1999 Vauxhall Vectra LS review from UK and Ireland

Engine Management light came on at 50,000 - Dealer tracked this down to, errr... something that controlled cooling. (I just nodded, pretended I understood what he was talking about and let him fix it - Network Q were paying after all!!)

Seems to go through headlight bulbs pretty quickly.

Previously owned a Renault 5 (my first car), then I changed to a job with a lot more travelling and quickly found that the old Renault wasn't up to 500 miles a week!

Bought the Vectra after hearing good reviews about it being comfortable, reliable, reasonable running costs. So yup, 19 and driving a Vectra - my image went through the roof. All my mates reckoned I'd started a family somewhere.

So far, I've done 15,000 miles in the Vectra in 6 months. Yeah - I'm pretty impressed with it. It's the 1.6 16v (the only one the insurance company would even consider giving me a policy on) so it's no road-burner. Most of my driving is motorway - and it copes with that no worries. Pulls well up to 100mph (so I've heard...)

It overtakes pretty well - though you usually have to be in 3rd or 4th for any real kick.

Really comfy car - you really do arrive at the end of a long journey and feel like you've just driven to the shops. The ride is smooth and the whole car quiet, even at speed. Great seats - great driving position -good dash layout.

Pretty well equipped (this is only the 2nd model in the range) and it comes with leccy windows and roof, decent stereo with steering controls and ABS.

Economy is good - I average around 36mpg. But on a long (and steady) run - it can do about 44mpg.

It looks good - I prefer the sharper shape of the Vectra to the curvier Mondeo.

My only gripe about the car is the handling and steering. It will not be thrown around on twisty roads, where it will pitch and roll into every bend. It feels safe - but not sharp.

All in all - it's no babe magnet (though my girlfriend loves it) - but it's good, reliable, comfortable car.