Mini Rant: Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 (2009)

[Gompo]

One of my best mates has a Corsa B. I think he paid £6k for it around 8 years ago, and I'd estimate has spent (at a guess) another £6k modifying it. It would have been more if he didnt do most of the work himself too...Anyway, I dont hate Corsas but I dont like them either, another friend had a 3cyl one to be honest for what it was it didnt seem that bad.I hope they dont become in 10/15 years what Novas are becoming now.

[Pillock]

I hope they dont become in 10/15 years what Novas are becoming now.

What, rare?I do. Very rare.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Novas are alright now I reckon. Theyve been right through the max power phase and most of the ones which are left now are worth hanging on to. They are not much of a handler but look sharp and those small-capacity OHC engines are lovely.

[Cavcraft]

Defo.Anyone who pus a bodykit on a Nova wants a f*cking good shoeing in my opinion.Subtle colours, 8V or XE conversion and gentle drop on Cavalier slabs or those sexy speedlines are the way forward.Incidentally if anyone gets the chance to drive a Nova or Corsa TD with the 1.5 Isuzu engine they should take it.

[Richard]

I thought Novas were pretty good, they were certainly extremely popular in budget motorsport.

[Pete-M]

I'll admit to having had an early Nova 1.3 SR for a couple of months back in the early 90's.. It wasn't bad at the time. Offset steering used to wind me up, and for some reason it ate shock absorbers, but it was quite nippy with being the early one with the closer ratio gearbox. It had the brown check trim as well, bonus.Sold it to a mate who fitted pretty much everything from a Nova GSi to it and then crashed it shortly afterwards.My mum had probably the most autoshitey Nova around for most of the 90's. C plate, four door saloon 1.2 Merit 4speed with a mega, mega rattly camshaft. Mum gave up driving and the Nova sat on the path for a few months and died having done 99,998 hard miles.

[fiatdaft]

can i just add that i have to sell these things everyday,but don't agree with some of the comments,i don't like corsa's either but the amount of clio's,c2's,c3's and fiesta's we get traded for them is pretty high, most of us dread trying to sell on the frenchies, especially when they are 3 years old!

 

btw you guys must be paying to much for cars!

 

i'll do you a diesel epica for 11k on the road or a corsa for 6k. the only corsa that would cost 10k on top of that astra would be a vxr.

 

oh and nova's don't handle well?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6rY1-pbeNM

[wuvvum]

Incidentally if anyone gets the chance to drive a Nova or Corsa TD with the 1.5 Isuzu engine they should take it.

+1. Had a go in a J-reg Nova Luxe 1.5 TD once - couldn't believe how good it was on the motorway. Would sit at an indicated 115mph without breaking a sweat. Owner reckoned he got 65mpg out of it, and he wasn't the gentlest of drivers. They don't come up very often though, and when they do they make pretty good money.I had a G-reg 1.3L as my daily for a while a few years back - that was a good car too. Wouldn't go round corners (always somehow felt like it was on stilts) and the camshaft knocked like buggery (they all seem to do that) but superb in a straight line, very nippy, surprisingly torquey and pretty high-geared for such a small car. I liked it.

[retrogeezer]

the only corsa that would cost 10k on top of that astra would be a vxr.

I was going on the price quoted at the start of this thread for a cheap model, no idea what the prices are.

[Cavcraft]

I bought a Nova TD for fifty rips off ebay a few years back. My mucker (major league VW fan) took me to get it in his Mk2 G*lf GTi and said (and I quote) 'don't worry I'll hang back for you'. So there's me expecting him to do exactly that. Until I got on the ramp down to the M53 and found it torque steered going into 3rd. I swear to God I handed him arse on a plate big time and the fun I had in that Nova was just unreal. It was so good in fact I could bait owners of much newer/fancier cars and royally piss them off at every opportunity.All was well until some bastard nicked it one day but that's another story

[Station]

I've never driven a Nova, there's still loads of tidy ones about owned by elderies and woman drivers. You could get a two door saloon as well.I seem to remember them having, in retrospect, the shitest interior options known to man. Blue dashboard with brown and grey seats with a rainbow trim down the sides, for example.There is an old man and his wife (80's) who I used to regularly see pottering about in his silver Nova GSi with all the badges on the front near me. I last saw him pulling out of a side road while holding up a mile long queue of traffic waiting for him to negotiate the corner.

[Parky]

I hired one back in the summer for a work trip. Basically it had mega spec like aircon, mp3 input, 6 speed box, alloys, etc but then Vauxhall gave it a half vinyl interior?? Surely they could have found an extra few quid for some cloth? That was the giveaway that an accountant had specced this car. On the road the car was OK provided there werent any bends which was strange as the suspension was rock hard. Cruised OK in a straight line (t'was a turbo dizzla model), build quality was OK, visibility poor, horrid gearshift and clutch, and on the whole I didnt like it and would never buy one. Clutch bearing was moaning which OK it was a rental car and unlikely to be looked after but it only had 1700 miles on the clock..I mean if you have to buy a new small car, surely you'd try a few out and that would sure indicate that the Corsa is vastly over-rated. What Car loves it though which probably explains why I havent bought What Car for many many years now.

[Richard]

For shite points you want a Nova with mismatched front wings. The front wings on the 3 door version were completely different from the front wings on all other versions.

 

 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

A Picanto feels like it’s been milled from a block of titanium in comparison.

And there is the problem, the Picanto. Drive one and you'll realise it's actually a decent driving car with a good ride, fair performance and a 65 year warranty. It's probably never go wrong because it's mainly tried and tested last gen Jap stuff. I rented one once and it was quite good. Not amazing, but much better than a Corsa.Who the fuck would really buy a Fiesta/Corsa over one of these? The Picanto should clean up the lower end of the shopping trolley market with the Polo and Yaris doing the more expensive end.As for the VW Fox..........what the f*ck is that about?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

They are not much of a handler

You'd be surprised - the 1985 1.3 SR I had in 1998 was excellent. I suspect a Nova now on some decent springs and dampers (just 30mm dropped and not too stiff) would run rings around modern stuff.A lot of these old small cars - Metro, Fiat Uno, Series 2 Renault 5 Peugeot 205 etc were really very good because they were so light.Anyone name me a modern small car that handles better than a basic 1.1 Pug 205? That car had just perfect balance, lovely to drive.

[ashmicro]

I drove a TD Nova once and the engine was great. Pity about what it was bolted into.

[chester drawers]

Out of the box smaller engine Novas do roll a lot. Especially on 20 odd year old bushes. Fitting the thicker anti-roll bar from a GTE/GSI up front (with new bushes) and adding the tie rod to the rear beam sorts this out. 30mm is quite a reasonable compromise as The Reverend says. Much more than that and the ride becomes intolerable on anything other than a perfect road surface.As Pete says the offset steering is a pain in the arse really. Especially on a long journey. I’m assuming converting to right hand drive and racks had something to do with this, but as I’ve never encountered a left hooker I’m not sure. Camshaft rattle is normally down to one of two things – not changing the oil often enough, or using a pattern filter without the non-return valve. Fit one of these and the top end gets starved of oil on start up.One area where moderns run rings round them is brakes though. They take ages to stop. Early calipers seize with monotonous regularity too and slide kits don’t sort it for long enough to make it worthwhile. Resolving this is piece of piss though as later, bigger Vauxhall stuff bolts straight on. Mid nineties 1.6 Astra calipers on Novas GTE/ GSI discs are a reasonable compromise. 2 litre 16V are superb but take a bit of persuading to fit if you want to keep original wheels. You’d think this might upset the bias between front and rear but so long as the existing valve is ok there’s no need to swap anything here.Novas - not the best thing since sliced bread I’ll grant you, but nowhere near as bad as some people make out.

[chester drawers]

A Picanto feels like it’s been milled from a block of titanium in comparison.

And there is the problem, the Picanto. Drive one and you'll realise it's actually a decent driving car with a good ride, fair performance and a 65 year warranty. It's probably never go wrong because it's mainly tried and tested last gen Jap stuff. I rented one once and it was quite good. Not amazing, but much better than a Corsa.Who the fuck would really buy a Fiesta/Corsa over one of these? The Picanto should clean up the lower end of the shopping trolley market with the Polo and Yaris doing the more expensive end.As for the VW Fox..........what the f*ck is that about?

Yep, the one I hired was great. The only criticism I have is the lack of a spare wheel (in common with a lot of things I suppose). I hit a large pothole in the middle of the Cheshire Plain in the small hours and stopped at Middlewich to discover nothing more than a can of foam in the boot. No visible damage to the tyre but a buckled rim. Unsure if the CDW covered me, I limped down the M6 with massive steering wheel wobble and a local tyre fitter took a hammer to the offending item the following morning. Suggested the wheels might need balancing on returning the car

[Gompo]

I hope they dont become in 10/15 years what Novas are becoming now.

What, rare?I do. Very rare.

No, desired/desirable. See Mr Bs post below your initial response to mine.I quite like Novas too from a design point of view.

[Mr Lobster]

A Picanto feels like it’s been milled from a block of titanium in comparison.

And there is the problem, the Picanto. Drive one and you'll realise it's actually a decent driving car with a good ride, fair performance and a 65 year warranty.

Very true, the Picanto is a cracking little car but probably overlooked by an awful lot of people because of how they perceive a Corsa / Fiesta to be so much better than an 'inferior' Kia Picanto. Same with the Nissan Pixo / Suzuki Alto - really a surprisingly capable car, roomy, probably last forever and very cheap to buy and run.

[danthecapriman]

I think its got alot to do with 'badge snobbery'. Alot of people couldnt care less if the car is brilliant to drive, reliable, comfy, whatever... If it hasnt got a good badge they consider it rubbish.Kia, perodua (Is that spelt right!?) to a lesser extent Hyundai, who wants that cheap crap when you could have Ford or Vauxhall?Although I just could not drive a car called a Pixo, or a Note for that matter! No idea what inspired those name choices!

[Guest]

I think its got alot to do with 'badge snobbery'.

Kia, perodua (Is that spelt right!?) to a lesser extent Hyundai, who wants that cheap crap when you could have Ford or Vauxhall?

I think its got alot to do with 'badge snobbery'.

Kia, perodua (Is that spelt right!?) to a lesser extent Hyundai, who wants that cheap crap when you could have Ford or Vauxhall?

I think its got alot to do with 'badge snobbery'.

Kia, perodua (Is that spelt right!?) to a lesser extent Hyundai, who wants that cheap crap when you could have Ford or Vauxhall?

[Mr H Sceptre]

Not quite sure if it is classed as similar sized to a Corsa, but I've been quite pleased with my Fiat Panda.

Love the Panda! Base spec is the way to do it, that's the proper Italian small car way of thinking. If a Panda is good enough for James May I reckon it's good enough for me.Pity they're not sold in the U.S. and it's impossible to import any car newer than 25 years old.

Panda=future classic in my book.

[chester drawers]

I think its got alot to do with 'badge snobbery'.

Kia, perodua (Is that spelt right!?) to a lesser extent Hyundai, who wants that cheap crap when you could have Ford or Vauxhall?

I think its got alot to do with 'badge snobbery'.

Kia, perodua (Is that spelt right!?) to a lesser extent Hyundai, who wants that cheap crap when you could have Ford or Vauxhall?

I think its got alot to do with 'badge snobbery'.

Kia, perodua (Is that spelt right!?) to a lesser extent Hyundai, who wants that cheap crap when you could have Ford or Vauxhall?

Palilalia set in, or have you been nudging the turps again Hirst?

[Negative Creep]

Try driving a Matiz. The Corsa seems like a paragon of motoring excellence in comparison

[chester drawers]

Hired a couple. Thought the first one was ok aside from the glovebox lid constantly falling open onto my mate’s knees. The second one was inexplicably thirsty.

[brammy777]

I think its got alot to do with 'badge snobbery'. Alot of people couldnt care less if the car is brilliant to drive, reliable, comfy, whatever... If it hasnt got a good badge they consider it rubbish.Kia, perodua (Is that spelt right!?) to a lesser extent Hyundai, who wants that cheap crap when you could have Ford or Vauxhall?Although I just could not drive a car called a Pixo, or a Note for that matter! No idea what inspired those name choices!

You are right though,and adding to that most people my age wouldnt want to be seen dead in something with a korean badge on the front.There seems to be five choices for people my age:Corsa, Fiesta, Saxo, 106, 206.Me? I cant afford any of them yet.Also, am i right in thinking that this:

Kia, perodua (Is that spelt right!?) to a lesser extent Hyundai, who wants that cheap crap when you could have Ford or Vauxhall?

is an extract from badge snobs mind you previously mentioned?Or a a teeny weeny bit of hypocrisy?

[Mr Lobster]

An awful lot of people do think a Ford or a Vauxhall is a better car than a Kia / Hyundai / Suzuki / Chevrolet / Nissan / Skoda / Perodua etc etc etc. But they are generally wrong and will buy a Corsa or whatever as they perceive it to be a 'superior' car when the reality is it probably isn't.One of the best cars I've ever had was a 99/T 1.0 Suzuki Alto. Ok to drive, cheap to buy, cost peanuts to run, didn't go wrong. Thoroughly unexceptional motoring but 100 x better than the equivalent Corsa / Fiesta / Clio which would be more expensive to buy and run and would be less reliable without a doubt.Should've kept the Alto really, I actually rather miss it

[dollywobbler]

Badge snobbery makes me laugh. If people want to pay thousands more for a VW over a Skoda then go ahead! Idiots.

[Cavcraft]

Aye but there's also one hell of a lot of badge snobbery TOWARDS Vauxhall and Ford too don't forget.