Do you own a nova or want a nova to re live your child hood past?

[monty_trials]

Anyone here have a nova or want a nova coz you have the memories from when you were 17/22? I am 32 and i had a few between those ages!!! I had a 1.0 trip, then a few cars then a mk2 SR only sold it coz dad was a car dealer at the time, and they came along a lot back then!! Am i in the same boat as anyone else? Over 10 years later and i still like them!!!! Anyone else like this???? :)

[bazil]

I'm 35 and have owned a nova everyday since I was 15,

They are simply part of my driving life and probably always will be,

[burgo]

Does anyone on a nova site have a nova!

[Pulsar_stu]

I'm 40 and first bought a nova sr when I was 19 :) 21 years ago.
I had it for 3 years and then sold it to buy another newer mk1 1.4sr.

Today I own another mk1 1.3sr that I'm in the process of restoring.

Me and my mates have fond memories of my nova days :)

[GDN16v]

Still got my nova's. Love driving it and always gets appreciation when people see you on the road! ;)

[monty_trials]

edited

[monty_trials]

i'm 40 and first bought a nova sr when i was 19 :) 21 years ago.
I had it for 3 years and then sold it to buy another newer mk1 1.4sr.

Today i own another mk1 1.3sr that i'm in the process of restoring.

Me and my mates have fond memories of my nova days :)

ace!!!

[monty_trials]

Does anyone on a nova site have a nova!

naaaaaa no one i dont think lol

[Nova00]

I have never owned a Nova, Vauxhall or any GM car !

[Johnny A]

Very much so, My first car at 18 was a 1.0 with an SR kit, then bought a Nova GTE. The GTE got an XE when I was 19 and a LET when I was 20. Had various others all saloons.

Currently got a 2dr saloon which is getting serious work done for that '2.0 Turbo in a matchbox' feel and I have just bought a 3dr hatch which I am XE'ing to rekindle the love for my first XE Nova, this will be my daily :)

[Southie]

naaaaaa no one i dont think lol

I don't have one now, I do miss having a little rust bucket though with a croaky clutch peddle lol

[Dan Stanley]

Very much so, My first car at 18 was a 1.0 with an SR kit, then bought a Nova GTE. The GTE got an XE when I was 19 and a LET when I was 20. Had various others all saloons.

Currently got a 2dr saloon which is getting serious work done for that '2.0 Turbo in a matchbox' feel and I have just bought a 3dr hatch which I am XE'ing to rekindle the love for my first XE Nova, this will be my daily :)

Did you used to have a white mk1 with the last three letters of the reg being SEF??? Or am I thinking of somebody else?

[chrisd1986]

Yup i bought mine beacause i had them when i was a teenager and im now 26, ive always prefered older cars and my mk4 golf is the newest car ive ever owned. The mrs hated older cars but she dosnt have a licence so she has no say in the matter lol

[ASH GSI]

Im 31 now and enjoy my nova GSI now almost as much as my 1.3 SR that I had when I was 17.
My nova obsession has changed from a daily driver that I drove at every given opportunity when I was 17 to just occasional use now but I wouldn't be without a nova again :)

[bazzap8389]

I've had my gsi since I was 17 but unfortunately not driven it since I was 18 when i took it off the road. can't wait to get it done so I can remember the good times lol

[Johnny A]

Did you used to have a white mk1 with the last three letters of the reg being SEF??? Or am I thinking of somebody else?

Yep that's right, still got the plate on retention too

[david dixon]

I have had nova's for nearly 20 year!

[lee 16v]

I use to hate novas until I saw a nice red 1.3sr for sale and it was love at 1st sight, So I went to the bank and got a loan and took the cash out that day. after that I had loads of novas, some were given to me some I paid £250-£500 for. I sold my last red sr 16v because my girlfriend at the time kept saying I should and I wanted to buy a house.
So now I have been living in my house for 3 years so I want a toy, I looked into a BMW E30 thinking I could get a 325i sport and but a 3.2 E36 M3 engine in it, but it would cost too much so I had a look at novas and ended up getting one again. I must admit when I look and see the rust and the **** people have done to these over the years I do get a little disheartened, but then I fire up that red top and I forget every bad thing about the car.

[Hobbit]

I didn't get into Nova's till my mid 20's. Always had a soft spot for them since my mate had one when we were in our teens though.

[blue_peg_16v]

First car was a nova saloon, I've been driving for 16 years now and only not owned 1 for 6 month

[Lee H]

In three weeks I will be without one for the first time since I passed my test 14 years ago. Have had the current one 12 years but it never gets used so letting it go to someone who might get some use out of it.

Definitely won't have another, as the saying goes "once you go jap........"

[Simon 1867]

I've still got my first nova from when I was 17 which I use. Had it 18years and could never part with it. Something about the humble vauxhall hot hatch, getting back into the driving seat transports you back to a day when you had no worries or responsibility. Perfect

[Andy]

Generally most children don't have cars.

[7ova]

My first car was a nova when I passed my test at 17.
And have had approx 20 of them since (now 37)
Had lots of other cars bmw's audi's focus ST's
But keep going back to the nova's


Why???

[faker]

I'm 41, bought my first nova - a silver 1200 swing when I was 19 after owning 2 fiestas. Bought a c reg sr when I was 20, sold it and bought a 1990 gte when 21, sold it and changed to a 16/16 civic, then a 16/16 crx for a while, then 3 gti golfs, a 205 gti before buying a metallic black Gsi nova. Sold it and in 1998 I bought a nice one owner black '87 snow plough sr with grey check interior. It was mint. kept it for about 3 or 4 years and loved it. Bog standard on 13" tin rims and silver hub caps. I then discovered diesels and bought a turbo d 309 towards my late 20's. I then drove various turbo diesels over the next few years. I bought a mint single point injection b.r.g. Mini cooper, and a mint red b reg one owner snow plough sr in '04 as play things. Sold both to buy my sport in '05, and my rally car in '06. Continued to drive diesels as daily commuters until a couple of years ago. Then for whatever reason I bought a red mk2 nova 1200 3dr merit as a daily. Then a phase 1 Gsi vectra which was a strange transition and a great going yoke. Im in real danger now as for the last year I have been driving an '03 Clio 172 as a daily and I love it. I bought another nova rally car shell and doner towards the end of last year, but decided to sell both on and go with the Samba Rallye. For some reason I have always had a nova. They are not the best car on the road, they have strange handling characteristics, strange driving position, and not the quickest of things, but I don't think I will ever get them out of my system, and I think I'll always have one. I still own the rally car, and the sport is undergoing the slowest restoration in history! I would even go as far as saying that my 9 year old son will be rallying one when he is 12, and have one as his first road car.

[Mazz]

I bought my first one aged 16 without really realising what I was letting myself in for! I've only ever had 4 cars, and we've still got 3 of the buggers :)

[bazzap8389]

^ I'm exactly the same only had 4 cars and still have 3 of them lol killed the other one by accident lol

[Adam]

I've owned one since I started driving ten years ago

[monty_trials]

loving all your replies guys!!!!! my turn now :)
About mid 1998 when i was taking driving lessons, i told dad i want a Nova!! Dad would say "stop saying you want a Nova as a first car your having whatever comes along that's the correct thing and deal" He even pointed to a kia pride and said that will do u as a first car!!! I was like WHHHAT??? NOOOOO!!! Back then dad was manager of jeep and chrysler garage in North Wales, so things used to come and go all the time, as in he would be driving a 40k jeep or a £100 datsun!!! Round about the same time he came home in a old school skoda!! "around the time people used to joke about them"
I remember seeing it thinking noooooo get rid!!! I dont want it!!! He only bought it back from the garage to wind me up hahaha!! Soon after a mk1 green B reg 3dr hatch was in drive, very rusty with 140k on clock!!! Wasn't mine, but said DAD I DON'T MIND IT!!!! But it was a bit tatty, so dad said i will find u a better one!!

So along came xmas 1998!!! I was opening the usual presis and loads were things like car cleaning stuff!! L PLATES!!!! fluffy dice etc etc. I had a large box that i opened to find a small box then another box then a envelope with a set of Vauxhall keys with a note saying FIND ME!!! Went running out side to look for it!!! Was in next doors driveway!!! A Nova mk2 3dr 1.0 trip!!! Totally original!! It was as clean as you could find, still had that new car smell!!! I was shacking with excitement!! RAN BACK TO THE HOUSE TO GRAB L PLATES!!! Threw them on car!!! Drove it with my dads mate as a co driver, for about 3 miles "didn't have insurance yet so couldn't go far" and i fell in love within seconds!!! I still remember that nova smell they all have!!! That squeaky clutch!! That old school none power steering!!! LOVED IT!!! Had it for YEARS!! Drove it everywhere!!! Even had it colour coded and did a few but not too much of the Nova mods!!! Only sold it as modern things where not so expensive, so thought it was time to sell!!! Always regretted it :( been trying to find it for the past year, DVLA web site have it as a 2.0 and last taxed in 2006!!! If anyone knows where it is now PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! Reg H112MEY it had a mk1 spoiler on it when i sold it, also a tow bar!!! Anyone recall it?

[amggsi]

There has been a Nova at our house for as long as I can remember. I was born in 1983, and my dad bought my mum a new 3 door 1.2L in early 84 which she kept for a few years. My granny liked the Nova, so went out and bought herself an 85 1.3GL. With the arrival of my sister the 3 door was of no use to my mum, and as my granny changed every year, my dad bought the GL of her and traded in my mums L. My mum drove this up until the late 90's, then had an SR for a while after that. I bought my first Nova in 1999, a 1.0 Gem and went on from there.
On my lookout for a 1.3 GL I found the actual car that my granny and mum had for so long, it is in a very sorry state, but when I seen it I had to buy it back, so it's my next project! Currently have 10 Novas, bad when you have to write down the regs to count what you have!

[Jeff16v]

I've owned a nova from 18 and have now had 22 years of continuous nova owndership, in fact i have more than than ever before, lol

the only thing i haven't done in one is conceive a child, I attempted it many times tho. :-)

[mk1nova_rich]

I bought my first at 18...I used to absolutely despise them but fell in love after seeing a red Snowplough SR knocking about. Not got one now but I'll have another one day :(

[Spudly]

I used to hate them too, my mate got a mk1 merit on a E reg tat had been GTE repped with a 1400 astra mk2 engine in it, dropped on the floor on cav slabs with a pipercross filter and piper back box, it went like fook, handled like a go kart and used to light up the bushes on the back roads when you let off!

I fell in love, bought an abyss kitted mk1 not too long after, then mk2 SR, had a few 1.2's after that, then an xe, and a few more 1.2's a mk1 SR, a GTE, a mk2 1400 flair, then sold that and said no more...........








I was three days short of being 'clean' for a whole month when i bought my Antibes from Andy, had it about two years now lol

[Chay84]

All my mates ran about in novas 10yrs back and I have a pug 205 xs, I ended up blowing up to many gearboxes so sold it and bought my 1.4sri the bug started

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w520/chay6684/6aad010ba55d34ca7a79cac8b6532988.jpg

Had that for about 5 yrs sold it when I got my cavalier Sri 16v xe

Had a 4 yr gap but was always looking at them for sale then bought this a yr ago

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w520/chay6684/74c6c2c8d8f47d1e37cc411bcf23d068.jpg

[Pulsar_stu]

In three weeks I will be without one for the first time since I passed my test 14 years ago. Have had the current one 12 years but it never gets used so letting it go to someone who might get some use out of it.

Definitely won't have another, as the saying goes "once you go jap........"

I went jap with pulsar gtirs, I've had 5 of them and sold my last one about 12 months ago and decided to go for a nova for a change of view lol
I am currently looking for a Subaru impreza for the family motor tho.

Jap does get under your skin! So do Novas tho!!!

[J398SUR]

I got my GSI as I could not afford to Mod my SRI back in the day.

My Kids think I'm crazy

[Martin.p]

For me, a nova was not my first car. I had a old x reg fiesta. I ran it for a yr and dad took me looking for another one. I tried a few, but kept saying to him 'I dunno' it just drives like a car!' 'What am I meant to be looking out for?'

Then one day I went out in a 1.2 4 door hatch, and the moment I drove it I realised the difference. (Dont know what or why) but I came back and said 'dad' I've gotta have this car!!

At that point I was hooked!
I ran that car for 2 yrs and it gave me endless problems. But I loved the car still.
I then sold it and got a GTE.
And oh my god! I was in heven. I had that for 6 yr. by this time I'd had my 3rd daughter and just could not fit in the nova anymore.
Car seat up front. And mrs trying to get between two booster seats in back.

So I got a Calibra 4x4 turbo. With lots more room and power and it could pull the parents caravan. ;)

The Calibra ran for another 6 yr. (with me always silently missing my GTE.)
Till one day I got a random text from a old school friend saying 'you know anyone who wants my old nova'

Well. I bit his hand off. I paid for the car befor I even drove it or looked under it. I wanted another nova that bad.

By this point I also had a Mondeo which pulls caravans better gets to and from shops better.
So I killed the Calibra and am currently putting it in my nova. And making it what I missed for so many yrs. my GTE!
Hence. My build thread called 'wanna be GTE'
I can't wait to get back behind the wheel of my old Vaux. I'm 33 now :/ and the nova takes me back down memorie lane . :)

[wwmnw]

I don't own a Nova or want one.



Oh I cant lie, I'm debating if I can justify buying another and doing a V6, I've got my eye on a decent shell.

[matty gte]

just bought a gte to restore as the 80s add says once driven foever smitten lol

[eggy]

I was a late driver as I couldng be arsed to drive till I was 18 my first car was a nova SR which I loved but it just wasnt quick enough. Got a GSI and loved it so much I kept it for 6 years.

Usual story got married, had kids needed a bigger car. Never kept a car for longer than 2 years since the GSi. Nothing I had felt the same.

Now Im older got more disposable income and still never found a car I was happy with. Cut a long story short now own another GSi, needs a fare bit of welding but even tho I only drove it off a transporter and the 400 yards to my drive all the old memorys come back even my wife has admitted she has missed us having a nova. Only thing is I dont remember them being so small

James

[meritlover]

We should start another thread called 'did you get rid of your nova to forget a traumatic time in your youth'

[murph-gsi]

My first car was a 1986 1.0L 2 door saloon. Had a reg GIS 353. Loved it and still have it in the garage but looking a bit sorry for itself now. Raging I never took more pictures of it.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/murphmad/GIS353.jpg (http://s599.photobucket.com/user/murphmad/media/GIS353.jpg.html)

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/murphmad/gis3534.jpg (http://s599.photobucket.com/user/murphmad/media/gis3534.jpg.html)

[NitrousVaux]

Had quite a few, broke quite a few. Still have one in the garage at the moment which will get rebuilt after my second child is born, hoping and praying the garage does not fall down around it tho.

[jimbob-mcgrew]

We should start another thread called 'did you get rid of your nova to forget a traumatic time in your youth'

lol yeah

i want rid of mine