£1000 Vectra SRI daily shed

[A500leroy]

757 said:

Yes mine is the simpler 1.8 engine, so already E10 compatible.

Good standard cars like you've found out yourself, I wasn't actually after one and never been a VX fan but, it just came up cheap very local to me, so took a punt, and was happy to say bye to diesel for a while tbh.

Not sure how long I will keep it - seems to do the job of a cheap car for the time being, 2 years I had it penned for...see how many miles I can stick on it.

Pretty sure youll keep it when it breaks then restore it when your old man and retired..

[757]

A500leroy said:

Pretty sure youll keep it when it breaks then restore it when your old man and retired..

'Restore' doesn't compute with shedding, you know that happy if I get 2 years out of this, then will get something else, looking all the time...need to stop!

[757]

Boring shed update, business as usual on the Vectra, another 1,000+ miles since I last posted, it spent the night in a Q Carpark down in Reading, another plod back up the North home today, fulfilling the brief perfectly, as a completely soulless rep/hauling gear car!

Edited by 757 on Wednesday 29th June 08:37

[757]

131,000 miles...riveting shed Vectra update...had to remove the roofbars - its the only car I have run where I have genuinely noticed the MPG drop with use. So it is back to rozzer spec/look of yester-year.

MOT next month, then we will see where we are at with it, as mentioned on 'joy of shedding' thread, its costing my £100 per month to run this car, so it is working for me in this sense, in "beating the system"

Edited by 757 on Monday 11th July 15:06

[A500leroy]

757 said:

131,000 miles...riveting shed Vectra update...had to remove the roofbars - its the only car I have run where I have genuinely noticed the MPG drop with use. So it is back to rozzer spec/look of yester-year.

MOT next month, then we will see where we are at with it, as mentioned on 'joy of shedding' thread, its costing my £100 per month to run this car, so it is working for me in this sense, in "beating the system"

Edited by 757 on Monday 11th July 15:06

plus you secretly love it and would turn down anything better even if it was free anyway!
Why cant you be more like Aaron2000 and have 31 sheds a month?

[757]

A500leroy said:

plus you secretly love it and would turn down anything better even if it was free anyway!
Why cant you be more like Aaron2000 and have 31 sheds a month?

Not really, its the most boring car I have ever owned, just ticks many boxes at the moment, always on the look out for something else but cant really be arsed at the moment while this is getting me about in some kind of comfort and under the radar - plus, I think you secretly like it too, come on confess? PM if your interested

[A500leroy]

757 said:

A500leroy said:

plus you secretly love it and would turn down anything better even if it was free anyway!
Why cant you be more like Aaron2000 and have 31 sheds a month?

Not really, its the most boring car I have ever owned, just ticks many boxes at the moment, always on the look out for something else but cant really be arsed at the moment while this is getting me about in some kind of comfort and under the radar - plus, I think you secretly like it too, come on confess? PM if your interested

Sorry im afraid im stuck with a Panda, everything about me says petrolhead, but for some pecular reason i just cant let this base spec panda go.

[757]

A500leroy said:

Sorry im afraid im stuck with a Panda, everything about me says petrolhead, but for some pecular reason i just cant let this base spec panda go.

Yeah it's funny really, my family think I'm bonkers running around in such a cheap, vanilla car from yesteryear.

I am the biggest petrolhead in the family and amongst friends (they all drive lease new cars) and they often ask me why I don't....just prefer to stick my hard earned money elsewhere, very debt adverse, plus surely a petrol head is EVERYTHING about a car not just if it's the latest and greatest on the drive...prefer peace of mind and total liberation now of not caring.

I am preaching to the converted anyway I know, those Pandas are sweet little things, do have a soft spot for these.

[757]

Another month passed with the Vecshed, not much been happening as it has been parked at a dusty airport multistorey for 2 weeks whilst I was traveling.

Back to normal, another 500 miles to stick on it this week.

[Superchickenn]

757 said:

A500leroy said:

Sorry im afraid im stuck with a Panda, everything about me says petrolhead, but for some pecular reason i just cant let this base spec panda go.

Yeah it's funny really, my family think I'm bonkers running around in such a cheap, vanilla car from yesteryear.

I am the biggest petrolhead in the family and amongst friends (they all drive lease new cars) and they often ask me why I don't....just prefer to stick my hard earned money elsewhere, very debt adverse, plus surely a petrol head is EVERYTHING about a car not just if it's the latest and greatest on the drive...prefer peace of mind and total liberation now of not caring.

I am preaching to the converted anyway I know, those Pandas are sweet little things, do have a soft spot for these.

Very much this.

I have a small fleet of late 90's early 00's cars that owe me nothing. They are all super reliable (even the French ones) and it warms me that i dont have a big monthly payment for them.

[757]

Superchickenn said:

Very much this.

I have a small fleet of late 90's early 00's cars that owe me nothing. They are all super reliable (even the French ones) and it warms me that i dont have a big monthly payment for them.

Exactly pal! Gonna be very hard to ever go back to a expensive needy car after running this! Love the not giving a hoot attitude!

Booked in for A/C inspection tomorrow now at mates garage, be great if I got that working..but, won't be spending big to replace a condenser if it's that, will just crack on.

Managed in the MINI without air conditioning (wasn't fitted) and this was working "a little" when I got it, so will see

[757]

So, A/C is a complete no goer! Not worth my time, and more importantly my money to sort it.

Missing a pipe, and has been filled with silicon, so that's that

The joys of buying a <£1000 shed, some interesting surprises.

[757]

So, now the weather is normal again, my butchered A/C isn't an issue now!

With it's MOT in 2 weeks time, I have tried to sort these horrible yellow headlights out, not that I am overly bothered, but to give them a chance of better headlight action.

So quickly looking in the shed for anything, tried some WD-40, and some car polish, ta da! - may be enough if I do it again to make them look a little better, only thing I've actually cleaned on the car since April

(Before)


(After)


Nothing else is springing to mind after my "unofficial" check around it, slightly weepy oil leak I have noticed near the sump, again see what comes of that when it's on the ramp, it's not making a mess of my drive yet.

Edited by 757 on Thursday 18th August 12:22

[SirGriffin]

I absolutely loved my Vectra, one of the best cars I've ever had.

Yes quite "boring" but there was something deeply satisfying about the car - it was one of those cars that you didn't really think about, it just did everything uncomplainingly, which actually is the mark of a well engineered car.

Comfortable, roomy, economical, it devoured motorways. Was never a fan of the dull interior, but again it was quiet and comfortable.

The only thing that's stopped me getting another one is the rather high road tax for a 1.8, and I found the insurance rather high for some reason. The Jaguar that replaced it was nearly a third of the price!

[757]

SirGriffin said:

I absolutely loved my Vectra, one of the best cars I've ever had.

Yes quite "boring" but there was something deeply satisfying about the car - it was one of those cars that you didn't really think about, it just did everything uncomplainingly, which actually is the mark of a well engineered car.

Comfortable, roomy, economical, it devoured motorways. Was never a fan of the dull interior, but again it was quiet and comfortable.

Completely agree with all this, it does just do EVERYTHING without complaining, your totally correct. It so anominous out on the roads too, which is something I quite like also, not that I am up to no good, but its nice being under the radar, probably why they made good un-marked police cars a few years back.

In terms of the tax, yes its is a bit steep (£265 annually) - terribly steep for me, as all my cars have been £30 VED, all being diesels of course. But my mileage shifted tremendously over Covid - and diesel just doesn't fit my criteria anymore, so a simplistic N/A petrol 'albeit pricier' VED car should work out ok...for now, see how I get one. It only owes me £1200 so, I am not terribly fussed one way or the other

Edited by 757 on Thursday 18th August 16:19

[RazerSauber]

I say this far too much about Vectras, they're fantastic at just being "a car". It won't thrill you in the bends (unless you're really into mild understeer) and it won't set any records at the traffic light GP but as a reasonably comfortable and reliable tool to get you and a surprising amount of stuff where you're going, you're hard pressed to find much better.

Glad the Vectra is going well. Did you seal those headlights? They'll go yellow again fast if you've removed the sealant and not replaced it.

[757]

RazerSauber said:

I say this far too much about Vectras, they're fantastic at just being "a car". It won't thrill you in the bends (unless you're really into mild understeer) and it won't set any records at the traffic light GP but as a reasonably comfortable and reliable tool to get you and a surprising amount of stuff where you're going, you're hard pressed to find much better.

Glad the Vectra is going well. Did you seal those headlights? They'll go yellow again fast if you've removed the sealant and not replaced it.

Yeah really quite happy with it at the moment, just a A-B car, does everyhting I need it too, and is costing in all reality buttons to run.

I haven't sealed the lights, they haven't fogged over again actually, looking ok now.

Stuck another 300 miles on it this week already! MOT is next week, so hopefully all good, if so, another cheap 12 months of motoring I hope

[757]

MOT passed, rear pads wearing thin, that is it

Another year of sheddy Vectra'ness

[A500leroy]

757 said:

MOT passed, rear pads wearing thin, that is it

Another year of sheddy Vectra'ness

Good feeling aint it!
Treat it new pads front and rear as a well done.

[RazerSauber]

757 said:

MOT passed, rear pads wearing thin, that is it

Another year of sheddy Vectra'ness

£14 off eBay. If you want to reward your Vectra for being a trustworthy steed.