Vapes and Vauxhalls hatred
Discussion
I'm in two minds over this thread. Generally I don't like badge snobbery and I bought my daughter a Mk5 Astra to get around in at Christmas as I've long had a sneaking regard for the Astra. I think its ok and gets a bad wrap against stuff like the over-rated Golf (the bread and butter versions, not the GTI which is a good car). I also owned an Insignia Mk1 SRI and in many ways it was a good family car, but I have to say I was relieved in a way when an old biddy wrote it off in a car park in her out of control Honda Jazz. The Insignia was plagued by really annoying quality issues I have never experienced before. For example, the middle of the key fob fell out and I couldnt lock it automatically. Thats never happened to me on any other car and I understand its a common Vauxhall problem. The boot release gave up so i couldn't open the boot. I had the coolant EGR problem which causes the car to suddenly lose half its coolant and raise a low coolant level light (not good on a long motorway trip). The turbo hose split (a common issue apparently) and a couple of other niggling things. Also, good as it was on motorways and faster A/B roads, it was ponderous on local trips and had horrific short gearing in 1st and 2nd making pulling onto fast roads a bit nerve wracking!
I subsequently moved onto a 318d which isn't perfect by any means (as I have reported on my own readers car thread), but is enjoyable on more than motorway trips and just a nice thing to own most of the time. I actually took a trip out in at lunchtime in the rain, just to enjoy that rear biased handling on a couple of local roundabouts!!
So I kind of see why Vauxhalls aren't loved on here. I Mean you wouldn't go for a drive in an Insignia, just for the hell of it.
As for vaping. Not a big fan to be honest.
I subsequently moved onto a 318d which isn't perfect by any means (as I have reported on my own readers car thread), but is enjoyable on more than motorway trips and just a nice thing to own most of the time. I actually took a trip out in at lunchtime in the rain, just to enjoy that rear biased handling on a couple of local roundabouts!!
So I kind of see why Vauxhalls aren't loved on here. I Mean you wouldn't go for a drive in an Insignia, just for the hell of it.
As for vaping. Not a big fan to be honest.
Robmarriott said:
Seats were uncomfortable, brakes were poor, it was sluggish, the headlights were crap, visibility out the back was woeful, the engine was noisy, the interior plastics were pants, the boot was small for an estate and it was rubbish on fuel despite being a 2.0 diesel.
It had done 60k when I got it so it wasn’t exactly old and it was a good spec (SRi).
It’s difficult to explain exactly why it was so bad because it shouldn’t have been but it wasn’t even ‘ok’ at anything.
I would have considered myself a Vauxhall guy before but short of one stop-gap, family owned, emergency Corsa, I’ve never been back.
Was it an Insignia A or B?It had done 60k when I got it so it wasn’t exactly old and it was a good spec (SRi).
It’s difficult to explain exactly why it was so bad because it shouldn’t have been but it wasn’t even ‘ok’ at anything.
I would have considered myself a Vauxhall guy before but short of one stop-gap, family owned, emergency Corsa, I’ve never been back.
Mine is a 68 plate B and it has good seats, good brakes, has the 200hp engine so can carry its weight well and it's whisper quiet, I agree the headlights are crap, rear visibility is as good as any car these days as they all have small windows, interior plastics are par for the class and its about average on fuel - around 30 locally but up to about 45 on a run, driven sensibly.
Only fault I had with it, at one year old was a free swimming pool in the boot but they sealed that and no problems since, over 3 years later, albeit still under 25k on the clock.
When it was having the pool drained, I borrowed a last generation top-spec Mokka. Now that was total crap and hire Corsa, also last generation were pretty anonymous, though competent. I once had a hired Adam for a week and quite liked that.
I had not considered and Insignia before but had a 1.4 automatic Insignia B in spain, one year and I was reasonably impressed with it, hence eventually buying the one I bought. Even that would not have been on my hit list had I not had the hire car as I was similarly indifferent to Vauxhalls generally. What drove me to it, after trying a Hyundai i30N and a Superb 280 was that it was a genuinely impressive car and, of course, came with a discount on top of the already decent price (several thousands less than the other two).
LuS1fer said:
Was it an Insignia A or B?
Mine is a 68 plate B and it has good seats, good brakes, has the 200hp engine so can carry its weight well and it's whisper quiet, I agree the headlights are crap, rear visibility is as good as any car these days as they all have small windows, interior plastics are par for the class and its about average on fuel - around 30 locally but up to about 45 on a run, driven sensibly.
Only fault I had with it, at one year old was a free swimming pool in the boot but they sealed that and no problems since, over 3 years later, albeit still under 25k on the clock.
When it was having the pool drained, I borrowed a last generation top-spec Mokka. Now that was total crap and hire Corsa, also last generation were pretty anonymous, though competent. I once had a hired Adam for a week and quite liked that.
I had not considered and Insignia before but had a 1.4 automatic Insignia B in spain, one year and I was reasonably impressed with it, hence eventually buying the one I bought. Even that would not have been on my hit list had I not had the hire car as I was similarly indifferent to Vauxhalls generally. What drove me to it, after trying a Hyundai i30N and a Superb 280 was that it was a genuinely impressive car and, of course, came with a discount on top of the already decent price (several thousands less than the other two).
I've only had the pleasure of an Insignia (B) as a pool car, and as you say there's nothing wrong with them, throw in the typical price difference and why not?Mine is a 68 plate B and it has good seats, good brakes, has the 200hp engine so can carry its weight well and it's whisper quiet, I agree the headlights are crap, rear visibility is as good as any car these days as they all have small windows, interior plastics are par for the class and its about average on fuel - around 30 locally but up to about 45 on a run, driven sensibly.
Only fault I had with it, at one year old was a free swimming pool in the boot but they sealed that and no problems since, over 3 years later, albeit still under 25k on the clock.
When it was having the pool drained, I borrowed a last generation top-spec Mokka. Now that was total crap and hire Corsa, also last generation were pretty anonymous, though competent. I once had a hired Adam for a week and quite liked that.
I had not considered and Insignia before but had a 1.4 automatic Insignia B in spain, one year and I was reasonably impressed with it, hence eventually buying the one I bought. Even that would not have been on my hit list had I not had the hire car as I was similarly indifferent to Vauxhalls generally. What drove me to it, after trying a Hyundai i30N and a Superb 280 was that it was a genuinely impressive car and, of course, came with a discount on top of the already decent price (several thousands less than the other two).
This seems to follow in most reviews; not a car that's going to set the world on fire but all-round competitive and vastly better than the "A"
Robmarriott said:
Seats were uncomfortable, brakes were poor, it was sluggish, the headlights were crap, visibility out the back was woeful, the engine was noisy, the interior plastics were pants, the boot was small for an estate and it was rubbish on fuel despite being a 2.0 diesel.
It had done 60k when I got it so it wasn’t exactly old and it was a good spec (SRi).
It’s difficult to explain exactly why it was so bad because it shouldn’t have been but it wasn’t even ‘ok’ at anything.
I would have considered myself a Vauxhall guy before but short of one stop-gap, family owned, emergency Corsa, I’ve never been back.
Hmmmm, most of what you say doesn't resonate, so to provide my thoughts. It had done 60k when I got it so it wasn’t exactly old and it was a good spec (SRi).
It’s difficult to explain exactly why it was so bad because it shouldn’t have been but it wasn’t even ‘ok’ at anything.
I would have considered myself a Vauxhall guy before but short of one stop-gap, family owned, emergency Corsa, I’ve never been back.
Seats, ours could be better, there are comfier out there, but never provide any aches, unlike some cars I've had.
Brakes, no issues. i couldn't believe how quick it stopped one time I needed to do an emergency stop.
Visibility out the back is pretty crap. Agreed. Massive C pillars.
Ours is the whisper 168bhp. It's quiet, quick enough (295lb torque) and can achieve 60mpg on a run.
Xenons and DRLs with ours. No issues there.
Interior plastics I have zero issues with, and not a squeak or rattle with 108K.
Agreed the boot ain't brill. High floor, and tunnel shaped roof line.
ArnageWRC said:
Marc p said:
Driven many Vauxhalls, but apart from the vx220 and Monaco/VXR8, they haven’t released a decent car since the 90’s IMO. They gave us the Lotus Carlton, Astra GTE’s, Cavalier GSi’s, Manta GTEs, etc, now we just get a barrage of naff hatchbacks or soulless re-badged Buicks.
They also had some pretty decent competition cars, whether in rallying or Touring cars.....Chevette, Astra, Nova, Cavalier, Vectra, plus the Opel badged Ascona/ Manta 400.....A long time since they've bothered with motorsport either.Also forgot to mention the Firenza HP, never driven one but always loved the look of them.
Vauxhall hate is largely down to clarksons opinion being deemed biblical and if you like cars you have to agree with him.
Guess I don’t like cars lol, I don’t mind clarkson but don’t share his opinions in a lot of instances
He loves an Alfa - I think they’re unreliable and if you don’t have his wallet, reliability is pretty key
He lords rear wheel drive - I’m not overly keen on it especially in normal roads and even more so in the wet!
What I’m getting as is who bloody cares! You do you.
I don’t mind a Vauxhall, had a few over the years, didn’t set the world alight but did their job well - in fact out of the ones I’ve owned I think my best was an Sri vectra I bought as a short term car for £2,000 but it was great, plenty enough poke, really reliable for the first year and I was daft to not fix the simple issue it had. Sure there are faster/nicer cars but depends what you use it for. Plus people like a bandwagon to jump on. As someone said earlier - they’ll moan even without ever having driven one!
Vaping, as someone else said - to quit smoking, great anything else you’re getting judged lol. Grown adults bellowing out tutti fruity smoke is always going to make you look a fool.
I’ve luckily never smoked but smoking was always able to look cool, it had cinema behind it and the smoker generally was a cool character. Vaping doesn’t have that, it has chav shops in the high street and vaping competitions to blow big smoke clouds… you’ve no cool factor to vaping. I think if it was a completely flavourless thing people would just ignore it
That being said, I’d rather have a conversation with a vaping Vauxhall driver over 90% of people who in anyway describe themselves an “influencer”
Guess I don’t like cars lol, I don’t mind clarkson but don’t share his opinions in a lot of instances
He loves an Alfa - I think they’re unreliable and if you don’t have his wallet, reliability is pretty key
He lords rear wheel drive - I’m not overly keen on it especially in normal roads and even more so in the wet!
What I’m getting as is who bloody cares! You do you.
I don’t mind a Vauxhall, had a few over the years, didn’t set the world alight but did their job well - in fact out of the ones I’ve owned I think my best was an Sri vectra I bought as a short term car for £2,000 but it was great, plenty enough poke, really reliable for the first year and I was daft to not fix the simple issue it had. Sure there are faster/nicer cars but depends what you use it for. Plus people like a bandwagon to jump on. As someone said earlier - they’ll moan even without ever having driven one!
Vaping, as someone else said - to quit smoking, great anything else you’re getting judged lol. Grown adults bellowing out tutti fruity smoke is always going to make you look a fool.
I’ve luckily never smoked but smoking was always able to look cool, it had cinema behind it and the smoker generally was a cool character. Vaping doesn’t have that, it has chav shops in the high street and vaping competitions to blow big smoke clouds… you’ve no cool factor to vaping. I think if it was a completely flavourless thing people would just ignore it
That being said, I’d rather have a conversation with a vaping Vauxhall driver over 90% of people who in anyway describe themselves an “influencer”
Edited by Hudson1984 on Tuesday 21st March 07:11
I like my 2008 Vectra SRI, always use to turn my nose up at Vauxhall's, no particular reason at all, peer pressure when I was younger to want a "beamer" etc... but, in all honesty my cosmetically challenged "lucky dip shed' Vectra I paid £1000 for last year because it was 10 miles away, that at the moment is doing nearly 500 miles per week up and down the UK for work has been the best car I ever ever owned!!
Maybe it's because it owes me literally nothing and just cracks on regardless, it's even got me looking at slightly upgrading to an Insignia if I can be bothered, but while this Vectra is still rolling why bother - they are dirt cheap, and absolutely stupendous value for money!
Maybe it's because it owes me literally nothing and just cracks on regardless, it's even got me looking at slightly upgrading to an Insignia if I can be bothered, but while this Vectra is still rolling why bother - they are dirt cheap, and absolutely stupendous value for money!
Edited by 7 5 7 on Tuesday 21st March 07:29
Vaping is stupid.
They sound daft when you are drawing in and the flavours smell awful when you breathe out.
Grown adults making massive clouds is a bit pathetic, imho.
Plus it leaves a sticky residue over everything.
Hate getting in a works van after a smoker or vaper has been in it. It stinks and it takes a while to clean it up.
Having lost 5 family members to cancer caused by smoking. Most recently in January this year.
Smoking is also a stupid idea, you smell bad, it lingers on your clothes and your house smells of it.
Having driven various Vauxhalls. I’ve always felt the equivalent Ford was better.
They have had better steering feeling, gear shifts and ride and handling.
They sound daft when you are drawing in and the flavours smell awful when you breathe out.
Grown adults making massive clouds is a bit pathetic, imho.
Plus it leaves a sticky residue over everything.
Hate getting in a works van after a smoker or vaper has been in it. It stinks and it takes a while to clean it up.
Having lost 5 family members to cancer caused by smoking. Most recently in January this year.
Smoking is also a stupid idea, you smell bad, it lingers on your clothes and your house smells of it.
Having driven various Vauxhalls. I’ve always felt the equivalent Ford was better.
They have had better steering feeling, gear shifts and ride and handling.
Fermit said:
I follow your thread on it. The only one time I've ever been in one of your shape was when a friend had a service loan on for a few days. He said 'it's alright!', and I just remember thinking how huge it felt to his 9-3 Saloon.
I had a 2011 9-3 TTId saloon 2 years ago too, and yes it's much bigger and better put together than that was too, seems they share a few things. Hudson1984 said:
Vauxhall hate is largely down to clarksons opinion being deemed biblical and if you like cars you have to agree with him.
Guess I don’t like cars lol, I don’t mind clarkson but don’t share his opinions in a lot of instances
He loves an Alfa - I think they’re unreliable and if you don’t have his wallet, reliability is pretty key
He lords rear wheel drive - I’m not overly keen on it especially in normal roads and even more so in the wet!
What I’m getting as is who bloody cares! You do you.
I don’t mind a Vauxhall, had a few over the years, didn’t set the world alight but did their job well - in fact out of the ones I’ve owned I think my best was an Sri vectra I bought as a short term car for £2,000 but it was great, plenty enough poke, really reliable for the first year and I was daft to not fix the simple issue it had. Sure there are faster/nicer cars but depends what you use it for. Plus people like a bandwagon to jump on. As someone said earlier - they’ll moan even without ever having driven one!
Vaping, as someone else said - to quit smoking, great anything else you’re getting judged lol. Grown adults bellowing out tutti fruity smoke is always going to make you look a fool.
I’ve luckily never smoked but smoking was always able to look cool, it had cinema behind it and the smoker generally was a cool character. Vaping doesn’t have that, it has chav shops in the high street and vaping competitions to blow big smoke clouds… you’ve no cool factor to vaping. I think if it was a completely flavourless thing people would just ignore it
That being said, I’d rather have a conversation with a vaping Vauxhall driver over 90% of people who in anyway describe themselves an “influencer”
I probably rather have a conversation with a vaping Vauxhall driver than many posters on this thread to be honest...Guess I don’t like cars lol, I don’t mind clarkson but don’t share his opinions in a lot of instances
He loves an Alfa - I think they’re unreliable and if you don’t have his wallet, reliability is pretty key
He lords rear wheel drive - I’m not overly keen on it especially in normal roads and even more so in the wet!
What I’m getting as is who bloody cares! You do you.
I don’t mind a Vauxhall, had a few over the years, didn’t set the world alight but did their job well - in fact out of the ones I’ve owned I think my best was an Sri vectra I bought as a short term car for £2,000 but it was great, plenty enough poke, really reliable for the first year and I was daft to not fix the simple issue it had. Sure there are faster/nicer cars but depends what you use it for. Plus people like a bandwagon to jump on. As someone said earlier - they’ll moan even without ever having driven one!
Vaping, as someone else said - to quit smoking, great anything else you’re getting judged lol. Grown adults bellowing out tutti fruity smoke is always going to make you look a fool.
I’ve luckily never smoked but smoking was always able to look cool, it had cinema behind it and the smoker generally was a cool character. Vaping doesn’t have that, it has chav shops in the high street and vaping competitions to blow big smoke clouds… you’ve no cool factor to vaping. I think if it was a completely flavourless thing people would just ignore it
That being said, I’d rather have a conversation with a vaping Vauxhall driver over 90% of people who in anyway describe themselves an “influencer”
Edited by Hudson1984 on Tuesday 21st March 07:11
Fermit said:
Raccaccoonie said:
Vaping, just makes you look a massive tool, and don't buy that it is better than smoking.
Really?! Vaping exposes you to far fewer toxins than cigarettes, and vapes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, 2 of the most harmful elements of tobacco.
kers.pablo said:
At least fag butts would eventually decompose, stick-suckers now throw the new disposable vapes on the floor where they will stay forever. Scummy fkers.
Google how long butts take to decompose, at least 10 years. They are plastic pollution and leach harmful substances into oceans and can kill wildlife.kers.Fermit said:
First attempt to quit was using only will power. I lasted a month.
You can't break a non-conscious habit using will power alone. Try reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, fantastic book.Vauxhall's main problem is they have an image that is a really unfortunate combination of forgettable and distasteful.
A VXR of any variety flies up your tailpipe on a road and you just move out of the way. Don't know why. It's just a feeling. I think the Zafira VXR has got to be absolute peak 'angry dad with 4 screaming kids in the back' car. And yet absolutely everything else they make is devoid of any quirkiness, character, interest, desirability. Anything at all. They're as dull as dishwater. It's a remarkable achievement actually if you think about it. If a random company in another industry pivoted into car making, with the goal of, "Look, we just need a range of cars in our product portfolio. They need to be of the absolute minimum passing grade in all aspects of a car. We just need to be able to say we manufacture cars", they'd knock out a Vauxhall.
They'll do well in the world of EVs actually, churning out cookie cutter, nondescript golf carts to get people who don't even know what car they have from A to B.
You know those weird chinese TV brands that seem to differ every year, yet they all sell just the minimum passing resolution, screen size, and various other features, but for a third of the price of a Sony/Panasonic/Samsung etc? That's what Vauxhall is as a brand. Just a tick on a register of car makers.#
Oh, the vapers. Yeah, oddly they're in a similar boat with regards to the distasteful aspect. Again, can't explain why. There's just something about it. It makes your eyes tighten and lips pinch. No idea why. So yeah, combine Vauxhall and a Vaper and you got a pretty good combo.
Like it or not, certain people, behaviours, areas and brands leave a specific impression on people - sometimes a bad one. The fact Vauxhall is a man made brand and they have managed to create that is a huge failing on their part.
A VXR of any variety flies up your tailpipe on a road and you just move out of the way. Don't know why. It's just a feeling. I think the Zafira VXR has got to be absolute peak 'angry dad with 4 screaming kids in the back' car. And yet absolutely everything else they make is devoid of any quirkiness, character, interest, desirability. Anything at all. They're as dull as dishwater. It's a remarkable achievement actually if you think about it. If a random company in another industry pivoted into car making, with the goal of, "Look, we just need a range of cars in our product portfolio. They need to be of the absolute minimum passing grade in all aspects of a car. We just need to be able to say we manufacture cars", they'd knock out a Vauxhall.
They'll do well in the world of EVs actually, churning out cookie cutter, nondescript golf carts to get people who don't even know what car they have from A to B.
You know those weird chinese TV brands that seem to differ every year, yet they all sell just the minimum passing resolution, screen size, and various other features, but for a third of the price of a Sony/Panasonic/Samsung etc? That's what Vauxhall is as a brand. Just a tick on a register of car makers.#
Oh, the vapers. Yeah, oddly they're in a similar boat with regards to the distasteful aspect. Again, can't explain why. There's just something about it. It makes your eyes tighten and lips pinch. No idea why. So yeah, combine Vauxhall and a Vaper and you got a pretty good combo.
Like it or not, certain people, behaviours, areas and brands leave a specific impression on people - sometimes a bad one. The fact Vauxhall is a man made brand and they have managed to create that is a huge failing on their part.
Edited by rawenghey on Tuesday 21st March 10:26
Fermit said:
pablo said:
At least fag butts would eventually decompose, stick-suckers now throw the new disposable vapes on the floor where they will stay forever. Scummy fkers.
I don't. I abhor any form of littering.kers.
Bit odd that you took Pablo's generalisation of vapers as an invite for you to share your own approach to disposing of your plastic, battery-filled vape stick - bit like those that do a good deed then slather it all over social media/t'internet in the hope of intervention from some higher power. Most odd.
bumskins said:
Absolutely, because you don't believe in littering then these disposible vape sticks are so much better for the environment - you have fully deserved your seat upon your shining white stallion...
Oh behave. I simply stated I don't litter. Occasional disposable ones used get put in battery recycling when exhausted. anonymous said:
[redacted]
Yep. Just returned from a trip out with Mum. Even though I was doing 70 in a NSL some tool was so close behind me I couldn't see his lights or numberplate. Audi A4 about the same age as ours. Quite handy that I needed to thoroughly clean my windscreen, drenching him too. This resulted in a middle finger in my rear view and a death stare at the next lights, prick.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff