written by on 17/11/2009
PASSION:
Well..I was in love with this car for almost a decade and my quest for a mint conditioned stock Calibra Turbo 4x4 has ended last February.I see at this car as one of the best ever made in the world..a true DTM legend with looks and performance beyond it`s time, yet reliable & practical and an incredible value for money today.
CONDITION & REPAIRS:
The bodywork is still in excellent condition after almost 15 years..no corrosion, no rust, and it hasn`t been repainted.
I changed all the necessary parts : every rubber seal, cam belts, the wires & instalation and off we go.
Turbo, 6 spd transmission, suspension, stock rimes and transfer box are in excellent condition, and the tyres and brake discs were new and replaced by the owner.
PERFORMANCE:
It`s serously, savegely fast off the line with it`s 204 BHP and 4x4 drive, and also very civilized and quiet below 3000 rpm in 6th gear It`s not the easiest car to drive especialy when you rev it above 3000 rpm or go above 200 km/h because when the turbo kicks un you need both hands to get a hold of the power.:)).BMWs, Mercs,GTIs,VTI`s should be often left far behind on the lights:))
written by smithsonjames on 12/04/2009
Vauxhall Calibra Turbo 4x4 is poor on fuel. makes Exremely good car seem average, Best buy i have made. SuUCCINT TO THE POINT , AS ANY OWNER WIILL Know,,,
written by on 04/11/2008
dont let the bad points put you off buying a calibra
i know i havent been put off..i have had 4 calibras now and i LOVE them, they are full of spirit -good looks- and very cheap to buy. i know some people that have had as many as 10 calibras and they still love them
there are times in calibra ownership that you will think "i cant be bothered with the hastle anymore" due to engine problems but as the problem passes and the car is fixed you some how seem to admire it even more
this is the way i see it.....what would i rather have? a £500 old banger (fiesta/nova) that has no sole with a engine that will probably blow up every 6 months of a styleish 90's coupe that is worth about the same amount of money?
I know what I would choose?
written by dave916 on 06/12/2007
I have owned my Calibra for over a year now and I love it. Being a member of ClubCalibra.com I have learnt a lot about maintaining it and getting the most out of my Calibra. Top Car!
written by callydan on 11/06/2006
First few months I had the Vauxhall Calibra it gave me engine problems due to lack of maintenance from the previous owner, but I've now got it to my own standards and the car is great. Packs a real punch when the boost is set properly but must be run on 98 ron fuel like Shell Optimax etc, not that standard stuff. I don't think the transfer box is working but I'll get round to that some day because I can't put it off the road on purpose due to the thrill of thrashing every scooby the tries to take me on every A-class road there is. The car does need a lot of tlc but it's worth it when you find out what you get back from it. Watch out for duff ones though because there are a lot out thre and you can be taken for a mug with expensive repairs. Overall a fantastic machine, any questions on these cars feel free to comment.
written by willwjl on 03/02/2005
These Vauxhall Calibra Turbo 4x4 sports cars tend to come in for a lot of criticism so I hope my example will redress the balance a little. My car is high mileage (165000) miles but has only had one owner besides myself from new. It was a company owned vehicle before I had it, so it was high mileage, but it had been serviced by the book and was completely standard when I bought it.
It has had no problems to date, probably because it hasn't been modified. Big bore exhausts reduce low speed torque and wear the engine and turbo out faster, lowered suspension puts increased strain on the driveshafts and the transfer box so if you are looking to modify one do it properly and go to Regal or Courtenay or buy a two wheel drive model instead.
The Turbo engine is notable for its torque, which allows it to pull at just 1600rpm even in sixth. Normal economy is about 35mpg, mine rarely drops below 32 even when driving quite fast. Unlike nearly all other turbo cars the Calibra is quick and very driveable even when off boost, there is no sudden transistion from no power to lots of power as you get with say an Escort RS Turbo, its a lot more progressive.
The transmission looks scary but is robust providing the hydraulic accumulator is serviced every 60000 miles. Hard driving or the use of tyres with different amounts of wear will cause the viscous coupling to overheat. Incidentally the fuse can be pulled to give 2wd if necessary so an unworn spare can be used in the event of a puncture. As I work as a field archaeologist I have used this car in all manner of conditions including deep snow and off road where it has been utterly superb despite the low ride height.
Parts are generally cheap, except for the gearbox, transfer box, exhaust and cat, most of them are common to other models of Calibra and also the Cavalier MK III and Carlton/Omega. The engine is the bombproof red top unit used by the highly sucessful Cavalier Touring Car in naturally aspirated form, despite producing 280hp in this form failures were almost unheard of. The Getrag six speed box is good for 320+ hp and the rear transmission is from a V8 engined Caddilac Catera so is unlikely to break.
Service the engine every 3000 miles, check the gearbox oil level every so often and make sure that anything rubber in the engine bay isn't perished, like all turbo cars the heat produced is incredible, coolant hoses and the drive belt will suffer in these conditions. Have the cambelt changed when you buy one and make sure the belt tensioners are ok, these are a common failing point. A Bailey dump valve reduces turbo lag and also prevents back pressure from blowing the head gasket. Don't work the engine hard until it has warmed up (15-20 minutes) and let the engine run on for a few minutes after you have arrived at your destination.
These are great performance cars, I can't think of anything I could replace mine with. Sierra Cosworths and Subaru Imprezas are comparable but no so nice looking, fuel economy is much worse and they only have five gears. Probably the nearest car is the Audi TT 225, nice coupe body, turbo engine, 4x4 and 6 speed gearbox, but these are too common and much more expensive at the moment.
Written on: 17/01/2007
Calibra Turbo engine and box into a Corsa....
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<br/>This would be a pretty good conversion, as the engine and box are probably the strongest most understressed parts of the vehicle. I presume the conversion kit blanks off the f28 six speed where it attaches to the transfer box.
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<br/>How does the complete unit fit in a Corsa? The reason I ask is because if you look on a six speed Calibra, the end of the gearbox sticks out into the arch behind the nearside front wheel. Presumably some cutting is in order.
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<br>I've absolutely no idea how much heavier the turbo engine and gearbox is than the Corsa's standard kit, but I've seen Omega v6 engined Corsa's, so presumably they can take the weight.
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<br>I think you'd want to upgrade the suspension, and obviously the brakes. I think the front suspension doesn't need to be too hard, otherwise it will understeer and torque steer too easily.
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<br>You'll probably end up with near supercar performance, so watch out for speed cameras. I got badly done by South Wales police last year.
written by Veej on 30/10/2003
First of all - could everybody submitting reviews please write in language which can be understood - think punctuation, grammar, and spelling!!!
Vauxhall Calibra's are notoriously fussy cars, requiring perhaps more than necessary attention. But then it really depends on the type of car you're after. A simple run-around it is most definitely not. A fine sportscar it is, but with this comes responsibility. Treat it with respect and it will reward you with a lot of fun for not much money. The stats speak for themselves - 0-60 in 6.4, top speed of about 155, great mid-range punch. The engine and gearbox are indeed solid components, but check service history. Water pump, cambelts, pulleys, etc - if these are old replace. Check the transfer box history - if unsure take to someone like courtenay. Although expensive, it will pay off in the long run.
Dont get put off by these horror stories. They are perpetuated by those who can't understand what they have to do, and have bought thrashed motors. Just check one out and you'll be utterly hooked...
Written on: 27/10/2004
Do you have any detailed photo's of the engine set up on the calibra turbo. I'm having a few problems with some vacuum piping and a few sensors. Any help much appreciated.
Written on: 28/10/2004
Hi mate,
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<br>Try www.maxboost.com
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<br>Should have all the necessary information there.
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<br>Enjoy!
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<br>Veej.
written by Phil. on 27/07/2003
Overall for insurance purposes the calibra is an excellent choice. Out of the cars I looked at it was the cheapest to buy, cheapest to insure and the bits are by far the cheapest out of all the 2l 4x4 turbo cars out there. I have a baby seat in the back which makes it difficult sometimes but i have got used to it. Oh and i find it very difficult to fill up with fuel properly coz the neck is all over the place.
written by Steven Li. on 16/10/2002
I have owned my Vauxhall Calibra Turbo 4x4 since 1996. It was a used 2 year old car. The only major problems I have experienced was the transfer box (replaced under warranty thank goodness!) water pump and new clutch. The car has now covered 110,000 miles and the engine still revs eagerly and performance is as strong as ever. I change the oil & filter every 4500 miles which is probably why it's not even tappety at start up (yet). Make sure you change oil regularly and only ever replace both tyres on the same axle together and it should serve you well.
Written on: 13/11/2002
It's good to know someone else has had a problen with their transfer box. Would you know of any company numbers I can get in touch with regaurds bhp increase? Also what exhaust, filter and chip do you recommend? Do you know of any nice Calibra Turbos for sale -also whats the latest calibra turbo available.
Written on: 15/11/2002
Guys, you have to change all four tyres at once and ideally rotate them every 1500-2000 miles. This is the surefire way to keep your transfer box in tip top condition. Log on to www.cavweb-forums.co.uk or www.migweb.co.uk/forums to learn more.
written by Ron. on 12/09/2002
This 4x4 turbo is my second Vauxhall Calibra, the first being an auto non turbo. I found it second hand on the internet with 17000km on the clock. It has been reliable as clockwork with now 99000km on the clock. I have had the back end modified with eccentric bushes to allow adjustment of wheel alignment. This has worked wonders with all tyres now showing even wear across the tread. The car is regularly serviced by the local Holden dealer (in Australia, Calibras are marketed as Holdens even though they are really Opels). I believe this meticulous servicing has been the secret to my Calibra being fault free over its life so far. Beside the modified back end, I have installed a Blaupunct CD player and I run Toyo Proxes tyres which I am also very happy with. There aren't many in Australia so most people do not know what it is and certainly do not know how fast it can go. I love it.
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270948_Swanseacorsa's Response to willwjl's Review
Written on: 15/12/2006
I agree 110% with what you said about the Vauxhall Calibra. I have one, but it is slightly modded. I'm a bit worried I'm going to break it. Seriously though, I'm thinking of dropping it in a nice Corsa. I'm wondering, what are your thoughts on this?