cdxi
24th April 2007, 03:08 PM
I am now onto my third mid-size Holden/Opel. My current ZC CDXi replaced my much loved, highly regarded and bulletproof JSII GL hatch. My love affair with the Opel clones began in January 1986, with the purchase of a brand new, 1985 build JD Camira SL/X 1.8 (non-ULP) 5speed manual sedan.
It replaced a 1979 Holden Sunbird SL (Starfire 1.9) and began a relationship that covered nearly nine years and 200 000km.
At $14 300 (including air con, floor mats, headlight covers and some dodgy-dealer rust proofing), it was an expensive 4cyl car in today’s market. Mind you, I got $6 300 for the Sunbird which was more than I originally paid for it!
My Camira wasn’t a bad little bus. I loved it. It had great squirt from its injected, revvy little Camtech 4, was economical, had a great chassis, was comfortable and made great use of the interior space. Back in the 80’s, it was a smart looker in comparison with the contemporary Telstars, Bluebirds, Coronas and Sigmas.
General running costs were low, but major repairs were expensive. The cam belt snapped at 80 000km and mashed the valves. Big dollars. The dealer I originally used for servicing hadn’t replaced the belt at 40 000km (the wear on the belt indicated it was an original – even though my service records and receipts indicated I had been charged for a new belt at the appropriate service by the servicing Holden dealer) and CV joint replacements at 140 000 weren’t cheap. The radiator needed replacing late in its life but otherwise, the little car never let me down in a major way.
However, it suffered from mid-80’s Australian build quality. Niggly stuff that was frustrating rather than anything that made me want to park it in front of a dealership under a sign that read “Lemon”. It didn’t leak any fluids nor did it let water into the cabin or boot. But it did have an entertaining dash-light display. Late in its life, the dash lights would flash on and off instead of the little green indicator arrows, which would light up instead of the dash lights. A sharp thump on the instrument binnacle would normally fix it, but it made things a bit tricky at night time.
A bit of rust started to appear at the base of the rear windscreen and the engine started to get a bit smoky around the 170 000km mark. By this time, I was looking for a change, and as it happened, that change involved a move to the UK. With a lump in my throat, I sold my little pride and joy in December 1994 for $4 800, with just on 200 000km under her (new) cam belt.
When I moved to the UK, I eventually replaced my Camira with a 1.1l 1985 B Reg Ford Fiesta, after looking long and hard at some disastrous Vauxhall Cavaliers, Astras and Novas of the same vintage. Anyone who knows the UK used car scene will know about debilitating rust, caused by salting roads in winter. My Fiesta, even after passing an MOT prior to me trying to sell it before returning to Australia, broke in half as I had it trucked to a scrap yard.
Never let it be said that 80’s Holden build quality was below par. The 80’s UK built Vauxhalls and Fords I drove before buying the Fiesta were shocking. Appalling, in fact. My Fiesta ended up being the best of a bad bunch. It leaked, sprayed oil (I think it was oil – the sludge in the sump was contaminated so badly with water that the engine oil filler looked like the mouth of a rabid dog) and was such a cranky little thing….but it got me around the country for 10 months.
I made friends with a girl who had a D reg (’86) Cavalier, and my limited experience driving the car made me glad these things never made it to Australia. It was sloppy and slothful compared with my Camira, but was a more relaxed cruiser with a softer ride. Vauxhall must have left the book on handling to gather dust on the shelf.
I wouldn’t change a thing about my Camira experience – I loved that car and it paved the way to ownership of two successive Holden/Opel products. My ZC might well be the brand’s swansong for me if Holden replaces the Astra in 2010 with the new Gamma platform-ed small car from GM-DAT. Holden is responding to demand from the buying public for product they are willing to purchase - not product people only have desire to purchase.
But who knows? I might downsize from the Vectra into an Astra before then – the SRi petrol or the CDTi look mighty tempting. I don’t want to give up the brand if I have to.
I quite like the habit.
It replaced a 1979 Holden Sunbird SL (Starfire 1.9) and began a relationship that covered nearly nine years and 200 000km.
At $14 300 (including air con, floor mats, headlight covers and some dodgy-dealer rust proofing), it was an expensive 4cyl car in today’s market. Mind you, I got $6 300 for the Sunbird which was more than I originally paid for it!
My Camira wasn’t a bad little bus. I loved it. It had great squirt from its injected, revvy little Camtech 4, was economical, had a great chassis, was comfortable and made great use of the interior space. Back in the 80’s, it was a smart looker in comparison with the contemporary Telstars, Bluebirds, Coronas and Sigmas.
General running costs were low, but major repairs were expensive. The cam belt snapped at 80 000km and mashed the valves. Big dollars. The dealer I originally used for servicing hadn’t replaced the belt at 40 000km (the wear on the belt indicated it was an original – even though my service records and receipts indicated I had been charged for a new belt at the appropriate service by the servicing Holden dealer) and CV joint replacements at 140 000 weren’t cheap. The radiator needed replacing late in its life but otherwise, the little car never let me down in a major way.
However, it suffered from mid-80’s Australian build quality. Niggly stuff that was frustrating rather than anything that made me want to park it in front of a dealership under a sign that read “Lemon”. It didn’t leak any fluids nor did it let water into the cabin or boot. But it did have an entertaining dash-light display. Late in its life, the dash lights would flash on and off instead of the little green indicator arrows, which would light up instead of the dash lights. A sharp thump on the instrument binnacle would normally fix it, but it made things a bit tricky at night time.
A bit of rust started to appear at the base of the rear windscreen and the engine started to get a bit smoky around the 170 000km mark. By this time, I was looking for a change, and as it happened, that change involved a move to the UK. With a lump in my throat, I sold my little pride and joy in December 1994 for $4 800, with just on 200 000km under her (new) cam belt.
When I moved to the UK, I eventually replaced my Camira with a 1.1l 1985 B Reg Ford Fiesta, after looking long and hard at some disastrous Vauxhall Cavaliers, Astras and Novas of the same vintage. Anyone who knows the UK used car scene will know about debilitating rust, caused by salting roads in winter. My Fiesta, even after passing an MOT prior to me trying to sell it before returning to Australia, broke in half as I had it trucked to a scrap yard.
Never let it be said that 80’s Holden build quality was below par. The 80’s UK built Vauxhalls and Fords I drove before buying the Fiesta were shocking. Appalling, in fact. My Fiesta ended up being the best of a bad bunch. It leaked, sprayed oil (I think it was oil – the sludge in the sump was contaminated so badly with water that the engine oil filler looked like the mouth of a rabid dog) and was such a cranky little thing….but it got me around the country for 10 months.
I made friends with a girl who had a D reg (’86) Cavalier, and my limited experience driving the car made me glad these things never made it to Australia. It was sloppy and slothful compared with my Camira, but was a more relaxed cruiser with a softer ride. Vauxhall must have left the book on handling to gather dust on the shelf.
I wouldn’t change a thing about my Camira experience – I loved that car and it paved the way to ownership of two successive Holden/Opel products. My ZC might well be the brand’s swansong for me if Holden replaces the Astra in 2010 with the new Gamma platform-ed small car from GM-DAT. Holden is responding to demand from the buying public for product they are willing to purchase - not product people only have desire to purchase.
But who knows? I might downsize from the Vectra into an Astra before then – the SRi petrol or the CDTi look mighty tempting. I don’t want to give up the brand if I have to.
I quite like the habit.