Vauxhall Vectra

Ted_striker

I'm going to look at a '99 vectra estate sport later on with the intention of possibly buying .Anyone here got a vectra ,would you reccommend it or should I steer clear .Ive had someone look at it already and I know its mechanically sound and in good condition over all ,my main problem is that its a 1.8 petrol ,is it going to rob me on fuel ?

eoinb

Avoid. The opel/vauxhall range was very poor a few years ago, and is only starting to recover in the last 2-3 years. Loads of problems, especially with timing belts- which is pretty much the end of your engine.

bazz26

I had the misfortune of buying an Opel Vectra in 1999. Worst car I ever owned. Climate Control failed 2 months out of warranty, no sympathy from Opel. Apparently a design problem but they didn't admit it. Driver's electric window relay failed and replaced twice. Stereo controls on the steering wheel stopped working. Don't expect much from the 1.8 engine either as the body is too heavy for it even though it is not a huge car.

Got shot of it after only 18 months as my patience ran out but it lost a good bit of value due to high depreciation. Would not touch the brand again. This is my experience of the car so you can make your own mind up after that.

Check out http://www.honestjohn.co.uk for his opinion of the Vectra.

samo

Friend of mine has an 01 she bought privately...TONS of problems despite it only having passed the NCT a week before buying. (Not a ringing endoresment of the NCT test centre for sure!!) She's had it 6 months and its been in the garage for something to be fixed at least every 3 weeks or so.

Also said it doesnt compare well with fuel (this is a 1.6) from the 00 Mondeo she had.

prospect

DELETED,

Apologies for double post....

prospect

samo wrote:

Not a ringing endoresment of the NCT test centre for sure!!

The NCT test is just to ensure a car is road legal, and roadworthy.
It is not a test of the cars reliability, or how well it was looked after engine maintenance wise etc....

samo

True - I didnt clarify this in the original post but in this case, unfortunately the person buying assumed all would be fairly above board for an 01 Vectra having passed the NCT a week before and a copy of the report - it led her to think think that car was fairly healthy at least!

In this case, there was a major problem with the handbrake and also the front brake pads were worn way down. Yet it passed this section of the NCT with flying colours!! There were other problems of which I cant remember as was a while back surely that its this should be a reflection on its road worthiness and I would have thought should have signalled a failure if there was a problem??

Perhaprs I'm missing the point on what the NCT is meant to be effective in monitoring but would have hoped that at least it would detect a problem with the brakes of that magnitude!

pillsaregooood

Well thats fn great ,I spoke to several people in the last week or so getting their opinions on the vectra including three vectra drivers and they all pretty much had good things to say ,then I ask you guys yesterday ,get no reply so I head of yesterday evening and purchase my vectra .Then I arrive in to work today and there are 5 or 6 replies telling me what a crock of **** they are .Now I'm pissed off ,have I just bought a ****box thats goin to swallow up all my money ,has nobody anything good to say at all about this car . :mad:

yellow012

If I were you I'd go back to place where you bought it and ask for your money back. Tell them that that you got advice off strangers from a Internet "motoring" forum and the conclusion was that the Vectra wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I'm sure there'll be no problem refunding your money. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Ted_striker

Thanks for your input yellow012 :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

IrishRover

Had a couple of vectras, a '96 and an '01. Had problems with the a/c in both and some ECU problems.

Something good though - the brakes were very good. So good in fact, I use them as a benchmark when comparing. I quite liked the vectra though. It's very good at its job as a comfortable rep-mobile.

Incidentally, Clarkson said it was the best car ever made... well he says many things, and he was kind of tounge in cheek when saying that - but what he meant was that it truly is the culmination of what the model T started - affordable motoring for the masses.

yellow012

Ted_striker wrote:

Thanks for your input yellow012 :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Your welcome.. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Dilbert75

Ted, panic not. I had a 97 Vectra diesel for nearly 5 reliable, economical years. It was no ball of fire, that's for sure, but it only ever let me down once and that was fixed foc by the Opel dealer, even though it was out of warranty. Only failings it had were rear suspension bushings (but cheap enough to replace) and there were two instances of the relay-controlled functions going bats - this is a known fault, corrected by unplugging and replugging a plug under the dash.

For what its worth, two colleagues have Vectras (a 97 Di and a 98 1.8) and neither have had problems. One friend had a 00 1.6 and no problems either.

Enjoy your Vectra - don't worry about anyone who says that a friend of their sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend's granny's nephew had one once and it was a ball of $hite.

stratos

I live in the country side and I am old.
What qaulifications does this give me, you say.
well the old bit remembers the Hillman Hunter.
The country bit allows me to observe what cars farmers buy.
The vectra a Hunter for the noughties.

IrishRover

stratos wrote:

The vectra is a Hunter for the noughties.

Excellent observation!