How dull is your Vauxhall??

[Cavcraft]

I've got of of dem! Nowhere as bloody nice as that one though.

[Albert Ross]

Avoid the Vectra C like a plague. Rear upper arm bushes, track rod inner balljoint wear, front lower balljoint wear, Uneven tyre wear, leaking shocks, breaking springs, ECU failure, Flywheel failure on diesels, Cambelt failure on petrols, Pump failure on early 2.0/2.2 diesels, foul interiors, fragile switchgear, clutch switch failure for cruise functions, electrical component failures, poor panel fit, water leaks in, water leaks out, racks leaking................the list goes on and on and on. The WORST GM Europe car for at least 10 years. SERIOUSLY! DO NOT BUY A VECTRA C UNLESS YOU ARE A PERVERTED MASOCHIST. (With a fat wallet) Oh yeah, aluminium steering knuckles,which split when you nip up the track rod ends after replacing the track rods...................just a horrible thing, really!

[Cavcraft]

Erm, aren't the 2.2 petrol ones camchain and not belt?I know about the Di fuel pumps too, a thousand quid a time and not refurb-able. Perverted masochist? Why else do you think I run Vauxhalls!I'm running low on them now too as I sold my Vectra estate today

[Albert Ross]

2.2 petrol is indeed a chain, but prone to snapping/poor tension and rattling. Still a piece of shit though.............I forgot about the other faults.Creaking, sticking calipers causing brake imbalance and binding. Rotting brake pipes on cars as young as three years old........need I say more?Maybe..........just don't buy a 2000 on Mondeo instead..........

[Cavcraft]

I'm told quite reliably they have to run on fully synthetic oil as by not doing so it causes some oilway to block and knacker the chains up, even if it's been modified with a bigger oilway, or something like that.Local taxi companies swear by them and, for some reason best known to themselves, say the DTi ones are brilliant.The 1.9TD ones go like the clappers but also have pump problems and are a Fiat engine which is also fitted to some new VAG stuff as well as Vauxhalls, Fiats and Alfas.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Are we talking proper Vox Halls or rebadged FWD Opel shit?If it's the former: Hmm, a white Ventora FD 3.3 with a black vinyl roof (the Lazy Fireball....), a three window PA Velox/Cresta, a yellow FE VX4/90 (Hmm, Transcontinental), a silver Royale Coupe with red velours."The Vauxhall Breed's Got Style" as the ads used to say. Not after 1981 it didn't.

[r.welfare]

If you're used to Ecowrecks, you'll know that if you run them on anything other than GM 10W40 semi-synth, the breathers block up and you blow a rocker cover gasket. I know this...so it doesn't surprise me that the later stuff is probably oil-brand-sensitive too.Why have Vauxhall interiors gone all Early Learning Centre recently? I'm talking about late Omegas and Vectra Cs particularly, ugliest centre stack I've ever seen. Shame really, the build and design quality of the dash used to be a talking point, relative to the Ford competition...

[Cavcraft]

I didn't know that about the Ecowrecks fella but cheers for the info. I've always just run them on whatever oil I had at the time/what was cheapest. I just assumed the rocker gaskets were like the 8V ones and made out of Kleenex.

[Split_Pin]

I, and all my Vauxhall owning friends run ecotec engines. In my experience the oil brand doesnt matter one bit, its the 5000 mile oil changes that do! I do believe, however that ulness GM antifreeze is used, the waterways in the head can corrode.Also the so called reputation for the chain being prone to snapping on Vaux 2.2's unfair. They only fail due to poor maintenance and irregular oil changes.

[fiatdaft]

cavette,vw use there own diesel,not the fiat multijet

[Cavcraft]

cavette,vw use there own diesel,not the fiat multijet

It's a funny one that. I've talked to people who say VAG (though to be fair they said it was only Audi I think) used the Fiat engine and others who said they didn't.The last person who told me they did works at a VAG dealership so a little confusing.Whatever it's a crying shame because the 1.9CDTi is a fantastically quick and smooth engine and GR8 4 CHEWNING, just the luaghably shite fuel pumps let it down, ditto the 2.0DTi engines.Ian: I'm one of those that slated the Ecowreck but having a few high milers now they really aren't that bad at all.

[fiatdaft]

vw audi deffo dont use the fiat engine,vw diesels aren't yet even common rail,though they are going that way in 2009.

[alfetta]

i generally dislike vauxhalls, but sill/arch rust on late 90's even early 2000 fords like the Puma and Ka and rusty doors on mk3 modeos is taking the pee....

[Albert Ross]

I work for a Vauxhall dealership, and have done for the last 6 years. It's a well noticed thing that our staff car park resembles a used car lot. No Vectras, 2 Astra G coupes, 3 Astra F models (all Isuzu diesels) about 8 Fords, VAG stuff , Peugeot, Land Rover, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, and Morris! Notice, not a bloody Vectra in sight. Can you think why? I can. Because they're a fecking money pit and have no redeeming features other than the weight in scrap value.You have been warned.

[Cavcraft]

Yes, but if we all listened to the n'er-do-wells we'd all be driving brand new cars.It looks the owner of the Vectra is dicking me about anyway so the deal is probably off. However bad they may be it it's under book then it's worth the money which is what's it's all about.Anyway, I have my own recovery truck which sounds like it'll come on handy

[Albert Ross]

Sure it sounds bad, but even a shite car like a Primera has something..............reliability. Something sadly lacking in a Vectra. They have NO redeeming features to be honest. No character, no style, poor rearward visibility, God Awful handling, Poor throttle response from idle and trying to pull away gently without getting over 3000 RPM, making the cluch wear prematurely....................just shit really. Sorry to sound like a wet blanket, but they earn me money. I would work for Toyota but I would be bored shitless TBH. No warranty claims!I reckon Vauxhal have lost the thread style wise, and the best looking car they sell is the new Agila. Now that IS shite! We have a newly delivered black one in, with a two tone black and ORANGE interior. [/url]

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

It looks the owner of the Vectra is dicking me about anyway so the deal is probably off. However bad they may be it it's under book then it's worth the money which is what's it's all about.

That's a pity, GM only made 238538756 of the horrid things. Just go to a car auction and buy one, they are everywhere.

[Cavcraft]

/\ Yeah, know what you mean but will be looking at what they CAP at and I reckon it'll still be under that. It's just a short term measure as the ultimate plan is to get a newer truck, ideally a Sprinter. So if anyone knows anyone who wants a fairly priced, hard working recovery truck please get in touch as my beloved old runner will be up for grabs.GR8 4 STEELING ABANDUNND CARZ!As regards new Vauxhalls the Astra H still floats my boat as does the Meriva.

[r.welfare]

If you go to the Vauxhall website, click on Site Map, then click on Value My Car, there's a direct link to Glass's Guide for the trade price. Adjusts for mileage but not options (not that many of those make a difference on a Vect's value I would have thought). It's slightly tricky if they did several different variations of a particular spec/engine combo in the same production run - i.e. when I try and value the wife's Fabia it won't specifically identify the different 1.4s (68, 75 and 100bhp respectively) - but it should give you an idea...

[Cavcraft]

Nice one, thanks for that. Out of touch a bit with Glasses and Cap since I stopped having dealings with local auction company.It does seem wank that you only get two engine choices in Vectra C petrol and I can't see how they can shift that many to be honest.Told the replacement (not called the Vectra) is promised to be a very smart car but time will tell I suppose.I'm also highly unlikely to ever buy a new car anyhow!

[Monkey_boy]

WOWI never expected my first thread to creat such a huge amount of replys. Some interesting reading in here too.The Vaux I had before driving my wifes car was a J reg Cav SRI with a blown head gasket. Managed to make it last 6 months (I was given it for free) before it was really quite dead so I got it crushed. It had a lovely feature of 'surprise' shower for the driver. The sunroof leaked and collected water. When you went round a corner at a certain speed it pissed all the water all over you. Not one of it's best features. LOL

[Cavcraft]

The two litre SRi (20SEH?) are my favourites of all. I love the engine note (especially through a big bore exhaust), the toque, the way 3rd gear is mental and the bullet proofness of the engine. I had a GSi red top that was crazily fast standard and loved it but the Cavalier SRi will always be my favourite car ever.

[Monkey_boy]

See I never got to experience that out of my Cav due to it's blown head gasket. However I was given it for free due to the the blown head gasket. Due to that it had a seriously 'dull factor' about it! LOL Then again so did the Corsa I had two cars before that. 1.2 of pure dullness.(I've not had a good selection of Vauxhall's have I!!??)

[Cavcraft]

*Goes in a trance looking at your signature picture.Yeah, Vauxhalls might not all be exciting but vfm wise they're extremely hard to beat.

[Monkey_boy]

I only got that pic the other day! You like??

[205 gti]

 

My old Vauxhall

 

Not all of them are dull!

 

So yes, I have and would buy another Vauxhall definitely, maybe a MKII Astra GTE, always had a soft spot for them, especially with the digital speedo.

 

Anyone think the VX could be future autoshite? Its always lambasted by Elise enthusiasts as being ugly and obviously, it has almost the least probable badge on its 'bonnet'!