Corsa VXR

[Temple]

Looking to get a corsa VXR - thought id hear your thoughts on the matter? are they worth the money? Are they particularly quick?

Just incase those who suggest the clio :P -

Had a look at the Clio 200 and the Engine felt horrible, hated the interior but loved the chuckability.

[DanDC5]

Good car, interior is a nice place to be. Just be aware of wheel bearing issues, air con system leaks/failures are a fairly common occurrence and there has been the odd case of piston 4 failing. But it's not as widespread as some would have you believe.

[EDLT]

I liked the one I drove but the Corsa VXR doesn't have the Thrill of Money Magazine seal of approval, so PH doesn't like it.

[Temple]

The Clio's engine just seemed quite (when pressed) coarse.. Not as smooth as the honda's (shame i dislike the Fn2 and the ep3 - is too old) I've heard mixed reviews about the Corsa all i know is that i like what i see both inside.

I wont have a chance to test drive one til the weekend so thought i'd get some opinions and knowledge before i do.

[Temple]

EDLT elaborate on that? im not quite sure what you mean!

[EDLT]

I liked the Corsa VXR, Evo magazine didn't. Evo magazine is treated like the bible on PH, therefore the Corsa VXR is rubbish.

[Use Psychology]

i drove one around a track on one of those vauxhall days and i thought it was great - much better than the astra VXR

[Temple]

EDLT said:

I liked the Corsa VXR, Evo magazine didn't. Evo magazine is treated like the bible on PH, therefore the Corsa VXR is rubbish.

Oh i see - Chris Harris seems to be the final word on cars these days. (although i like his automotive style, like most reviews i take them with a pinch of salt)

[Cheburator mk2]

I drove one at the recent DN trackday at the Nurburgring. Absolutely loved it. It was very chuckable, lift off oversteer on demand, the LSD actually worked and the brakes stopped you when you wanted them to. Found the turbo engine good - not as good as what I am usually used to - but hey, there is 5yrs warranty on it and costs peanuts to run. There was oomph in every gear. Speaking of which, the gearbox was smooth - not BMW direct - but very, very good. Overall, the interior was nice place to be. This was a rental from Rent4Ring and as such has done all its mileage on the Nordschleife - no rattles, no squeaks - Opel/Vauxhall built quality has improved massively.

Evo preferred the Clio from memory. I would say that the Corsa looks better, feels better built and if you want to, the turbo engine will respond to money being chucked at it, while the Clio lump is at its limit...

If the price is sensible, what's not to like?

Edited by Cheburator mk2 on Monday 23 April 12:33

[DanDC5]

Temple said:

EDLT said:

I liked the Corsa VXR, Evo magazine didn't. Evo magazine is treated like the bible on PH, therefore the Corsa VXR is rubbish.

Oh i see - Chris Harris seems to be the final word on cars these days. (although i like his automotive style, like most reviews i take them with a pinch of salt)

How dare you swear on PH

[Temple]

Cheburator mk2 said:

I drove one at the recent DN trackday at the Nurburgring. Absolutely loved it. It was very chuckable, lift off oversteer on demand, the LSD actually worked and the brakes stopped you when you wanted them to. Found the turbo engine good - not as good as what I am usually used to - but hey, there is 5yrs warranty on it and costs peanuts to run. There was oomph in every gear. Speaking of which, the gearbox was smooth - not BMW direct - but very, very good. Overall, the interior was nice place to be. This was a rental from Rent4Ring and as such has done all its mileage on the Nordschleife - no rattles, no squeaks - Opel/Vauxhall built quality has improved massively.

Evo preferred the Clio from memory. I would say that the Corsa looks better, feels better built and if you want to, the turbo engine will respond to money being chucked it, while the Clio lump is at its limit...

If the price is sensible, what's not to like?

Thanks for the mini review!

As an avid ring fan my self (its been awhile) its nice to know rent4ring have a Corsa VXR i know these guys wouldn't pick a car with no potential to have a laugh in.

As i'd be taking it to the ring its also nice to know its got enough power especially for the loonnng uphill sections.

[GTiFrank]

A Megane R26 pops into the same sort of price range as a used VXR, No brainer IMO R26 all the way.

[KaraK]

Use Psychology said:

i drove one around a track on one of those vauxhall days and i thought it was great - much better than the astra VXR

This ^

Although the Astra was more powerfull the Corsa was much more fun - it was very chuckable and the steering felt very direct. By contrast the Astra felt much more vauge on turn in and never felt as settled at the apex, for a non-driving god like myself the Corsa did a much better job of making me feel confident in the car.

I've heard of some issues around failures of a certain piston (can't remember what number) but if you were getting one with warranty I don't see why that should be a massive concern.

[RobCrezz]

Temple said:

The Clio's engine just seemed quite (when pressed) coarse.. Not as smooth as the honda's (shame i dislike the Fn2 and the ep3 - is too old) I've heard mixed reviews about the Corsa all i know is that i like what i see both inside.

I wont have a chance to test drive one til the weekend so thought i'd get some opinions and knowledge before i do.

What about the FD2 Import Civic Type R? Same K20 engine but with more power and a decent chassis.

[Temple]

RobCrezz said:

What about the FD2 Import Civic Type R? Same K20 engine but with more power and a decent chassis.

Fapfapfap love these motors! but a little bit out of my price range? unless they've come down to around 10k?

[KaraK]

doogz said:

KaraK said:

This ^

Although the Astra was more powerfull the Corsa was much more fun - it was very chuckable and the steering felt very direct. By contrast the Astra felt much more vauge on turn in and never felt as settled at the apex, for a non-driving god like myself the Corsa did a much better job of making me feel confident in the car.

I've heard of some issues around failures of a certain piston (can't remember what number) but if you were getting one with warranty I don't see why that should be a massive concern.

I guess that depends on the warranty, I've read a few threads on here recently, about warranties being supplied with upper limits on what they'll pay out. There was a thread the other day where someone was posting that the warranty that came with their car had a £1000 upper limit.

When we had our MINI engine rebuilt, the bill was 2 and a half times that!

True enough.. I was thinking more of OEM warranty as IME anything other than the main manufacturer warranty isn't worth the paper it's written on.

[T0M]

£6k miles into my Corsa VXR Nurburgring Edition ownership and no regrets so far. The ride is firm but not uncomfortable, the interior is a nice place to be with no rattles. A bonus is its proving to be fairly economical, comfortably acheiving 35MPG when on the commute.

There are a few stories of piston failure - but my understanding is that these have only been on modified cars.

[dorme]

Cheburator mk2 said:

I drove one at the recent DN trackday at the Nurburgring. Absolutely loved it. It was very chuckable, lift off oversteer on demand, the LSD actually worked and the brakes stopped you when you wanted them to. Found the turbo engine good - not as good as what I am usually used to - but hey, there is 5yrs warranty on it and costs peanuts to run. There was oomph in every gear. Speaking of which, the gearbox was smooth - not BMW direct - but very, very good. Overall, the interior was nice place to be. This was a rental from Rent4Ring and as such has done all its mileage on the Nordschleife - no rattles, no squeaks - Opel/Vauxhall built quality has improved massively.

Evo preferred the Clio from memory. I would say that the Corsa looks better, feels better built and if you want to, the turbo engine will respond to money being chucked it, while the Clio lump is at its limit...

If the price is sensible, what's not to like?

LSD? you drove the 27k nurburgring version then. its has more power and a few changes, proper expensive though.

[BertB]

Cheburator mk2 said:

It was very chuckable, lift off oversteer on demand, the LSD actually worked and the brakes stopped you when you wanted them to.

As I understand it the standard car doesn't have an LSD, isn't it the 'Ring special that has it?

[Temple]

RobCrezz said:

What about the FD2 Import Civic Type R? Same K20 engine but with more power and a decent chassis.

Fapfapfap love these motors! but a little bit out of my price range? unless they've come down to around 10k?