VX220 as every day driver
Discussion
X5TUU said:
7depending on the roads you'd be using it on I would suggest something a little more forgiving and less likely to make you look like a t
t contorting yourself in and out of would make a better daily ... Just imho
This...t contorting yourself in and out of would make a better daily ... Just imhoI also considered one and drove a couple but the reality of trying to get in and out when the car is parked in a car park with cars next to it quickly killed the idea.
I would suggest you drive one but then park it next to something and try and get in or out before deciding.
S
Getting in and out wasn't really a problem for me. At our office, and sites, I generally parallel park. Worst case, If the soft top is on, I can unclip the roof to get out if needed.
Its more fuel economy and every day usability that concerns me. A bad heater I can live with, is there anything else I need to worry about, primarily reliability
Its more fuel economy and every day usability that concerns me. A bad heater I can live with, is there anything else I need to worry about, primarily reliability
I've had a couple ( one n/a and one turbo) and I wouldn't want to use one daily but you could if you don't mind the usual stuff like pain in neck getting in and out and when you are not in the mood for fun driving can be tiresome.
Brilliant fun when you want to enjoy the roads. Best mod for the 2.2 is an induction kit and sports exhaust really makes it sound so much better.
If the body is scruffy I can recommend a really good Bodyshop to smarten up and cracks and dinks he is based in Surrey and sorted out one of mine and my mates turbo when the clamshells have needed some repairs ( not many people are good at this stuff).
Brilliant fun when you want to enjoy the roads. Best mod for the 2.2 is an induction kit and sports exhaust really makes it sound so much better.
If the body is scruffy I can recommend a really good Bodyshop to smarten up and cracks and dinks he is based in Surrey and sorted out one of mine and my mates turbo when the clamshells have needed some repairs ( not many people are good at this stuff).
Thanks rallycross. I can live with it being a bit tiresome to be honest. How is reliability? The guy selling it has put a lot of s2 elise suspension bits, and upgraded the radiator, and braided brake lines, so really it's just engine and gear box?
I was going to take a risk on them because it should just be standard vauxhal lumps?
I was going to take a risk on them because it should just be standard vauxhal lumps?
The heater is bad - you'll need a coat in winter for sure. But it will keep the screen clear. In winter you'll get ice on the inside of the windscreen so you need to pour mild water on it to clear it - no way will the heater be able to melt the ice on its own.
I couldn't honestly say it is a reliable car. In 2 years ownership I've got a sorted car now, but been on the back of an RAC truck twice. And there are countless small issues with the cars as they age. But you'll generally get 30mpg no issue, no leaks in the rain, comfortable driving position, amazing steering and handling and decent torque.
I couldn't honestly say it is a reliable car. In 2 years ownership I've got a sorted car now, but been on the back of an RAC truck twice. And there are countless small issues with the cars as they age. But you'll generally get 30mpg no issue, no leaks in the rain, comfortable driving position, amazing steering and handling and decent torque.
X5TUU said:
If that's the 2.2 they suffer from oil starvation
Not really true - they have baffled sumps as standard, many people use them on track with no failures. They do use oil however so you'll need to top up a fair amount.I ran mine daily for two years in all conditions. Do it, you'll love it. Iced windscreen is the biggest pain I reckon, but easily sorted out. Balanced out by going to work on a crisp cold morning with the roof off and a woolly hat in December.
Be careful in the dark and wet, as they can snap out reasonably quickly around a corner if too liberal with the throttle, and lots of people don't seem to see them in traffic.
Reliability wise, mine needed engine mounts, new radiator and suffered from water ingress to the coil pack, which I sorted with an engine water deflector (this was a turbo). Servicing is cheap.
Be careful in the dark and wet, as they can snap out reasonably quickly around a corner if too liberal with the throttle, and lots of people don't seem to see them in traffic.
Reliability wise, mine needed engine mounts, new radiator and suffered from water ingress to the coil pack, which I sorted with an engine water deflector (this was a turbo). Servicing is cheap.
The rumour of oil starvation came around from the original oil feed to the timing chain being relatively small in diameter and prone to blocking. If yours has been changed, and it should have with 120,000 miles, then it will have been replaced with a larger diameter tube which comes with the kit.
I ran my NA for over three years as a daily driver including several highland hoons and 'National' trackdays organised by fellow enthusiasts on vx220.org and found my car very reliable; being only let down once when the battery came to the end of its life. In fact it has proven more reliable the the turbo I currently own.
It is mainly age that goes against the cars now and you may find that suspension bushes might need replacing. The shockers are known to leak and the aluminium collars that hold the springs can corrode where they look like they are being eaten away, but I have not known any to fail. All suspension parts are readily available, fairly easy to change and interchangable with the Lotus Elise. The rear toe links are also a known failure point and other users on the .org forum recommend replacing every couple of years if you are going to track it. When changing suspension components a geometry check is essential to get the best from the handling.
I always favoured the original spec Bridgestone tyres and there was a period when the fronts were difficult to get hold of but overall not too expensive when compared to; say my wifes BMW.
Engine wise there is nothing special about it as it is the same engine as used in the SRI vectras, Signum and I think Zafira(?). Servicing and parts are cheap.If the chain hasn't been done budget around £400 for a replacement and get it done asap. I found the main concern was the radiator; where the plastic end caps are known to leak. Again replacement alloy radiators are available cheaply but fitting is no five minute job as the front clam has to come off. My car came with the water ingress shield fitted so I never had any problems starting the car and mine lived out on the driveway year round.
Bits of trim can be a bit tired and fragile and anything that is unique to the VX220 can be expensive and hard to get hold of. The sill trim that you slida across to get in is fragile but I managed to buy a new one from my local Vauxhall dealer at aprox £110.
Overall my life with the VX220 has been positive; I pay around £200 insurance (50y male), on a commute mid thirties mpg(28mpg in my turbo) and over 40mpg on a long motorway run is easily possible. The interior is a comfortable place to sit for extended runs and I regularly do the north east to Reading/Southampton in one hit (except for petrol as they only have a tiny 6 gallon tank). I would not hesitate to recommend one to anyone; just don't buy silver as everyone is convinced they are invisible.
I ran my NA for over three years as a daily driver including several highland hoons and 'National' trackdays organised by fellow enthusiasts on vx220.org and found my car very reliable; being only let down once when the battery came to the end of its life. In fact it has proven more reliable the the turbo I currently own.
It is mainly age that goes against the cars now and you may find that suspension bushes might need replacing. The shockers are known to leak and the aluminium collars that hold the springs can corrode where they look like they are being eaten away, but I have not known any to fail. All suspension parts are readily available, fairly easy to change and interchangable with the Lotus Elise. The rear toe links are also a known failure point and other users on the .org forum recommend replacing every couple of years if you are going to track it. When changing suspension components a geometry check is essential to get the best from the handling.
I always favoured the original spec Bridgestone tyres and there was a period when the fronts were difficult to get hold of but overall not too expensive when compared to; say my wifes BMW.
Engine wise there is nothing special about it as it is the same engine as used in the SRI vectras, Signum and I think Zafira(?). Servicing and parts are cheap.If the chain hasn't been done budget around £400 for a replacement and get it done asap. I found the main concern was the radiator; where the plastic end caps are known to leak. Again replacement alloy radiators are available cheaply but fitting is no five minute job as the front clam has to come off. My car came with the water ingress shield fitted so I never had any problems starting the car and mine lived out on the driveway year round.
Bits of trim can be a bit tired and fragile and anything that is unique to the VX220 can be expensive and hard to get hold of. The sill trim that you slida across to get in is fragile but I managed to buy a new one from my local Vauxhall dealer at aprox £110.
Overall my life with the VX220 has been positive; I pay around £200 insurance (50y male), on a commute mid thirties mpg(28mpg in my turbo) and over 40mpg on a long motorway run is easily possible. The interior is a comfortable place to sit for extended runs and I regularly do the north east to Reading/Southampton in one hit (except for petrol as they only have a tiny 6 gallon tank). I would not hesitate to recommend one to anyone; just don't buy silver as everyone is convinced they are invisible.
I use my S2 Elise every day and assuming you're capable of getting in and out it's really no different than running any other two seater with a smallish boot... with the slight caveat that I have a dehumidified garage. It's certainly possible to keep one outside but you have to work pretty hard to keep the interior dry enough to stop it misting/icing up. Even if you can stop it from leaking (which you should be able to in all but the worst of weather) they still get damp inside.
ETA: Ah I've just seen that you have a garage. In that case it's no different than running an MX5 or a Boxster really unless you have health problems which make access an issue.
ETA: Ah I've just seen that you have a garage. In that case it's no different than running an MX5 or a Boxster really unless you have health problems which make access an issue.
Edited by kambites on Monday 30th May 21:07
ColinMacC said:
I keep my cars in the garage anyway, so freezing up of the inside isn't going to be an issue, nor will the problems of water around the top of the engine. From speaking to the seller, he's a mature guy that has addressed most of the issues, so hopefully its a sorted car
Buy it.What's the worst tha can happen. Engine blows? Unlikely not bankrupting even if it does
I've just sold mine after 2 years with it, used as a daily and covering 18000 miles.
It is usable as an only car and in the summer months it's good fun but come winter time it is a fairly hateful experience.
The rattles, frozen locks, frozen inside windows and then being so cold, start to wear a bit thin. Filling the tiny tank every couple of days is annoying although it's not bad on fuel for the perfomance on offer.
With prices holding very steady/possibly increasing there's no real risk, mine was fairly reliable with just routine maintenance, a few wear and tear parts and a failed sensor, although they can be a pig to work on.
If you find the right road on the right day with the right weather, you forget about the impractical parts and the annoying bits but for me personally, those days were too few so it had to go.
It is usable as an only car and in the summer months it's good fun but come winter time it is a fairly hateful experience.
The rattles, frozen locks, frozen inside windows and then being so cold, start to wear a bit thin. Filling the tiny tank every couple of days is annoying although it's not bad on fuel for the perfomance on offer.
With prices holding very steady/possibly increasing there's no real risk, mine was fairly reliable with just routine maintenance, a few wear and tear parts and a failed sensor, although they can be a pig to work on.
If you find the right road on the right day with the right weather, you forget about the impractical parts and the annoying bits but for me personally, those days were too few so it had to go.
See my profile for my thoughts on mine when I had one. Was great when working, but it broke. A lot.
Wouldn't have one as an only car or a daily driver with no backup. Heater poor beyond description, but a hard top helps. However, it was simply awful on motorways in the rain - actually scary, felt very skittish if you hit standing water at even low-ish speeds and so low down you really only saw the spray, so it was a little like driving in fog.
In short, you'd have to really, really want one to use it as a daily hack.
Wouldn't have one as an only car or a daily driver with no backup. Heater poor beyond description, but a hard top helps. However, it was simply awful on motorways in the rain - actually scary, felt very skittish if you hit standing water at even low-ish speeds and so low down you really only saw the spray, so it was a little like driving in fog.
In short, you'd have to really, really want one to use it as a daily hack.
DanL said:
See my profile for my thoughts on mine when I had one. Was great when working, but it broke. A lot.
Wouldn't have one as an only car or a daily driver with no backup. Heater poor beyond description, but a hard top helps. However, it was simply awful on motorways in the rain - actually scary, felt very skittish if you hit standing water at even low-ish speeds and so low down you really only saw the spray, so it was a little like driving in fog.
In short, you'd have to really, really want one to use it as a daily hack.
I'd agree with that Wouldn't have one as an only car or a daily driver with no backup. Heater poor beyond description, but a hard top helps. However, it was simply awful on motorways in the rain - actually scary, felt very skittish if you hit standing water at even low-ish speeds and so low down you really only saw the spray, so it was a little like driving in fog.
In short, you'd have to really, really want one to use it as a daily hack.
I drove mine every day (ish) for 12 years and put 120k on it
They really aren't an only car sort of car. Wet evenings in winter are truly hateful; you get blinded by most other cars and when its wet they mist up (badly)
And my missus gets really scared in it. Bless
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