The slow death of Vauxhall?

[Junkman]

Strange as it may seem, I was quite taken aback at this. Never occurred to me that such late cars are scrap and not because of accident damage. I'd expect this of modern washing machines, but they don't cost £15,000

 

I register for quite a while now that current millennium cars have an astonishing attrition rate.

It makes perfect sense in that casino capitalism school of thinking that has completely taken over everything.

Wrapping the whole scam into this save the planet bollocks is the pinnacle of hypocrisy, but it does work a treat.

[Bag'O'Spanners]

Having sat in my brother's 12-plate, 1.2 Hyundai i20 I can see no compelling reason to buy the equivalent from Vauxhall.  It's a cracking little car.

 

I was a Vauxhall tech in a previous life, the Vectra B was the start of the rot (no offence intended to the Vectra lickers, your pleasure, my poison). Even been looking at Korean as my next modern myself. Nearest Vauxhall dealer 1/2 a mile away, some used car lots round here look better...

 

Edited due to 1 bottle of wine and 2 beers spellings.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

I was a Vauxhall tech in e previous life, the Vectra C was the start of the rot (no offence intended to the Vectra lickers, your pleasure, my poison). Even been looking at Korean as my next modern myself. Nearest Vauxhall dealer 1/2 a mile away, some used car lots round here look better...

 

My brother has a PhD in mathematics (and works for AutoTrader).  Everything he does, he does on paper and he bought the Hyundai for purely objective reasons of cost, warranty and economy.  Turns out he's got a good method, although I do miss his old Polo.

 

I've never had strong feelings about Vauxhall.  When I was a kid, my mate's Mum had an Omega that was very nice.  I was too young to appreciate Cavaliers and the like and the Vectra always seemed nicely styled but otherwise dull when I was a kid.  There was never anything aspirational and that seems to be the overwhelming feeling.  Which is sad.

[rantingYoof]

Vauxhalls owned by my family in age order...

• 1989 G Senator 3.0 12v
• 1990 G Carlton 3.0 12v CDX estate
• 1990 H Carlton 1.8GLi (company car)
• 1993 K Senator 3.0 24v
• 1997 P Omega 2.5 V6 CD estate
• 2000 V Omega 3.0 V6 Elite
• 2005 '55 Signum 3.0CDTi Elite
• 2005 '58 Astra 1.8 16v VVTi Elite

I also owned the 2000 V Omega 3.0 V6 Elite.

 

They all had good things about them. The Signum and Astra both were very decent cars fundamentally but both did the very best they could to hide them. They both had trademark uninspiring Vauxhall interiors, the firmest most bench-like leather seats I've ever experienced, and compared to the iDrive system the onboard computers were both shockingly basic.

 

 

[sierraman]

5k a year? That's nowt!

[rantingYoof]

Despite doing some driving for my job, I barely scrape 10kpa. In fact, in just over 12 years of driving I doubt I've covered more miles than NorfolknWeigh does per year!

 

Mileage limits therefore make some sense but sod paying that much for the privilege.

[Snipes]

I don't find any of the modern VXs particularity offensive. They look just the same as any other modern car to me, which makes me wonder how people shopping for new cars are able to make any choice (beyond the financial deals on offer). 

 

When I was into Mantas they were always debating the idea of bringing Opel back to the UK. Apparently GM looked into it every few years but never decided to bother.

[lesapandre]

Three Mokka's in 5 minutes here in London. I'd say they have a minor hit on their hands if they capitalise on it. One in a very dark chocolate brown looked very nice. Quite compact and a high driving position probably makes them reasonable in city driving. I hope they capitalise on this - I wonder how many are first-time Vauxhall buyers - most I'd guess - so they need to avoid recalls, fires and all the other reliability stuff to build the brand with these first-timers. Not a car for me but does look fresh and eye-catching - in a good way. Mostly 'mature' drivers.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

But if a Corsa is 20 bags and an Insignia is 23, then something is fundamentally wrong with humankind.

 

 

 

My local Vauxemporium were doing runout 1.8i Insomnias for £13'995.

 

That's serious value for a decent modern car with a/c and a warranty.

 

It's always been the way and mfrs always ask and get more for the popular stuff. 30 years ago, a 1.8LX Sierra was only a grand more than a 1.6 Onion and the price difference between an E30 4 door 320i and a 520i was minimal.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

 

When I was into Mantas they were always debating the idea of bringing Opel back to the UK. Apparently GM looked into it every few years but never decided to bother.

 

 

They were fools. They could have reintroduced Opel with the Insomnia in 2009 and, none years later, it would probably be a different story now.

 

Remember when Audi and VW shared a showroom?

[angle]

I was sitting behind this Vivaro at traffic lights, and realised that nothing says 'made in Britain' better than a wonky 'made in Britain' badge.

 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

I was sitting behind this Vivaro at traffic lights, and realised that nothing says 'made in Britain' better than a wonky 'made in Britain' badge.

 

[2MB]

Most insignias seem to have rebadged themselves as opels by shedding the griffin on the front grille

[lesapandre]

Most insignias seem to have rebadged themselves as opels by shedding the griffin on the front grille

With the Opel zig-zag clearly to be seen behind...but in Germany are there Opels running about without the zig-zag and the Vauxhall Griffin clearly to be seen behind? Some in-house joke?  

[Junkman]

So even the glue they use is shit?

[SiC]

I don't think they even glued them. Just clip fitting plastic. So essentially the plastic they make them out of is shit.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The Insignia is a German car, designed and built in Rüsselsheim. Fucking Griffin??

 

Insignias shed them in disgust.

 

It would be like asking Rommel to wear a George Cross. Verboten.

[MikeR]

      BI turbo ....    sounds like it can bat either way !!!

[GrumpiusMaximus]

      BI turbo ....    sounds like it can bat either way !!!

 

It fucks you or it gets fucked.

 

Sorry.  I'll get my coat.

[Junkman]

Hmmm...

When Maserati makes a Biturbo, no such talk pops up.

Proof of where the Opel badge is in comparison.

And that despite the Maserati is a lot more Oribe.

[rantingYoof]

I know Vauxhall interiors get a lot of stick, and I am happy to concede that a lot of it's justified, but check this 2004 530i SE's interior and dashboard...

 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201803305087457

 

 

The idea of shedding a couple of grand on it today is pretty tolerable, given the 240hp straight six engine you'd also be gaining in the process.

 

But in 2004, it would have set you back over £31,000, and frankly if I'd just dumped that sort of cash on a car I'd be regarding that interior/dashboard on the way out and feeling instant regret.

 

For comparison, a same-age Vauxhall Signum 3.2 V6 in Design trim retailed at a snip under £22,000. You obviously do not get iDrive, and for 200cc more you actually have around 25hp less than the BMW, powering the front wheels and not the rear wheels. But you do get a colour sat nav!

 

Anyway, is this interior really £9k worse than the BMW's? While the wood trim does look appalling, I'm not convinced the BMW's sea of grey plastic is adequate compensation...

 

 

[rantingYoof]

Having said that, ticking a few option boxes with seat trim (BROWN) and stuff and the BMW's interior is transformed...

 

 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201804175649950

 

Still, even this was £27k in base form; those options look expensive.

 

Obviously nothing* beats the leather dashboard surround in the Mk2 Senator!

 

 

[sierraman]

Didn't mind the Vectra C interior one bit apart from those phenomenally stupid indicators. What the fuck were they thinking. If only they'd spent the billion rounds it probably cost on stopping the gearbox bearings on the six speeder from turning to cheese.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The designers of both the Vectra C and E60 interiors should both have been prosecuted. The BMW in particular is a fucking disgrace. You haven't experienced misery quite like an early 520i manual with grey flat weave cloth. In 2003 there were caravans dumped in a lay-by on the A34 with more inviting interiors.

 

However, over at Russelsheim a few years back:

[cort16]

Those 3 series in low spec have the most grim interior I’ve ever seen, just awful.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Those 3 series in low spec have the most grim interior I’ve ever seen, just awful.

 

 

Current or E90? The current version (F30) is a bit less tragic.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I'm currently winning this: A grand would be nice, but I doubt it.

 

 

[cort16]

E90. The seats in particular seem to have been stitched out of grade c Halfords seat covers .

[sierraman]

You'll be fending off the Eastern Europeans on the Insignia, they love them.

[Jerzy Woking]

I sometimes HAVE to use the works BMW 325 Touring (not sure what E number it is, itsmon a "64" plate) but it has an absolutely horrendous interior-in particular the hard plastic steering wheel, which the one on my 1994 Citroen AX put to shame.