I need another Vectra, NOW!

[Karl]

Ok, so my old Vecturd was a pile of poo on the reliability stakes, it sucked. The final straw came about 3 weeks ago driving down to Uxbridge when the car locked in 5th (as in NOT possible to pull it out of gear) just two days after new engine an gearbox mounts. As it was a lease car/company car I refused to drive it anymore (been in the garage more in the last year than the three years previously put together) and work have ordered me a new one.

Herein lies the problem, work nicley ordered me a long term hire car (at least 2 months), and at first I was happy, a brand new Vauxhall Ashtray 1.8 Design Estate turned up.
First impressions were that the car was all I wanted. It comes with a VERY nice half leather interior, MP3 head unit, aux in port, piano black fascia, auto lights, auto wipers, decent alloys, rear tints, the lot.
That was 3 weeks and some 3700 miles ago. Now I have some concerns.
First off, it seems VERY narrow, it just isn't as comfortable as the Vectra. Worryingly it creaks when you reverse onto the drive, as though the car has some SERIOUS amounts of flex in it. It just doesn't corner like a Vectra, its just soooo floppy on the road.
Good things however, it uses MUCH less fuel than my old 1.8 Vectra (280-300 miles to the tank in the Veccy to 330+ in the Ashtray)
. The Ashtray is quicker, but has too short a final drive and feels like its struggling on motorways at real motorway speeds.

A few things it has taught me is that if I were to be able to order a higher level Vectra (other than the Life I have been forced to order) I would be hard pressed to order an SRi over a Design, the spec is soooo much better.



So, in short, even if you ever think the Ashtray is better than a Veccy, just don't, they suck, they aren't nice to drive long distance at all, and they don't handle as well either. I want my new car, apparently it'll be here in 3 weeks, I just can't wait anymore.




Oh, and NEVER buy a grey car, the amount of near misses I have had where people haven't seen me is just plain stupid, I now drive with my lights on all the time!

[cameraman]

I'll second that my old Silver Lightning was hit twice in the first month

A few things it has taught me is that if I were to be able to order a higher level Vectra (other than the Life I have been forced to order) I would be hard pressed to order an SRi over a Design, the spec is soooo much better.

That's the reason I ordered the Design when I ordered the new one, too much disappeared out of the Sri, more like SXi spec these days, I got a Design with a VXR styling pack, Reversing sensors, ESP, IDS & 18" VX wheels (& it's a company car). The only thing missing was the sports seats which I got off e-bay for £100, a few other discrete mods & I'm a very happy company car driver

[ghostrider]

Lights on......ALL THE TIME.. It's a must.. You ARE invisable otherwise.

[Karl]

another thing, I really really miss cruise control, you don't realise how much you use it until its gone.

[VinnyJ]

Oh, and NEVER buy a grey car, the amount of near misses I have had where people haven't seen me is just plain stupid, I now drive with my lights on all the time!

Totally agree there mate, the amount of times I've had people pull out on me at junctions. Began to think the Veccy was cursed

Hope you get your Vectra soon, I travelled from Bristol to Edinburgh in a 1.4 Corsa recently, never again, no cruise control or acceleration!

[_ZS_]

Astras are only good for running around town and what-not. I love mine, but I spend 80% of my time in the city, or on A-roads.

[PIMM]

My wife drives a 53plate 1.6 astra design and she loves it. I have gone up and down the motorway and it has no problem with long distances, very comfortable. It's not the fastest i admit but it will cruise along nicely at 85 if needed and the mpg's are amazing averaging at 37.1. You mention that they do not handle you are wrong, the astra for a standard car stick's to the road better than the standard vec and is a very stable car.

The downside for me is that the boot is very small and i would like a little more space inside but i have my vec so that sorts that little problem out.

[Karl]

You mention that they do not handle you are wrong, the astra for a standard car stick's to the road better than the standard vec and is a very stable car.

without a doubt my old vectra handled better than this estate, the only way to describe it is that it feels nervous even getting close to its limits.

[PIMM]

without a doubt my old vectra handled better than this estate, the only way to describe it is that it feels nervous even getting close to its limits.

Ahhh! the wife has a hatch not a estate, that might of made a difference. Did you check the tyre pressures. ? can make a big change in the way the car's handling.