Meriva VXR parts?

Meriva VXR parts?

Author
Discussion

BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Thursday 23rd June 2022
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Evening all,

I picked up a 2006 Meriva VXR on Monday and just wanted to know where the best place to buy bits for it is?

I'm after some floor mats and possibly a steering wheel and gear lever gaiter firstly.

Also I assume because of the rarity of these and also the age I'm going to struggle to get hold of mechanical bits? Exhaust bits and the like?

Cheers

Pablo_Picasso

24 posts

159 months

Friday 24th June 2022
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Hello mate

Congratulations on the purchase! What colour is it?

Regarding the parts. I think the VXR specific mats are no longer serviced. From memory I bought the last set. But perhaps worth checking at the dealer. Alternatively they should still be able to supply the standard Meriva velour mats. So very similar but without the logo.

As for the steering wheel? I assume it is just worn? If so a refurb by someone like Royal steering wheels would be your best bet.

Not sure whether the exhausts are still available. Which section do you need? Should be some decent aftermarket stainless versions to choose from if not.

Cheers

BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Friday 24th June 2022
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Thanks Pablo

It's black and slightly tired but it's honest, rare and fast so I'll forgive it and fix him up. Do you own one?

I don't really need anything on it exhaust wise or mechanical wise yet I was just thinking for the future.

I'm from Aylesbury so I know where Royal steering wheels are and it's good to hear them recommended. So you know what sort of cost I'd be looking at to have them re trim the wheel back to original? £300ish?

Can you recommend anyone within the Aylesbury area to get the tracking done by?

Cheers


Pablo_Picasso

24 posts

159 months

Monday 27th June 2022
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Hello mate

I have a star silver VXR. Great little cars…!

I’ve never used Royal steering wheels but I also need to book my coupe turbo wheel in for a refurb and was looking who does them. They seem to be the go to place for this site.

Mechanically the Meriva is a hybrid of Corsa C and Astra G. So most mechanical parts are readily available. It will just be the odd bits of trim etc that will always prove difficult. For the time being there always seems to be one being broken on eBay if you need anything.

Not sure how familiar you are with these cars but one area to keep an eye on is the gearbox. M32 is a known weakness. Mine had a new box before I bought it. I now change the gear oil every two years (same as brake fluid) with the Fuchs recommended oil.

As for geometry. You can only really adjust the tracking. So any decent place should do it easily.

Cheers


BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Monday 27th June 2022
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Oh nice

Good to meet a fellow owner. How long have you owned it? I was very surprised by the performance when I picked it up.

Yeah I have read the gearbox is a bit of a weak point so I'll look into getting the fluid changed first. The clutch bites a little high but it's on 100k miles and there's no invoices of it ever being replaced so I assume bits original.

My short term consists of

Sorting weird noise on o/s front wheel on the half turn???
Tracking
Gearbox oil replacement
Full service, headlight bulbs and wiper blades
Powerflex bushes
A damn good clean in and out, neglected by previous owner.

Cheers

Pablo_Picasso

24 posts

159 months

Wednesday 29th June 2022
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My car was originally a demo for Vauxhall. My parents bought it from a main dealer in South Wales at one year old with 1000 miles on it. They had it about three years and then I’ve had it ever since. Only ever been a second car. So light use and only done 55k miles.
Quite rare being silver. And has all the available options fitted.

Sounds like you’ve got a good list to work through. Get some pics loaded when you get a chance.

Cheers


BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Wednesday 29th June 2022
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No that sounds like an absolute peach, is the silver rarest colour? Has it got AFL's and heated seats then? I like the idea of your parents owning a Meriva VXR, cool dad car.

Yeah I'll upload some pictures soon. Have you got any pics of yours?

Cheers





Pablo_Picasso

24 posts

159 months

Friday 8th July 2022
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Hello mate

I think the rarest was silver lightening followed by star silver. Think there were 26 produced.

This one has all the options AFL. Heated leather. Sat nav. Bluetooth. I’ve retrofitted folding mirrors as they weren’t a VXR option.










BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Friday 8th July 2022
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Bloody hell that is clean. Awesome spec. Your dad did well buying that.

Hopefully with a bit of TLC I can mine at least 50% that's clean. It's a cool little car to have tucked away in the garage for a rainy day. Looks very very nice. I'll get some pictures up loaded of mine once I've had time to wash it.

Cheers

BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Friday 8th July 2022
quotequote all
How easy is it to retrofit the mirrors? Where did you get them from?

Cheers

Pablo_Picasso

24 posts

159 months

Friday 8th July 2022
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Mirrors were quite easy. People used to sell the kits on eBay using the bits from broken cars. It is just the mirror assemblies. Switch in the drivers door. Module under the passenger seat (body harness should have the plug and wires already there) and then the door harnesses. Again you might be lucky and already have the necessary wires within the harness.

Just had a quick look on eBay. Can’t see any on their at the moment. If not you just need to find someone who is breaking one with the mirrors. Folding was quite common on early cars.

Cheers

BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Saturday 9th July 2022
quotequote all
Cheers for that.

I'll keep my eyes open for some parts at work, I've just started at ASM Auto Recycling in Thame so I'll be on the lookout.

So far I've got a decent set of floor mats (non VXR though), an aerial, both headlights and I've brought an engine mount and cam cover gasket too.

So now I need to find the time fit all that and commence the intense clean.

BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Wednesday 13th July 2022
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Pablo

Where would you say is the best place to buy front lower arms?

Cheers

Pablo_Picasso

24 posts

159 months

Thursday 14th July 2022
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BigTallG87 said:
Cheers for that.

I'll keep my eyes open for some parts at work, I've just started at ASM Auto Recycling in Thame so I'll be on the lookout.

So far I've got a decent set of floor mats (non VXR though), an aerial, both headlights and I've brought an engine mount and cam cover gasket too.

So now I need to find the time fit all that and commence the intense clean.
Sounds like you are making good progress. Will have to get some pics of the work.

Pablo_Picasso

24 posts

159 months

Thursday 14th July 2022
quotequote all
BigTallG87 said:
Pablo

Where would you say is the best place to buy front lower arms?

Cheers
I’ve just had to buy some for mine. Bushes were starting to deteriorate at the last MOT. Meriva VXR actually has its owns control arms as the bushings are different. But these are no longer serviced. Standard arms fit though. So that’s what I’ve bought. I got the genuine ones.

Cheers


BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Thursday 14th July 2022
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You think the standard arms will be ok to use? They won't affect the handling? Beings they'll be slightly softer surely?

How much were genuine standard arms?

Do you think it's possible to get genuine VXR ones from Europe?

Cheers

Pablo_Picasso

24 posts

159 months

Monday 18th July 2022
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I checked stock and there was none left in uk or Europe. So unless you get lucky and find a dealer with them in stock then they are all gone.

I like you would have preferred the correct ones. As you mentioned they are probably slightly softer. But the standard ones is the best I could find. I’m also guessing that new standard ones will be a lot better than 15 year old worn and split ones that are on there at the moment!

Cheers


BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
Am I right in assuming you work for Vauxhall Pablo?

So there's no stock in Europe whatsoever? That's very annoying.

You make a good point with regards to the genuine standard ones being in better condition than 16 year old ones but I like the challenge of trying to find genuine VXR ones.

I contemplating possibly going down the Powerflex bushes route but don't really know how much of a ball ache that is? It's annoying that there isn't a company that supplies complete arms with uprated bushes already fitted. Unless there is and I haven't found them yet?

Cheers

BigTallG87

Original Poster:

181 posts

55 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
BigTallG87 said:
You think the standard arms will be ok to use? They won't affect the handling? Beings they'll be slightly softer surely?

How much were genuine standard arms?

Do you think it's possible to get genuine VXR ones from Europe?

Cheers
Out of curiosity Pablo how does the Meriva drive now you've got the standard arms fitted over the VXR ones?

Cheers

Pablo_Picasso

24 posts

159 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
BigTallG87 said:
Am I right in assuming you work for Vauxhall Pablo?

So there's no stock in Europe whatsoever? That's very annoying.

You make a good point with regards to the genuine standard ones being in better condition than 16 year old ones but I like the challenge of trying to find genuine VXR ones.

I contemplating possibly going down the Powerflex bushes route but don't really know how much of a ball ache that is? It's annoying that there isn't a company that supplies complete arms with uprated bushes already fitted. Unless there is and I haven't found them yet?

Cheers
Used to work there a long time ago!

White line sell standard arms with their uprated bushes in. But not for all models and Meriva is one of them…!

You could of course buy the standard arms and fit uprated bushes?
I’ve not actually fitted mine yet. Will be doing it soon. The car only does very few miles and doesn’t get driven hard so I doubt I’ll notice the difference.