Modern vauxhall? truly shite

[HillmanImp]

I think I have voiced my dislike for them on here a few times before..... I had an Astra on which the sensors were playing up, the diagnosis came up wrong at 3 different garages and I ended up flogging it at a huge loss as it would not run.

 

Despite me slagging them off good and proper, my mate went and bought an 03 plate Corsa which lasted a whole 3 months before it went into meltdown.

 

I realise a lot of people will have no bother with them at all and when I had the Astra and it worked I enjoyed driving it. Its all to do with your own observations and experience, so whilst most of them are good I suspect they are more prone to it than most other cars, probably because the ECU is kept on top of the engine IIRC where it gets really hot and is shaken around continuously. I dont know if other manufacturers do this too but I cant see it being good for it.

[garethj]

I've found with the Volvo S80 that interpreting the fault codes is a bit of a knack. General backstreet garages can plug their diagnostic thingy in and it'll say a fault, but it apparently needs a very specific reader and someone who knows how to drive it to actually find the cause.

 

Even though the Volvo independent garage is 25 miles away and it means me taking a day off work, I'd now rather take it there than put up with endless mis-diagnostics from other garages.

 

Writing diagnostics tools is a complicated business, I worked with some of the top quality geeks when I was designing automotive stuff. They all tucked their jumpers into their trousers.

[stuboy]

sadly i owned many cavaliers mk2 and 3's but when came to move on i try the vectra and thought it was shite in all aspects and bought a ford mondeo, thats been super in 4 yrs ive owned her.

[Pete-M]

Whatever VW used for sensors on the Mk4 Golf (and other same era soft-touch shite) were obviously Vauxhalls kwality rejects. I've lost track of the number of Golfs, Pisshats etc I've seen lately with fubar sensors.

 

Having said that, I don't think there's much out there that'll give CDTi Poxhalls a run for their money when it comes to unreliability.

 

Company I work for had Vauxhalls for a few years, mainly alongside Skodas, Toyotas and Seats. In 15 years they'd never sent a car back as being 'unfit for purpose' - and that's out of probably 1200 cars. Last year they sent all their CDTi Vauxhall stuff back, and Vauxhall coughed up. They'll never buy another Vauxhall, and advise anyone who asks not to touch the bloody things with a bargepole.

 

The list of faults with the things was a bit large, EGR valves, DPFs, DMFs, radiators, gearboxes, brake discs turning to cheese in 10k miles, steering racks, shock absorbers, alternators, injectors, fuel pumps, it just went on. The highest mileage one had done under 30k (maintained perfectly) miles, had had pretty much everything replaced (under warranty) and it was still a rare day when the engine management light didn't come on.

 

Most car companies have 'bad phases', Merc with the early W210 rot issues, Ford with the Ka rot and whole of the Mk5 Escort, VW / Renault with their coilpack maladies, Renault with anything after about 1999, Rover with the Kettle series engine, Fiat's chocolate head gaskets, but I've honestly never known anything as unreliable as the CDTi Vauxhalls.

 

When I worked for Budget we had a fair few highly abused Mk1 Vectras and much as I despised 'em they wouldn't bloody die, no matter how badly they were abused - and boy did they get abused... At the time they were more reliable than the Mondeos we ran alongside, as the Mondeos had a phase of dead alternators and starters for a while.

[fiatdaft]

Google any modern diesel and there will be a site somewhere full of tales of woe,they all have problems,infact i did a quick google myself about warranty claims,and vauxhall are far from the worst ,i'm not really a vauxhall fan,but there are worse cars out there .

[Cavcraft]

I can't comment too much on personal experience but the CDTi Vectra I had was bloody awful. My neighbour used to like them but has seen so many for sale that turned out to be lemons he actually bought a Renault diesel instead. That alone probably speaks volumes about the CDTi units I'm afraid.

I'm going to get another Vectra C one day but I'd only entertain the 1.8 petrol version or (at a push) the 2.0 DTi if one comes up cheap enough.

 

The same fella loves Corsa C models though, especially the 1.0 versions. He's bought quite a few with knackered cam chains, fixed 'em up and sold them on for very good money. He's actually at the point where he takes his tools and the chain kit, drives all over England buying the cars, fixes them on the spot and drives them home.

[Owain-328i]

For me, vauxhall started going downhill in the mid 90's when the vectra was launched. However the earlier stuff was great.

 

I loved the Cavalier SRI's, my neighbour had a few, and even the early 8 valver he had on a G plate shifted!! Great cars.

 

My grandparents had a Astra 1.6 on a L plate 93, and that was well equipped and went well too.

 

However i think things are on the up for them again, the insignia is winning awards and seems popular!

[fiatdaft]

The insignia might be the car that drags vauxhall down in future reliabilty comparisons!

[Owain-328i]

The insignia might be the car that drags vauxhall down in future reliabilty comparisons!

 

Really?? do tell

[Lankytim]

Insignias are GR99 I think, although rental places recon they have loads less grief from Fords. No idea what kind of grief they get though.

 

I *heart* our W reg astra estate, its lovely! Got a sensor problem somewhere though, so maybe that kinda proves something.

[fiatdaft]

the gutless 1800 suffers from sticky valves, 2.0 diesel fuel pump failures,power steering pipe failures.

[Guest]

Google any modern diesel and there will be a site somewhere full of tales of woe,they all have problems,infact i did a quick google myself about warranty claims,and vauxhall are far from the worst ,i'm not really a vauxhall fan,but there are worse cars out there .

 

Yeah, but Vauxhalls do tend to be shit. In general.

[fiatdaft]

could be worse though,could be a citroen.

[Guest]

could be worse though,could be a citroen.

 

How is that offensive? You're right.

 

Although I'd still rather have my car than any of the depressing heaps of shit churned out by GM Europe at the moment. And that really is saying something.

 

Corsa: Ugly, boring, mutant bastard of a thing with zero appeal. Great if you want a car to get you from A to B and break down somewhere in the middle.

 

[Dis]astra: Ditto. VXR - pointless if you live near a road with corners on it. Tyre places jizzing everywhere.

 

Insignia : Stupid, runty, pointless wannabe Audi with shit engines, a shit boot and a rear compartment designed with zero regard as how people may effect ingress \ egress without twatting their heads getting in \ out.

 

etc.

 

Why are you defending Vauxhall anyway? You don't work for them any more!

[Cavcraft]

Do you think I'd get away with going to Codmongjelly in the Corsa instead of the Cortina?

[Guest]

Do you think I'd get away with going to Codmongjelly in the Corsa instead of the Cortina?

 

Yes, why not.

[fiatdaft]

it wasn't meant to be offensive.

 

Corsa ugly,boring, don't break down that much,similar story to any other small hatch

 

Astra ditto,although the tyre shredding power is easily contained with a the right foot or b the traction control, vvxr's and the equivilant opc's cope fine at trackdays.

 

Insignia huge boot,base engines are gutless (like most base engines) similar story to other family sized cars,rear headroom poor.

 

I'm not defending them ,i'm just saying they ain't the worst.

[Guest]

it wasn't meant to be offensive.

 

Corsa ugly,boring, don't break down that much,similar story to any other small hatch

 

Astra ditto,although the tyre shredding power is easily contained with a the right foot or b the traction control, vvxr's and the equivilant opc's cope fine at trackdays.

 

Insignia huge boot,base engines are gutless (like most base engines) similar story to other family sized cars,rear headroom poor.

 

I'm not defending them ,i'm just saying they ain't the worst.

 

The Astra VXR I drove was fucking terrible however you tried to corner it. Light throttle + bend = tyres alight. Moderate throttle + bend = tyres alight. Hard throttle + bend = tyre fitting station lob on.

 

I've never seen the point of imbuing a FWD car with tons of power that can only be reigned in by the traction control. If the chassis can't cope, why give it loads of power? Or you could design the chassis to take the poke, but that's too much effort, hein?

 

Yes, it was impressive in a straight line. But that was it. Same as every other quick Vauxhall ever built. Or it was fucked.

 

*awaits the inevitable 'well you can't drive for shit' comeback*

[fiatdaft]

maybe you should have left the traction control on? the traction control that is fitted to most new cars with over 100 bhp.

 

i don't know what you drive like,but as i have already said they do fine at trackdays.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Jeezus, 12 pages of PU51 DRY and another 4 of our monthly pro/anti-vauxhall keyboard wars, FUCK OFF!

[Bren]

Good to see everybody has different views on what is shite or is'nt. Makes this board an enjoyable place to be.

 

I think the sad thing for vauxhall is that they actually produce some nice looking cars - I actually like the last vectra, especially with the 18" alloys.

 

And yes, I'll agree, a timing chain kit and an EGR valve for a 10 year old corsa probably ain't bad, I just wish I had gone looking at it when it was bought, as it was a shitty example.

 

BTW, my sister handed £200 over to sort the EGR problem.

 

Then again what do I know? My favourite car is the SD1.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

[Dis]astra: Ditto. VXR - pointless if you live near a road with corners on it. Tyre places jizzing everywhere.

 

 

The gear selector indicators spell the word PORN(D). Maybe mikey should buy one.

[fiatdaft]

and karen could sit on it .

[mattblack]

Jeezus, 12 pages of PU51 DRY and another 4 of our monthly pro/anti-vauxhall keyboard wars, FUCK OFF!

 

I'm going to fit PU51 DRY plates to our V****a and sit outside Wat's house, reving the engine until some sort of OMG! SENSOR PROBLEM! causes the engine to implode

 

Or somthing.

[Guest]

Jeezus, 12 pages of PU51 DRY and another 4 of our monthly pro/anti-vauxhall keyboard wars, FUCK OFF!

 

I'm going to fit PU51 DRY plates to our V****a and sit outside Wat's house, reving the engine until some sort of OMG! SENSOR PROBLEM! causes the engine to implode

 

Or somthing.

 

Alright lad, I'll get the C4 out and tow you down to my local Vauxhall dealer, Cunts of Old Trafford.

[Split_Pin]

I think, from now on I'll stick to my Vauxhall Forums.

 

Sad day, I thought everyone was welcome on here, clearly not.

[Station]

Jeezus, 12 pages of PU51 DRY and another 4 of our monthly pro/anti-vauxhall keyboard wars, FUCK OFF!

 

 

[Father Ted]

Jeezus, 12 pages of PU51 DRY and another 4 of our monthly pro/anti-vauxhall keyboard wars, FUCK OFF!

 

 

 

Its got cars in it too, just for Mr Bo11.

[fiatdaft]

 

Natural state for all modern Vauxhalls.

 

 

what the instrument cluster full of old man dead skin?

[Cavcraft]

I think, from now on I'll stick to my Vauxhall Forums.

 

Sad day, I thought everyone was welcome on here, clearly not.

Stick around Ian, the Vauxhall bashing/defending flares up from time to time but a) not everyone hates them and other marques get a bashing occasionally too.