1999 Vauxhall Vectra LS from UK and Ireland - Comments

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.

Are you a boy racer by any chance!? I am not quite sure how you managed to decide that it was fast! The 1.6 is one of the most underpowered cars on the market! I drive the 2.0 and I wouldn't want anything less. Good on you for buying a Vectra though! Enjoy :)

He didn't say it was fast. He said it pulled well upto 100mph and to overtake you had to be in 3rd or 4th.

Very good review and agree with most of the comments. I bought my first Vectra when I was 19 and the first question my friends asked was where the baby seats were...

I sold mine in August 2003 but it was the most reliable car I'd ever owned. The only problem I had was with the malfunctioning radio/temperature display, but that seems to be a common fault; it was fixed £70 later.

I had the 1.6 8v version and pulling in 5th gear wasn't its strong point. But the tall gearing gives you 40-odd mpg when you want it - and considering my Vectra spent 90 percent of its time on the motorway, that suits people like me fine.

A 2.0 litre version would have been nice, but insurance and running costs would have been so much higher. Plus, at sale time I sold my car for more than the equivalent 2.0 litre model anyway (buyers seemed to think the 1.6 8v model was more reliable).

Sound purchase you made there - hope it stays that way.

I have to agree. I've had the 1.6 16v for a couple of years now and covered about 30000 miles. It is not fast by any means, but for quick continental touring on a budget it's been no bother.