Vectra VXR Test Drive

[Moschops]

Hi,

Been watching the site for a little while now, but on Monday I've a test drive in an Arden Blue VXR.

Is there anything to look out for or do etc?

Was told they would get the car for me for a couple of days, but I've only got it for 3 hours... So any points or tips?

Thanks in advance...

[Catherine]

Wayne, you won't be dissapointed that is for sure. My car is significantly quicker than the Porsche that is replacing it.

When we test drove our car it hadn't even been through PDI and the cabin filled with smoke from the engine bay on test drive. Despite that the performance even with 8 miles on the clock was immense. Hopefully your demo will be run in.

Be prepared for it to torque steer, after a few thousand miles you get quite used to it.

My advice, based on my experience is for you to buy a demo car. What Car are now predicting a 12 month old car will be worth £9,600 and if my experience is anything to go by, this could be a realistic figure. Having said that if you are buying a car and don't care what it worth in x years then buy new. Certainly if you are buying new a 10% discount should be achievable and I think that Brian (Caspy) is doing them from £19,995

[Moschops]

Thanks for the reply Catherine,

I must admit, as its the flagship Vectra, I'm disappointed is doesn't have the Chromatic (Auto Dimming) rear view mirror and rain sensitive wipers, plus I would have liked to have spec'd a sunroof.

Still we'll see what happens tomorrow.

[gil16e]

how did the test drive go mate??

im going to try and book me a test drive in the next few weeks

£9600 for a 1 year old VXR..my god they are going to be superb 2nd hand buys

[caspy]

Wayne, you won't be dissapointed that is for sure. My car is significantly quicker than the Porsche that is replacing it.

When we test drove our car it hadn't even been through PDI and the cabin filled with smoke from the engine bay on test drive. Despite that the performance even with 8 miles on the clock was immense. Hopefully your demo will be run in.

Be prepared for it to torque steer, after a few thousand miles you get quite used to it.

My advice, based on my experience is for you to buy a demo car. What Car are now predicting a 12 month old car will be worth £9,600 and if my experience is anything to go by, this could be a realistic figure. Having said that if you are buying a car and don't care what it worth in x years then buy new. Certainly if you are buying new a 10% discount should be achievable and I think that Brian (Caspy) is doing them from £19,995

Without putting too fine a point on it, What car are way off!!!

IMHO

[Catherine]

Well the problem is Brian I would like to agree with you, but my experience is quite different. Bids of £12.6K, £14.2K and £15K would suggest to me that £9,600 would be quite achievable.

[In a state]

..but that's a trade in price....the dealers will add upto 30% when they resell....plus the Glass Guide uses other cars in the range to speculate the value...so they're basing their price on the average depreciation of other models like a 1.8 LS or similar...it's all a bit fickle but £9600 for a year old car is a bit much considering that after 3 years most cars are still worth around 40% of their original value.

[Catherine]

Yep would agree. They are suggesting a 4 year old car will be worth 25% of it's original value, which was quite a lot less than the balloon on my finance deal.

So I could have owned the car for 4 years and still ended up having to pay someone to take it away.

I should add that Brian was one of 3 dealers who was willing to be quite fair on the trade in.

I don't for one minute think how the car is being valued is fair. The point I was actually trying to make here was the sudden drop in trade in value since a certain sunday evening programme as a number of the bids followed the comment of "Oh is that the car from Top Gear".

Please don't shoot the messenger chaps, I am only telling you how it is. My car is being traded in at £15K plus a £1K over allowance from the Porsche dealer. If I had of traded it for a BMW I would have got £12.6K based on the fact and I quote "The Vauxhall dealers are frightened of the Car".

[In a state]

I don't have lease or finance worries so I guess that's the difference...I usually have a budget and buy what I want, this time it was the VXR.

I keep cars for around 6 years and with that I loose the least ammount of money...the car will still be worth a few grand after 120k + miles in 6 years time...

If I changed every 2 years...I'd lose well over £30k in the same time...basic economics on my part.

[Moschops]

Blimey my post has caused a lot of sudden interest after a quiet weekend.....!

Well the test drive didn't happen on Monday as a sudden change late Sunday night to my shift pattern caused me to cancel the drive.

However....had the run out in her this afternoon after the two dealers managed to to pull out the stops and very kindly rearrange it for me.

The car was Silver in the end and not a blue one. It had full leather and the 19" alloys. It had done 5k.

The turn of the key bought a smile to my face. But I couldn't work out how to get the seat to come futher forward, so dipping the clutch was a bit awkward until I visited my next door neighbour at his place of work, we're both petrol heads. Just push the lever forward and not tilt it...DOH!

Anyway, the rumble from the exhausts is not as promenent as my R32, but its still an impressive noise, the steering felt lighter then my current SRI Turbo and wheel had a nice chunky feel. It picks up well, even better once the turbo kicks in, I would have liked to have seen the fuel figures via the display, but the current user has them set and I didn't like to tinker too much...

Well after a blat along the A roads and quick sprint down the motorway, I followed the wife home from her work. Put her car away and then took the car back, my wife drove it up and down the street before we set off, yes I'm very struck on the car, more so than I thought I would be, especially after the slating TG gave it.

My wife drove the car back to dealers and even she was taken by it. The seats are the dogs danglies. Oh yes even the stereo was impressive, it even has a graphic equaliser and some nice base in the speakers.

Would I buy one, you betcha ya.

So it has to Red or Blue. Leather and 19's.

Now to sort out a deal... :wink: