Buying Vectra Help Needed!

**vectraboyy** · 29th December 2010, 21:34

Hello!

I am helping a mate to buy a Vectra atm.

We looked at a 2003 (53) Vectra elegance today.
It was a 2.2 Dti Elegance, on 96K up at £1900

Now we took it out for a drive and it drive ok, it pulled well but what else do i need to look out for?

The turbo had a whistle to it, quite loud but nothing major.

The seals looked ok on it.

The car was ex fleet but seems to have had some money spent on it in last few months, (£1000) worth of bills.

The only issue i found is, we got back from a test drive, and the car had steam pouring out the front for a lil.

The salesman said it was condensation on the rad from where it had been stood for a week and not moved.

Now does this seem right? I seem hesitant to believe it to be honest.

We had driven down the dual carriageway and the only fault i could find was wheel wobble (quite bad).

I dont want to see hiom ripped pff (gf's sisters bf)

We are looking at an SXi tommorow on 160k, 2.0Dti

And othe rpoints to look out for?

**GazVXLINE170** · 29th December 2010, 21:42

The steam from the front sounds ok imho. Mines does that, infact when I was topping up the washer fluid today there was a bit of steam coming off of the radiator right away.

Gazza4

**CLOMP** · 29th December 2010, 21:56

Originally Posted by vectraboyy

Hello!

I am helping a mate to buy a Vectra atm.

We looked at a 2003 (53) Vectra elegance today.
It was a 2.2 Dti Elegance, on 96K up at £1900

Now we took it out for a drive and it drive ok, it pulled well but what else do i need to look out for?

The turbo had a whistle to it, quite loud but nothing major.

The seals looked ok on it.

The car was ex fleet but seems to have had some money spent on it in last few months, (£1000) worth of bills.

The only issue i found is, we got back from a test drive, and the car had steam pouring out the front for a lil.

The salesman said it was condensation on the rad from where it had been stood for a week and not moved.

Now does this seem right? I seem hesitant to believe it to be honest.

We had driven down the dual carriageway and the only fault i could find was wheel wobble (quite bad).

I dont want to see hiom ripped pff (gf's sisters bf)

We are looking at an SXi tommorow on 160k, 2.0Dti

And othe rpoints to look out for?

steam from the front,, mine stood fer 6 days,,NO steam, a loud whistle from the turbo,,,, bad wheel wobble,,,, and you have go to ask,,,,

**BigLad** · 29th December 2010, 22:03

I was working on my car today and had steam coming off the RAD with the bonnet up. As long as its coming 'off' it and not 'out' of it.

**vectraboyy** · 29th December 2010, 22:04

Originally Posted by CLOMP

steam from the front,, mine stood fer 6 days,,NO steam, a loud whistle from the turbo,,,, bad wheel wobble,,,, and you have go to ask,,,,

Wheel wobble could just be tracking. It was only at 70ish.
Turbo histle, well my 2.0 did it and was fine.
And thats why im asking tbh. Steam could be good or bad. :s

**Dazzy2006** · 29th December 2010, 22:10

Originally Posted by vectraboyy

Wheel wobble could just be tracking. It was only at 70ish.
Turbo histle, well my 2.0 did it and was fine.
And thats why im asking tbh. Steam could be good or bad. :s

Wheel wobble - wheels need balancing or buckled wheel, either way its minor

Turbo whistle - normal i think, mine does it on gear changes

Steam - mines done that a couple of times, if your worried about it then take it for another test drive and check coolant level when you get back

**tony-1977** · 29th December 2010, 22:13

Wheel wobble will be balance of the front wheels.

You say it had steam "pouring" out the front - Need to see exactly where it is coming from. Could be radiator. If it was damp or raining, it could be rainwater steaming from the heat of the engine.

Get it MOT'd as part of the sale, and get a warrenty

Seems a really good price IMO

**CLOMP** · 29th December 2010, 22:19

there are loads of vectras for sale mate, its a buyers market, I can under stand steam not long after you have started it up but not after a 70mph drive, test drive some more cars and buy one you are happy with, with no noticable faults. or give this car another good test drive.

**vectraboyy** · 29th December 2010, 22:29

yeah im going to have another look with him.
That was my only concern to be honest. Everything else seems ok on it. And buyers market yeah, but most are well over 100k on the clock.
will have to check the rad i guess.

**sheepish** · 29th December 2010, 22:46

Are you dead set on a diesel?

If you look on Autotrader there are plenty of petrol Vectra's around for £2-£3k with 35-50,000 miles on them. They would seem a more sensible bet surely? or am I missing something?