1997 Vauxhall Tigra review from UK and Ireland

Where to start?

Air con packed up within two months of purchasing the car, needed the whole unit replacing, which would have cost about £1000, so didn't have it done, most bulbs in dash blew in the space of a week!

The exhaust cat needed replacing, had replaced and have subsequently been seeing the dealership on a weekly basis as a joint keeps blowing!!!

Engine now eats water and oil after only having the head gasket replaced last year, head is definitely not cracked and been checked, so now I have oil seeping into the spark plugs.

As you would expect, the engine running erratically!

Brakes are almost non existent after pads and discs were replaced in 2007.

The list goes on!!!

I loved my previous Tigra so much I decided to go for another one, this one had been a one owner car from new, all receipts and documents present showing how well looked after this car was.

The body work is pristine, not a blemish or rust bubble in sight, but it's the "eco wreck" sorry ecotec engine that woefully lets this car down.

I have had 4 1.6 16valve engined Vauxhalls in the past that have all done over 150,000 miles without a glitch, but this one is awful.

I have decided that this car is at the end of its life, and now the only place this little monster is going is the scrappy.

The next Vauxhall to get will be the new Astra with the diesel engine, no more Tigras! With such good deals on new ones it's time to sign the dotted line.