Vectra 1.9CDTi 150ps estate
Discussion
Been on here for a while so thought I might as well throw a thread up on my current all-round hack. It wont win any prizes for the most interesting car on here but hey ho:
Right, bit of history behind the car (some of this will come off as being a tad sad).
As some people maybe aware Im a Vauxhall salesman. In July 2005 the local priest came in and ordered a new Vectra SRi 1.9CDTi 150ps estate in Silver lightening. Come the start of September an ECM transporter rolled in with said car on it. As is part of my job I checked the vehicle in off the transporter (I actually remember thinking at the time 'this is a bit of alright wouldn't mind one of these'. Anyway come the 22nd of September the car was delivered (making it one of the last pre-faclift cars) which at the time after discount cost £16,798.25 (list price at the time was £20,905).
For the next 3years I walked past this car atleast twice a day whilst out walking the dog and pretty much every time I passed it thought 'when that gets traded in Im having it'.
Fast forward to the 19th of August 2008 and the Vectra was traded in for a replacement Vectra Active estate with 29511miles. Unfortunately at the time I just couldnt justify buying the car due to having a few cars at the time including an Omega estate. The car sat for a few weeks before being registered to the garage and being given to our parts manager as a company car until his car came in (just as well I never bought it as the next day the alternator went).
Fast forward to February 2009 and the Vectra was then given to me as a company car for the next few months whilst I travelled more than a few times to Luton, Bristol & Newcastle on Vauxhall training courses. Despite a few niggles I covered 4,000 quite happily until just before the last course I was due to attend the EGR valve went along with the inlet manifold.
As it would turn out this was actually a good thing overall as whilst travelling back from Luton in the replacement Vectra 1.8 Exclusiv I was given this happened:
So lucky escape for the SRi.
Once repaired the car then went back onto the line for sale (the SRi that is, not the Exclusiv, although it would seem that the Excluiv after being written off is now back on the road as well):
Unfortunately things hadn't changed and still had no justification for buying it, as much as I wanted to. However come the start of July my faithful Omega had came to the point of no return and whilst on holiday I decided to scrap the Omega and buy the Vectra. Unfortunately however I returned from holiday to find she had been sold. Gutted. Couldn't believe after all that she had sold. Thankfully however the buyer pulled out of the deal at the last minute, and whilst that had been going on the car had been serviced, MOT'd and had 2 new front springs fitted. So finally I stepped in and bought her and on the 1st of September 2009 the V5 was signed over (ironically nearly 4years to the day since Id checked her in off the transporter).
So from there were a few initial bits to do. After 24hours ownership the coolant fan module packed up leaving the fan on constantly, so that was replaced (£124), the tailgate interior handle was also snapped so that was replaced (£19) and I fitted a DTUK ECO 3 box (£220).
Come December and 7,000miles later she was given a full service & both front tyres were low. Luckily I had pre-facelift SRi wheels on my old Omega which Id kept and had fitted 4 new Goodyear Eagle NCT5's to shortly before its demise. So swapped the front 2 wheels over (the rear tyres still had plenty tread).
Come February and both front discs were shot (one actually shattered when removed), so new front discs & pads were fitted and the front anti-roll bar bush's were re-greased. I also fitted some Team Hecko wind deflectors and a rear boot lip spoiler (Irmscher copy from Poland, not quite as good quality but for the money hard to complain (£80)).
The start of March and I thought it really was about time I got the glow plug problem looked at, as suspected they were goosed, so 4 new glow plugs were fitted (£40)
Few weekends ago I de-restricted the airbox and popped a new standard panel filter in, no convinced theres a great difference and no sure I like the change in noise, so may swap it back over.
In June of this year the car went into our bodyshop to have the n/s rear arch painted under warranty as some rust bubbles had started & the front bumper painted as it was a little pebble dashed:
That brings us up to this weekend (with the exclusion of some aftermarket speakers & headunit which briefly graced the car with it presence and have now been removed as they never worked properly.
So after a rather busy/expensive weekend this is where I'm at:
Unfortunately at the ripe ole age of 60kmiles the flywheel made clear it future intention's were to no more to provide the service in which it was employed to do, but rather enter early retirement spending its days dancing along to Billy Haley & The Comets classic song 'Shake, rattle & roll'.
I'd known for a while it was on its way out with the ever present grumbling, however it recently got worse with it literally shaking the car when revved & causing a fair ole bit of sluggish-ness.
So with some spare time available in our workshop on Friday she was put in to have a new clutch,flywheel, slave cylinder, thermostat & anti freeze fitted (after 10months of the thermostat being fooked it seemed as good a time as any to replace).
Upon removal the flywheel was indeed FUBAR with the rubber section having completely collapsed.
So started on Friday and with the car on the ramp over the weekend I decided to make use of my weekend off and sort another area which has been needing attention for a while namely the suspension. She was still running the original dampers however the springs were a mish-mash having with an original front, an original rear, a shonky after market front and an un-known acquired rear. This perhaps helped explain the slightly ropey handling, not to mention 2 tyres nearing there limit and 3 leaky tyre valves (I take care of my car........honest).
Luckily enough I'm breaking my GSi which had recently had new bilstein dampers, Eibach springs, GM drop links & GM top mount bearings, as well as 4 pretty decent Bridgestones fitted. So Saturday afternoon I cracked on swapping all the bits over then this morning the boys in the workshop finished their bit and the cars now back on the road.
Handling is massively improved, as is the performance which clearly the flywheel has been absolutely killing. (albeit the cars a little lower than anticipated):
Next on the 'to do list' is to swap the bigger front & rear brakes over from my GSi.
Right, bit of history behind the car (some of this will come off as being a tad sad).
As some people maybe aware Im a Vauxhall salesman. In July 2005 the local priest came in and ordered a new Vectra SRi 1.9CDTi 150ps estate in Silver lightening. Come the start of September an ECM transporter rolled in with said car on it. As is part of my job I checked the vehicle in off the transporter (I actually remember thinking at the time 'this is a bit of alright wouldn't mind one of these'. Anyway come the 22nd of September the car was delivered (making it one of the last pre-faclift cars) which at the time after discount cost £16,798.25 (list price at the time was £20,905).
For the next 3years I walked past this car atleast twice a day whilst out walking the dog and pretty much every time I passed it thought 'when that gets traded in Im having it'.
Fast forward to the 19th of August 2008 and the Vectra was traded in for a replacement Vectra Active estate with 29511miles. Unfortunately at the time I just couldnt justify buying the car due to having a few cars at the time including an Omega estate. The car sat for a few weeks before being registered to the garage and being given to our parts manager as a company car until his car came in (just as well I never bought it as the next day the alternator went).
Fast forward to February 2009 and the Vectra was then given to me as a company car for the next few months whilst I travelled more than a few times to Luton, Bristol & Newcastle on Vauxhall training courses. Despite a few niggles I covered 4,000 quite happily until just before the last course I was due to attend the EGR valve went along with the inlet manifold.
As it would turn out this was actually a good thing overall as whilst travelling back from Luton in the replacement Vectra 1.8 Exclusiv I was given this happened:
So lucky escape for the SRi.
Once repaired the car then went back onto the line for sale (the SRi that is, not the Exclusiv, although it would seem that the Excluiv after being written off is now back on the road as well):
Unfortunately things hadn't changed and still had no justification for buying it, as much as I wanted to. However come the start of July my faithful Omega had came to the point of no return and whilst on holiday I decided to scrap the Omega and buy the Vectra. Unfortunately however I returned from holiday to find she had been sold. Gutted. Couldn't believe after all that she had sold. Thankfully however the buyer pulled out of the deal at the last minute, and whilst that had been going on the car had been serviced, MOT'd and had 2 new front springs fitted. So finally I stepped in and bought her and on the 1st of September 2009 the V5 was signed over (ironically nearly 4years to the day since Id checked her in off the transporter).
So from there were a few initial bits to do. After 24hours ownership the coolant fan module packed up leaving the fan on constantly, so that was replaced (£124), the tailgate interior handle was also snapped so that was replaced (£19) and I fitted a DTUK ECO 3 box (£220).
Come December and 7,000miles later she was given a full service & both front tyres were low. Luckily I had pre-facelift SRi wheels on my old Omega which Id kept and had fitted 4 new Goodyear Eagle NCT5's to shortly before its demise. So swapped the front 2 wheels over (the rear tyres still had plenty tread).
Come February and both front discs were shot (one actually shattered when removed), so new front discs & pads were fitted and the front anti-roll bar bush's were re-greased. I also fitted some Team Hecko wind deflectors and a rear boot lip spoiler (Irmscher copy from Poland, not quite as good quality but for the money hard to complain (£80)).
The start of March and I thought it really was about time I got the glow plug problem looked at, as suspected they were goosed, so 4 new glow plugs were fitted (£40)
Few weekends ago I de-restricted the airbox and popped a new standard panel filter in, no convinced theres a great difference and no sure I like the change in noise, so may swap it back over.
In June of this year the car went into our bodyshop to have the n/s rear arch painted under warranty as some rust bubbles had started & the front bumper painted as it was a little pebble dashed:
That brings us up to this weekend (with the exclusion of some aftermarket speakers & headunit which briefly graced the car with it presence and have now been removed as they never worked properly.
So after a rather busy/expensive weekend this is where I'm at:
Unfortunately at the ripe ole age of 60kmiles the flywheel made clear it future intention's were to no more to provide the service in which it was employed to do, but rather enter early retirement spending its days dancing along to Billy Haley & The Comets classic song 'Shake, rattle & roll'.
I'd known for a while it was on its way out with the ever present grumbling, however it recently got worse with it literally shaking the car when revved & causing a fair ole bit of sluggish-ness.
So with some spare time available in our workshop on Friday she was put in to have a new clutch,flywheel, slave cylinder, thermostat & anti freeze fitted (after 10months of the thermostat being fooked it seemed as good a time as any to replace).
Upon removal the flywheel was indeed FUBAR with the rubber section having completely collapsed.
So started on Friday and with the car on the ramp over the weekend I decided to make use of my weekend off and sort another area which has been needing attention for a while namely the suspension. She was still running the original dampers however the springs were a mish-mash having with an original front, an original rear, a shonky after market front and an un-known acquired rear. This perhaps helped explain the slightly ropey handling, not to mention 2 tyres nearing there limit and 3 leaky tyre valves (I take care of my car........honest).
Luckily enough I'm breaking my GSi which had recently had new bilstein dampers, Eibach springs, GM drop links & GM top mount bearings, as well as 4 pretty decent Bridgestones fitted. So Saturday afternoon I cracked on swapping all the bits over then this morning the boys in the workshop finished their bit and the cars now back on the road.
Handling is massively improved, as is the performance which clearly the flywheel has been absolutely killing. (albeit the cars a little lower than anticipated):
Next on the 'to do list' is to swap the bigger front & rear brakes over from my GSi.
If it was mine and I'd shelled out for it new, I would be extremely p!ssed off at what has had to be replaced so far. My Mazda has done 70k and I have only had to change the front discs as they were below thickness but still serviceable. If that is typical of Vauxhall quality, I will stay with the Jap stuff.
The Estates with window tints are good looking cars IMO. Probably the only Vectra I'd consider.
Thats the FSA engine isn't it? Keep an eye out for an alternator error. Fairly common on those engines. Same thing for a missfire around 1500-2k.
Hope your remaining period of ownership is trouble free
Thats the FSA engine isn't it? Keep an eye out for an alternator error. Fairly common on those engines. Same thing for a missfire around 1500-2k.
Hope your remaining period of ownership is trouble free
stevensdrs said:
If it was mine and I'd shelled out for it new, I would be extremely p!ssed off at what has had to be replaced so far. My Mazda has done 70k and I have only had to change the front discs as they were below thickness but still serviceable. If that is typical of Vauxhall quality, I will stay with the Jap stuff.
It is frustrating, thankfully the bulk of the expensive bits were done before I bought the car (excluding the clutch), unfortunately pretty much all of the issues this car has had are known issue's, although in fairness they are no worse/different from issues most manufacturers have these days. In fairness it's not massively down to Vauxhall quality as such as it is a Fiat sourced engine etc. in them. The suspension etc. Im not greatly fussed about as at 60k Id expect most major suspension components to be nearing the end of their servicable life anyway. Although it does put things in perspective a bit the Ex-Police 3.0 Omega that it replaced, which had a much much harder life whilst I had it than this car had (the Omega spent a fair old bit of its time with a car trailer attached), only ever required a coil pack & a rear wheel bearing in the 50,000miles I done with the car (bought at 100k). With the cost of a full replacement exhaust & ABS sensor along with the rust putting it to the big car crematorium.bakerstreet said:
The Estates with window tints are good looking cars IMO. Probably the only Vectra I'd consider.
Thats the FSA engine isn't it? Keep an eye out for an alternator error. Fairly common on those engines. Same thing for a missfire around 1500-2k.
Hope your remaining period of ownership is trouble free
Thanks. The altenator's been replaced already (was done prior to purchase and although out of warranty Mr Vauxhall picked up the tab), I fully expect to get the missfire at some point and have the replacement section of loom for injector 3 on stand-by should it happen (fingers crossed it does not).Thats the FSA engine isn't it? Keep an eye out for an alternator error. Fairly common on those engines. Same thing for a missfire around 1500-2k.
Hope your remaining period of ownership is trouble free
Hoping this will be the last of its big repairs for a while, driving it to work this morning it felt like a different car
2DDav said:
It is frustrating, thankfully the bulk of the expensive bits were done before I bought the car (excluding the clutch), unfortunately pretty much all of the issues this car has had are known issue's, although in fairness they are no worse/different from issues most manufacturers have these days. In fairness it's not massively down to Vauxhall quality as such as it is a Fiat sourced engine etc. in them. The suspension etc. Im not greatly fussed about as at 60k Id expect most major suspension components to be nearing the end of their servicable life anyway. Although it does put things in perspective a bit the Ex-Police 3.0 Omega that it replaced, which had a much much harder life whilst I had it than this car had (the Omega spent a fair old bit of its time with a car trailer attached), only ever required a coil pack & a rear wheel bearing in the 50,000miles I done with the car (bought at 100k). With the cost of a full replacement exhaust & ABS sensor along with the rust putting it to the big car crematorium.
Its not a Fiat engine IIRC. However, people will love to blame the supposed flakey italian car manufacture. Yes, there are EGR problems, but plenty of engines suffer with that too. My 93 has that engine and I rate it highly. Smooth, powerful and very economical. I get around 40-45mpg with every tank
bakerstreet said:
Its not a Fiat engine IIRC. However, people will love to blame the supposed flakey italian car manufacture. Yes, there are EGR problems, but plenty of engines suffer with that too.
My 93 has that engine and I rate it highly. Smooth, powerful and very economical. I get around 40-45mpg with every tank
As above, I had an Astra Sporthatch with the same engine. From new to 60k the only issue I ever had was the EGR needing to be removed and given a good clean, total cost £10 in cleaning products and a stiff toothbrush! Can't complain about that really, it got thrashed every day I had it, still returned mid 40's MPG wise and was pretty quick to boot. My only complaint would be it was a very noisy, smokey diesel engine, bear with me here! My current car RS Megane 175DCi is so much quieter in comparison and I've literally never seen even a whisp of black smoke out the back, then again economy wise it only manages high 30's, mid 40's when taking it easy!My 93 has that engine and I rate it highly. Smooth, powerful and very economical. I get around 40-45mpg with every tank
Nice looking estate though, especially in that colour, I fancy something larger next and one of these is definietly on the list!
bakerstreet said:
Its not a Fiat engine IIRC. However, people will love to blame the supposed flakey italian car manufacture. Yes, there are EGR problems, but plenty of engines suffer with that too.
My 93 has that engine and I rate it highly. Smooth, powerful and very economical. I get around 40-45mpg with every tank
It's a Fiat design - a variant of the JTD engine that first saw light of day in the 156.My 93 has that engine and I rate it highly. Smooth, powerful and very economical. I get around 40-45mpg with every tank
Interesting read. I'm parting with my 318 for a CDTi 150bhp SRi hatch as 700 miles a week are costly in a 2.0 petrol when you're paying for it! The engines are belts as opposed to chains aren't they? 100k intervals? Any advice you can give appreciated.
Mines done 78k by one company owner and I'll probably keep it 6 months.
Mines done 78k by one company owner and I'll probably keep it 6 months.
Yeah they are belt driven, intervals are 8years/100k from memory but as usual with belts I always work on 1year/10,000miles behind manufacturers guide lines for peace of mind.
Its worth having a look over on Vectra-c.com some good advice over there on what to look for with regards faulty EGR valves/manifolds etc.
Good test to check whether the flywheels on its way out, de-press the clutch halfway, if its knackered you will hear a rumbling when you do this, when they really go (like mine did) then the car will physically shake when in neutral & revved.
Its worth having a look over on Vectra-c.com some good advice over there on what to look for with regards faulty EGR valves/manifolds etc.
Good test to check whether the flywheels on its way out, de-press the clutch halfway, if its knackered you will hear a rumbling when you do this, when they really go (like mine did) then the car will physically shake when in neutral & revved.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff