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Now the proud owner of a Vec C Estate
As of last night im now the proud owner of a Vec C Estate in the following form:
2006 (55-plate) Vectra Life Estate 1.9 CDTI 150
After trawling eBay and Autotrader etc etc - I found this one.. I was looking with a sub £2k budget and really wanted the CDTI engine.
1.5 Hours drive to go and see the car - and after an inspection and test drive - I wired the guy the money and drove her away.
Not perfect by any means - but I knew that with the money that I was prepaired to pay for one (and I got it considerably less that what it was up for too)
She is a high miler ex fleet car, so was expecting it to be VERY tatty mechanically and aesthetically, but I was very supprised, she seems to have maintained mechanically very well.
Good things I found on inspection:
New inlet - this actually looked virtually brand new with zero much on the swirl tops and the metal a very clean colour.
New EGR - looks like it was done with inlet
New Boost Sensor - looks like it was done with inlet
New Clutch - Gear change is fantastic.. Clutch very light, and no DMF knock at all.. Defo been changed as with the mileage the car has done it would certainly not feel or sound like that!
Cambelt + Water pump changed less than 10K ago according to the sticker on the slam panel (will inspect this before believing it)
Rear Arms have been changed pretty recent
Front brakes pretty new
Seats feel very firm. Impressed actually as I though tthe 'life' spec seats would not be very supportive compaired to our Vec SRi but was plesently supprised. Good bottom and lumber support.
Suspension is a lot firmer that I thought again from a life model. I was expecting it to be sloppy but no.. Upon inspection the front shocks and springs look new - certainly like they have been replaced recently. The front shocks still have the Sachs lable on them and I could read it all without needing to clean anything.. Springs again were very clean.
This I will need to do:
Potential cam belt and w/pump if I am not convinced when I remove cam belt cover
Front drop links as they are making a knocking noise and are extremely sloppy
The CD30 and screen are not paired - all works but the 'Display Safe' is on the display - this will be swapped for a CDC40 Opra or a CD70 Navi
Due a full service
Needs new rear brakes (discs and pads)
Needs a new thermostat as it doesnt warm up correctly
There are some imperfections to the body as you would expect and the only other minor concern I have is that the turbo is a little loud.. All the CDTI's have that siren type sound - but when compairing this to our other CDTI 150 that has done a lot less miles its defo louder..
That said it pulls like an absolute train.. to the point that I need to investigate if its had a remap as I think it will outrun our SRi CDTI 150. It can spin its wheels up in 3rd if you boot it and are not careful, and pickup is litrally from about 1200rpm... No lag at all!! and pulls right to red line.
So in all I'm very happy.
Very well planted on the road - really really impressed with the ride as I was worried about that...
Smiling again!
A
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Another estate!! Good choice sir!!
Originally Posted by Ian-Highlander
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