull moment.
my friend could do this in a sri not hard Handbrake and clutch ;) wheel spin it while tapping ur hand brake boom nice sideways :) we did it until the owner sold the car for 50 quid
In the wet, Cavaliers are so twitchy, at least the 1800's are. I wouldn't dare doing that in mine. They only understeer because of the weight and the FWD layout and if you go into a corner with your foot down on the gas. As in any FWD. But at higher speeds the rear end is treacherously unstable in the wet. The solid beam doesn't help but then again no car is perfect in the wet. For more grip all you need are specially designed tires.
Eagle1ZX 8 months ago
LOL! Not a chav after all, no plastic trays under the back wheels!
X¬D
wordreet 1 year ago
i am shocked at this video clip a vauxhall going a little bit sideways and not the usual cronic understeer into a ditch lol
djrowley1 2 years ago
@djrowley1 i have an sri and the back end kicks out more than the front most of the time. a quick bit of opposite and your brown pants moment is over
cfcryancfc1990 1 year ago
Class!!!!
dreamofus 2 years ago
another chav in a chavalier
bonkeye42 2 years ago
see reply to yourmothersmoustache. No mopeds, baseball caps or cheap Argos chains and rings in sight.
Oranoco 2 years ago 2
Well done chav. Carry on being so chavy...
yourmothersmoustache 2 years ago
Engage brain then type! I'm a 30+ year old proffesional who happens to have a passion for cars. Just because we were larking about in a shonky old Cavalier does not mean we are uneducated chavs.
Oranoco 2 years ago 4
sick tha the cav is a legend
toffeesEFC95 2 years ago
how is it going side ways mines only does that with low tyre pressure its only a 1.8 tho :(
kampfdrew 2 years ago
The driver (not me) simply applied a small dab of handbrake and then released it and then used the throttle and steering to control the slide. Errr. ... apparently
Oranoco 2 years ago 2
The Mk3 Cav is a legend.
eradeziel 3 years ago
The mk3 cav is a piece of shit? wtf legend? lol
RSTdave88 2 years ago
Good cars in their day mate.
eradeziel 2 years ago
Well, they weren't really.. soggy chassis, dull looks, poor interior, the only thing that people bought them for was the engine, only people who have owned them sinse new and complete chavs buy these.
RSTdave88 2 years ago
The chassis wasn't the best, but they were helped a lot by multi-link suspension at the back on any that were SRi or upwards. Comfy though, and had a good feel to them, pleasant cars to drive. Dull looks is a matter of perspective, but I don't agree about the interiors, a bit generic maybe, but not poor.
Engines were excellent, but weren't their only selling point. Fuel economy was too because the drag coefficient was only 0.29
All sorts of people own Cav's, i've had 2, and i'm no chav.
eradeziel 2 years ago
Depend's which way you look at it i guess, personally i'm not fan, it has no finesse or class or character, just a euro box for eco standards, but even though it was "average" in the day i still wouldn't of bought one. They are a dull drive *with exception to the c18xe, x20xev, c20xe and c20let engine models* with negative feedback from the steering and poor response through corners, a nice motorway cruiser sure, but not a drivers car..
RSTdave88 2 years ago
I know what you mean, they're just a typical eurobox of the time. Still, I got both my Cav's for under 200 quid and had a lot of fun.
I wouldn't call it a drivers car either, there are in fact very few FWD cars which i'd call drivers cars.
I take your point about poor response through corners, though call me mad but I loved the feedback through the steering on them, felt very direct to me even though the suspension is too soft, n they're understeerey and wheelspin easily. Made it fun tho.
eradeziel 2 years ago
Hmmm, well its cheap cheerful motoring for that price but compare with a saloon that does handle like mondeo and you'll see what i mean. I don't mind FWD cars its usually just japs, germs and fords that handle though, vauxhall don't really do the handling part which is like 50% of the fight for me. If it can't handle then i wont have it.
RSTdave88 2 years ago
Yeah I see your point, a lot of people aren't into Vauxhalls for that reason. I quite enjoy the combination of straight line performance speed and crude suspension/chassis design, seem to get more of a thrill out of it that way.
I had a Mondeo before the Cavalier and found the Cav generally lighter, faster and more nimble for throwing around at lower speeds, but the Mondeo had a tidy chassis and was a much better car around the bends. The ride was a bit firm for me though.
eradeziel 2 years ago
Yeh well each to their own, i live in the country side so we have lots of challenging amazing roads so it's great to own a car that is capable of taking them, so many people have crashed trying this in corsa's astra's cavs' and vectra's.. but frenchies fords japs n germs fly around there like the nurburgring, its brilliant. I know what you mean by the "optimistic steering" being fun but that is unsafe at high speeds on these roads. I like cars that hold their own at 75mph around a tight bend :)
RSTdave88 2 years ago
It's the unsafe bit that makes it fun for me really. I have a tuned Manta GT/E which I use for track days and I really appreciate good handling on the track, but on the road I get bored by it. I'm local to the westcountry and s. wales so i'm no stranger to some interesting roads.
As you say though it comes down to a person's perspective at the end of the day, (real) driving is an art and each driver will have their own preferences.
eradeziel 2 years ago
I love Manta GT/E's, the coupe is my favorite.. which one do you have, exclusive? I know what your saying i just prefer cars that handle, but yeh depends what driving style you have. I like a precise taught nibble chassis so i can throw it around corners flat, but understeer can be fun, in small doses lol.
RSTdave88 2 years ago
It's a coupe (much nicer than the hatch), the model which just preceded the exclusive but came after the suspension revisions in the early 80's. Smaller spoiler and different seats/trim etc.
I can see totally why people prefer sharp handling and minimal roll, I know many people who do, probably more often than not in fact. Each to their own though as you rightly said.
Always good to speak to another driver and car enthusiast :)
eradeziel 2 years ago
Like wise, good to hear other views and opinions.. yeh the coupe GT/E was my favorite, my friend nearly bought one but instead got an 86 VW scirocco GTS 1.8 in near enough new condition.
RSTdave88 2 years ago
I suppose they're shortcomings I don't really notice so much, I even enjoyed them really. I usually drive tuned classic cars and handling/brakes aren't always great, so I usually notice a gutless engine before below-par handling (saying that though I have an E36 coupe at the moment which is quite a treat when it comes to road-holding).
Check out a video called 'cav action at the ring', we had a real blast that day. The most fun bit about it was its questionable handling, never a dull moment.
eradeziel 2 years ago
The joys of a cheap car that you really don't care about.
Oranoco 3 years ago
And it was only a light dab of handbrake to get the back to brake grip and then the rest was controled on the throttle
Oranoco 3 years ago
my friend could do this in a sri not hard Handbrake and clutch ;) wheel spin it while tapping ur hand brake boom nice sideways :) we did it until the owner sold the car for 50 quid
8ile 3 years ago