Faults:

Slow warm up (thermostat fault).

Sticking/jammed electric windows.

Gear lever felt very loose but never actually broke.

Engine management light came on.

Brakes were weak even after new discs and pads.

Lots of squeaks/rattles!

General Comments:

Back in 2008 I picked up this Vectra Estate car in dark blue for very cheap and used it for work for many years. For all the stick this car got in the motoring press, I can tell you one thing - it really was not that bad.

2.0 DTi was from a time when diesels were starting to get really good. Performance was OK and it did 47 mpg on average, very good for a 1998 car when fuel was not really expensive so you really felt the benefit of that economy. The car handled poorly however, as people always say in reviews of this car. Gear change also felt weird, but maybe there was a fault with the selector on my car as mentioned above.

Inside was actually pretty comfortable, GLS model was mid range and well equipped. Nice alloy wheels. Lots of space as expected from an estate version, and the visibility was good and I liked being in this car. The Vectra was also not as uncomfortable as people said. And my car was a 1998, just before the updated version that apparently made it much better. Mine had a "traffic master" button that was like an early sat nav/online traffic warnings that you could subscribe to for traffic updates in your area. A good idea but very 1990's. "In between/early" technology always made me laugh.

So generally I liked it, but it does not get off so lightly, the Vectra of this generation is still a very poorly built cheap looking car that had its issues. Mine was a bit rough but looked after with all services. Common small faults would occur frequently but never any major breakdowns. The engine management light came on in my last year of ownership and I knew it was not worth fixing so that lead to it being scrapped. But it lasted 20 years so overall not a bad car, just boring and could have been better.

Faults:

Engine management light on (camshaft sensor) was not as expensive to sort as I thought it would be; fixed by a trusted independent.

Usual consumables - bulbs, tyres, brakes, suspension, etc. Battery was replaced. Alternator sounded very noisy probably on its way out.

I done most oil changes, though the previous owner missed a few. But the engine seemed OK, used very little oil and was quiet and smooth running.

Gearbox felt very loose and vague, never a problem though, but definitely some wear and tear going on there.

Cup holders were stupidly designed and crumbled/jammed. Radio was horrible and basic.

General Comments:

Well I bought this car back in 2006 when it was only 8 years old. For a fair price, it served me well and never broke down, but I did have my fair share of running costs and repairs.

I liked the look of the car even though mine was the basic LS model, dull white colour with wheel trims. I was considering putting alloy wheels on, but in the end did not bother, as we had some hard winters to get through, so what was the point I thought. That said there are some nicer looking higher spec Vectra's with body kits and alloy wheel that looked the part. Loved how the mirrors blended into the bonnet swoops.

Inside is very dull, silly seat pattern design combined with unimaginative dash board design. Electric widows in front were some of the few electrical luxuries, but again, you can go for the higher CDX models if you want more. I found the seat position fine and the seats comfortable enough though, which was always something they lambasted this car about in the media. I can't really see what they are talking about though, it was not that bad. Plenty of space as well.

Driving the car was OK, no more. The 2.0 petrol is a good engine, reasonable economy with performance that can deal with daily driving with no struggles. Friend had a similar Vectra with a 1.8, I drove it once and honestly could not tell the difference. I've heard the 1.6 is best avoided though. Diesels are also frugal but slow, and if you really have the extra money, the V6's are worth checking out. But the standard 2.0 will do most drivers just fine.

The car handles pretty poorly, this is something I can agree with the negative reviews. Even my previous old Peugeot 106 handled better. Not a car to push like a sports car, but it has way too much under-steer in corners, even for front wheel drive. Just feel way too stiff. Clarkson famously slagged this car for that in Top Gear.

Vauxhall dealers did not help with this car's image. Myself and others' experiences always tell of uninterested dealers, especially for servicing or repairs. Not rude or aggressive, just like you are annoying them by coming into the dealer for anything else other than buying a new car. Since mine was getting older (and out of warranty) I found some good local independents, cheaper and have a good knowledge of these cars anyway, some even better than Vauxhall!

To be fair it was not really a bad car, just very dull. Easy to live with though. Used to be a very common sight but not many about now, most people have moved onto the newer Vectra from 2002 onwards, or the Insignia. But the 1990's Vectra I thought was at-least as good as the old Cavalier. In the end I sold mine to a local guy who needed a cheap run about; from what I heard he had it for another couple of years before it got sent to the scrap yard. By this point it was about 17 years old with nearly 150K on it, so they are durable enough cars if you look after them.