£1000 Vectra SRI daily shed
Discussion
Oh she's a dirty girl!
1,200 miles since last Wednesday, the petrol Vec took it all in it's stride.....but
After giving it the once over for its other big trip tomorrow morning down south, I've came across another leaking coolant pipe - this was in part of the heater matrix going into the dashboard, and yes it's leaking badly as I found it all under the car.
So, that's it off the road this weekend and booked in the garage Monday, it will be getting a new thermostat too, to get rid of that spanner light for the thermostat fault.
Will be taking the leggy 3 series instead now, the Vec will be fixed and it will carry on!
1,200 miles since last Wednesday, the petrol Vec took it all in it's stride.....but
After giving it the once over for its other big trip tomorrow morning down south, I've came across another leaking coolant pipe - this was in part of the heater matrix going into the dashboard, and yes it's leaking badly as I found it all under the car.
So, that's it off the road this weekend and booked in the garage Monday, it will be getting a new thermostat too, to get rid of that spanner light for the thermostat fault.
Will be taking the leggy 3 series instead now, the Vec will be fixed and it will carry on!
Raymond Reddington said:
Looks like a proper workhorse there, excellent.
I wish the estate was a bit more pleasing to the eye as I'm in the market for a cheap estate and there are still plenty of Vectra around. The saloon looks good IMO but I couldn't live with the estate on the drive.
Yeah, its a good workhorse, that is exactly what it is to me, just a tool car, only gets what it needs, and nothing else.I wish the estate was a bit more pleasing to the eye as I'm in the market for a cheap estate and there are still plenty of Vectra around. The saloon looks good IMO but I couldn't live with the estate on the drive.
Funny, as I wished I had got an estate version, just the sheer practically and 'squareness' of one would be great.
But, this hatchback is pretty cavernous in all honesty.
Raymond Reddington said:
Looks like a proper workhorse there, excellent.
I wish the estate was a bit more pleasing to the eye as I'm in the market for a cheap estate and there are still plenty of Vectra around. The saloon looks good IMO but I couldn't live with the estate on the drive.
My username reflects that I had never considered by a Vectra, or in fact any Vauxhall. But when we needed to find a car in a hurry with limited cash, and the equivalent Mondeo was >50% more expensive, Vectra 1.8 Design estate it was. A PH car it definitely wasn't, and isn't.I wish the estate was a bit more pleasing to the eye as I'm in the market for a cheap estate and there are still plenty of Vectra around. The saloon looks good IMO but I couldn't live with the estate on the drive.
It's a bit underpowered, and it doesn't really do handling. But it's a lovely, comfortable, motorway and A road car. And it's massive, a very similar size to a Superb estate. Five adults on holiday with all of their luggage easily massive. Pallets in the boot, no problem. 3m lengths of pipe inside. Many useful gadgets but no unnecessary driver aids.
Thirteen years on, at 16+ years old and on 192k, it's the oldest and highest mileage car I've owned (though only just!). And so far, it's been the most reliable. It's still on its original clutch and front shocks. It owes me nothing and I'm hoping that it lasts a couple more years yet. I'm fairly sure that the Mondeo would have been dead by now.
And you do get used to the looks (but then I did once own an Allegro estate)...
Ha, great username that! I was the same, I'd never thought I would still have this thing, been 3 years in April!!! 3 years with a Vectra!! Yours is providing fantastic service by the sounds of it.
It's in the garage now, awaiting it's matrix pipe and new thermostat, hopefully will have it back today...as it's needing to be back on the road asap!
Before it's incontinence...again, I polished the headlights to remove the cataracts it now has, it was a MOT advisory last year. Yellow/cloudyness has gone, meh, it's still not great but probably passable, which is all I care about - shall do it again the day before MOT in summer if it's still here.
Roughly, 151,000 miles now on it.
It's in the garage now, awaiting it's matrix pipe and new thermostat, hopefully will have it back today...as it's needing to be back on the road asap!
Before it's incontinence...again, I polished the headlights to remove the cataracts it now has, it was a MOT advisory last year. Yellow/cloudyness has gone, meh, it's still not great but probably passable, which is all I care about - shall do it again the day before MOT in summer if it's still here.
Roughly, 151,000 miles now on it.
Rich1973 said:
It appears to be already very good but you might see an improvement in economy with a new stat.
Yeah, it does seem to do pretty good economy for what it is (a big old hector), which is partly why I have put to bed the diesel replacement idea - only rational reason for wanting a diesel, is the cheaper VED - but even this Vectra's cost (which I think will increase a little come April with the new tax system) I can hide in the running costs to an extent if I keep it long enough.Bit of a quiet week, this week for mileage - couple hundred penned for next week, and the start of March is looking tentatively busy, potentially.
I hope you don't mind me jumping on your thread - not sure PH needs two Vectra threads - but I'm 1 year and 16k miles into my copycat Vectra ownership.
With purchase price and maintenance I'm up to £2,624 which for me and cars is very good.
I still need practice at this shedding business - I've had a new spring and thermostat fitted which I'm not sure were actually needed and replaced a punctured budget tyre with another budget, only to replace all 4 with posh continentals when I got scared at the lack of grip in winter
Averaging 37.4 mpg using it for motorway commute but also a fair bit of town driving.
Normally I use man math to make a replacement car cheaper around this time of ownership but it's hard to argue with this one at the moment.
With purchase price and maintenance I'm up to £2,624 which for me and cars is very good.
I still need practice at this shedding business - I've had a new spring and thermostat fitted which I'm not sure were actually needed and replaced a punctured budget tyre with another budget, only to replace all 4 with posh continentals when I got scared at the lack of grip in winter
Averaging 37.4 mpg using it for motorway commute but also a fair bit of town driving.
Normally I use man math to make a replacement car cheaper around this time of ownership but it's hard to argue with this one at the moment.
whytheory said:
I hope you don't mind me jumping on your thread - not sure PH needs two Vectra threads - but I'm 1 year and 16k miles into my copycat Vectra ownership.
With purchase price and maintenance I'm up to £2,624 which for me and cars is very good.
I still need practice at this shedding business - I've had a new spring and thermostat fitted which I'm not sure were actually needed and replaced a punctured budget tyre with another budget, only to replace all 4 with posh continentals when I got scared at the lack of grip in winter
Averaging 37.4 mpg using it for motorway commute but also a fair bit of town driving.
Normally I use man math to make a replacement car cheaper around this time of ownership but it's hard to argue with this one at the moment.
With purchase price and maintenance I'm up to £2,624 which for me and cars is very good.
I still need practice at this shedding business - I've had a new spring and thermostat fitted which I'm not sure were actually needed and replaced a punctured budget tyre with another budget, only to replace all 4 with posh continentals when I got scared at the lack of grip in winter
Averaging 37.4 mpg using it for motorway commute but also a fair bit of town driving.
Normally I use man math to make a replacement car cheaper around this time of ownership but it's hard to argue with this one at the moment.
No worries, jump aboard to the most undervalued, underdog of a car that is the Vectra C!Sounds like your doing ok tbh, apart from the tyre spend of course ha...that would of sunk my budget!!! Strictly budgets for me, I got annoyed when the garage only had Kuhmos in my size (215/50/17's) when I needed a nail repair new tyre £120!!), had me over a barrel as I needed to be back on the road asap, so I now have X3 different brands on mine.
Spring, Thermostat (will be needed eventually on these) anyway, so see it as preventative, the rest is just good old wear n' tear, so that is allowed in shedding circles of course, it is un-needed expense which is frowned upon
if it aint broke etc, keep rolling it.They are so cheap to run, like you have found out aren't they, and super economy also - thanks for the update
152,000
Not much to report, it's cracking on rather boringly (not complaining of course).
It's stopped it's coolant incontinence now, so I should in theory have a good few months steady'ness in the old nail, all being well.
Keep looking on AT etc, see if anything else tickles my fancy, but I always resort to just giving up, and thinking why am I bothering while this thing is still trundling on - think it's more out of habit me looking at different cheap sheds for something new to taste.
Oh, I have found some more rust on the rear arches, but the dirt is keeping that hidden from view, so all good there.
Anyway, boring update.
Not much to report, it's cracking on rather boringly (not complaining of course).
It's stopped it's coolant incontinence now, so I should in theory have a good few months steady'ness in the old nail, all being well.
Keep looking on AT etc, see if anything else tickles my fancy, but I always resort to just giving up, and thinking why am I bothering while this thing is still trundling on - think it's more out of habit me looking at different cheap sheds for something new to taste.
Oh, I have found some more rust on the rear arches, but the dirt is keeping that hidden from view, so all good there.
Anyway, boring update.
Edited by 7 5 7 on Friday 23 February 15:48
7 5 7 said:
Vectra has been scrapping in the supermarket carpark the other day...picked up a lovely scrape to add to the collection.
I am not really bothered of course as this is liberating shed motoring, but it's the principle of it.
Boils my piss this sort of thing. The fact that people don't give a fI am not really bothered of course as this is liberating shed motoring, but it's the principle of it.
k anymore, whoever did that would have driven off whether they hit your shed or a Rolls Royce, I just hope that it costs them a few hundred quid to sort it out before it "goes back" or they don't bother and the lease/finance company sort it for them and give them a dry bumming in the process.Superchickenn said:
It pleases me to see this constantly going
Ha! Yep, its still up and down the UK network, doing its thing as a tool (that so happens to have wheels also) Mr-B said:
Boils my piss this sort of thing. The fact that people don't give a fk anymore, whoever did that would have driven off whether they hit your shed or a Rolls Royce, I just hope that it costs them a few hundred quid to sort it out before it "goes back" or they don't bother and the lease/finance company sort it for them and give them a dry bumming in the process.
Yeah, sums up modern society in all honesty sadly, but glad I don't have to worry about it with this, its covered up again nicely with more dirt, so happy days! k anymore, whoever did that would have driven off whether they hit your shed or a Rolls Royce, I just hope that it costs them a few hundred quid to sort it out before it "goes back" or they don't bother and the lease/finance company sort it for them and give them a dry bumming in the process.the griffin said:
Good to see this is still going strong.
I'm running a Signum diesel, they are good cars for what they are.
I'm running a Signum diesel, they are good cars for what they are.
Yep its still going, keep looking of course for the next shed, but this is still earning its keep on the business mile expenses it is accumulating rapidly - still plenty of these about if I would swap it for a lesser tired/mileage one These are 'Ronseal' cars, most definitely - ah, the Signum was a cool car back in the day, but much maligned, unfairly I think - not many petrol ones of them about anymore, especially in 1.8 guise, it is mainly the 2.2, if any at all.
Edited by 7 5 7 on Friday 15th March 10:36
It still surprises me this old hector with it's economy, I did 531 miles on Saturday, and I still have 90 miles left on the OBC to go as I started it up this morning for the week...for a big 1.8 N/A petrol, I think that is excellent.
Business as usual (boring car, boring update) - but, a busy few months ahead by looks of it, with plenty more serious miles to to do.
Business as usual (boring car, boring update) - but, a busy few months ahead by looks of it, with plenty more serious miles to to do.
Edited by 7 5 7 on Monday 8th April 08:49
Do those OBC economy figures match any brim to brim measurements? Pretty impressive if they do. My 2.4 litre n/a gave me 289 miles over a brim to brim 10.1 gallons (28mpg) in a lighter 2+2 (GR86). Lots of local journeys doesn't help its cause mind. Would love to get close to your eco numbers
Mr-B said:
Do those OBC economy figures match any brim to brim measurements? Pretty impressive if they do. My 2.4 litre n/a gave me 289 miles over a brim to brim 10.1 gallons (28mpg) in a lighter 2+2 (GR86). Lots of local journeys doesn't help its cause mind. Would love to get close to your eco numbers
More or less yeah, did use Fuelly when I first got this car, and it was pretty accurate in all honesty.Usually hovers around 45-50mpg sat at 65mph on cruise - my use is predominantly all motorway use this car for work, very rarely gets used for local trips, so probably makes the difference.
New thermostat probably makes a difference and slightly overinflated tyres too
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff