Opel - Insignia : why are they so cheap?

road_high · 28-06-2017 11:40PM

bazz26 wrote: »

The top spec Elite model has some decent equipment in it and can be bought for small money these days if you go back the years. Pre late 2014 2.0 diesel engines were a bit rough being reworked versions of the old Fiat 1.9 multi-jet engines from the mid 2000s. M32 gearboxes gave their fair share of problems in these cars too.

The 160 brake is a bit of a wolf in sheeps clothing and worth looking out for for the extra punch. Bit gruff down the range alright

Avatar MIA · 28-06-2017 11:45PM

+1 on the looks, always thought a nice looking car. New model looks pretty as well.

Don't get the ad pushing the On Star thing. If that's what you plug to sell a car, it's not a good sign.

NIMAN · 30-06-2017 08:57AM

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Don't get the ad pushing the On Star thing. If that's what you plug to sell a car, it's not a good sign.

Probably hoping to attract the Facebook/device/smartphone obsessed buyers.

grogi · 30-06-2017 09:18AM

CiniO wrote: »

How are petrol models?
Are they suffering same problems?

Anything with decent performance will come with M32 gearbox as well. Since 2011, when the used oil was changed, they seem to be a bit better though...

Stallingrad · 30-06-2017 09:52AM

Cracking value in the UK of you can live with Vauxhall badges.

Pawwed Rig · 30-06-2017 09:56AM

Stallingrad wrote: »

Cracking value in the UK of you can live with Vauxhall badges.

That's where we got ours. 2010 with still only 50,000 miles on the clock. Exchange rate at the moment is very favourable too

RobAMerc · 30-06-2017 10:19AM

As with most GM products these are generally poor copies of cars that are properly engineered by the likes of Ford bmw etc. GM generally sell cars cheap in large numbers to people who don't know the difference or care like fleets. Second hand, where people tend to be buying for themselves, they struggle as people are a little more discerning. If all you want is something to get you from a to b with as little hassle as possible they may be alright, but they don't seem to be able to do that particularly well either, with reliability issues.
PSA taking them over has potential to fix the first issue perhaps. Don't know about the second.

Stallingrad · 30-06-2017 10:28AM

1 year old Insignia with the highly regarded 1.6 Whisper diesel for €17500. Hard to beat that kind of value.

https://www.motorpoint.co.uk/vehicleadvert/vauxhal/insignia%20diesel%20sports%20tourer/726861

You could pay €10,000 extra for the same car here!

JonnyM · 30-06-2017 10:41AM

Have a 2012 Sri import with approx 130kms on it. Have no mechanical issues with it only small prob was boot switch went which I replaced myself very easy and water accumulating in doors so just pulled gromets out!

Great size boot which is needed as I have 2 kids and a dog he gets put in boot as it's hatchback so can take off the boot cover.

Great poke too in engine and very happy with it to date.

mojesius · 30-06-2017 10:53AM

I've an 3 door astra that I need to sell due to baby on the way and am thinking about at a 4/5 yr old insignia for space. Good to hear a few here recommend them as a family car.

ThisRegard · 30-06-2017 11:09AM

The high horse brigade wrote: »

My old fella has a 132 one, horrible, poverty spec with a tacky interior and it sounds like a tractor

That's the problem though. The poverty spec, inside and out, looks so much worse than a reasonably spec'd one. We had a poverty spec company car for a while and inside and outside weren't great (trim and small wheels look terrible on one). That got switched for an SRi and it's like a completely different car, aesthetically and to drive.

Stallingrad · 30-06-2017 11:40AM

^ +1. Have you sat in a boggo Passat? Grim.

Base cars only exist to get you into the showroom, where you buy the mid range model.

ThisRegard · 30-06-2017 11:48AM

Stallingrad wrote: »

^ +1. Have you sat in a boggo Passat? Grim.

Base cars only exist to get you into the showroom, where you buy the mid range model.

Yip! When shopping around it was down to a Passat or Insignia, sat in all sorts from the cheapo to the full cream leather. Friend has a mid range one, they're still not great interiors.

Brian? · 30-06-2017 12:01PM

Stallingrad wrote: »

^ +1. Have you sat in a boggo Passat? Grim.

Base cars only exist to get you into the showroom, where you buy the mid range model.

A base model Passat is horrendous. But there are plenty on the road. Awful things. Same with any VW, the Golf Bluemotion is probably the worst.

30-06-2017 12:50PM

Brian? wrote: »

A base model Passat is horrendous. But there are plenty on the road. Awful things. Same with any VW, the Golf Bluemotion is probably the worst.

Aren't Highlines etc available with the Bluemotion pack/badging? I thought the bluemotion is more a designation of claimed efficiency rather than a spec level?

Toyotafanboi · 30-06-2017 01:12PM

Yeah, bluemotion is a range of engines. A trendline is a basic model Passat.

JohnBoy26 · 30-06-2017 03:11PM

RobAMerc wrote: »

As with most GM products these are generally poor copies of cars that are properly engineered by the likes of Ford bmw etc. GM generally sell cars cheap in large numbers to people who don't know the difference or care like fleets. Second hand, where people tend to be buying for themselves, they struggle as people are a little more discerning. If all you want is something to get you from a to b with as little hassle as possible they may be alright, but they don't seem to be able to do that particularly well either, with reliability issues.
PSA taking them over has potential to fix the first issue perhaps. Don't know about the second.

Im no fan of opel but lol :pac:

Brian? · 30-06-2017 03:58PM

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Yeah, bluemotion is a range of engines. A trendline is a basic model Passat.

Didn't know that. Don't really follow the spec levels on cars, never have.

A mate of mine had a Golf as a company car, back windows weren't even electric. Horrible inside.

I buy 9-10 year old petrol cars and make them last. I don't even look at Passats anymore. Always disappointing on features.

Cordell · 30-06-2017 04:06PM

For some reason Opel has a bad rep, but it's in now way in a lower league that Ford and the likes. Bad engineering? Yeah, lol, the infamous Opel 320d N47 engine, or the oil thirsty Opel Passat 2.0 TDI engine, or those failing injectors in the diesel Opel Mondeos. Really.

beauf · 30-06-2017 04:08PM

Brian? wrote: »

Didn't know that. Don't really follow the spec levels on cars, never have.

A mate of mine had a Golf as a company car, back windows weren't even electric. Horrible inside.

I buy 9-10 year old petrol cars and make them last. I don't even look at Passats anymore. Always disappointing on features.

Less to fix.

beauf · 30-06-2017 04:10PM

Cordell wrote: »

For some reason Opel has a bad rep, but it's in now way in a lower league that Ford and the likes. Bad engineering? Yeah, lol, the infamous Opel 320d N47 engine, or the oil thirsty Opel Passat 2.0 TDI engine, or those failing injectors in the diesel Opel Mondeos. Really.

I don't rate the Opel dealers. Perhaps its the cars, but our experience was they struggled with fixing issues with the cars we owned.

bazz26 · 30-06-2017 08:07PM

Cordell wrote: »

For some reason Opel has a bad rep, but it's in now way in a lower league that Ford and the likes. Bad engineering? Yeah, lol, the infamous Opel 320d N47 engine, or the oil thirsty Opel Passat 2.0 TDI engine, or those failing injectors in the diesel Opel Mondeos. Really.

Certain Opel models have been known to spontaneously combust though, a problem that Opel still try to deny. Most of their diesel engines upto a few years ago were reworked versions of engines manufactured by some other manufacturer. Some of their petrol engines over the years were poor also, from overheating head gaskets, stretching timing chains and seizures due to failing oil pumps. No better than most other car makers but they did have a following here due to their association with the Irish soccer team back in the 1980s and 1990s, these days though they don't have the same popularity or status here. They just don't seem to offer enough to stand out from the crowd in any way.

road_high · 30-06-2017 08:12PM

It all went downhill in the mid late 90s. It started with some really bad issues with engine management systems in the Corsa and Astra petrols.
Also major issues with varied Vectras. They have been able to shake this off really.
Opel were considered a very reliable make at one stage

road_high · 30-06-2017 09:10PM

ThisRegard wrote: »

That's the problem though. The poverty spec, inside and out, looks so much worse than a reasonably spec'd one. We had a poverty spec company car for a while and inside and outside weren't great (trim and small wheels look terrible on one). That got switched for an SRi and it's like a completely different car, aesthetically and to drive.

Totally agree. You need at least SRI spec and a decent colour- both transform the car. And seek out the 160/170 bhp model. Nice extra poke in those.

RobAMerc · 30-06-2017 09:25PM

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Im no fan of opel but lol :pac:

Are you trying to say that Ford's and BMWs aren't well engineered ?

And pls don't start banging on about reliability. I am talking about dynamic ability. Like being good to drive and able to soak up bumps, being refined and quite will while having decent handling.

RobAMerc · 30-06-2017 09:25PM

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Im no fan of opel but lol :pac:

Are you trying to say that Ford's and BMWs aren't well engineered ?

And pls don't start banging on about reliability. I am talking about dynamic ability. Like being good to drive and able to soak up bumps, being refined and quite will while having decent handling.

beauf · 30-06-2017 10:22PM

RobAMerc wrote: »

Are you trying to say that Ford's and BMWs aren't well engineered ?

And pls don't start banging on about reliability. I am talking about dynamic ability. Like being good to drive and able to soak up bumps, being refined and quite will while having decent handling.

Unless you have run flats.

JohnBoy26 · 30-06-2017 10:23PM

RobAMerc wrote: »

Are you trying to say that Ford's and BMWs aren't well engineered ?

And pls don't start banging on about reliability. I am talking about dynamic ability. Like being good to drive and able to soak up bumps, being refined and quite will while having decent handling.

Why not? Usually properly engineered cars dont suffer from timing chain failures, constant coil pack failures, swirl flaps breaking off and being ingested into the engine, headgaskets and overheating issues etc

But fair enough(even if you didn't make it very clear) if you want to talk about dynamics modern opels such as the astra is as good as the equivalent ford in that department.

Bmw is hardly a fair comparison given that it's a premium brand and is rwd.

road_high · 30-06-2017 10:26PM

Would take a well specced and trimmed Insignia over an equivalent model Mondeo anyday, previous and current models. Had the choice with company cars and the Mondeo felt inferior- such a cheap interior on the previous model and spec is not overly generous. Certainly no sat nav where it's thrown in on many Insignias

beauf · 30-06-2017 10:30PM

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Why not? Usually properly engineered cars dont suffer from timing chain failures, constant coil pack failures, swirl flaps breaking off and being ingested into the engine, headgaskets and overheating issues etc...

There more issues than that. But then so do most manufacturers.

In fairness BMW have improved their reliability in most surveys over the past 10yrs or so.

Anyway lets not make this about other brands?

Never driven an Insignia. Some one in the family is on their Third Astra for the 90's to a current one. I end up driving them a fair bit. The current I like the least. I think the previous versions were nicer to drive. I'd be curious does the Insignia drive better. Seems a lost of car for the price. Our experiences with the Astra has been meh.

Opel - Insignia : why are they so cheap?

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