Should I Get A Vectra?

fatal1ty

Hi, I'm going to be 17 soon, and I talked my parents into getting me a car. But, i really want an Opel Vectra, B, to be exact. I should be able to afford to run it, they're (reasonably) light on petrol, and the 1.6 is cheaper than a few hatchbacks i've looked at. I want one of these to avoid the whole 'boy racer' stereotype, as all in all, the vectra is quieter, faster, more comfortable, roomier, and in my opinion, a lot better looking than the scrap Starlets and Corollas my friends think are 'fast'. Insurance is very reasonable too, so I genuinely don't see a reason to avoid one. However, is there anything in particular i should look out for when buying one, considering I have about E1,000 to spend on the car?

Rowley Birkin QC

Had one. They are a dog on petrol but I never really had any major issues with it other than when I left it parked up for 7 months while I was out of the country and rain ate the wiring.

Found it easy to work on so if you're mechanically minded that's a plus.

johnos1984

fatal1ty wrote: »

I have about E1,000 to spend on the car?

At that price level look for one that appears to be in good condition and hope for the best.

Personally I'd go with a JAP box if that's the budget as they tend to age better but for €1000 I'd expect problems to surface with any car

colm_mcm

Get your insurance quotes first, there's a reason people start small

johnos1984

colm_mcm wrote: »

there's a reason people start small

Surely you cannot be suggesting parents have babies and not fully grown adults due to cheaper VHI insurance?

fatal1ty

colm_mcm wrote: »

Get your insurance quotes first, there's a reason people start small

I'm looking at 2,500 for a quote, own policy. parent's won't insure me under them (they're evil...). however, i dont mind paying that.

johnos1984

fatal1ty wrote: »

parent's won't insure me under them (they're evil...)

They're right. I wouldn't want my name associated with a Vectra 'B'

eurokev

Your going to spend 1000 on a car and 2500 on insurance.


If you stand up and keep turning around really really quickly, say between 100 - 120 times your head might screw on properly , and you may realise that these figures are the wrong way around.

No 17 year old should be allowed drive anything more than a 1L imo

colm_mcm

200 quid a month + tax and petrol just to drive a vectra!!

Raskolnikov

The reason insurance is cheap is because the performance of the 1.6 litre engine is rubbish and not much better than a hatchback. The 0-60 in the Vectra you've probably been quoted on is 14.5 seconds - terrible. Unless you need the space, I would be inclined to go for a smaller and lighter hatchback to be honest.

sdanseo

I've a vectra C if you decide to go for a newer model - which is a decent enough car but be prepared to spend a few quid fixing them. New clutch, discs, pads, and needs a head gasket all in a year since I bought it, although perfectly conceivable that I just got a melon.

If the B and C varieties are anything similar on fuel consumption the 1.6L will give about 500-550km from a tank in urban driving, maybe 650km motorway. I've never thought of it as underperforming, though, that said the only thing I have to compare against it is a 1.2 Corsa and a 1.4 Fusion that my mam drives.

Raskolnikov

eurokev wrote: »

No 17 year old should be allowed drive anything more than a 1L imo

People here need to stop being obsessed with engine size! You can get a 1.0 VVTI Yaris with as much poke as the Astra this guy is probably talking about. Personally, I drive a 1.9 SDI which has 64 HP and a 0-60 of 18 seconds.

ottostreet

Raskolnikov wrote: »

People here need to stop being obsessed with engine size! You can get a 1.0 VVTI Yaris with as much poke as the Astra this guy is probably talking about. Personally, I drive a 1.9 SDI which has 64 HP and a 0-60 of 18 seconds.

That's far too fast for a 1.9. Lunacy for a 17 year old to have that kind of performance.

fatal1ty

sdeire wrote: »

I've a vectra C if you decide to go for a newer model - which is a decent enough car but be prepared to spend a few quid fixing them. New clutch, discs, pads, and needs a head gasket all in a year since I bought it, although perfectly conceivable that I just got a melon.

If the B and C varieties are anything similar on fuel consumption the 1.6L will give about 500-550km from a tank in urban driving, maybe 650km motorway. I've never thought of it as underperforming, though, that said the only thing I have to compare against it is a 1.2 Corsa and a 1.4 Fusion that my mam drives.

Thanks for the advice, it's exactly what I was looking for!! To the rest, I dont care about performance. One of the reasons I'm looking to get a Vectra is to avoid all this "all 17year-olds guys are 3-door hatchback driving, loud, brash, boy racers, and they think their little Saxo is the fastest thing on 4 wheels". Sensible 4-door saloon, for a sensible lad lol

Henry Ford III

fatal1ty wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, it's exactly what I was looking for!! To the rest, I dont care about performance. One of the reasons I'm looking to get a Vectra is to avoid all this "all 17year-olds guys are 3-door hatchback driving, loud, brash, boy racers, and they think their little Saxo is the fastest thing on 4 wheels". Sensible 4-door saloon, for a sensible lad lol

All decent enough reasoning, but you'll still be paying c.€60 p.w. or €3000 p.a. in insurance and road tax without even turning a wheel.

MugMugs

Raskolnikov wrote: »

eurokev wrote: »

No 17 year old should be allowed drive anything more than a 1L imo

People here need to stop being obsessed with engine size! You can get a 1.0 VVTI Yaris with as much poke as the Astra this guy is probably talking about. Personally, I drive a 1.9 SDI which has 64 HP and a 0-60 of 18 seconds.

I'd professionally hammer the hell out of a 17 year olds insurance premium on a 1.6 against a 1l and I'd get a little bit of sick satisfaction out of it too. 3k MINIMUM.

sept09baby

How about a Kia Rio? Would be cheaper on insurance (cheaper than most 1-1.2l hatchbacks) and cheap enough on petrol. Should be well able to get one for 1k. Would say it would be a lot easier on the pocket than the vectra and still gives plenty of room/

I've no experience driving or maintaining one though so worth checking that out but it was one I was looking at before I bought my car last year.

colm_mcm

The blind mans Hyundai accent. Great choice :rolleyes:

TestTransmission

fatal1ty wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, it's exactly what I was looking for!! To the rest, I dont care about performance. One of the reasons I'm looking to get a Vectra is to avoid all this "all 17year-olds guys are 3-door hatchback driving, loud, brash, boy racers, and they think their little Saxo is the fastest thing on 4 wheels". Sensible 4-door saloon, for a sensible lad lol

If anything the "cool" thing to be doing now is not to be driving 3 door hatchbacks and to drive bigger cars like A4's,Passats,etc

garclo

thats crazy money for insurance! you should get something small to start you off imho. if you really dont care about performance, you'll find loads of choice out there!

fatal1ty

garclo wrote: »

thats crazy money for insurance! you should get something small to start you off imho. if you really dont care about performance, you'll find loads of choice out there!

2,500 is very reasonable, if you ask me, for a quote on the Vectra. a lot of companies i've looked up were quoting me 3,4k upwards, and of course, a lot of "no quote"s.

to the rest again, I started this thread so I could find outwhat to look out for mechanically, when it comes to buying a Vectra. So, while I appreciate that you all look at the financial side for me, I'd rather hear about what to look out for mechanically when buying one, such as which parts are known to fail, etc.

Thanks again for the posts

TestTransmission

fatal1ty wrote: »

to the rest again, I started this thread so I could find outwhat to look out for mechanically, when it comes to buying a Vectra. So, while I appreciate that you all look at the financial side for me, I'd rather hear about what to look out for mechanically when buying one, such as which parts are known to fail, etc.

Thanks again for the posts

Any car going for €1000 will/might possibly have issues.I'd bring a mechanic along with you.

Ask for receipts,service history,etc and read this

I can't see people's point about the price being high, surely folks here paid a couple of grand on insurance at some stage. I paid IR£2400 ish the year I passed my test on a 1.4 with a years NCB.

TestTransmission

RoverJames wrote: »

I can't see people's point about the price being high, surely folks here paid a couple of grand on insurance at some stage. I paid IR£2400 ish the year I passed my test on a 1.4 with a years NCB.

yeah,but that was like 35 years ago :pac:

johnos1984

RoverJames wrote: »

I can't see people's point about the price being high, surely folks here paid a couple of grand on insurance at some stage. I paid IR£2400 ish the year I passed my test on a 1.4 with a years NCB.

I can't see any issue with the insurance price tbh.

My worst was €1900 after an accident.

I just thing the car is a SHID choice.

It's certainly no performance car so I don't know why people are banning on about that, I think it's just a desperate attempt to get on the road. I'd prefer go for a Laguna of similar vintage

fatal1ty

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

You realise we're talking about a 17 year old buying a Vectra here?
Not usually associated with carnage, spitting fire out of the exhaust, doing donuts, etc...
Think more carpet salesman, office stationary rep, funeral home representative, I don't think we have a rampant boyracer on our hands.
I don't get half this thread, someone only has to mention "17 year old" and the usual "They Should All Be Thrown In Prison!" brigade shows up.
Ireland is a great country for generalizations, not EVERY 17 year old will get into his car and within 100 meters slaughter 27 babies as they plow into a creche at 125 mph whilst doing donuts.
Honestly, is the "think of the children, Joe Duffy" brigade just getting louder, or dumber?

So, again from the top:
A 1.6 Vectra is NOT a performance car, it is more associated with cheese salesmen.
The OP can buy a tiny little 1 litre hatchback that goes faster.
I don't think the performance we're talking here is in any way over the top.
Any poster who came on just to post something along the lines of boyracer, they should charge you E10k insurance, etc...:
Get a life.
And thank God you're only someone spewing sh*te on the internet and not someone in a position to make any meaningful decisions regarding the OP's choice of car or insurance premium. So anyone who spouts that kind of garbage is, thankfully, safely to be ignored.
Get your Vectra OP and if it annoys the screaming ninny brigade: Good! Makes me happy.:cool:

Thank you, good Dr.Fuzzenstein!! this Doc should help cure the nation of it's stereotypes. Personally, i find the whole "17 year-old= boy racer" a bit of a joke, and I thank you for looking beyond that, hence proving you have the ability to think for yourself.

fatal1ty

TestTransmission wrote: »

Any car going for €1000 will/might possibly have issues.I'd bring a mechanic along with you.

Ask for receipts,service history,etc and read this

Thank you for the advice!

johnos1984

OP for 1000e I think there are better cars out there that will give as much performance, reliability, comfort and still be cheap on insurance than the usual rot boxes.

Toyota Avensis 1.6, Nissan Primera 1.6, Renault Laguna mk1 facelift model 1.6, Rover 600, etc etc

Basically I'd look for something which is a saloon, circa 1.6 petrol which is popular with the older driver.

As has been said above get them checked out by a mechanic and expect a few rough edges.

I started with a 1.6 Avensis which was a bit basic but cheap to run, nice to drive and very reliable. The image in any of these cars won't be great but they are clever choices

fatal1ty

johnos1984 wrote: »

OP for 1000e I think there are better cars out there that will give as much performance, reliability, comfort and still be cheap on insurance than the usual rot boxes.

Toyota Avensis 1.6, Nissan Primera 1.6, Renault Laguna mk1 facelift model 1.6, Rover 600, etc etc

Basically I'd look for something which is a saloon, circa 1.6 petrol which is popular with the older driver.

As has been said above get them checked out by a mechanic and expect a few rough edges.

I started with a 1.6 Avensis which was a bit basic but cheap to run, nice to drive and very reliable. The image in any of these cars won't be great but they are clever choices

You get the kind of car I'm looking for! Thanks a million for your suggestions, i hadn't even thought of those cars, to be honest. I'll be sure to look into a few. Thanks again.

Mr Benevolent

I'm paying €1600 on my first insurance at 31. OP, my advice is to buy a good car, and a Vectra B is crap, to put it mildly. My parents had one and it died of HG failure at 10 years old. I suggest a Fiesta. Nippy enough for a small car (better than a 1.6 Vectra anyway), lower insurance, much more reliable, better fuel economy and doesn't drive like an understeering pig. Hell I'm buying a Fiesta for my next car. Disguised as a 1.6 Puma, that is.

On another note, if you buy a 1.6 Avensis at 17 I guarantee you'll be banned from Motors post haste.

johnos1984

fatal1ty wrote: »

You get the kind of car I'm looking for! Thanks a million for your suggestions, i hadn't even thought of those cars, to be honest. I'll be sure to look into a few. Thanks again.

I know exactly what you're looking for as it's how I got on the road too.

Done deal is your best bet to find one or keep an eye locally.

Mechanics often have these cars for sale on behalf of customers too or they will buy, service it and sell it themselves for a small profit. In fact many of them will source one for you as more often than not they will end up servicing it for you too in the future