I'm keeping stum. I don't want to tempt fate with my current 2.2 Vectra-C.
However my previous Vectra (before I writ it off) was also a 2.2 direct, and suffered none of the above mentioned problems. I also had a Vectra-B with the 2.2 engine and that was fine as well (albeit not the 2.2 direct engine).
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I know Avant, good advice. "Management" won't let me anyway so.....
It does occur to me that I could allow myself to get quite worried about all this. I have a Mondeo which is apparently about to explode its clutch, a Signum which is similarly imminently about to break down and a Ka which is allegedly only days away from crumbling into to a pile of rust.......
I suppose there is always the outside chance that none of these events will happen too soon.
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What a load of rubbish that programe was, full of inaccuracy, speculation and sensationalistic journalism, but singly lacking in facts, proof or examples.
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My wife worked for a housebuilding company that was once featured on Watchdog, for a single case (rather than a "class action"). The case was a poorly finished house, which the company had accepted was the case: they had re-housed the family in a 4* hotel for some months (as the people were determined to not accept the house back), and ended up paying all sorts of bills for the family which they shouldn't (food, drinks etc). They bent over backwards. The final thing was that some damage was done inside the house shortly before the family were due to move back in, almost definitely by a keyholder; with good reason, the company suspected the owner, but no hard evidence to follow it up.
Apparently that chain of events (though maybe not quite so extreme) is not that unusual in the new housing market.
Anyway, Watchdog got hold of it, but presented it in a completely different light. None of the company's efforts were mentioned, and you'd have thought the company had made no effort to rectify the situation. IIRC it was shortly after that that they bought the house back from the bloke at a premium.
So, while I quite like the idea of a consumer protection show, I would not necessarily trust them to put a fair and balanced view of any issue.
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I despise this sensationalist drivel filled programme.
My wife worked for an appliance manufacturer featured on the show a few years ago when they discovered a component fault on one range of appliances, one of which tragically resulted in the injury of a child. In the day before Watchdog became involved, the company had developed a kit to fix the fault which it was issuing to engineers, roped in its entire call centre staff to contact customers and warn them, issued notices in every major national newspaper telling people what had happened, and with a freephone number to call and arrange a convenient appointment for an engineer to visit and fit a modification kit to cure the problem, and had been in touch with the family of the injured child and pretty much said "what can we do for you?". They had opened their call centres 24 hours to deal with the influx of calls, and recruited agency staff to boost capacity.
Then Watchdog got involved.
The group chairman himself went on the programme and was "interrogated" (there is no other word for it) by the presenter who asked him what the company were doing about it, but didn't let him finish a single sentence. The presenter kept repeating, almost parrot fashion "it's not good enough, is it Mr. X?". If SWMBO hadn't worked for the company, I'd never have seen the other side of it. Then the interview ended, and that was that. The company was already doing everything it could. The Watchdog feature achieved nothing whatsoever.
Edited by DP on 13/01/2009 at 10:18
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Strangely "manufacturer bends over backwards to help customers" doesn't make for very good TV...
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Obviously those people featured are a group of lonely liars. Given that its apparently not true, wont Vauxhall be taking them to court? Its terrible they were forced to make a statement admitting they had a problem with a part that doesnt exist.
I think ill stick with my jap stuff all the same. :-)
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If this failure isn't as widespread as Watchdog alluded then it wouldn't cost Vauxhall too much to just replace the pumps and regulators.
Personally I think it's outrageous that people should be presented with bill of several hundred pounds for replacement of a parts which ought to last the life of the vehicle.
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>>parts which ought to last the life of the vehicle.<<
Your mistaking Vauxhall for a different make me thinks. The parts cant be expected to even last the warranty period, let alone beyond it. I think its highly amusing that people have this blind faith that they will be immune.
It does make my dads old Astra look rather reliable though. His fuel pump is now 16 years old.
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Personally I think it's outrageous that people should be presented with bill of several hundred pounds for replacement of a parts which ought to last the life of the vehicle.
Do you complain to god if you get an ilness or need to go to a hospital?
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Personally I think Watchdog should be looking into the fact that most Vectras seem to snap their suspension springs at some point - a much more dangerous (and very common - check the forums) fault!
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that most Vectras seem to snap their suspension springs at some point - a much more dangerous (and very common - check the forums) fault!
Most???? Compare the amount of Vectra's sold to the amount of springs breaking. I regularly look at 3 different Vauxhall forums and it doesn't get mentioned that often. That aside, many other manufacturers suffer occasional spring breakages as well.
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Renault replaced the rear coil springs FOC on our 1998 Clio when they broke at 4yrs old (and this was in the days of 1yr standard warranty).
The dealer had 11 in stock, and as they never had anything else I wanted then I assume it must have been a common fault.
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Only car I've ever had a broken spring on was a Merc. Dunno what that says but there it is.
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Ooooh - my Veccie had a broken spring (front N/S) at this year's MOT. (it's second)
Edited by smokie on 13/01/2009 at 14:24
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Theres a poll on Vectra-c.com showing substantially more than half of the respondants have had a broken spring.
Roll that out across the whole of Vectra Cs and thats a lot of broken springs. Bear in mind a good percentage of C drivers will be company car drivers who probably take no interest in the car and would therefore would not be on such a forum. I.e a mate of mine had an 06 Vectra C and didn't know until he looked at the service history prinout that 2 front springs were replaced at 30k - and most of us private owners will take them to an independant.
According to the AA man who rescued my Vectra, its the most common reason for calling them on this model. Next is misfuelling.
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Personally I think Watchdog should be looking into the fact ...
And the swirl valve actuator fault that appears universal on 1.9 CDTI 150 cars.
That too will leave you on limp home mode in the fast lane, as happened to me.
Whether it really is that dangerous or not to lose power in lane 3 at 70+, I'm not really sure. I've not actually heard of anyone suffering an accident this way.
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"Most???? Compare the amount of Vectra's sold to the amount of springs breaking. I regularly look at 3 different Vauxhall forums and it doesn't get mentioned that often. That aside, many other manufacturers suffer occasional spring breakages as well"
It is a common weakspot on the C I'm afraid. Broken front springs together with worn rear shocks. Lots of examples of this.
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Yep, rear shocks are a right pain in the behind! Mine went at just 35k of motorway driving. Vauxhall wouldn't contribute because it was a "service item". Hmmph. They wanted £150 a side to fix it...I got some pattern ones and did it via an Independent for £80 both sides...
I might still buy another Vectra or maybe an Insignia, but I wouldn't be buying one imagining it'll be trouble free!
Edited by TheOilBurner on 13/01/2009 at 17:27
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>>Do you complain to god if you get an ilness or need to go to a hospital?
There were occasions when I was much younger I used to complain to God on the big white telephone.... does that count ;-}
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no - thats self inflicted.
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My Signum creaks and groans over speed humps first thing in a morning but once it has done a few miles it all goes quiet again. Like an old person with creaky joints it seems to need a bit of time to get into its stride.
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Humph, that's usually the first signs the rear shocks are going. My Vectra started doing it shortly before one went. Once the shocks were replaced, the noise went away.
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Thanks for the tip TOB. Oh good, new shocks......
:-(
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Humph that's usually the first signs the rear shocks are going.
Or simply dry suspension bushes. On my previous Vectra-C I silenced the noise for a while by liberally spraying them with WD40.
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I'll send SWMBO out to do it straight away Dave. Well, when she's finished the washing up anyway....
Thanks for the tip.
;-)
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The final thing was that some damage was done inside the house shortly before the family were due to move back in, almost definitely by a keyholder; with good reason, the company suspected the owner, but no hard evidence to follow it up.
A similar thing happened to me smokie. When I moved in the whole house needed replastering etc. Yet, when I went in a few months later having inspected the previous week, a kitchen door window was broken as was one of the normal windows. I called the company and they basically told me that I shouldn't try it on, that if I broke it, I should fix it and just shut up. They clearly thought I'd broken it. I hadn't been there. I asked them to fix it and they simply refused. I let it go because I could see their PoV but I can see where these stories come from, on the part of company and individual.
The BBC however is a general nonsense with very strong views on everything, especially private companies, the spawn of the devil.
Oops, not very motoring related.
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