Annoying flaws / design features.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The one we have sitting at work in the p/x rack, the one where I naively discovered the Opel badge lurking in the grille behind the missing Vauxhall one, feels remarkably good for a Vectra replacement. Very much chasing Audi und zee Germans for interior touchy-feeliness, but it does all feel rather like it's desperate for acceptance.

 

For all its faults I can't help but think the Mondeo was born of a little more passion than the Insignia. But there's the whole meat / poison thing going on, of course.

 

I'm not sure the Insignum does chase Audi - the interiors are just too different. It's defo aiming at the Mondy and as a car, they're just about the same to drive. I used to prefer the Mondeo but the new facelift is absolutely minging - an Insignia in the bright red with the chrome bits beats it for styling hands down.

 

Dunno, but Vaux seem to have their act together - seen the new Astra Coupe? Such a pretty car.

 

Back on subject..........

 

Lights warning - my '95 318iS has the buzzer - I do mutter 'Aah shut the fuck up' before switching the lights off though.

[alf892]

Daytime running lights.......a new thing apparently. It was tried before though if anyone remembers dim dip a few years ago??

 

Anyway, as quite a few people have mentioned, people tend forget to put their lights on when they have clocks that are permanently lit as they think this means the lights are on. These daytime lights can only make it worse as now they will see a light to the front (on Vauxhall ).......but there is nothing on the back!

 

Electric handbrake.....Vauxhall again......this time slightly more useful. If you apply it without pushing the footbrake it will release when you pull away - if you apply it with footbrake on it definitely won't.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

Electric handbrake.....Vauxhall again......this time slightly more useful. If you apply it without pushing the footbrake it will release when you pull away - if you apply it with footbrake on it definitely won't.

 

 

Aaaaah..........

 

 

I should have RTFM!!

[CIH]

Daytime running lights.......a new thing apparently. It was tried before though if anyone remembers dim dip a few years ago??

 

Anyway, as quite a few people have mentioned, people tend forget to put their lights on when they have clocks that are permanently lit as they think this means the lights are on. These daytime lights can only make it worse as now they will see a light to the front (on Vauxhall ).......but there is nothing on the back!

 

Electric handbrake.....Vauxhall again......this time slightly more useful. If you apply it without pushing the footbrake it will release when you pull away - if you apply it with footbrake on it definitely won't.

 

I hate those things. Could never get use to 'em. I'd always do it manualy when moving Scencs about the place.

[R9UKE]

Speaking of "lights on" warnings, my mark 1 Laguna's is ridiculous. It's linked to the voice synthesizer, so instead of an instant beep, there's a good five seconds between opening the door and the man starting to speak "Lights - not switched off". So potentially you're out of the car and it's locked before you realise.

 

I'll have to get a go in an Insignia. Seems a real love it or hate it. I'd have the Laguna III over all the others, seems such a well made car in comparison with the II. Really needed a new name to be given a fair chance... shame.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Laguna 111's have been out for four years now - another three and they'll start appearing in scrapyards just like the Mark 11 did. Having driven a renter, I have to say they're a dreadful thing, utterly devoid of good points. Even the Mark 11 had something good about it (I think), but the 111 is just dismal.

 

I predict my local yard will have it's first undamaged but mechanically/electrically chalenged Insignia dragged through the gates in 2017.

 

I'm also pleased to learn that the Insignia is known in South America as the Chevrolet Vectra!

[Guest greenvanman]

The very existence of Mrs GVM's Panda, easily the most hateful car I've ever driven.

[Barry Cade]

I did my first service on an Insignia last week. Yes, it pissed oil all over the driveshaft. Took me ages to find the fuel filter, and the service parts- oil, oil filter air filter and fuel filter- EIGHTY quid- trade from Dingbo

 

Took it for a drive, after stalling it 3 or 4 times. 67 point turn to get it out the door. I'm 6ft2 and couldn't see where the ends of the car were, and I found it noisy, bumpy and pretty limp on the road test. Yuk. This one had just been to the dealer for a "DPF regen" which seemingly looked like it had some James Bond Q modifications. Very enviromentally friendly. Catch all the crap coming out the exhaust over a period of time, then let it go, all at once. Nearly made Sally Traffic on Radio2....

 

Anyway. VW T25 brake fluid reservoir. Stick a set of pads in it and you'll find fluid all down the back of the clocks and all over the floor. If you try to fill the reservoir after replacing brake pipes, you'll hit the arse of the bottle on the screen and you'll find fluid all down the back of the clocks and on the floor....

[catsinthewelder]

The brake fluid reservoir on the earlier bay window models is under the drivers seat. Guess where spilt fluid ends up bearing in mind that I've just finished painting the load floor, fitting the laminate over the top of it and the furniture on top of that.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

Took it for a drive, after stalling it 3 or 4 times. 67 point turn to get it out the door. I'm 6ft2 and couldn't see where the ends of the car were, and I found it noisy, bumpy and pretty limp on the road test. Yuk.

 

Pretty much my initial impressions, and it's a car you need 3-4 days and 200 miles with to get the hang of. Don't agree with the 67 point turn bit - the turning circle is remarkably small.

If I were to get one, I'd spec it with PDC because it's not easy to park thanks to piss poor vision.

 

Thinking back to 1993 and the first Mondeos - that was a car I loved from the word go. Such an easy car to drive with great handling (for 1993) and a nice ride. Everyone slagged the diesel but I thought they were okay if you drove it 'right' to avoid the lag.

[scooters]

the lack of cup holders in Citroen CX's and Bx's is tedious indeed

[scooters]

Classic Saab T16 Turbos....

 

take 1 superb chassis which in regular form is beautifully balanced and relaxing to drive

 

add 1 turbo charged 16V engine whose brutal power is too much for the gearbox and drop it into this amazing chassis thus turning a sublime motoring experience into a white knuckled, gear popping, turbo lagged brute of a car - ok it has it's plus points but not my cup of tea! (mind you I'll porbably end up buying another just to terrorise modern VAG drivers on the mtorway)

[504GL]

Anyway, as quite a few people have mentioned, people tend forget to put their lights on when they have clocks that are permanently lit as they think this means the lights are on. These daytime lights can only make it worse as now they will see a light to the front (on Vauxhall ).......but there is nothing on the back!

 

My 500 has DRL's and they don't light the clocks up. In reality during the day it's far better to have the front of the car lit up because the closing speed is obviously higher than a car coming up behind another car. IMHO DRL's are a good thing, too many bellends run around with parking lights on at dusk because they think some tiny little 5w bulbs actually make them visible.....

[Pillock]

Permanently-lit dash clocks - my 2001 Leon does it, but it seems that the previous owner has been in with a VAGCOM and just arsed around with a load of settings (in much the same way that I would, to be fair) - dash lights up all the time, the doors lock over 10mph, the alarm has been enabled when it was disabled from the factory etc. The clocks and controls (windows, mirrors etc) light up but the climate unit doesn't till the lights are on.

 

As such, I would imagine that with the cable and software, even on the new models you could disable the dash illumination as well as the DRLs.

 

Annoying flaws - the battery in a "proper" Beetle being under the back seat, which is made up of exposed metal springs and horsehair. Fat chick = car fire.

[Barry Cade]

Classic Saab T16 Turbos....

 

take 1 superb chassis which in regular form is beautifully balanced and relaxing to drive

 

add 1 turbo charged 16V engine whose brutal power is too much for the gearbox and drop it into this amazing chassis thus turning a sublime motoring experience into a white knuckled, gear popping, turbo lagged brute of a car - ok it has it's plus points but not my cup of tea! (mind you I'll porbably end up buying another just to terrorise modern VAG drivers on the mtorway)

 

That's my experience of T16's too,mine almost killed me on a number of a fair few times- lots of turbo lag, then a sledgehammer in the back if you had some grip, lots of smoke and no increase in forward speed if you didn't. Glenrothes is a whole town of roundabouts, with a mahoosive one at the South end of the town. At 8am its mayhem, and its big enough for the traffic to get up to a fair speed, so you just have to go for it. Gap, 1st gear, foot down, crawl away, with white knuckles as the truck bears down on the drivers side.. whoosh, and either you went into the back of the car in front, or the truck and everyone else dissapeared in a haze of Pirelli. I really don't get on with turbo's. T16, T5 and X1/9. Not for me thanks. In the T5, wheelspin at 80 was fun, once...

 

 

I worked for Ford in the early 90's when the Mondeo was not long launched- had to take one from Invergordon to Tounge, and I don't think I'd have had more fun,or made it quicker in a 911. Lovely flowing drive for a FWD. Never owned one though.

[dollywobbler]

rear wiper that is too clever for its own good.

 

Intelligent wipers? What next? I'd be interested to know why it's too clever. I've always liked the Panda but modern 'convenience' features do wind me up...

[scooters]

Classic Saab T16 Turbos....

 

take 1 superb chassis which in regular form is beautifully balanced and relaxing to drive

 

add 1 turbo charged 16V engine whose brutal power is too much for the gearbox and drop it into this amazing chassis thus turning a sublime motoring experience into a white knuckled, gear popping, turbo lagged brute of a car - ok it has it's plus points but not my cup of tea! (mind you I'll porbably end up buying another just to terrorise modern VAG drivers on the mtorway)

 

That's my experience of T16's too,mine almost killed me on a number of a fair few times- lots of turbo lag, then a sledgehammer in the back if you had some grip, lots of smoke and no increase in forward speed if you didn't. Glenrothes is a whole town of roundabouts, with a mahoosive one at the South end of the town. At 8am its mayhem, and its big enough for the traffic to get up to a fair speed, so you just have to go for it. Gap, 1st gear, foot down, crawl away, with white knuckles as the truck bears down on the drivers side.. whoosh, and either you went into the back of the car in front, or the truck and everyone else dissapeared in a haze of Pirelli. I really don't get on with turbo's. T16, T5 and X1/9. Not for me thanks. In the T5, wheelspin at 80 was fun, once...

 

 

I worked for Ford in the early 90's when the Mondeo was not long launched- had to take one from Invergordon to Tounge, and I don't think I'd have had more fun,or made it quicker in a 911. Lovely flowing drive for a FWD. Never owned one though.

 

I had fun in Glenrothes in the Sherpa last year - navigating the roundabouts had a 'nautical' feel - that big one is out of date - far too straight for modern traffic - desperately needs some dogleg approaches

[Guest greenvanman]

The very existence of Mrs GVM's Panda, easily the most hateful car I've ever driven.

 

Could you expand a bit please, the only things I really dislike on mine are the lack of a keyhole on the passenger door and the rear wiper that is too clever for its own good. I've always thought they are quite adequate, but always interested to hear an alternative point of view, I suppose it depends on what you are used to.

 

- Hopeless driving position. I'm average height and build yet can't position the seat anywhere remotely comfortable for all my extremities, with guaranteed backache on journeys over 30 mins

- Rock hard suspension

- Left knee digs into the centre console to the point where I lose feeling in my left foot, right elbow/funnybone frequently in agony from hitting the un-cushioned drivers door card during manouvres

- Horrible floaty power steering, with the comical 'City' mode button that makes it even lighter.

- Windscreen wipers that screech in any conditions and don't always go off when you want them to.

- Noisy

- Gutless

- No boot

 

What am I used to? For the last couple of years a Citroen C15 - hardly the last word in performance or comfort but it's light years ahead of this thing, in pretty much every respect. In fairness it has been pretty reliable, the missus has put 60000 miles on it in 3 1/2 years (really!) and she actually likes it but I'll only drive it if absolutely desperate. Each to their own I guess

[tonedepear]

Ah, so it's a moderny-new Panda then?

[Guest greenvanman]

Ah, so it's a moderny-new Panda then?

 

Yeah, it's an 06 one. It's not even as good looking as the earlier version!

[Albert Ross]

And I bet it doesn't light tyres up like Astra Turbo Diesels do....!

[Guest greenvanman]

It was bought to do the job of basic no-worries daily transport, it does that and I wasn't expecting any more.

 

Well, like I said it's not without it's virtues. In 60000 miles apart from servicing it's only needed the front struts replacing when they started leaking, and a new ABS black box thing under recall. Apparently they could catch fire under certain conditions... It used to be owned by my parents' elderly neighbour, when he passed away we were offered it for the price the dealer offered to buy it back for (sod all) so it was a no-brainer really. Fuel economy isn't bad too, so I do have some (grudging) respect for it. In fact I've got no problem with it at all as long as I never have to drive it again

[Craig the Princess]

Rover R8s. I love them, but why did they make the central door locking mechanism out of a substance more fragile than the K-Series' head gasket?

 

Also, if you lock the car with the button on the fob but unlock it with the key the alarm goes off. Why? (This doesn't bother me normally as I just use the key, but the garage used the fob and the alarm caused several people in the hotel next door to come to their windows )

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

I worked for Ford in the early 90's when the Mondeo was not long launched- had to take one from Invergordon to Tounge, and I don't think I'd have had more fun,or made it quicker in a 911. Lovely flowing drive for a FWD. Never owned one though.

 

Me too - used to valet and deliver cars for Skippers Group (County Durham like) when the Mondeo came out in Feb 1993*. Up until then the 405 was the king of FWD saloons. The Cavalier for all it's many other virtues wasn't a brilliant handling car, but the Mondy really set new standards. Fantastic chassis and a great motorway car - the 1.8LX was the best all rounder because the early 2.0 was undergeared. It was probably Fords biggest single leap forward, along with the first Focus. I look back at my many long distance drives in these as hire cars in 1993-4 with much affection.

Sad thing is, there will be no Mark 1's left in 5-10 years time and there won't be anywhere near as many survivors as there were for the various Cortinas. K reg Mondeos are already near enough extinct.

 

 

*'kin hell. That's almost 20 years ago.

[Negative Creep]

Sad thing is, there will be no Mark 1's left in 5-10 years time and there won't be anywhere near as many survivors as there were for the various Cortinas. K reg Mondeos are already near enough extinct.

 

 

*'kin hell. That's almost 20 years ago.

 

 

Not quite so sure on the last part, Cortina numbers were utterly decimated by rust and the banger boys. As long as the government doesn't bring in another scrappage scheme I'm sure a few will pull through

[R9UKE]

The Mark 1 Mondeo was the car of my childhood. Hearing stuff like this

Sad thing is, there will be no Mark 1's left in 5-10 years time

makes me realise how fucking fast life goes. I need to buy one soon and tuck it away in a garage.

[M'coli]

Sad thing is, there will be no Mark 1's left in 5-10 years time and there won't be anywhere near as many survivors as there were for the various Cortinas. K reg Mondeos are already near enough extinct.

 

 

*'kin hell. That's almost 20 years ago.

 

 

Not quite so sure on the last part, Cortina numbers were utterly decimated by rust and the banger boys. As long as the government doesn't bring in another scrappage scheme I'm sure a few will pull through

I'd doubt it - the very earliest Mondeo engines are easier to fit to RWD drive cars, something to do with the management being simpler (roadspeed sensor or something).

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Also, Cortinas are from another generation when old cars were kept going with a basic toolkit and a copy of Practical Motorist. Mondeos were launched just as cars were becoming a disposable bastard to work on throwaway item.