2001 Vauxhall Vectra CD review from UK and Ireland

I've had this car since new, and, touch wood, nothing has ever gone wrong with it. For me, the reliability has been spot on.

When I ordered it, I had a few problems with the dealer. It was 2 weeks later arriving than they said it would be, it wasn't sparkling clean either. They also forgot to fit TrafficMaster, which is a dealer-fit item.

There are a lot of bad reviews about the Vectra. There have been three Vectras owned in my family, and none of them have EVER broken down. I know many other people with Vectras, and they love them. My mum has just ordered the new shape - should be here in 4 weeks.

I personally think that too many people are Jeremy Clarkson wannabes, and knock the Vectra down before giving it a chance, just because it's not the most stylish of cars. I speak from experience. Has Jeremy Clarkson ever owned one?

I have a 2.2 CD. Smart looking car, but not the most stylish... that's opinion though.

The engine is sweet, extremely smooth and reliable. Performance is untouchable. There is so much power, always ready when you need it.

The ride is pretty smooth, especially on motorways. Can be a little choppy on the rougher of surfaces mind.

Handling is quite for a car of this size, although with the 2.2 engine, there is a little torque steer, even with traction control engaged.

Build quality seems to be good. Paintwork seems to be strong. Very few scratches or chips, despite a lot of motorway driving.

Overall, this is a superb car, with good reliability. It is just let down by bad unreliable dealerships.