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The slow death of Vauxhall?


Felly Magic

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

 

 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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

 

post-19970-0-14409100-1524390901_thumb.jpg

 

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...

 

post-19970-0-65015500-1524390563_thumb.jpg

 

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

 

post-19970-0-52694400-1524391063_thumb.jpg

 

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!

 

6839993.jpg

 

:-D

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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:

post-3069-0-18632000-1524393662_thumb.jpg

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