RE: PH Carpool: Vauxhall VX220

[jatinder]

VonSenger said:

Great choice, brilliant cars! I brought my turbo last year for track use. get some decent suspension, exhaust and a map and they're blistering!!

I took mine to the ring last month, im no schumacher and neither is the gt3rs driver, so id say it was even Stevens, but this video i took demonstrates why they are a proper weapon!!

4minutes onwards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvxzvXmKKOU&fea...

Quite a tidy lap, is yours standard?

[RemarkLima]

[quote]...I remember being about 10 and seeing one in a petrol station ...
[/quote]

Ye Gads I'm old... I remember them when they were first released and doing lots of trackdays at the time.

20 years old would mean that you were born in 1992... I feel even older now.

[dank]

They are amazing cars, owned my for nearly 6 years! Same colour, and NA as well. I was debating selling in favor of Porsche 996 gt3, but have decided to keep myn and maybe get it supercharged as well.

I have now got Toyo R888's on Compomotove Mo's, 17R 16F, and it transforms the handling, and grip in the dry is unbelievable!

MMG rear diffuser as well, makes it look very race / track orientated!

So enjoy it, such an amazing and underrated little sports car!

[VonSenger]

lazygraduand said:

Nice vid and driving! Great garage too, love the desmo

Thanks! The vx is definitely my favourite, they are just such a great car! Its almost bike raw and i think that's why you have to be hardened to the rattling and banging etc!

[Numeric]

I never fancied a Lotus - but always really had a thing for the Vauxhall - can't say why but maybe because there was one as a company car where I worked and the more I saw it the more I liked it, the opposite of what happens with most cars I see.

I salute your choice - and now have a worrying craving coming upon me!!

[Boydie88]

jatinder said:

VonSenger said:

Great choice, brilliant cars! I brought my turbo last year for track use. get some decent suspension, exhaust and a map and they're blistering!!

I took mine to the ring last month, im no schumacher and neither is the gt3rs driver, so id say it was even Stevens, but this video i took demonstrates why they are a proper weapon!!

4minutes onwards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvxzvXmKKOU&fea...

Quite a tidy lap, is yours standard?

That is a very tidy lap, great viewing. Don't think I could put the trust you do in other people's driving though :P

[p4cks]

I've owned 6 of these in total, and I can not speak highly enough of them. The rawness, the speed, the agility - all perfect!

I've currently got a Z4C and looking to sell it for a 996 911 however I keep looking at VXTs in the classifieds. Do I dare get a 7th?! Maybe.

[kambites]

p4cks said:

I've owned 6 of these in total, and I can not speak highly enough of them.

If you rate them that highly, why have you sold six of them?

[rtz62]

Good choice, sufficently different from an Elise to get noticed.
Ive kept a magazine from about 3 years ago which tested two spercharged cars, owned by people on the VX220 forum, who now do the conversions for other menber, and all I can say is 'Respect'!
Why have I kept the mag? Well, hopefully in the not too distant future, Idbuy a n/a model and have it supercharged, suspension and brakes etc sorted and trundle off to the Nurburgring....

[another 3 points]

Just need some sunshine.

Casino on VX220.org

[VonSenger]

Boydie88 said:

That is a very tidy lap, great viewing. Don't think I could put the trust you do in other people's driving though :P

Thanks. They are such a great car on track, suspension, map, exhaust is all you need, I added a vxr turbo for reliability reasons but thats not needed. The NA with a supercharger is better though, Ive not driven one but lots say they are lighter so more composed.



The ring does have the odd idiot but most are sensible and stay on the right.

Edited by VonSenger on Wednesday 13th June 21:55

[rob999]

NA's with the SC are going to be slightly lighter but not by a huge amount

[Zagadkateg]

I had one as my DD for five years and absolutely loved four of them. Even though it is very quick by 'normal' car standards I kept my license clean as between the rawness of suspension and steering and the noise you don't need to be doing high leptons to feel engaged. Besides we lived for the corners

Then it all started to go wrong. One of the considerations when I bought it were running costs and with an unstressed engine, comparatively sod all electronics and very little rustable material to worry about I thought it'd last forever. However water ingress eventually fried the ecu and took it off road for several weeks during which time I had to buy a diesel box to get to and from work. Sold the Vx as soon as I got it running again. If I had a decent garage and the cash, I'd buy another tomorrow, for all the reasons the OP mentioned plus a few more, but I don't think they were designed to live outside in the English weather. (Yes I did use a car cover for almost a year which was a pain and didn't do the paintwork any favours.)

Kev

[PaulG40]

Truly great cars! I've got to admit if I had the choice of a lotus or the VX, I'd go Lotus but only because I've lusted after a S1 111S for ages, but my missus wants a VX as she prefers them over the S2 Elise and so do I tbh.

[thewheelman]

It seems many 220s listed for sale are cat c or cat d.

[kambites]

thewheelman said:

It seems many 220s listed for sale are cat c or cat d.

The bottom of the market is down at the price where needing a new clam writes them off.

[simonrockman]

I miss mine. It was fantastic. Used it as a daily driver. In the winter Rain-X is your friend as the heater is pathetic and it takes ages to defrost.

My first contact with one was sitting in the concept at a motor show.


Simon

[thewheelman]

kambites said:

thewheelman said:

It seems many 220s listed for sale are cat c or cat d.

The bottom of the market is down at the price where needing a new clam writes them off.

That's a real shame, having never owned a catc/d vehicle, I'm wondering how that affects insurance? As if it's only the clam that's been replaced, I don't see it as dangerous to drive etc.

[hughcam]

I love mine. It must be the best 2nd had performance car you can get for under £10,000 that can be used happily everyday. The problem is the lure for modifiations is too strong - I have spent about £4,000 all together on mine in the 2 years I have owned it excluding maintenance!

[p4cks]

thewheelman said:

... having never owned a catc/d vehicle, I'm wondering how that affects insurance? ...

It doesn't.