Vauxhall Nova 1.3

I've had my Nova now for 11 years and I wouldn't part with it unless it became too expensive to maintain. After all, more things go wrong with a car the older it gets normally. It is a white, 3-door hatchback with trim to make it look a bit sportier. Ever since my husband bought it for me when I passed my test, I've had a great time driving it. It's easy to handle, the controls have always been easy to manage and the gear change smooth, although the suspension is a little hard, so going over bumps can jolt you out of your seat a bit! Considering it is a small car, I find it spacious enough and ... more

I bought this car as a cheap run around,and as a spare car in case anything goes wrong with the Xantia that i drive as well.(A review of this is also on this site.) I paid £150 for this c reg Nova with 94000 miles on the clock and I think at this sort of money you can't go wrong as long as the car has at least 8 months MOT aand no major obvious faults.The purchase price is about the same as one months hp payment on most cars.I can guarentee that the hp payments will not seem worth it two or three years down the line,when accompanied by repair costs as well as the gradual worsening of the cars ... more

Our 1984 1.3 Nova 5 door was a nightmare, we bought it brand new from our local main Vauxhall dealer and were very disappointed. It wore out brake pads every couple of months, the windscreen wiper link broke, the rear windscreen washer broke, the driver door bent! it developed serious rust problems at the bottom of the doors, around the front and even inside around the bottom of the back seat area. The sunroof always leaked rain in, the camshaft wore out in 18 months, it used a pint of oil every 3 weeks, it was difficult to start in the cold, it would never tick over properly and every couple ... more

I have had my nova 1.3SR for 3 years now and i still like it. novas are great first cars for young drivers, fun to drive and cheap to insure, my SR is only group 5, and it looks the business with spoiler and bucket seats. If you choose to buy one look for rust around the rear arches and the bottom of the doors, and also in the boot (hatch) under the carpet. the engines are strong so a well looked after high miler can be bargan, just check for blue smoke out the back and notchy gear box. The handling is great on novas but the ride is poor compared to more modern cars models to get: 1.2 = good ... more

When I spied my dream car, I knew that my current car of only 6 weeks had to go to make way for it. Yes, a Nova 1.3SR is indeed my dream car. With its square, boxy looks, a reliable engine thats easy to work on, excellent fuel economy and ease of use, this is my mind is a superb first car. Your car is probably going to be your second biggest investment, behind your house, and an investment is what the SR promises. This particular model doesnt depreciate in value like many other models, and its worth paying out a little extra for a good example. The handling is good, and the suspension firm ... more