Mk3 Cav Expression on ebay. Potential AVAS exception!

[Sir Snipes]

I think I want this Cav that's on ebay at the moment https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167464959394. I did some checking and Doovla says it's a 1.6, which if anything is more appealing. Without sounding like a total wimp I think something simple and mechanical like this would be a great car to get back into tinkering after being outta the game for years. I also think the engine would be basically the same engine as the 1.8 Manta I had back in the day, or vaguely similar to my old carb 1.6 Bluebird. I see no key fobs so I guess no immobiliser. I'm guessing no abs. Not even sure if it has PAS.

Am I going to ruin it if I can't keep it in Jay Leno's garage and it's outside most of the year? Will the lack of well, absolutely everything, drive me crazy? How easy would it be to drop in a XE? I'm just kidding I wouldn't change a damn thing. 

If anyone had told me I'd be seriously considering a lower spec Cav for 4bags just a few years ago I'd have never believed it but this is really appealing to me and such is the state of cars today.  It hasn't had so much as an MOT advisory in nearly twenty years.

This is all dependent on work coming through and getting me a van as promised. If I use this for work I will absolutely ruin it. I've had to accept ruining a car is basically inevitable when working on building sites, despite my best efforts. 

[Wibble]

  On 20/04/2025 at 19:53, Sir Snipes said:

I think I kinda want this Cav that's on ebay at the moment https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167464959394. I did some checking and Doovla says it's a 1.6, which if anything is more appealing. Without sounding like a total wimp I think this would be a great car to get back into tinkering after being outta the game for years, so something simple and mechanical is really appealing to me. Would the engine be basically the same engine as the 1.8 Manta I had back in the day? I see no key fobs so I guess no immobiliser. I'm guessing no abs. Not even sure if it has PAS.

Am I going to ruin it if I can't keep it in Jay Leno's garage and it's outside most of the year? Will the lack of well, absolutely everything, drive me crazy? How easy would it be to drop in a XE? I'm just kidding I wouldn't change a damn thing. 

If anyone had told me I'd be seriously considering a lower spec Cav for 4bags just a few years ago I'd have never believed it but this is really appealing to me and such is the state of cars today.  It hasn't had so much as an MOT advisory in nearly twenty years.

This is all dependent on work coming through and getting me a van as promised. If I use this for work I will absolutely ruin it. I've had to accept it's basically inevitable when working on building sites, despite my best efforts. 

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Looks lovely, I drove these when new and they are great and would have no problem today. It will have PAS and ABS, from memory but this was Vauxhalls in their prime. Classic example of not AVAS!

[Sir Snipes]

This could only be improved* with a set of steels and trims and pulling out that needlessly extravagant 1.6 engine and replacing it with a much more austere 1.4......and then abandoning it inexplicably for 20 years. I really wanted to rescue this thing back then but that was never going to happen.

 

[Sir Snipes]

  On 20/04/2025 at 20:03, Wibble said:

Looks lovely, I drove these when new and they are great and would have no problem today. It will have PAS and ABS, from memory but this was Vauxhalls in their prime. Classic example of not AVAS!

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ABS as standard across the range? You'll have to remind me what AVAS is. It's been a while.

[Wibble]

  On 20/04/2025 at 20:09, Sir Snipes said:

ABS as standard across the range? You'll have to remind me what AVAS is. It's been a while.

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Yep, pretty sure they had ABS by then. My Senator does and it’s a base model. All Vauxhalls Are Shit! Obviously not something I agree with, until after about 2002 maybe.

[Matty]

Had 3 1.8ls mk3 cavs early 2000s when I worked on the overhead lines. At the time they were cheap work horses you could throw all your gear in and do Cumbria and back 5 days a week. The last one I gave a going out shirt and a Presidents cd for (needed a steering rack). Utterly dependable things. About as complicated as a spoon and drive far better than they have any right to. A great example of the type of car not made anymore. Get it bought. You can only regret the daft things you spent money on that you didn't do 🤣

[Sir Snipes]

Looks like a PAS reservoir between the dizzy and battery and hardlines for the rack. Shame it's not a better image so i could spot an ABS block of death (not that it ultimately matters)

[lisbon_road]

Totally fab.  Peak Vauxhall.  Peak everything.  That and the Peugeot tonight, I have to lie down.

[Wibble]

  On 20/04/2025 at 20:14, Sir Snipes said:

Looks like a PAS reservoir between the dizzy and battery and hardlines for the rack. Shame it's not a better image so i could spot an ABS block of death (not that it ultimately matters)

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Yes and I couldn’t spot the ABS module either but it’s probably, in that photo, to the left of the dizzy and lower down, as is the Senny’s. If I had room, I’d have one by now.

[Sir Snipes]

I'm gonna buy it, hopelessly attempt to turn it into a BTCC rep then sell it with nothing to show but ruined paint after that old boy carefully catalogued it's history like a priceless Ming dynasty vase for 29 years.

[lisbon_road]

The Michelin tyres, the weird blue insulation, looks like a seriously good car there. 

Mind, that is also serious money in the current climate.  I always say 'get the right car and don't worry about the price' but at the same time, that's quite a lot for an old Cavalier.

 

[Sir Snipes]

Wikipedia says ABS was standard across the range only with the facelift for the '93 model year (1st evah in the UK) so this probably doesn't have it. At the same time they also dropped the 1.4, the fools!

[Split_Pin]

As this is a prefacelift 1.6 it will have the small block engine. Post 1993 1.6s were C16NZ2 and were a big block with shorter stroke and different head. Basically the same as the 1.8 though.

Personally I prefer the facelift cars as they were better specced and had nicer interiors, colour coded bumpers across the range and the LS had a sunroof as standard. I've had 3, I think I got mine just before prices went mad.

Early 1993 cars are the best of all as they are facelift but pre-airbag and a nice non airbag 3 spoke steering wheel, although still the old analogue clock.

Also, the sealant around the bulkhead will have long since perished now and even mint ones will have wet carpets, so they need a garage.

Tidy ones are too rare to be ruined now.

[trigger]

That's very appealing to be fair, it even has headlight protectors.

Not cheap but look after it and it will hold it's value better than any modern car

[Sir Snipes]

  On 20/04/2025 at 20:27, lisbon_road said:

The Michelin tyres, the weird blue insulation, looks like a seriously good car there. 

Mind, that is also serious money in the current climate.  I always say 'get the right car and don't worry about the price' but at the same time, that's quite a lot for an old Cavalier.

 

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Those Michelin MXTs have 1995 DOT codes. Better get in the Charmhoos!

[Sir Snipes]

Oh no someone put on those ally valve caps that always seize on and painted the drums. Scrap it, immediately!

[Wibble]

  On 20/04/2025 at 20:44, Split_Pin said:

As this is a prefacelift 1.6 it will have the small block engine. Post 1993 1.6s were C16NZ2 and were a big block with shorter stroke and different head. Basically the same as the 1.8 though.

Personally I prefer the facelift cars as they were better specced and had nicer interiors, colour coded bumpers across the range and the LS had a sunroof as standard. I've had 3, I think I got mine just before prices went mad.

Early 1993 cars are the best of all as they are facelift but pre-airbag and a nice non airbag 3 spoke steering wheel, although still the old analogue clock.

Also, the sealant around the bulkhead will have long since perished now and even mint ones will have wet carpets, so they need a garage.

Tidy ones are too rare to be ruined now.

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Agree with all of this. Looks like ABS was just an option for this model year. Needs to be preserved, not ruined.

[DavidB]

It looks really nice!
It would have an ABS badge on the boot if it had ABS - it's also missing the ABS modulator on the right hand side, so no ABS on this one. It does have power steering though (the black reservoir and aluminium pipes by the battery). They started to spec them out as the 90's went on, most of them had electric windows and electric heated mirrors. I've had loads of these mk3 Cavaliers and mk3 Astras!

They're not as soft and floaty as those Rovers/Hondas of the same era, and the gearchange is rubbery just like every Vauxhall from the 90's/00's. It's a SPi (single point injection) and it'll be quite slow. The engines go on forever, I never had a break down in about ten years of driving Astras/Cavaliers.
I really love them and this is very nice, but I don't think I could pay £3995 for one.

[Sir Snipes]

  On 20/04/2025 at 20:53, Wibble said:

Agree with all of this. Looks like ABS was just an option for this model year. Needs to be preserved, not ruined.

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I haven't had a good record with my cars in the past, they usually end up worse than when I got them. Though, I was always more into the Retro Rides/mod mentality back then.

I'm more into Bilt Hamber than BBS now.

[Sir Snipes]

It's alright, lads. We can forget about rot, Wikipedia says Vauxhall CONQUERED that pesky nonsense with the mk3. Hard luck Mk2 owners and below!

[Sir Snipes]

  On 20/04/2025 at 20:59, DavidB said:

It looks really nice!
It would have an ABS badge on the boot if it had ABS - it's also missing the ABS modulator on the right hand side, so no ABS on this one. It does have power steering though (the black reservoir and aluminium pipes by the battery). They started to spec them out as the 90's went on, most of them had electric windows and electric heated mirrors. I've had loads of these mk3 Cavaliers and mk3 Astras!

 

They're not as soft and floaty as those Rovers/Hondas of the same era, and the gearchange is rubbery just like every Vauxhall from the 90's/00's. It's a SPi (single point injection) and it'll be quite slow. The engines go on forever, I never had a break down in about ten years of driving Astras/Cavaliers.
I really love them and this is very nice, but I don't think I could pay £3995 for one.

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Slow doesn't matter, but SPI is disappointing. I was hoping for a nice simple* carb with nothing more irritating than a moody auto choke.  SPI suggests 95% of the complexity of EFI but without the "performance". 

[Wibble]

I always think originality is best. My Senator is mostly original but it wears CD alloys. I still have the original steels and wheel trims though. I think this Cav should be left as it is. Rear arches are a problem for both and I have that to deal with.

[grogee]

  On 20/04/2025 at 20:59, DavidB said:

It looks really nice!
It would have an ABS badge on the boot if it had ABS - it's also missing the ABS modulator on the right hand side, so no ABS on this one. It does have power steering though (the black reservoir and aluminium pipes by the battery). They started to spec them out as the 90's went on, most of them had electric windows and electric heated mirrors. I've had loads of these mk3 Cavaliers and mk3 Astras!

They're not as soft and floaty as those Rovers/Hondas of the same era, and the gearchange is rubbery just like every Vauxhall from the 90's/00's. It's a SPi (single point injection) and it'll be quite slow. The engines go on forever, I never had a break down in about ten years of driving Astras/Cavaliers.
I really love them and this is very nice, but I don't think I could pay £3995 for one.

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I think that's a non interference engine so you can win any game of cambelt roulette. Plus it'll have the ace sliding first motion shaft + access plate for sub-1 hour clutch changes

[Wibble]

  On 20/04/2025 at 21:18, Sir Snipes said:

Slow doesn't matter, but SPI is disappointing. I was hoping for a nice simple* carb with nothing more irritating than a moody auto choke.  SPI suggests 95% of the complexity of EFI but without the "performance". 

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They were still rocket ships compared to a 1.6 Sierra, much as I love the Sierra, which I always found more comfortable and “right” for me, back in the day.

[24vdiamond]

Nice! Strong money though, that's one of the the last carbed versions which might be the only cause of any running issues 

[Split_Pin]

All MK3 Cavaliers can rust spectacularly, literally anywhere. The worst place is the bulkhead, water comes in via the holes fornthe track rods, runs down the angled chassis rail and soaks into the insulation against the bulkhead. That's where you can see why they were essentially cheap mass market cars. Engine too noisy? Rather than develop a new one, GM just bashed a load of insulation in. That's one way I guess!

The other place they go really bad is the rear chassis rails because you can't see it easily. 

My last one had 147,000 miles but was inexplicably mint underneath. There was zero rust, anywhere, not even the start of any. I should maybe have kept ot but it was just too ordinary to drive and I got a bit bored.

[stuboy]

i say........... GiB asap.......

[riek]

I had a MK3 expression in about 2007. Had some vaguely sporty cloth and alloys but that was about it. No rev counter, keep fit front windows etc. I can't imagine anyone paying to option abs on such a mingebag model.

[Sir Snipes]

  On 20/04/2025 at 21:34, Split_Pin said:

I should maybe have kept ot but it was just too ordinary to drive and I got a bit bored.

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Fifteen years ago I'd be looking at something like this as disposable transport while the Interesting Car was stashed away for winter. 

[warren t claim]