Well to be fair, Vauxy Cally's have a bit of a rep for boy racer cars - and to find a clean, non-thrashed, non-modified example may be quite hard to find. I know they can be picked up for a couple of hundred quid - clean, low mileage examples (depending on model, e.g 4x4, Turbo) are up to a couple of grand. If you're seriously looking for a clean, good model - I wouldn't bother trying to find faults yourself. For a small fee HPi/AA most road organisations will do a multi-point check for you from �49. As spaced said, they don't have the most reliable reputation. I've had several friends who are "self-considered mechanics, qualified from the Stag & Pheasant Arms" do their own checks on Cavs and Calibra's... only to buy something that's really failed on them a month down the line.