1996 Vauxhall Vectra LS 1.8 16v from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A genuine annoyance

Faults:

Head lamp motors both failed at 65000 miles.

Head gasket blew at 70000 miles.

Just recently the front off-side suspension coil snapped! (apparently a defect when manufactured).

General Comments:

One main point I can't avoid is the rattles on the dash. Left & right hand side corners by the windscreen have the most annoying rattles, with no apparent cure. Long journeys leave you tempted to kick the dash out of the window!!!

Staying with the interior, I have to comment on the front seats. Squeaky & rock solid, with no support, these seats are sure to leave the most healthy person with painful back complaints.

Engine is fairly smooth & responsive, but fails to return good fuel figures, even when driven easy.

Handling is acceptable, but the rear end can step out unexpectedly in the wet.

The ride isn't bad, but it seems worse due to the sub-standard build quality.

The Vectra is fairly genuine, but hard to live with. I might buy another Vauxhall, but I'll steer well clear of the mk.1 Vectra in future.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 20th March, 2001

20th Apr 2001, 13:17

I didn't think there were any genuinely bad cars still on sale until I recieved a Vectra 1.8 as my company car. Anything that could go wrong did. The car was returned to the dealer (who was as useless as the car) almost weekly for repairs. I agree with all the above faults, mine also rattled, squeaked and generally fell to bits. A truly awful car.

22nd Jan 2003, 04:50

I have a 2 litre Vectra LS. X reg. I aquired the car with 13000 miles on the clock. Today's mileage reads 32000. I have so far replaced one headlamp bulb. Petrol consumption is possibly a little heavy, but the performance well compensates for that, and generally I am happy with the car. As I have read in one of the other comments possibly overall the car does not feel quite as good as my previous Cavaliers, but replacements never quite measure up to the originals.

9th Oct 2007, 17:26

I recently part-X my other car for a 1996 P Reg Vectra and it generally is a good feel on the road, however, it seems to just cuts out (literally stops driving) and the steering locks up. Only control I have when this happens is the brakes (Thank God.) There seems to be an electronic fault with the car (apparently a manufacturing defect)... a bit of a nightmare and definitely now a safety hazard. HELP!!

1996 Vauxhall Vectra GLS 1.8 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Gutted about the electrical problems

Faults:

Power steering pump fell off.

Alarm faulty.

Central locking faulty.

Battery drainage.

Cam shaft sensor gone.

General Comments:

Gutted by the faults and the repair prices are a bit high. I've been told of many electrical faults on the earlier models.

When cold, the lights seem to dip, and the indicators when used some times knock all the power of the dash, causing loss of instruments and radio.

A set of leads are around £120.00 from Vauxhall, and a set from Halfords didn't fit tidy.

Does anyone know anything about the electrical problems the Vectra has faced?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 12th March, 2001

1996 Vauxhall Vectra CDX 2.0 16v from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Good performer, nice to look at and reliable

Faults:

Dashboard bulbs.

Exhaust.

Usual run of the mill things, nothing major (yet!).

General Comments:

Top car, fantastic condition and no problems since owning. Don't get one unless it has a FSH and few owners.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th February, 2001

1996 Vauxhall Vectra CDX 2.0i from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Overall performance and comfort excellent. Electrics, pathetic! (an understatement)

Faults:

Had the car 5 mins & loads gone wrong already.

Instrument panel goes berserk when going around bends, everything dies & comes back to life again.

Trip computer keeps sending messages when nothing is wrong.

Rear bushes failed.

Rear discs are very noisy.

Clutch very noisy.

Was warned about the electrics, they were right I'm afraid!

General Comments:

Very comfortable & handles superbly.

Cornering excellent.

Dash is classy.

Rev counter slightly obscured by the steering wheel.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th February, 2001