1998 Vauxhall Vectra GSI from UK and Ireland - Comments

Nothing to write home about really.

Erratic idling sometimes (iac valve apparently)

Slow puncture (fixed)

Car has a clonk at the front, I'm guessing arb bushes or along them lines.

Not had this car long, but my first impressions are 'what an excellent car'

Fully specced up, lovely recaro seats set it apart from the rest of the vectra b lineup, very useful trip computer.

Very quick car considering its size my only real complaint is the gearing is too widely spaced (noticeable from 2nd to 3rd) as it catches the lovely v6 motor 'off cam' which is a shame really... it sounds glorious with a cone filter fitted too.

The gsi really does look the part externally with the deep bumper and skirting and the 17" borbet alloys look excellent.

Brakes are adequate, but should be better considering the performance of the car, also for such a big thing it don't half go round the corners well... really does put a grin on my face every time I take it for a spirited drive :)

I highly recommend the vectra gsi, it's a 'lot' of car for very little dosh!

How do you find the handling? I test drove one of these a couple of years ago and thought it was a really lovely car let down badly by its chassis. Too much understeer and no feel at all through the steering.

Maybe I drove a bad one. As I said, a really lovely car in all other respects. Great engine, nice driving position, good finish, plenty of grunt etc etc. But the handling really put me off.

To the commenter above.

No ur right, neally all Vauxhalls have bad handling even the new ones such as the vectra vxr, the astra vxr isn't bad, but not especially brilliant either.

The vectra gsi's I think look good, but there chassis is just pants, the mondeo's are the best car in class from it's time.

I do like the vectra's bodykit as standard and a nice v6 engine, but that's all there is too it really handling let's it down I'm afraid.

I'm the guy who wrote the review.

To be honest I really can't fault the handling it feels surefooted and for such a big car can be chucked round the bends better than you might think.

Before I bought the gsi I was looking at st24's (which are a cracking car) but I'm glad I chose the gsi as it has the looks and near on 200bhp, but at the end of the day they are both big cars and are never going to handle like a hot hatch.

Wrote the original review, just a quick update!

Had this gsi since nov '07 now and I really cannot fault it... starts on the button every time (touch wood) also fixed the erratic idling it was a didgy connection to the throttle position sensor of all things, also goes better aswell.

Added a couple of modifications mainly to smooth out the notorious v6 flatspot... don't think I will tire of this car for a long time yet... looks good, handles well for a big car, plus its comfy and sounds quite awesome! and it will still show the hot hatch boys what a real car goes like after the pointless 0-60 is done with... 3rd gear is where you wave goodbye to the boyracer brigade of any type be it xsi/gti/vts or whatever... coming from hot hatches myself and as much as I love them there still aint no replacement for displacement lads/lasses!!