Unpurchased vxr.....Can somebody twist my arm?

[scarletmeista]

Hi everyone,

I was driving a lexus up until the thing got written off, and it was my pride and joy, i feel you get alot for the money with a lexus , and it was the top spec for that year, all the toys. I got paid out by my insurance and was looking to buy another, but then two days ago, i was driving past a local garage and this beast caught my eye.

A jet black vectra vxr, top of the range, not a mark on it, and it looked a beast! Id never thought about driving a vectra vxr. I went in to the garage to inquire. £7595, 55 plate, 24,000 miles. Took it for a test and i couldnt believe the power, as you vxr drivers already know. Now i like a nice looking car but i couldnt bite the bullet and snap it up there and then. The reason being, i need more feedback. This is why im coming to you guys, because all you guys know the score. Maybe you will be a little biased, because these little puppies are your pride and joy, but i need help, and genuine help to sway my decision, and i need it as soon as if possible, before she gets snapped up.

The owner of the garage did say she would be expensive to run.......but how expensive???

I know she's a tax band G, which is the higher amount. But because she's a 55 plate, does that mean that tax comes in at around £230 a year, and not around the £400 mark?

Fuel consumption is another. Id expect to be forking out a bit for juice, but how many miles would i expect to get to the gallon. I live in the city, but im not heavy on the throttle.

As for other running costs, any info would be great lads. Tyres, breaks, servicing?

I have two children, but i still want a family car with sporty looks because i am a bit of a poser. lol. who wouldnt be. When i took it for test drive the other day, i could feel people looking at the car when i passed them or pulled up along side them. It felt good!!!!

I do understand that they dont hold there value that well, but hey, you cant have it all.

So all in all, is the car a good deal for the price, or a rip off?

Any help would be great guys. Seriously, you would be helping me out a whole lot.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers

daz

[Big Sig]

A 55 plate isn't in the £400 bracket as that's for cars after March 06. It would also mean the one you drive is a 250bhp and not the 280 model.

[GazVXLINE170]

A 55 plate isn't in the £400 bracket as that's for cars after March 06. It would also mean the one you drive is a 250bhp and not the 280 model.

I believe it can be mapped upto 280PS and beyond but still avoids the £400 tax bill.

Gazza4

[Big Sig]

I believe it can be mapped upto 280PS and beyond but still avoids the £400 tax bill.

Gazza4

Yep too right

[GazVXLINE170]

Yep too right

Power!

Gazza4

[PORKBALLS29]

top cars mate. You wont regret it if you buy one i promise. Mpg wise if you take it easy round town you'll be looking at around 24 mpg and on a long run you'll get mid 30 easily. Servicing is not really that much more than a smaller eng vec - just 2 extra plugs, and prob about the same as a lexus. as previously said they are easily mapped to 300 bhp for around £400.

[scarletmeista]

top cars mate. You wont regret it if you buy one i promise. Mpg wise if you take it easy round town you'll be looking at around 24 mpg and on a long run you'll get mid 30 easily. Servicing is not really that much more than a smaller eng vec - just 2 extra plugs, and prob about the same as a lexus. as previously said they are easily mapped to 300 bhp for around £400.

Cheers mate! What you mean by long run? Motorway? I like the sound of remaping, some mad power i experienced with the 250, so can imagine anything above that. I know the car wont stay long where it is, someone will snap it up if i dont.

I did read somewhere on the net that lads where getting 45 to the gallon doing 56mph on a motorway, would you find these figures about right? Some were quoting around 320-350 miles from a full tank at around £60?

The lexus was around 29 to the gallon in the book, never really took much notice before, just used to top it up whenever it needed. How often do you are you filling up?

daz

[scarletmeista]

Cheers guys.......decision decisions!

[Deztroyer]

ive got a 2.8v6 auto signum - the same lump as the vxr which was a detuned 250 ..(they pushed out roughly 230 on the early signums as its supposed to be a "luxury car") i had i remapped and i can get 350 -400 miles on a long run out of a tank at the national speed limit with the climate control on and running - so they CAN be economical - its returning at present no real difference to my old remapped 2.0 turbo which had roughly 220 bhp ...so for the extra "grunt" and a v6 to boot your getting a lot of bang for your buck

i dont think your going to experience too much difference to the Lexus on fueling costs for the vehicle the wear and tear running costs are not really any difference to others and in fact equally as cheap to others on the range ...as Howard said bar the extra couple of plugs

so time to make the decision before someone beats you too it........ i can think of at least one other member on here (soulman) who is actively looking for something not dicimilar to your vehicle of choice

and the remappped power will work on the sports button so you can turn it off to try and improve fuel economy and family runs

oh and welcome to the forum

[PORKBALLS29]

its not likely you'll get 45 out of it unless your driving miss daisy lol. But on a round trip of 180 miles last sat doing 70+ with cruise on i got 37.5 out of my mapped 2.8t which i think is pretty good. I normally get about 280 out of a tank around town and well over 300 with motor way driving. A mapped 2.8 is amazing to drive there is just so much power it just pulls and pulls and with 400nm torque you'll be showing up most cars on the road!