1996 Vauxhall Vectra LS review from UK and Ireland

I've only just got this car and I'm starting to regret buying it.

Engine management light came on after 5 days of ownership. Crank sensor bracket had failed. Sensor and bracket need to be replaced, and will cost £100.

Central locking doesn't work on boot. Lock also sticks making it very difficult to open the boot.

Left and right hand ends of dash make horrible "cracking" sounds when driving over bumpy roads.

Remote central locking doesn't always work.

Just noticed a minor oil leak from the gearbox.

For a 1.6 16V it goes quite well given the size and weight of the car.

Fuel economy looks quite promising at around 45MPG.

I like the look of the car, even if it is common!

Handling is quite safe but not particularly good. Driving the thing is no fun. Engine makes a nice-ish noise though when revved hard. Boring overall.

Suspension isn't great either. It wallows over bumpy roads and there's a lot of body roll when cornering. I find myself sliding around in the seat when cornering.

Build quality is reasonable. Shame about the annoying rattles from the dash.

I've only had the car a week but it's already showing a tendency towards unreliability. I don't see myself keeping it long. My Cavalier is a much better car and gave less trouble in 2 years than the Vectra gave in 5 days! I'm keeping an open mind and don't want to condemn the car just yet. But first impressions get a big thumbs down! I just don't have any confidence in it.