Vectra C bangers?

[Pillock]

Decent spec ones look ok. That 100 Edition for example.

 

Sadly my overwhelming impression of them is doom blue base models being driven by chav mums or their current shaven headed smackhead boyfriend. Uninsured with a cracked windscreen and a drugs marker on the PNC.

[danthecapriman]

I really don’t like these things, but then that’s true of just about all cars of this era!

Anyway,

My boss had a 150Sri CDTI, in black. It looked quite good for a modern and it was quick too. Infact it was rather nice to be in when it was behaving itself but it didn’t do that very often! It was forever breaking down, going into limp mode or developing faults meaning it spending time in the local garage.

Though to be fair to it, it was an older company car that he inherited from someone else. It had come off its lease period and the company bought it from lex outright and kept it as a pool type car. Which most likely meant it’d been ragged remorselessly and not looked after well for some time.

I think it was scrapped eventually when the alternator and something else fucked up.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

My problem with the BMW is that it's apparently 'aspirational'

 

Are they? They're just an old banger to me.

[SiC]

This ⬆ or that ⬇

I'd much rather have this.

[Split_Pin]

An aspirational car would be an Audi Q3 on finance owned by someone who lives in a sub-5 year old sterile housing development.

 

An old BMW really appeals to me and something like a well looked after E39 is quite 'old money' imo.

[Dunnockbird]

I bought one and don't visit many flat roofed pubs, had it for 9 months now, a 2008 SRI for £999 - one owner from new, dealer part ex to clear!!

Needed a cambelt (127k on original one!!) cheap as hell on these 1.8VVT's, gave it a "cheapest oil" I can find service, it's needed a wheel bearing in the 8,000 miles I've done in it since.

Used to haul photography equipment for work around the country and as a 2nd family car - it's bloody brilliant, slow but steady and gives me 45-50mpg!!

Had many many cars and this is one of the best for not giving a shit and just getting on with the job, not even washed it yet.

 

[sierraman]

They were definitely second fiddle when new but that’s less of a consideration by this stage. For the money they’re not a bad cheap, big, disposable car. And that’s the key, you won’t get sufficiently attached to it to start spending big money on it, once it’s fucked you can go out and get another for a thousand quid. I’d be inclined to stick a belt on it, not a terrible job and similar to the Zetec they’re likely to have the tensioner seize on it eventually. 

Theres a few things you have to accept though, every one I’ve seen leaks oil to a greater or lesser extent, invariably the rocker cover and the oil cooler O rings. At this age I’d avoid the diesels unless it’s the 120 and you can see it’s idling correctly and there’s no noise from the DMF. 

[Split_Pin]

Im not really a fan of Vectra Cs but one with a Z20NET would turn my head.  Although it is a GM unit, it's ostensibly a Saab design with their direct ignition system and designated B207E in 2.0T 175bhp trim . These can be mapped by Noobtune in exactly the same way as a Saab.

Only Vectra C SRis got the 'Saab' engine but a Signum in a more comfort-orientated Elegance spec could be ordered with it and would definitely interest me. I'm not sure if you requested an auto it would come with the decent Aisin-Warner item you get in a Saab or a crappy GM unit made from tinfoil and doilies. 

All very rare I'd imagine though.

[sierraman]

I’ve only seen a few 2.0 turbo Vectras, guess they weren’t popular. 

[Cavcraft]

9 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I’ve only seen a few 2.0 turbo Vectras, guess they weren’t popular. 

Weren't they mostly special editions?

[Split_Pin]

No they were a standard model in the range, I've just dug out my 2006 brochure on them. I reckon the high emissions weren't a good idea in this D car segment. 

[GMcD]

Wasn't a fan of the pre-facelift but I really do think the facelift Vectra C is a smart looking thing. I know it was probably done to give it the same face as the Astra H, but I like it. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

I like these. The Edition 100 was a top car, my Grampa had one - SG53FTY - was a good laugh towing a caravan.

[Dunnockbird]

21,000 miles done since I purchased my '08 £1k 1.8VVT shite, now on (148,000ish) just white goods Vectra C, and apart from suspension stuff, it's passed X2 MOTs and keeps proving very good service, if it poops itself I will just get another! Been totally excellent, and I drive a few cars, that many deem superior on the internet.

I even washed it, first time in 10months.

[Dunnockbird]

Thought I would update this Vectra Bangers thread..,

Last reported @ 148k and 3 years ago 'nearly' and I still have this Vectra, it's still doing routinely 500+ a week at times, it actually did 1,000 last week, it's up to 185k now.

 

 

[sierraman]

3 hours ago, Dunnockbird said:

Thought I would update this Vectra Bangers thread..,

Last reported @ 148k and 3 years ago 'nearly' and I still have this Vectra, it's still doing routinely 500+ a week at times, it actually did 1,000 last week, it's up to 185k now.

 

 

A lot to be said for them if someone wants a cheap family car, the petrol keeps going and going. 

[SiC]

On 03/11/2018 at 15:52, Rusty_Rocket said:

Re the mythical 2003 Vectra vs the 2003 Beemer... hmmm, I'm not sure there's much image difference nowadays, sorry Rev.

 

I see the same tax dodging, weed smoking losers driving both.  Bald tyres, cracked windscreens, broken mirrors, both marques are the same to me now.

9 years later the image I think still sticks between the E46/E90 and Vectra C/Insignia.

However E46 prices are definitely on the rise and just starting becoming desirable classics. You have to pay a premium for a nice one now, especially low mileage coupe.

Vectra C is still a cheap worthless banger. Not sure it'll ever escape that moniker. The Vectra B still has it. Cavalier is finally reaching classic status after being nearly extinct now. 

Definitely both are thinning out now though.

Loads of E90 about and Insignia petrols (diesels are dieing fast). But the fast ones especially E9x are getting harder to find and priced accordingly.

[Lonestar]

41 minutes ago, SiC said:

9 years later the image I think still sticks between the E46/E90 and Vectra C/Insignia.

However E46 prices are definitely on the rise and just starting becoming desirable classics. You have to pay a premium for a nice one now, especially low mileage coupe.

Vectra C is still a cheap worthless banger. Not sure it'll ever escape that moniker. The Vectra B still has it. Cavalier is finally reaching classic status after being nearly extinct now. 

Definitely both are thinning out now though.

Loads of E90 about and Insignia petrols (diesels are dieing fast). But the fast ones especially E9x are getting harder to find and priced accordingly.

The Vectra B seems to be disappearing quicker than the mk3 Cavalier did, an prices seem to be slowly rising.

Don't really see as many Vectra Cs these days, particularly the pre-facelifts.

I used to have a 2006 1.8VVT, which was a good reliable car, but kept getting crashed into so I let it go after it's second write-off in 18 months.

I had an Insignia as a courtesy car whilst the Vectra was away getting assessed, and it was a nice car to drive, but I was surprised how limited the visibility whilst reversing was compared to the Vectra (and even compared to my prior Astra H sportshatch).

[goosey]

I remember around 2003 when about 6 (possibly more) of these got nicked from Saint Gobains office in Coventry, At dinner time a Dude in a suit managed to get access to the building, then went from office to office unnoticed swiping keys off people’s desks (I believe there were quite a few sets on the Transport Managers desk who happened to be off work that day) Dude then made his escape then returned an hour later with some friends and just drove the cars away. The Police weren’t called until after 5 when employees were leaving for the day and found their company car had gone 

[sierraman]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

9 years later the image I think still sticks between the E46/E90 and Vectra C/Insignia.

However E46 prices are definitely on the rise and just starting becoming desirable classics. You have to pay a premium for a nice one now, especially low mileage coupe.

Vectra C is still a cheap worthless banger. Not sure it'll ever escape that moniker. The Vectra B still has it. Cavalier is finally reaching classic status after being nearly extinct now. 

Definitely both are thinning out now though.

Loads of E90 about and Insignia petrols (diesels are dieing fast). But the fast ones especially E9x are getting harder to find and priced accordingly.

There’s some optimistic prices asked for Vectra B on eBay. I would say unless it’s a very tidy SRI 2.0 or the V6 then it’s probably nigh on unsaleable to most people, looks too old for most people to consider. A lot to be said for the C though as a ‘run into the ground and dispose of’ car, the 1.8 wasn’t bad bar the obligatory oil leak they all have. 

[Dunnockbird]

13 minutes ago, sierraman said:

There’s some optimistic prices asked for Vectra B on eBay. I would say unless it’s a very tidy SRI 2.0 or the V6 then it’s probably nigh on unsaleable to most people, looks too old for most people to consider. A lot to be said for the C though as a ‘run into the ground and dispose of’ car, the 1.8 wasn’t bad bar the obligatory oil leak they all have. 

Yep, mine is leaking oil, but seems happy enough, just top it up. Can't really fault it for what it is.

[sierraman]

2 hours ago, Dunnockbird said:

Yep, mine is leaking oil, but seems happy enough, just top it up. Can't really fault it for what it is.

They all do that. If it’s not the camshaft cover it’s the oil cooler housing to block gasket. Not a dreadful job to sort if the manifold bolts come out ok. 

[SiC]

4 hours ago, Dunnockbird said:

Yep, mine is leaking oil, but seems happy enough, just top it up. Can't really fault it for what it is.

The Astra H that I sorted out for a friend had a nice crack in the corner of the cam cover that caused it to puke oil out when the cam was spinning at speed. Made a right mess but only obvious when driving. No so obvious unless you're looking but it's in the bottom left corner near the VVT solenoid.

Dead easy job to replace providing the last person there didn't strip the bolt threads or the bolts are seized. Aluminium bolts so easy enough to drill out if it has happened though.

Oil coolers/filter assembly are pretty much a consumable. You can replace the gaskets but the assemblies have a habit of warping so often it requires the whole thing. 

[Dunnockbird]

A whisker away from 190,000 miles now with this, thanks for the the above mention regarding the rocker cover, mines leaking alot now...so a gasket may not help, a think the rocker will be warped here. So something to look into soon!

But. Yes, these petrols in these, if given an ounce of oil now and then, they seem remarkably solid, maybe not Toyota solid, but not bad!!! 

It's a good MTB "no shits given" mule hauler!

[Lord Sterling]

Some years ago, I technically had one. Although, I had borrowed it off @red5 for a long while with a view to buying it. Unfortunately, the bottom end started knocking before I could get around to handing over £££s for it.  The Vectra was a 1.9 CDTi 150 manual Nav model as it had the colour SatNav.

I set about doing some improvements to it, there were a couple of small bodges which I unbodged and returned to OEM. I remember someone nicked the roof-mounted aerial and I got another one.

I also replaced the rear headrests and the rear of the centre console had a switch bodged in (presumably for yellow flasher lights or something) that got replaced with a fresh part.

Some years ago, I had a mate and fellow Birmingham-based trade-plater Pete (RIP) for a while he had Land Rover Freelander, but sold it for this V6 Vectra:

Sometimes in 2020, I also picked up a 120 CDTi for @red5 up from ey 'up t'YAAAARKSHIRE.

Very much "Tango Victor" / "Road Wars" looker.

I do like the Vectra of this period, despite now having the Vectra B V6:

The Vectra C, to me, always felt like the right kind of car. People always talk about 'xxxx' car being 'all the car you ever need' . The Vectra C, in my view, fulfils that, particularly if you are a family on a budget. It just does 'an car' better than anything else imho.

Sadly, an absolute bag of them are non-compliant diesels, and both the 1.8 and 2.2 they came with, are not exactly great powerhouses.

Would I have one again? Yes, but this time, I'd like a petrol 2.8 V6 in estate form.

[Dunnockbird]

The unicorn that is the Vec C 1.8vvt estate, if one pops up I may be tempted....but they are getting thin.

Wouldn't touch a diesel one, even with me doing very often 200 miles a day, the petrol is less troublesome.

I really like the 1.8vvt, you need to ring it's neck to get anything out of it, but it's quite a fun car to drive at higher revs.

And when your not ringing it's neck, it sits and does 50mpg very easily.

[yes oui si]

I really should sell on the one I have as I don't need all that space, and 55mpg would be better than 42mpg... But it's comfy and practical, and eats up miles so easily.

[horriblemercedes]

I've had a few. All decent cars really. 

 

Fastest one here:

 

Ex-police Vectra "V6 Special" . Basically a VXR in SRi trim but most options missing, apart from dual zone climate and xenon lights. I believe they used the self-levelling system for the lights for the active suspension system thingy, so you couldn't have that without the xenon lights. 

 

Favourite:

 

Cadillac BLS estate. 1.9 TTiD engine (available only in the Saab 93 and Cadillac BLS). Bought last year for £1150. I've done 13,000 Problem-free miles. No rust. Absolutely everything works. My favourite daily banger of my driving career so far. 

[Irreversal]

On 27/05/2026 at 09:22, Dunnockbird said:

The unicorn that is the Vec C 1.8vvt estate, if one pops up I may be tempted....but they are getting thin.

Wouldn't touch a diesel one, even with me doing very often 200 miles a day, the petrol is less troublesome.

I really like the 1.8vvt, you need to ring it's neck to get anything out of it, but it's quite a fun car to drive at higher revs.

And when your not ringing it's neck, it sits and does 50mpg very easily.

757 by any chance?

 

The vectra c with that 1.8 lump does seem to be a reliable workhorse. Shame in the insignia it was paired with a shite chocolate gearbox.

[Dunnockbird]

On 28/05/2026 at 15:14, Irreversal said:

757 by any chance?

 

The vectra c with that 1.8 lump does seem to be a reliable workhorse. Shame in the insignia it was paired with a shite chocolate gearbox.

I've been rumbled!