RE: Shed of the Week: Vauxhall Vectra SRI
Discussion
AC43 said:
The FIL had an Insignia with that engine. I never drove it but I passengered in it and that engine was actually quite tuneful. A million times better than a four pot.
There hasn't been a 3 litre V6 diesel Insignia, there is a turbocharged V6 petrol though, I think that it's a 2.8Patch888 said:
Exactly what I thought. It has all the ingredients for disappointment.
Are you a Bill Bailey fan?
I understand the comments about the Vectra indicators and chassis dynamics but the petrol engines were superb like most Vauxhall engines since the 60s, superior in every way to the equivalent Ford, longer lasting, quieter, smootherand more economical. My 2.2 SRI Vectra covered 370miles at an average of over 94mph including stops on one occasion [I don't propose to say where or when] and never missed a beat all the time I owned it. Properly maintained they are unbeatable. Clarkson's stupid comments did a lot of damage to the brand, now sold to the French. Don't expect improvements!!!
AC43 said:
The FIL had an Insignia with that engine. I never drove it but I passengered in it and that engine was actually quite tuneful. A million times better than a four pot.
He must have built it himself then, because GM certainly didn't build it for him.Not a bad shed but I struggle to care much about it. I would happily have it if I needed a practical, cheap car though
Helicopter123 said:
So, an old diesel powered Vectra is the best you can come up with this week?
That's a shocker.
There's an old Triumph Acclaim, barn find, for £300 that is a way better buy than this, thing.That's a shocker.
The Vauxhall Vectra. Official car of wanting to look like you can afford a new car while simultaneously demonstrating that you don't give a s
t about what you drive.
Neighbour had a Signum with the V6 tdi - he's an engine tech for Opel at Rüsselsheim.
He's never buying an Opel again after the problems he had with it. Turbo went, untraceable coolant leak, difficult to work on etc etc.
I drove it a few times - felt a bit nose-heavy, smoother than my Vectra 150 but no faster.
One of the main problems is that they are so (comparatively) rare that very few garages can diagnose/fix faults correctly on them.
Oh, and unlike the 1.9 GM/Fiat 150 tdi unit, the V6 is basically impossible to remap. The water pump goes pop if you try and get more power IIRC. A 150 diesel with a mild map is way faster.
He's never buying an Opel again after the problems he had with it. Turbo went, untraceable coolant leak, difficult to work on etc etc.
I drove it a few times - felt a bit nose-heavy, smoother than my Vectra 150 but no faster.
One of the main problems is that they are so (comparatively) rare that very few garages can diagnose/fix faults correctly on them.
Oh, and unlike the 1.9 GM/Fiat 150 tdi unit, the V6 is basically impossible to remap. The water pump goes pop if you try and get more power IIRC. A 150 diesel with a mild map is way faster.
JakeT said:
Didn't these, and the Saab variants have issues with cylinder liners dropping causing issues?
Yes. 2004 cars onwards (until they dropped the engine shortly after) had engines which had been redesigned to avoid this issue. This Vectra is an 04, so perhaps some homework would be required on whether it has the updated engine or not. See UKSAABS forum for in depth analysis.....I used to run a 2.2 TiD SAAB 9-5 so am familiar with the place.....The engine was also used in the Renault Vel Satis. But if you've got one of them it's probably the least of your worries, much as I like the cars.
This is one of those sheds where if you have a strict budget and just need SOMETHING, anything at all, as long as it's got an MOT and is local, you might consider it. A bit like white goods motoring, you aren't going to base the purchase on any kind of emotional reactions.
This one might have paid off this week if the article had made up for the dull example with the usual humour, but even that seems to have taken a holiday.
Seriously Shed, what went wrong this week?
This one might have paid off this week if the article had made up for the dull example with the usual humour, but even that seems to have taken a holiday.
Seriously Shed, what went wrong this week?
Whilst this may well be a pretty dull uninspiring car, that is probably best used for lugging stuff up and sown the m/way. What I don't get is the real hate for anything VX on here vs the love for Ford. I know we are all obviously driving gods who can instant;y tell the difference between the subtle handling differences between the standard models of ford and vauxhall. Most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference and once a car gets to shed value how tired the dampers are will probably make more difference than the relative out the show room abilities.
We used to get lots of mondeo's and vectra's of this era as hire cars and to be honest the vectra handled OK and under normal driving the mondeo was no better. What was bad was the Mondeo diesel engines, horrible things compared to even the 4 pot vectra engine. Those indicators that BMW and VX fitted around this time were dreadful though.
We used to get lots of mondeo's and vectra's of this era as hire cars and to be honest the vectra handled OK and under normal driving the mondeo was no better. What was bad was the Mondeo diesel engines, horrible things compared to even the 4 pot vectra engine. Those indicators that BMW and VX fitted around this time were dreadful though.
I had completely forgotten that this model of Vectra existed, They seem to have largely passed me by and I can only assume they are close to invisible on the roads as I cannot recall ever seeing one despite the fact they are almost certainly everywhere. I don't recall hearing anything about them at the time, seeing reviews, noticing the first one on the roads, nothing. Very strange.
That's be an OK snotter to tool around in until it broke, but I'd want to be paying £500 for it really. I always associate middle aged Vauxhalls with proper tracksuit wearing, sunday lunch at McDogbits, princess on board sticker sporting chav families though, is this a common perception?
That's be an OK snotter to tool around in until it broke, but I'd want to be paying £500 for it really. I always associate middle aged Vauxhalls with proper tracksuit wearing, sunday lunch at McDogbits, princess on board sticker sporting chav families though, is this a common perception?
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