Vectra Estate - Resurrection

[Purfleet]

In June 2024 i bought my second Vectra B estate, a mere 24 years after my last one.... Both of them were posh ones with the first being a T Reg 2 litre diesel CD. Great car but a little slow being the non turbo version. I part ex'd that car for a Vauxhall Sintra (yeah i know).

Then 2 years ago i saw a 51 plate Petrol blue CDX 1.8 in Cheltenham - 300 mile round trip. Well i bought the Vectra (part ex'd the Rover 75 that needed work for a Vectra that probably needed work). But she was ULEZ compliant (just) and i really needed another Vauxhall in my life.

With a bit of minor tinkering i ran the Vectra for a year with a service, thermostat and crank sensor and not much else. We also used her to pick up the green cavvy

We then moved to Norfolk and i needed to get a van for the London trips and the Vectra was SORN with the intention of refreshing the suspension, new brake line and anything else she needed. Well that work has started and i plan to post a few updates as a novice and moron tries to get a Veccy Estate back on the road.

below are some photos of the collection, 1 or 2 shows, working for a living and collecting the green cavvy

[R Lutz]

18 minutes ago, Purfleet said:

 I part ex'd that car for a Vauxhall Sintra (yeah i know).

Magnesium alloy seat frames. What's not to like?

[Purfleet]

6 hours ago, R Lutz said:

Magnesium alloy seat frames. What's not to like?

Everything, fucking terrible car

[Purfleet]

Generally Wednesday night is play night and a good friend comes around and we talk shite and play cars (very similar to about 40 years ago when we were at school)

Got her up on the ramp, rear disks and calipers off and exhaust off - a decent evenings work (we are not quick) - Thursday the toys arrived, i think i have all the front stuff i need and the rear disks, pads and shocks. Ordered the bushes and rear drop links.

Next job is to drop the rear axle/subframe and clear under the car and hammerite the hell out of her, it doesn’t need to be pretty just to protect her.

[ProgRocker]

5 minutes ago, Purfleet said:

Generally Wednesday night is play night and a good fiend comes around and we talk shite and play cars (very similar to about 40 years ago when we were at school)

Fiend? 

[Bren]

I actually like this incarnation of vectra. The V6 was wonderful.

[Lord Sterling]

You might know (of) mine then:

Currently at welders who's trying to figure out what the MoT man meant by "Vehicle structure is modified/deformed" and why both of these feature in both the 'Major Defects' section and 'Advisories' section. 

[Purfleet]

38 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

Currently at welders who's trying to figure out what the MoT man meant by "Vehicle structure is modified/deformed" and why both of these feature in both the 'Major Defects' section and 'Advisories' section. 

I think you need a new MOTer!

 

[Marshall2810]

Absolutely love that! More please!

[Purfleet]

 a cheeky couple of hours on a tueday as i am only doing 1 day in the office this week

rear shocks and springs off as well as the anti roll bar, all pretty easy so far. My mate is around tomorrow and i want to get the rear axle/subframe/whatever its called off, then i can clean all the under side and hammerite the lot as well as everything that is going back on

it all looks fairly decent at the back considering the amount of dirt that is coming out

sadly Stanley didn’t share my excitement at today’s progress 

[chodweaver]

Vectra estates of that vintage are handsome beasts.

Following with interest

[AnnoyingPentium]

I like this a lot. Always wanted a Vectra estate, instead I've had two hatches! 🤣

[twosmoke300]

I loved my B estate . Put 60k on it and was my first decent car .

2.0 Dti Tourer .

Did 45-50mpg everywhere and all day comfy

R559BNT rip 

 

Just looked at its MOT history , wow ! the rust got it in the end . Made it to 218 k tho

[Purfleet]

1 hour ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

I like this a lot. Always wanted a Vectra estate, instead I've had two hatches! 🤣

i have a N reg hatch, i love it but its in decent condition. 

The estate is 'well worn' had a cat C back in the day but is still nice to drive. Importantly for me she is ULEZ so i can run her into work when i don’t stay over and that is so much better than using the #notaberlingo.

This will be my default daily all being well

 

 

[Purfleet]

Day 3

 Rear suspension and Axle beam (?) removed - all bolts came out okay, but the control arm bushes (25 years of ally vs steel) looks like they are going to be a cock!

[RoadworkUK]

Very impressed / green with envy regarding your garage set-up.