I'm not sure how to go about this.

[Charlie Croker]

Hi all. As you probably know I'm on the hunt for a early Vectra.......well ive found one  that fits the bill perfect. The problem is its one ive seen parked up and obviously someones everyday car. I was going to stick a note on it and see if they fancy selling it. Im just unsure what to write without sounding cheeky or stupid (its a N plate Vectra after all not a Ferrari). I don't expect it for pennies.....in fact I would probably pay a bit over the odds for it so no probs there. What do you think is the best thing to write or go about contacting the owner without sounding/seeming a knob? Worst thing is i'm not shy but ive never done this before.lol.

 

               Cheers Charlie.

[Cavcraft]

Just stick to the point and be polite. Maybe try saying your dad had one in exactly the same colour and N reg and you've always wanted one. Leave a landline number (pikies and most scrap men won't do this) and state you're not a dealer and you will give the market price and a little on top.

[Tonka]

Whatever you do don't sound desperate to buy it or they may just see pound signs, why not pass by at different times of the day just to make sure it moves and isn't just sat there because it is knackered. 

[Rocket88]

Something along the lines of "Lovely car, if you ever consider selling, please contact me on 888888888888. I'm not a dealer, but an enthuisiastic fan of this particular model, and would pay a fair price for it" has worked for me before.

[Cavcraft]

Obv. If that doesn't work you need to up your game a bit. Perhaps start off being nice by bending the window frame back a bit then gradually work your way from good to bad cop by posting angry messages through his door to scratching 'STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE' down the sides.

 

Then after having let his tyres down and lobbed a brick through his window screen just turn up in a recovery truck with 'Bastard & Co, Northampton's Biggest Vectra Breakers' in the side and offer him fifty quid for it.

[chaseracer]

This, of course, is how CAVCRAFT obtains much of its stock...

 

[Cavcraft]

Hey, I resemble those remarks.

[simmo]

Having done this a few times mostly for scrappers but I suspect the principles are the same.   You need them to contact you ASAP because once the note gets put in the glove box  chances are the moment has gone.  Firstly handwritten and mention the car by type and or registration, if you don't they might assume its been moved from another car and anything printed they make think you are leaflet dropping loads of cars.  Might also be worth mentioning you're not a trader.it works on some people and try and make them a bit curious about why you want it, be honest with them.  Put the note in a zip lock bag it will protect it from the elements and stand out on the screen, also if they dump it on a load of paper work or crap in the car it will stand out if they later want to find it.  I usually get more hits that misses, that doesn't mean I always get the car but if your not rushed its amazing how many phone back months later.  Hope this helps. 

[Partridge]

Are they close to you? You could mention on the not I live on such and such road which would probably make them warm to it more, once they know for sure not a passing pikey.

[pompei]

I bought my Fiat Coupe that way.  I kept seeing it parked up in Tesco's in Lincoln and I left a note under the wiper saying I loved the car, if you were ever thinking of selling let me know etc.  I've done it a few times and always had a reply even if was to say no.  

 

I even bought a house in Hull when I got divorced a few years ago by putting flyers through doors in the streets I wanted to live in, saying that i wanted to live around here and I wasn't a property developer etc.

 

Good luck!

[Faker]

Vectra you say?! Here is my old one I sold a year ago, thing was absolutely mint through out. MSD GSI 2.5 V6. Mmmmmmmmmm. Thirsty bugger though.

[Split_Pin]

The only thing I would say that might be against you is that the owner might think you are some kid taking the piss.

 

I doubt the owner would regard this type of car as desireable unless its like the GSi above.

 

Saying that, I'd love a V6 Design Edition one. I've only ever seen one and that was for sale in Inverary for £600,

[Partridge]

The only thing I would say that might be against you is that the owner might think you are some kid taking the piss.

 

I doubt the owner would regard this type of car as desireable unless its like the GSi above.

 

Saying that, I'd love a V6 Design Edition one. I've only ever seen one and that was for sale in Inverary for £600,

That’s a point. Use your best grown up birthday card handwriting

[Charlie Croker]

I go past the Veccy everyday and its well taxed. Its in a good area so the owners might not set the dogs on me for popping a note on it.lol. Its a desiel and its my favourate colour.......dark metallic green. Sod it the note is going on it.lol.

[simmo]

Good Luck

[Faker]

Go get it tiger!

[Partridge]

Good luck-let us know if you hear anything.

[trigger]

Good luck!

[Charlie Croker]

Thanks guys. I will keep you all informed of or lack of progress.lol.

[Station]

Did this and missed out on a nice 25 year old Daihatsu Charade CX, it didn't have an owner and the house was abandoned, so it got towed away one day. I should've done the right thing and towed it away myself!

[Cavcraft]

I'm going to try this later on a very used looking early Mk3 Cavalier saloon I keep eyeing up.

[Partridge]

Tell us more.

[CortinaDave]

I had this one in 2010

 

 

A 17td ls with 226k on the clock

 

Bought for £300 I used it to drive fife- Aberdeen every day for a couple of months running on pure veg oil from makro.

 

Interior looked like it had been in Hiroshima during the atomic bomb drop but mechanically it ran fine

 

Gearbox lost fifth but I kept driving it anyway til it lost fourth as well, then I weighed it in.

 

It was pretty misearable to be honest but it did what I needed it to do and between cashing the tax and the bridge money I got back almost what I paid

[Cavcraft]

There's no denying it, Wat. They're just like this Escort I have sat here, pretty much unsellable because they're right on the very bottom of most people's bucket list.

 

Must be something in the high mileage Isuzu ones, Dave. I sold a 250,000 odd miler 2010-ish to a lad who I think broke it for parts. It was really nasty but had taken my mate all over the country several times over no bother. No-one else would have bothered because it was effing horrible!

[CortinaDave]

Yep - the engine in mine was still spot on the day I drove it to the scrappy. The rest of the car was shit but those Isuzu engines take a hell of a lot of punishment and seem to never die. Plus it ran happily on 100% straight fresh veg and did 200 miles a day even at 15 years old with monster miles and clear long term utter neglect no bother.

 

Never had one of the cavalier ones but I bet they were bloody good

[Vince70]

My father had the 1.7 turbo Isuzu lump in a k plate cavalier he bought for £250 it was so reliable the car was bought as a stopgap while the insurance paid up on a car of his that was written off.

 

Two years later he still had the car and it never used a drop of oil or water and he sold it on with a bit of tax and test to a bloke up the road for £150.

 

It was still going on for another 3 years after that but it succumbed to the rust bug like most of the thin gauge metal vauxhalls from that period.

 

I'm sure that engine would of gone on still to this day, but a mate of his who owns a garage did ask if it was a Isuzu diesel lump rather than vauxhall when buying I didn't know that vauxhall did their own diesel lump at that time.

 

So any news on the vectra

[warren t claim]

It's threads like this that make me wish Pete M was still around.