Vauxhall Corsa C (2000 - 2006) - 53 1.2 problems, advice needed

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Sun 24 Aug 2008 19:53
53 1.2 problems, advice needed - vxr53
Hi Everybody,

I have owned a 53 plate Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Design since new. I have only covered 29k miles in the car. All of the following problems have occured since ive had the car:

Handbrake Cable snapped.
Had to replace gear linkage
Had to replace steering rack
Had to replace camshaft sensor (I think it was that sensor)
Car was misfiring/searching at low revs

My question is have I been unlucky? Or is this the norm to have all these things go wrong within the first 30k miles!!

I'm half considering replacing the car before something else goes wrong.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Edited by Pugugly on 24/08/2008 at 20:03

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Sun 24 Aug 2008 20:29
53 1.2 problems, advice needed - Screwloose
Yes; it is normal for a Corsa to need all those parts [and many more] in 30K.

The common factor in all those parts is cheap, inadequate, engineering. Vauxhalls - and particularly Corsas - are consistently among the worst-built and most unreliable cars in numerous surveys; so it couldn't have come as exactly a surprise?

Edited by Screwloose on 24/08/2008 at 20:32

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Sun 24 Aug 2008 20:34
53 1.2 problems, advice needed - vxr53
I want as close to 100% reliability as I can get! Is a honda the only answer? My father in law has just bought a new civic and I have to say i'm impressed so far.
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Sun 24 Aug 2008 20:41
53 1.2 problems, advice needed - Screwloose

Most Japanese cars [except Nissan/Renault and Mazda] are proud of their reputation for quality engineering and strive to keep it.

It's noticable how few Honda and Toyota questions rock-up in Technical.

[To be fair to Ford; they also made great strides in the last ten years too - but.....?]
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Sun 24 Aug 2008 20:50
53 1.2 problems, advice needed - Victorbox
As an owner of a 2002 28K miles Corsa I'd say you are unlucky. We've had only a snapped belt tensioner go wrong (warranty repair) in the 6 years we've owned it. Everything else has been perfect. Worn gear linkage is not uncommon though, but replacement is a better design & cost is not astronomic - no Corsa part should kill your bank balance.
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Thu 13 Nov 2008 22:51
53 1.2 problems, advice needed - unhappycorsaowner
norsa part should kill bank balance i wish mines a 55 reg 1.2 sxi and ive got to find a grand because my camshaft has snapped at 31k miles i think vaux are rubbish and when mines fixed its going and i wont touch them again
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Mon 25 Aug 2008 21:36
53 1.2 problems, advice needed - Avant
As is being said on the current Vectra thread, there are lots of good Vauxhalls around - but with Japanese cars the manufacturing and quality control processes seem to have been refined to such an extent that the chances of getting a bad one are much less.

I'd suggest you look at a 1.3 Toyota Yaris. My daughter is on her third, and they are lively as well as reliable.
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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?