Help Buying used Vectra!

**Amy85** · 5th January 2011, 16:16

Hi All,

I am hoping I have come to the right place!! I have seen lots of advice and people with a lot of knowledge re Vectra's and I was hoping someone can help me!
We (My husband & I) are looking to buy a new car and had been looking at 2.2 Sri's but he test drove a Vectra 2.0 T on Monday and has decided he likes them more.

Which do you guys think are better?

Also, do the 2.0 come in the flame red colour?! I am yet to see one and it was the bright red I was hoping for in the 2.2 but I think I'll have to forget it if there's no Red 2.0!

Is there anything else we should consider when buying a vectra?

Also, slightly off topic.....does anyone have any opinions on Car giant? We have seen a car we'd like from them but looking at the reviews they seem a bit dodgy to me, lots of aftercare issues!! Anyone got anything positive to say about them?

Thanks

**chewy71** · 5th January 2011, 16:21

I'd say red SRI's are rare full stop (even though I saw three in the space of half an hour on Monday!!)
I think the 2.0T will be far more punchy than the 2.2i. I've owned a 2.2i direct and now drive a 1.9CDTi which is faster and more responsive than the 2.2i, however, the 2.2i is wonderfully smooth - probably get better mpg with a 2.2i unless I get corrected.

**the-wizard** · 5th January 2011, 16:30

Buy a 2.0t it comes Highly recommended & you wont be dissapointed as its the most reliable engine out there.

**byebyeitsagsi** · 5th January 2011, 16:42

The 2.0t is a better and more reliable engine. I would be wary of buying from a car supermarket, they wont be interested if anything is wrong with car once you leave there forecourt, if they promise you the world dont believe them. Have someone who knows there way round cars look over it and make sure you take it for a test drive and make sure everything is ticking over nicely with no warning lights on. You will struggle to find many in flame red very rare although like my gsi your more likely to find one in flame pink as they fade lol.

Ive just had a look and that seems like a good price.

**Big-Pete** · 5th January 2011, 16:46

Just a reminder here that the HWIIW section has been closed and all such threads are normally binned because it's not long before someone posts up or PM's offering their car for sale.. Any such posts and this thread will be closed..

**john_k_sri** · 5th January 2011, 16:53

2.0T is based on the 2.2 (detuned to 2.0 and turbocharged) and is the more exciting option. I was looking for a 2.2 when I got my old 2.0T and never regretted a second of the four and a half years I had it. And it's reliable.

**Leemarksmith** · 5th January 2011, 16:54

I have a 2.2 and love it, would have got the 2.0t if i'd have found one in a decent colour...

So if like red i'd get the turbo...

**Amy85** · 5th January 2011, 16:56

Sorry Pete. I am new here and didn't realise this wasn't allowed. I dont want to buy a car on here just wanted some advice.

**Jezzy** · 5th January 2011, 17:08

I've bought a car from CarGiant and taken friends there and helped them buy - no issues at all in my experience, but then I always crawl all over the car like a Scenes of Crimes officer before deciding to buy, rather than just buy and naively hope the aftersales bumpf will take care of problems.

They have two things to recommend them - one is lots of choice of cars; the second is that their sales people aren't pushy. You just walk in, have a look around, if you like a car then approach a sales person for the keys and a test drive; if you don't see any cars you like then you can leave without having said a word to any staff. Other places like Car Land (or Car Craft as they're now known) have sales people standing by the entrance to grab anyone who enters and interview them about their budget and what they're looking for before they let you near the cars.

Also, CarGiant's prices are fixed and hence fairly competitive, whereas some other supermarkets have higher prices but only drop them if you really really push hard, which most people are too polite to do.

**Innes** · 5th January 2011, 17:23

The first 2.2 Petrol engines had problems with the timing chains breaking due to the lubrication nozzle being to small and blocking. This was remedied with a larger nozzle. I dont know when the change over occured. Either someone on here will advise you better or ask Vauxhall dealership. If the chain breaks you'll probably need a new enigne!!

From reading on here the 2.0T is the strongest engine in the Vauxhall ine-up.