why no love for beford/vauxhall?
Discussion
My first car was a Viva, it's the one car I would not like in my collection of cars from my youth, it's only endearing feature was it had a good handbrake 
The first HGV I drove was also a Bedford, a TK, same there it was truly dreadful.
They made vehicles that did a job cheaply, with nothing endearing about them, much the same as now I suppose.
The first HGV I drove was also a Bedford, a TK, same there it was truly dreadful.
They made vehicles that did a job cheaply, with nothing endearing about them, much the same as now I suppose.
I don't know what it is, but they do seem to be always playing catch-up with everyone else. I quite like mine, though, which is why I've kept it so long. But some of that is just me being contrary. It has improved a bit recently on the classic side, as Vauxhall Heritage have been doing more to promote the vehicles.
They've always had an underdog image, even when the cars themselves were better engineered, better developed or better value than the competition: unfortunately they rarely managed all three in the same car.
Ford as a company saw the benefit of motorsport to build the brand, GM instead saw risk & liability, & so steered away. Ford also presented as a British company, something GM didn't foster with Vauxhall to the same extent. BL (or whatever they were called) were usually worse as cars, but were seen as British. Patriotism was far more important prior to the 80s.
Similar to Lancia in the late 70's, poor rust protection in the 60s impacted on Vauxhalls reputation far more that the competition, although the reality was they weren't significantly better.
Such is life.
Ford as a company saw the benefit of motorsport to build the brand, GM instead saw risk & liability, & so steered away. Ford also presented as a British company, something GM didn't foster with Vauxhall to the same extent. BL (or whatever they were called) were usually worse as cars, but were seen as British. Patriotism was far more important prior to the 80s.
Similar to Lancia in the late 70's, poor rust protection in the 60s impacted on Vauxhalls reputation far more that the competition, although the reality was they weren't significantly better.
Such is life.
I still think in the late 80's early 90's Vauxhall had the edge over Ford. The Mk1 and Mk2 Astras were better Cars than the Mk 3 and Mk 4 Escorts. The Mk2 and 3 Cavaliar was a way better than the Sierra (disregarding the Cosworths). The Nova every bit as good as a Fiesta. (At this point in time Peugeot was probably the 'drivers' choice anyway)
In competition terms, once Ford had lost the plot after the Group 4 Escort (though we all know the Mk2 Escort has never gone away!), the Astra and Nova were pretty good Rally Cars. The Cavalier was superb in the BTCC, once they did away with the Cosworths Ford struggled.
Vauxhall lost it after this era and have struggled ever since.
In competition terms, once Ford had lost the plot after the Group 4 Escort (though we all know the Mk2 Escort has never gone away!), the Astra and Nova were pretty good Rally Cars. The Cavalier was superb in the BTCC, once they did away with the Cosworths Ford struggled.
Vauxhall lost it after this era and have struggled ever since.
I had a few early Carltons and Senators, even a Royale at one point. Still preferred the MkII and MkIII Granadas though, although couldn't tell you why!
Sierra was better than a MkII Chavalier IMO, until the MkIII came along which was in another league.
Chevette was a total POS.
I'd say that the Nova was a better car than a Fiesta of a similar vintage, Same for the Astra over the Escort.
Sierra was better than a MkII Chavalier IMO, until the MkIII came along which was in another league.
Chevette was a total POS.
I'd say that the Nova was a better car than a Fiesta of a similar vintage, Same for the Astra over the Escort.
Lotus Carlton was a heck of a car, and still is. That aside you need to go back to the 30/98 and those proper Vauxhall leading up to that monster, different era and couldn' ever build proper cars again.
I had a Vauxhall 20/60 saloon of 1928 build until a few months back when I sold it on. Lovely old motor and the last decent Vauxhall ever built in engineering terms.
I had a Vauxhall 20/60 saloon of 1928 build until a few months back when I sold it on. Lovely old motor and the last decent Vauxhall ever built in engineering terms.
300bhp/ton said:
Allan L said:
They were fine cars until the General Motors era
Umm you do realise GM has owned Vauxhall since 1925....How many World War 1 era Vauxhalls have you owned/driven?
Wacky Racer said:
ffs! Not another Vauxhall knocking thread, this is getting boring.....
My last six brand new cars have been Vauxhalls (not company cars)....They have ALL been 100% reliable, and the dealers first class.
I'm not knocking Vauxhall. And certainly no hate. But by and large they do have an amazingly dull range of cars. The only real exceptions being the VX220, Monaro and VXR8. But in realty none of them have anything to do with what remains of the Vauxhall brand. My last six brand new cars have been Vauxhalls (not company cars)....They have ALL been 100% reliable, and the dealers first class.
How you've managed to buy 6 is somewhat beyond me. And I'd hate to know the residual value you must have lost across all of them. Must have been enough to buy a Ferrari or a house!
I do admit I think the styling of the Adam is spot on for a funky little car. But my word what a stupid name for a car being marketed in a market with English as its primary language. And as its a homage to the founder of Opel. It once again deminishes any real claim of 'Vauxhall''
Wacky Racer said:
ffs! Not another Vauxhall knocking thread, this is getting boring.....
My last six brand new cars have been Vauxhalls (not company cars)....They have ALL been 100% reliable, and the dealers first class.
Actually not a knocking thread, but in the classic scene they are not so hotly contested.My last six brand new cars have been Vauxhalls (not company cars)....They have ALL been 100% reliable, and the dealers first class.
Vauxhall have a following in Sweden and other places in the classic scene.
They are a MASSIVE part of UK motoring and manufactruing heritage.
We can turn this thread into a love in.
I borrowed a mates Viva for six months and it had a very stiff chassis, one of the stiffest ever apparently (before the modern era).
Felt solid and dependable. Lime green metallic two door.
I like these:
Wacky Racer said:
ffs! Not another Vauxhall knocking thread, this is getting boring.....
My last six brand new cars have been Vauxhalls (not company cars)....They have ALL been 100% reliable, and the dealers first class.
Same here, didn't want my Astra company car when I got it. It will be two years old and a 100k miles in eight weeks. with the exception of two bulbs it hasn't put a foot wrong in that time and doesn't need oil between services ( VAG vehicles in our fleet are truly horrifying in this respect). When the mood and road suits it's surprisingly sure footed on A roads, again much nicer driving than our Passat Estates ( all the Passat's seem to suffer from dashboard rattles for some reason). I also agree with the comments that Vauxhall were ahead of Ford in the late eighties early nineties and lost a lot of ground.My last six brand new cars have been Vauxhalls (not company cars)....They have ALL been 100% reliable, and the dealers first class.
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