What is it with Vauxhall and van drivers?
Discussion
trickywoo said:
al1991 said:
Not sure, but all I've got to add is that I've never seen a Zafira driven well.
2nd that. If a driver is going to do something stupid on the m-way chances are they'll be in a Zafira.Maybe slightly OT but I attended a slightly thrown-together car show at Wroughton airfield last year. I took my TVR along and parked up between a completely immaculate TR6 and an 80s Merc (the exact model escapes me) which could have left the factory the same morning. A couple of T2 campers, fantastically restored and stylised, loads of original Minis and some gorgeous old Yank metal which included a '57 Chevy and original Mustang. Some hot rod builders showed up with their incredible creations making the most astonishing noises, only to be upstaged by the best quality GT40 replica I've ever seen, a symphony of engineering beauty. The atmosphere was great, nobody could learn enough about each other's cars and the owners stories and experiences.
Then, I st you not, the Vauxhall Owners Club of Swindon turned up (why would such a thing exist?) with a collection of previous generation Astras shod in hideous body kits and crappy paintjobs, parked up in a corner, opened their bonnets (why?), and sat in their cars on their phones for a few hours. They also brought along a mate with the most gopping 'gangster style' Cayenne I've ever seen in my life. I can't imagine such personalities being pleasant to deal with on the roads somehow.
Then, I st you not, the Vauxhall Owners Club of Swindon turned up (why would such a thing exist?) with a collection of previous generation Astras shod in hideous body kits and crappy paintjobs, parked up in a corner, opened their bonnets (why?), and sat in their cars on their phones for a few hours. They also brought along a mate with the most gopping 'gangster style' Cayenne I've ever seen in my life. I can't imagine such personalities being pleasant to deal with on the roads somehow.
MarshPhantom said:
I disagree, oversided, big engined SUV/4×4s seem to be the new motorway wkermobile.
I'll add BMW 1 series drivers to that. Seem to be driven by either those on the company car scheme but lower end and overworked, thus seem to be angry and frustrated and venting in lane three in an unwashed, base model or driven by people who have progressed from Corsa Limited Editions... thus usually clean, slammed, driven by an 18 year old person with a hat and whose sex is difficult to determine. Usually "cruisin" at 58mph but oblivious too all that's happening around them. There is also a third type... usually armed with an M-Sport of some flavour thus made it in life and eager to chastise any peasants who dare impede their progress.
A Zafira is the type of car you only buy because you have to. Consequently, they are full of embittered, exhausted people, sick of their horrible children screaming, yelling, and kicking the backs of the seats. Makes perfect sense that the driving will be distracted at best, and aggressively semi-suicidal at worst.
The only reason to get any sort of Vauxhall nowadays seems to be price; base Corsas can be had for £99 a month all in. I don't see anything desirable in any of their regular models other than that. I think the new Astra is a horrible-looking thing. Lucky for them Ford made the Focus uglier too.
The only reason to get any sort of Vauxhall nowadays seems to be price; base Corsas can be had for £99 a month all in. I don't see anything desirable in any of their regular models other than that. I think the new Astra is a horrible-looking thing. Lucky for them Ford made the Focus uglier too.
Bezza48 said:
Timely thread for me as I am probably getting an Insignia in the next month. Not a new company car, the neighbours old one at trade cost, because they do represent a stonking amount of car for the cash IMO - but I've never owned a Vaxuhall, have always hated them and am dreading becoming a Vauxhall driver, because you rarely seen one driven well!
Do keep us posted. I'm genuinely interested whether there's something inherently wrong with these cars that causes Vauxhall drivers to behave like that, e.g. plastics releasing brain cancer inducing odours or mood altering low pitch noise coming out of AC compressor.Tannedbaldhead said:
This is a bit of a no brainer. Vans? Rarely driven for the fun of it. Vauxhalls? A much higher than average proportion of new Vauxhalls will be company vehicles. As someone else observed driven by those that bit further down the food chain, the technicians, the account managers, the junior surveyors etc.
When I was of this ilk the figurative jet up my arse was big financial pay-offs for hitting individual and group production targets along with profits shares. Nowadays, said individuals aren't getting the bonuses but will end up out the door if they don't hit even more difficult to achieve targets.
So if you are one of this group it goes like this. The faster you drive the more jobs you do. The more jobs you did in the good old days the more you get paid. The more jobs you do now the less likely you are to be sacked. Add to this the fact someone else is paying for the fuel, consumables and repairs and you drive accordingly.
That is why if you are gittering about on the outside lane of the motorway a Vauxhall Insignia or Citroen Berlingo on your tail will be practically driving over the top of you.
When I was of this ilk the figurative jet up my arse was big financial pay-offs for hitting individual and group production targets along with profits shares. Nowadays, said individuals aren't getting the bonuses but will end up out the door if they don't hit even more difficult to achieve targets.
So if you are one of this group it goes like this. The faster you drive the more jobs you do. The more jobs you did in the good old days the more you get paid. The more jobs you do now the less likely you are to be sacked. Add to this the fact someone else is paying for the fuel, consumables and repairs and you drive accordingly.
That is why if you are gittering about on the outside lane of the motorway a Vauxhall Insignia or Citroen Berlingo on your tail will be practically driving over the top of you.
Where I live Vauxhall Zafiras are driven by Jewish women with three kids on the front seat and seven on the rear. Normally covered in scratches and dings and driven at 35mph in second gear, whether on a NSA road or down a narrow residential street. I would feel more safe driving behind a pick up truck carrying 500 gallons of sulphuric acid in shot glasses.
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