Tigra Twin Top 1.4 'semi auto' - who has one?

[Dino D]

Ok, before you all start 'GET AN MX5 INSTEAD' it is not for me but someone who has no interest in steering feel, balance, performance and so on. They just want a cheap, folding hard top car that is small and not butt ugly (so no Colt CC) or French (so no 206cc) and ideally not over 1,4l as car tax in Greece is stupid and 90bhp is plenty for this driver.

So anyone have any experience on these - I read that the Tigra was produced by French coachbuilder Heuliez, so any concerns about crap French build quality and electrical gremlins, especially on the roof?

I have found an auto model (pretty rare - only 1 for sale in Greece) with the gearbox pictured below - anyone know about that gearbox and is it a 'automated manual' or a proper auto. Reliable?
Will go to drive it next week only.

[hornetrider]

My inlaws have a manual and it's a decent little thing as long as you don't expect it to be a sports car. When the roof is down boot space is lost. Don't know what else to say about it really. I can't imagine the auto is anything other than a slushbox.

[HellDiver]

The Easytronic is a piece of crap gearbox. Truely rubbish.

[Fidgits]

the vauxhall tigra is proof you can still buy a bad car even today...

[hornetrider]

Fidgits said:

the vauxhall tigra is proof you can still buy a bad car even today...

Look, its no MX5 but its not actually a bad car per se. More of a white good.

[coley20]

Dino D said:

Ok, before you all start 'GET AN MX5 INSTEAD' it is not for me but someone who has no interest in steering feel, balance, performance and so on. They just want a cheap, folding hard top car that is small and not butt ugly (so no Colt CC) or French (so no 206cc) and ideally not over 1,4l as car tax in Greece is stupid and 90bhp is plenty for this driver.

So anyone have any experience on these - I read that the Tigra was produced by French coachbuilder Heuliez, so any concerns about crap French build quality and electrical gremlins, especially on the roof?

I have found an auto model (pretty rare - only 1 for sale in Greece) with the gearbox pictured below - anyone know about that gearbox and is it a 'automated manual' or a proper auto. Reliable?
Will go to drive it next week only.

To be honest I am not really into Mx-5`s but dont discount them because they DO have good handling and feel etc

Edited by coley20 on Friday 30th April 12:17

[Dino D]

HellDiver said:

The Easytronic is a piece of crap gearbox. Truely rubbish.

Thanks for pointing out the name of the box which helped me figure out that it is Opels name for their automated manual box - that answers my question - was hoping it would be good old torque converter auto though...

I know these boxes can be crap - even BMW have issues with SMG but are you referring to it being rubbish to use ie it is jerky or do you mean it is unreliable and going to cost lots to fix (like a Citreon)?

The driving experience as not that NB as this is a town car and the woman behind the wheel just wants a car that 'changes gears by itself'. If it jerks a bit then ok. If it is unreliable than it is a real problem.

PS: HellDiver - why where you driving a 'easytronic' Tigra TT then?

Edited by Dino D on Friday 30th April 12:24

[Chris_w666]

No idea about the 1.4 or the Auto. But I know someone that is onto her second 1.8 and she loves it. I drove it once and was actually quite surprised it was quicker than I thought it would be and quite fun, but then again any normal car is better when roofless anyway.

Hers haven't broke at all so that can't be a bad thing.

[Dino D]

coley20 said:

Dino D said:

They just want a cheap, folding hard top car

To be honest I am not really into Mx-5`s but dont discount them because they DO have good handling and feel etc

Just to clarify, we are looking at used cars of less than 14k Euro so the new model MX5 with folding hardtop does not qualify. Thanks again.

[HellDiver]

Dino D said:

HellDiver said:

The Easytronic is a piece of crap gearbox. Truely rubbish.

I know these boxes can be crap - even BMW have issues with SMG but are you referring to it being rubbish to use ie it is jerky or do you mean it is unreliable and going to cost lots to fix (like a Citreon)?

PS: HellDiver - why where you driving a 'easytronic' Tigra TT then?

They're both unreliable and jerky. Then they get all fouled up and lost, leaving you under the bonnet with the wheel brace moving things back in to neutral.

I was driving one because I broke the Corsa 1.2 Design I had while my Vectra was in not getting fixed for the third time.

[Galsia]

Personally I always thought that the Tigra looks like a sportscar that has been designed for disabled people...

[Dino D]

Just did some digging on the net and loads of issues with the Easytronic box - still amazes me how these boxes make onto the market after the 'millions of miles' of testing and development these companies do - most people were having issues on cars with less than 100k miles. In some cases less than 20k miles!

So will have to steer clear of the auto then - she can drive a manual but loathes it but the truth is - when you are on a budget a good auto box is hard to find.....

Apart from the box, what do people have to say about the rest of the Tigra - is the roof ok? I guess the rest is all Corsa so cheap and cheerful but easy enough to service.

[OnTheOverrun]

HellDiver said:

Dino D said:

HellDiver said:

The Easytronic is a piece of crap gearbox. Truely rubbish.

I know these boxes can be crap - even BMW have issues with SMG but are you referring to it being rubbish to use ie it is jerky or do you mean it is unreliable and going to cost lots to fix (like a Citreon)?

PS: HellDiver - why where you driving a 'easytronic' Tigra TT then?

They're both unreliable and jerky. Then they get all fouled up and lost, leaving you under the bonnet with the wheel brace moving things back in to neutral.

I was driving one because I broke the Corsa 1.2 Design I had while my Vectra was in not getting fixed for the third time.

I was given one as a (dis) courtesy car. It really was appalling - it's like being driven everywhere by a drunk learner with muscle spasms on their first lesson. I can't imagine anyone could put up with one for any period of time without going mental.

[Defcon5]

That interior is lifted straight out of a Corsa C

[Dino D]

Defcon5 said:

That interior is lifted straight out of a Corsa C

Lovely isn't it?

[HellDiver]

Dino D said:

Defcon5 said:

That interior is lifted straight out of a Corsa C

Lovely isn't it?

I had a Corsa C SXI - the interior was fine, well enough screwed together, comfortable, everything was where you'd expect. I actually quite liked the car, though I had the sewing-machine 1.2 engine which let it down something shocking. Did 23k in 18 months in it, and had absolutely no issues - the only one of the 5 Vauxhalls I had that didn't break.