Bought a Vectra GSi

[DaveDempsey]

Well picked up another addition to my fleet last night. This time its an 04 plate Vectra C GSi. I had been having a nose around at Vectra C Gsi's lately as its a car Ive written about a few times in my Eye on the Market column in Total Vauxhall. Looked at a few cars but they were either too expensive for what they were or pretty rough around the edges. Then a couple of weeks back this car came up. Now Ive known this car since it was 6 months old as I actually sold the car to its current keeper. It was originally a Vauxhall Management car and was sold off in December 2004. I bought the car in and the current owner took delivery on the 27th of January 2005 with just 2881miles on the clock. He has owned the car since (although the logbook shows 3 owners as laterly he put the V5 in his wifes name).

Its now covered just over 81,000miles and comes with a full service history. In the last 6 months its also had:

-New CIM unit
-New power steering pump
-2x rear shocks
-4 new Yokohama tyres
- front discs & pads
-rear discs and pads.

All over its a pretty clean car, more surprisingly the drivers seat is in good condition with none of the unusual wear & sagging.

It does need a few bits done, bodywork wise it fine bar the tailgate, this was damaged around 2 years ago and was repaired and painted by a local company, unfortunately the jobs not been the greatest and its now rusty along the lower edge as well as a few random rust spots. This has been easily sorted out as yesterday through a mate I bought a complete tailgate from a GSi in black sapphire for £90.
The other issue is its never had a timing belt, luckily enough I had a spare continental timing belt kit sitting at home so that along with a new water pump and service kit will be fitted in the next few days.

After driving the car last night, it drives spot on (which is a bonus as I never drove it prior to buying it). The weekend will be spent giving it a good clean and Ill get some better pictures of it:

[byebyeitsagsi]

Lovely car, just a shame its one of the later ones that didn't have xenon headlights. Why the dropped them ill never understand.

[chewy71]

HIDs then!! cant be far different surely? Lovely car, best version too in the pre-facelift as well

[DaveDempsey]

Lovely car, just a shame its one of the later ones that didn't have xenon headlights. Why the dropped them ill never understand.

Seemed to be a running theme through the Vectra C's life cycle, things were gradually dropped off the standard list and added onto the options list.

[Maverick]

Whats the plans for it then Dave?

[AntB]

Didn't all full can-bus GSi's come with DAB to make up for the other goodies they dropped? Looks like that just has the standard aerial. Also, to me, it looks to be riding a bit high, though that could just be the way it's parked, best to double check though as when my rear springs/shocks were being replaced at the dealers they'd ordered standard & not sports by mistake & only realised as they were about to fit them.

Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the car, it's a fantastic motor.

Oh yeah, stick a K&N Apollo or similar on, it makes it sounds how it goes.

[DaveDempsey]

Whats the plans for it then Dave?

No idea at the moment Matt, initially it will go into service as a daily driver as the short stop start journeys to work and back arent doing my diesel SRi any good. Once Ive either sold or broken my Astra GSi I may fiddle with this slightly at some point.

[DaveDempsey]

Didn't all full can-bus GSi's come with DAB to make up for the other goodies they dropped? Looks like that just has the standard aerial. Also, to me, it looks to be riding a bit high, though that could just be the way it's parked, best to double check though as when my rear springs/shocks were being replaced at the dealers they'd ordered standard & not sports by mistake & only realised as they were about to fit them.

Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the car, it's a fantastic motor.

Oh yeah, stick a K&N Apollo or similar on, it makes it sounds how it goes.

The Xenons were dropped as standard for 04 MY cars but the standard fit of the DAB radio didnt come into force until the 05 MY. TBH The xenons would have been a bonus if it had them, the DAB tbh Im quite glad its not got as its one thing I really don't like tbh (plus having a tape deck I can dig it my old Tom Wilson's bouncing beats tape's).

Suspension wise its hard to say, the photo is a bit deceptive Ive yet to check it against my SRi but its sitting about standard ride height (in the picture there's a shadow cast over the wheel from the front wing which makes the gap look a bit bigger).

Cheers for the rest of the comments.

[Das]

Very nice. If the Alloys are top of your list for an upgrade might one be a cheeky as ask for first refusal Dave?

[DaveDempsey]

Very nice. If the Alloys are top of your list for an upgrade might one be a cheeky as ask for first refusal Dave?

Aye if it comes to them getting changed Ill give you first shout.