Thoughts on this?

[Bendy]

I think im going to have to buy a decent car! My works van was getting a few glitches sorted out last week, sent back to VW in Aberdeen with fueling/stalling problems so i had to use the manta for a few days and over the weekend for necessary journeys and true to form it completely conked out on me right in the middle of town, more fuel supply problems

So im not sure what to buy really, dont want to spend too much. Never had a vectra before and a 2.2 or GSi would maybe be ok, drove a 2002 2.2 recently and it seemed quite good! Spoke to this guy on the phone tonight about this GSI
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1070467.htm

he offered it as it is for £2200. Only thing thats putting me of is the short MOT/tax on it but the guy sounds honest enough and needs rid very quickly by the sound of him! What does it cost to tax this for a year now??? I would have to come down to aberdeen to take a look and its a wated trip if its no use.

Any opinions on it or know of any decent ones for sale just now? Im not too familiar with vectras, never worked on them or anything

[Mike]

looks very nice and the add looks like a genuine lover of the car to me

[sean_dhc1]

Scotts your man to ask on the GSi's Bendy. Looks a nice car & going by the Reg no its an ex Vauxhall Company car

[Bendy]

Scotts your man to ask on the GSi's Bendy. Looks a nice car & going by the Reg no its an ex Vauxhall Company car

Really? What reg numbers do they use?

I like the colour i dont see many in that shade, i would want a 2.6 i think though, from what Scott says its a better motor than the 2.5. Im sure he will fill me in on the lowdown

[sean_dhc1]

Most Vauxhall Fleet cars are KS, KP, KN, KV ect.
My current car is KY09. When the Vectras were new we could have them as a company car but only the SRi 150's. The Managers got the GSi's. I remember my old Manager had 5 from 2000-2002, always in the Saloon.

Looks nice in that colour as theres one knocking about around here but its not as nice as that one

[James Chambers]

that looks really straight matey, I think thats worth a look!

[Bendy]

Interesting to know that

only 3 owners aint too bad these days anyway. Remarkably theres only 4 GSi,s up here but they are all 2.5 and one is that colour but its W reg and pretty much a year or 2 away from the scrapheap!. the others are pretty shabby black and silver ones

[VECTRAGSI]

Its the same colour as mine and its stunning!!! I have the pre - facelift 2.5l and am very very happy with it.If you want to play with it then the 2.5l is better i think as a friend had the 2.6l and couldnt do a massive amount with it but scott will correct me otherwise!!!!! But i have to say i would have either they are both realy nice cars to drive.Happy hunting.

[Steve]

The 2.6 is more torquey than the 2.5, but less tuneable and a little more complicated to work n. If you're ploughing money into another project, I wouldn't go for a V6 Vectra though, I saw plenty about when I was replacing the Corsa with something a bit bigger and was tempted.

In the end I went more sensible and went for a cheap 2.0 litre SRi 140 because they're better on fuel, insurance and road tax, and I kind of know my way around those engines as it's the same basic block as my Astra Z20LET. They're also easier and cheaper to fix yourself, Scott will tell you how much fun it is do anything under the bonnet with a V6 Vectra

Do you need a big car with plenty of power? Corsa Bs are selling for silly cheap now and a 12valver is pennies per year to run and cheap on insurance. They're very cheap to repair, bodyshells generally need huge amount of ignorance to start rusting and they don't suffer the clunks and rattles you get as standard with a Vectra B

[Bendy]

I would be leaving it standard for sure. the most i would do would be better stereo/speakers maybe, i tuned the V6 calibra a bit but it was a waste of time really! Ive got enough on my hands with the mantas to do work on!

A 2.2 would make sense as it seems a decent engine but to be honest i cant stand the 2.0 ecotec, the amount of them ive seen wrecking heads/ timing tensioners and just plain prematurely wearing out and sounding awfull is astonishing compared to redtops that just keep hammering away! I like to have something decent and i think if i got a lesser model i would end up getting GSi bumpers/wheels etc so probably better off just buying one! Im not fixed on a vectra but i need a decent spec model whatever it is. I like me old manta for a thrash about and that but thats all it is, you cant rely on it at all, and i feel a bit like somethings missing as this is the longest ive technically not had a vauxhall since i was about 14!

[Scott]

Krypton Green is a nice colour, almost black in the fading light.
The 2.5 Vs 2.6 debate.....
2.5s have more readily available tuning parts, and are supposed to have 195ps as standard (look at the rolling road shootouts and they very rarely make top figs out the box).The 2.5 is almost the same engine as the Cally apart from the plenums.
The 2.6 is a more refined engine, slightly down on power at 178 but has a bit more low down grunt, but has very little performance mods available. I have found there to be little difference between the 2, although the 2.6 I have at the moment is definately "lively".
Timing belts are the usual 40k intervals, so if its not had it at 80k, then one is due. Not the worst job in the world, just a lot to take off before you get to the belt!

If its as a reliable runner then tuning isn't an issue (spending circa £2k for about 20-30bhp is pointless in my opinion). Get the remus centre section, keep the standard back box and you get the lovely V6 rip.

General body conditions vary widely, as its an 02, then the rust should most likely be a festered chip than anything more serious. Check the door shuts on the rear at the strikers, also the arches (no surprise there), around the ariel on the roof and at the spoiler mounting points on the tailgate.
Rear suspension rose bushes can lead to knocking and clunking, as well as the front droplinks (will knock through the steering).
The bushes are easy to change, and are relatively cheap from factors, the droplinks are a 10min job too.

On cold start up it may have slight tappety rattle, but this should disappear within a minute or so. The usual checks for mayo in the oil etc apply.
It'll have the 308s on the front brakes, it may just have a steel spare too. Recaro height adjuster switches can go and are £50 a whup.

Any idea of its MSD no?

[Steve]

The X20XEV is as good an engine as the red top, albeit not as easy to tune thanks to the management, but it HAS to be serviced correctly. Things like tensioners are meant to be replaced at service intervals, but once they're out of the dealer network people take them to independent garages that skip changing parts and all of a sudden things start to go bang.

Mine came with a full set of stamps for the servicing and that makes a difference. If you're going for a 2.2, don't forget this engine also has issues in its lifetime, namely timing chains and oil pumps, which can leave you with a pile of scrap metal under the bonnet too.

An unmolested, clean, well maintained GSi is a rare find these days. Scott had to cross the water to Ireland to find his.

[Scott]

The 2.6 is more torquey than the 2.5, but less tuneable and a little more complicated to work n. If you're ploughing money into another project, I wouldn't go for a V6 Vectra though, I saw plenty about when I was replacing the Corsa with something a bit bigger and was tempted.

In the end I went more sensible and went for a cheap 2.0 litre SRi 140 because they're better on fuel, insurance and road tax, and I kind of know my way around those engines as it's the same basic block as my Astra Z20LET. They're also easier and cheaper to fix yourself, Scott will tell you how much fun it is do anything under the bonnet with a V6 Vectra

Do you need a big car with plenty of power? Corsa Bs are selling for silly cheap now and a 12valver is pennies per year to run and cheap on insurance. They're very cheap to repair, bodyshells generally need huge amount of ignorance to start rusting and they don't suffer the clunks and rattles you get as standard with a Vectra B

The V6 isn't that bad to work on, it just looks complicated.....the 2.6 is missing a lot of egr stuff that the 2.5 has, so its a bit easier.
As for cheaper to fix.....they don't f~+k up as much as the Legotec

[Bendy]

The X20XEV is as good an engine as the red top, albeit not as easy to tune thanks to the management, but it HAS to be serviced correctly. Things like tensioners are meant to be replaced at service intervals, but once they're out of the dealer network people take them to independent garages that skip changing parts and all of a sudden things start to go bang.

Mine came with a full set of stamps for the servicing and that makes a difference. If you're going for a 2.2, don't forget this engine also has issues in its lifetime, namely timing chains and oil pumps, which can leave you with a pile of scrap metal under the bonnet too.

An unmolested, clean, well maintained GSi is a rare find these days. Scott had to cross the water to Ireland to find his.

Thats exactly the problem with them steve, X20,s just cant take neglect at all. redtops can take a fair old thrashing and keep going in my experiences! It would be fine if a well serviced tidy 2.0 came along but they are generally rough and £800 quid jobs!

[Bendy]

The V6 isn't that bad to work on, it just looks complicated.....the 2.6 is missing a lot of egr stuff that the 2.5 has, so its a bit easier.
As for cheaper to fix.....they don't f~+k up as much as the Legotec

Ive done the headgaskets, timing, oil cooler etc on the calibra. Takes a minute to do but i didnt find it difficult. Changing the belts and rollers on a 2.6 wouldnt phase me at all, and like you say the gay egr stuff was one of the biggest pains when i removed the heads and the 2.6 looks like a far better setup. Also in real life driving im sure it will be fine, torque figures from them are normally strong.

Ill speak t this guy tommorow again, i asked for some underbonnet pictures and detailed pics of any rusty scabs/wheels. If he put a test on it then i think £2200 would be handy money!