Vauxhall Nova Hatchback (1983 - 1994) 1.6i GTE 3d (1989/F) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

This car (especially in white!) screams boy racer/chav, however don't let this put you off as these days nova owners tend to be more enthusiasts than lads looking for a cheap fast car.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

My mum hates it as she assumes any car i have a fascination with is silly! My dad loves t as he is a mechanic and says it is so easy to work on. As for my friends, novas are a bit like marmite, you either love them or hate them, some of my friends loved it, some hated it.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Hell yes! Despite the problems, i feel they may have been more specific to the car than Nova GTEs in general. This car is so much fun, and fairly cheap to insure and run and the parts are so cheap, either second hand or new.

What are you likely to buy next?

I have had 2 cars since the nova, neither of which have compared, i would like a clio williams, but another GTE will do me just fine.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Didn't buy from a dealer

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£700

When did you buy the car?

March 2006

Did you get a good deal and why?

Not really, although the exterior bodywork was in fairly good condition and the mileage was low (70,000) and it had a full MOT, there were problems with it which i was unaware of at the time.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I already owned a 1.4i nova and saw one in Total Vauxhall, i fell in love, so bought one

What was the dealer like?

I bought it privately but he seemed genuine

What's it like to drive?

So so much fun. Close ratio gears make for very fast acceleration. Although the top speed is nothing special (110 - 115 standard), the car is fantastic on the country lanes, and lots of fun on the motorway. Sticks to the road well and feels like driving a go kart. No power steering but this doesnt matter too much as the car is light, and very good brakes.

What's it like to park?

Again, no power steering makes parking slightly more difficult, however the car is small enough to squeeze into the tightest of spots if you know what youre doing.

Have you had any problems with the car?

There were a few problems here and there, which were inevitable for the age of the car and the miles i was doing. However there were also intermittent problems which made driving very difficult and made the car unreliable. Also due to the advanced (for its age) injection system in a fairly old car, there was no engine management system to record faults, which meant resolving these problems was very difficult. The gearbox gave up in the end hence why i sold it

What's most practical about your car?

Small and easy to park, cheap parts and cheap to fill up.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Haha, are you kidding me?! The cassette holder!