Shed of the Week: Vauxhall Vectra SRI

A Vectra, yes, but don't mock - there's a big V6 in this one

This one's for the barge-istas. Before you start screeching at the screen, yes, we know it's a Vectra, but have patience while we explain the reason for its inclusion here.

Opel badge at the front...

For a start, the '04 plate makes this a Vectra C, the last Vectra iteration bar a final pre-Insignia facelift in '05-'06, and a whole lot better to drive than the B in terms of ride and handling. It still wasn't quite as engaging as a Mondeo, but it had a massive boot and plenty of room up front.

More interestingly, this is an SRi CDTi V6, powered by the Isuzu-sourced 3.0-litre turbodiesel. Despite what some might tell you, this intercooled 24-valve common-rail direct-injection unit was not your stereotypical Isuzu donk, but a quite refined and not that heavy engine, and one that produced an authentic V6 sound.

The nominal outputs were 176hp at a less than ideal 4,000rpm and 258lb ft of torque at a less trouser-straining 1,800rpm. Top whack was 135, with a 0-60 in the mid-eights, but the V6's key attribute when married to the six-speed auto was its ability to bash along the motorway in a relaxed manner, possibly towing a double-axled caravan.

.... Vauxhall badge at the back. Huh?

This was in the great old days before some wise-ass at BMW realised you could get most of what you wanted in a diesel from two litres rather than three - boo indeed. Even so, despite luxuriating in all that unseemly engine capacity, the average fuel consumption figure began with a 4 in both the real and the official worlds.

There were a fair few problems with the mechanicals of the smaller engines in the Vectra range, both petrol and diesel, but negative reports about the CDTi V6 are much harder to find. You do need to keep on top of the oil though. As demonstrated in the Saab 9-5 that shared this engine, the 3.0 can use a fair bit in the normal course of events, particularly if you're towing. Run it low and you might end up with a seized camshaft, snapping the cambelt and causing all kinds of damage.

Low boost pressure could be down to a blockage in either the EGR gubbins or a turbo oil feed pipe. There have also been occasional instances of the suction control valves in the fuel pump conking out, giving a poor idle and reduced performance.

Space, pace and, er, more space?

More generically, Vectra door locks are known for failing, as are the parking brakes, but this needn't be such an issue with the auto. We can't apologise enough about the stupid indicator mechanism GM saddled these cars with. We've all seen Vectras pounding along with the winkers flashing left, then right, then left, as the thing fails to self-cancel like it's supposed to and the driver desperately tries (in vain) to get it to stop. If you're waiting to exit a side road and there's a Vectra coming along from the right with his left winker on, for heaven's sake don't pull out until he's definitely made the turn or, more likely, gone sailing on along the main road. You may have cause to thank us for this advice.

Now, the carrot-eaters among you will have noticed something odd about this car. It's definitely registered as a Vauxhall, and it has a Vauxhall steering wheel, but it also has an Opel grille. You'd like to think that this is a quite innocent reflection of the fact that more than a few folk back then preferred the Opel brand to the Vauxhall one, and did the swap for cosmetic snobbery reasons. The continuing presence of the griffin on the boot lid is a bit less reassuring though, implying that the front end might have been smashed in at some point and the garage picked up an Opel grille cheap. All alternative suggestions on a postcard please. Whatever the reason, the clean look of the original Vectra C is more appealing than the overworked fussiness of those last facelifted cars.

And there should be plenty more miles to come!

This particular specimen has a low mileage and a not too scary MoT history. A decent amount of anti-corrosion and remedial suspension work has been carried out already, but it looks like more will be needed to preserve a deteriorating (but still solid) front sub-frame. New discs will be required at some point too, but they're not dear these days are they.

There aren't many of these big diesel Vecs about, and the ones that are about tend to be beyond Shed money. As a left-field option to the usual German suspects we reckon this is well worth a shout at £1,000, or less if you've got your big negotiating boots on.

Here's the ad.

MOT March 2018, 2 Keys, 17" SRi Alloy Wheels, CD/Mp3 In Car Entertainment, Electric Windows, All old MOT Certificates, This Car Starts Runs And Drives Spot on, Great MPG too

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rastapasta

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