Faults:

EGR valve.

Exhaust.

Brakes and suspension.

ABS sensors.

Handbrake a bit weak even after repairs.

General Comments:

Top of range Elite Vectra served me well for ten years.

I enjoyed this car very much, driving was a pleasure, fast and economical.

Interior is as good as it gets. Very smooth on the motorway.

Good to drive. Had its issues, but more reliable than the Renault Laguna I had before. A good car if you can find a good one for very cheap. Do not pay too much as they have long since been replaced with the Insignia.

Faults:

Turbo, DPF, clutch, EGR valve, oil and coolant leaks, you name it, it went wrong on this car.

General Comments:

This Vectra performed OK and was comfortable, but was otherwise a poor car. The Ford Mondeo I had before was much better.

Exclusiv is poverty spec. Not much equipment. Quiet and smooth on motorways however. Seats were OK. Boot space was good.

1.9 CDTi was a disaster of an engine, always something going wrong. Did 45 - 50 mpg though and pulled strong when you needed to overtake.

Didn't put me off Vauxhall's despite the poor experience, I had a Cavalier back in the day and it was fine, I reckon I just got a bad one here with this Vectra. Scrapped in 2021. Too old and higher mileage - the car had zero value and too much wrong with it, depreciation on these cars is shocking. Have since moved onto an Insignia - a much better car in every way, huge improvement on the Vectra.

Faults:

CD player won't work, air con is dead, seats looking worn, alloys corroded, brakes needed new discs and pads, suspension ball joints replaced. All acceptable at age and mileage. The car has full history, seems to be taken care of with oil and belt changes done on time.

General Comments:

Paid £1200 for this Vectra two years ago with high-ish mileage. Was unsure at first what to expect, I knew they weren't well loved cars but seemed to be generally reliable and that is all I needed. So far it has been good.

It is black, with half leather interior. Design is a high spec on this car, lots of electrics, very comfortable. I think the dash is stylish looking but there are far too many cheap feeling plastics everywhere.

Outside very smart looking again, not a bad looking car. My corroded looking alloy wheels aren't doing it any favours, nor is the cracked plastic on the front bumpers and faded looking headlights. I would fix them, but let's face it, it is simply not worth at the age and mileage, the car isn't going to last forever at fifteen years old and nearly 120K on it.

To drive it is quiet and comfortable, cabin is well insulated against noise, helped by the quietest engine I have ever heard in an older high mileage petrol car - the 1.8 is a revelation, should have been more popular than the 1.9 diesel, it is more reliable and 40 mpg is very achievable. Fast enough too.

Overall value for money has been excellent; if you need a cheap car these Vectra's are still worth a look - providing you buy a looked after one.

Faults:

EGR valve faulty (expensive replacement).

Changed belts and done oil changes as per schedule. I look after the car.

Air con won't work.

Wheel alignment after suspension work and new brakes.

Engine sometimes hesitates on acceleration, not going to bother investigating as I will be getting rid of it soon. Vibration from after using the clutch as well, suspected dual mass flywheel.

General Comments:

2007 SRi Vectra in silver, very common car. Was a nice car low mileage full history example when I bought it at 8 years old and low mileage, but has aged considerably in the last couple of years.

It was a good car generally, but needed more reliability. I sometimes wonder about the point of modern-ish diesels with their expensive repairs versus actually having a diesel to save money - what is the point when the cash you save goes on repairs for things like EGR valves? Thankfully I have not had the dreaded DPF, DMF (maybe soon!) or turbo break yet.

On the plus side, the car is nice to look at, handles and accelerates very well, economy averages a respectable 50 mpg, and the SRi model has plenty of electric features. Interior is also very comfortable and still feels modern.

I'll probably scrap it soon - no one wants these cars at this age and mileage, and their value has plummeted. Far better off with a more modern Vauxhall Insignia if you need a cheap car, you can get early ones for a few grand, I wouldn't bother with a Vectra unless it is very cheap and very low mileage and in good condition. Preferably a petrol as well, you'll have less engine problems.