Top Gear Vauxhall Vectra test

[Stilo_ste]

Saw this linked from a Vectra forum that I continue to use.

What an absolute joke.


I used to own a 1.6 Stilo - it was a joke of a car. The Vectra would win hands down in any race or competition or comparison, as the Stilo would break down. I only go from personal experience.

Anyone can do a search on here and find my posts about how unreliable the Stilo was. Compare that to my Vectra, only thing that has been mission disabling was a knackered clutch (replaced under warranty with no quibble) and that was exactly 101,000 miles ago. Since then it has NEVER let me down - not even once. Ok, the radio stopped working and that was replaced under warranty too.


So, there you go. All you will ever need to know from someone who has owned both marques. I will NEVER buy another Fiat, unless I have a frontal labotomy first, as the one and only Fiat I had was truly dire...


BTW, the Mazda is still going strong and just passed it's MOT again with no issues (only needed a front tyre).

 

[Rushy]

Saabs are sh!te

GM have ruined the brand TBH, there not a patch on the cars they used to be.

The same floorpan/platform was also used for the latest Fiat Croma (2005). TBH, never seen one never mind driven one so cant comment on its handling.

Lets not forget the Vec C's are 8 years old now, and the VXR is baised on that design. The Insignia VXR on the other hand........

 

[Tris Harris]

After owning a punto and a stilo and now I own a vectra c, I can honestly say the vectra is a much nicer looking car, better handling car oh and the build quality is in a different league to the fiats. The only bad point to the vectra is the 150bhp cdti engine reliability, but as its a Fiat engine anyway I suppose thats to be expected. I think they should have called the Punto a ****o instead. I decided to get rid of the punto when I realised it was just too much of a girls car.

your comparing two completely different cars though? a supermini and a family car?

oh, and the Stilo was a mistake by Fiat, the early ones were terrible for reliability- the new Bravo is much better though.

 

[Tris Harris]

GM have ruined the brand TBH, there not a patch on the cars they used to be.

The same floorpan/platform was also used for the latest Fiat Croma (2005). TBH, never seen one never mind driven one so cant comment on its handling.

Lets not forget the Vec C's are 8 years old now, and the VXR is baised on that design. The Insignia VXR on the other hand........

I like the new Insignia, Vauxhall have really upped their game with it. I also cannot comment on Saab's pre the 9-3, but it is truly awful imo.

But im not arguing that the vectra is a bad car, what im trying to say is that you are comparing too completely different cars!

EDIT: just seen that the vectra forum are all now signing up to say hello

 

[Rushy]

Back ups here Lets not start a Forum war guys ......

 

[Venters]

Back ups here ..

I think you will find the technical term for that is trolling.
Should I sign up to a vec forum and tell them how crap their cars are because my Marea munches them even with a smaller engine? No I shouldn't.


I would hope the vec forum administrators take their reputation from the behaviour of it's members seriously enough to sort it out.

 

[dannygp]

After owning a punto and a stilo and now I own a vectra c, I can honestly say the vectra is a much nicer looking car, better handling car oh and the build quality is in a different league to the fiats. The only bad point to the vectra is the 150bhp cdti engine reliability, but as its a Fiat engine anyway I suppose thats to be expected. I think they should have called the Punto a ****o instead. I decided to get rid of the punto when I realised it was just too much of a girls car.

After that statement nothing you say can ever be taken serious. GTFO!

 

[Jonnio]

I think they should have called the Punto a ****o instead. I decided to get rid of the punto when I realised it was just too much of a girls car.

"Girls car" over a diesel Vectra anyday lol.

 

[Ffoxy]

After that statement nothing you say can ever be taken serious. GTFO!

Completely agree dannygp.... what a stupid quote for a Vectra owner to sumon up! Simply Fuggly Vectras are :yuck:

Plus Vauxhall obviously couldnt make a better engine for their diesels, anyhow, Vauxhall / Opel / GM have had it IMO, probably why the Trollers from those Forums will be showing up here....

 

[StevenRB45]

Tbf that understeer would happen in any front driver with loads of power if you suddenly stuck you foot on the floor while putting lots of steering angle..

Not that helps the vectra tho...if ever there was a perfect example of what happens when a committee of men selected specially for their total lack of flair, ingenuity or inspiration are asked to design a car. Its perfectly adequate...

 

[JFL]

haha comparing a punto to a vectra..... there 2 completely different cars... puntos are designed for city use with small engines, wheras the vectra is designed more for the lower manager to cruise the motorway on

 

[Ffoxy]

haha comparing a punto to a vectra..... there 2 completely different cars... some puntos are designed for city use with small engines, wheras the vectra is designed more for the lower manager to cruise the motorway on and some Puntos are for people who enjoy driving a great looking small car that can also munch miles while providing a big factor

Edited for accuracy

 

[Helz]

haha comparing a punto to a vectra..... there 2 completely different cars... puntos are designed for city use with small engines, wheras the vectra is designed more for the lower manager to cruise the motorway on

Says it all really

Nice to know Forum Wars are still alive and well, hello and welcome to our Vauxhall visitors, please be gentle as we bite when provoked

 

[Stilo_ste]

Having owned both marques and posted on here before, I know where I'd rather sit. And it ain't in the crappy Stilo, that's for sure.

Someone earlier said that the Vectra was basically uninspiring. I can agree that aspects of it are a bit bland. BUT bland beats unreliable any day. I would much rather sit in comfort (Stilo was terrible for seating IMO) and know I'm going to get there, than sit in a Stilo and worry about the 'bing, bing, bing' fault announcement every time I use it.

Also, the Vectra is much more stable on motorways and is far safer too. Anyone who now starts quoting that they are the same in NCAP rating is ignorant of what this rating actually means. To prove the point, when the NCAP system was first introduced Volvos didn't exactly excel, even though they were (and still are) renowned for their real life safety and passenger protection. I saw a report recently about smaller cars and bigger cars behaviour in crashes, and I'd much rather be in the bigger car, any day of the week, if it all went wrong. That is the simple fact.

Are the newer Fiats better than those of about 6-7 years ago? My Stilo was 52 Reg.

 

[Ffoxy]

Having owned both marques and posted on here before, I know where I'd rather sit. And it ain't in the crappy Stilo, that's for sure.

Someone earlier said that the Vectra was basically uninspiring. I can agree that aspects of it are a bit bland. BUT bland beats unreliable any day. I would much rather sit in comfort (Stilo was terrible for seating IMO) and know I'm going to get there, than sit in a Stilo and worry about the 'bing, bing, bing' fault announcement every time I use it.

Also, the Vectra is much more stable on motorways and is far safer too. Anyone who now starts quoting that they are the same in NCAP rating is ignorant of what this rating actually means. To prove the point, when the NCAP system was first introduced Volvos didn't exactly excel, even though they were (and still are) renowned for their real life safety and passenger protection. I saw a report recently about smaller cars and bigger cars behaviour in crashes, and I'd much rather be in the bigger car, any day of the week, if it all went wrong. That is the simple fact.

Are the newer Fiats better than those of about 6-7 years ago? My Stilo was 52 Reg.

First can you change your name to Vectra Vitriolic...?
You base all your vitriol on the fact you had 1 (one) dodgy Stilo.... was it new or used? If used what did the previous owner do to it? If new fair play, you got a sh*tter.

To counter that Mrs Ffoxy has had her 1.2 (03 plate) from new, used and abused it, and its been mint. On the contrary, no amount of bigging up a Vectra on here will convince anyone other than you and your like get anything other than mis-placed smugness out of driving a frickin Vectra.

Can I, on this occasion, respectfully suggest you guys Jog On back to where you came from

 

[sikersh]

Having owned both marques and posted on here before, I know where I'd rather sit. And it ain't in the crappy Stilo, that's for sure.

Someone earlier said that the Vectra was basically uninspiring. I can agree that aspects of it are a bit bland. BUT bland beats unreliable any day. I would much rather sit in comfort (Stilo was terrible for seating IMO) and know I'm going to get there, than sit in a Stilo and worry about the 'bing, bing, bing' fault announcement every time I use it.

Also, the Vectra is much more stable on motorways and is far safer too. Anyone who now starts quoting that they are the same in NCAP rating is ignorant of what this rating actually means. To prove the point, when the NCAP system was first introduced Volvos didn't exactly excel, even though they were (and still are) renowned for their real life safety and passenger protection. I saw a report recently about smaller cars and bigger cars behaviour in crashes, and I'd much rather be in the bigger car, any day of the week, if it all went wrong. That is the simple fact.

Are the newer Fiats better than those of about 6-7 years ago? My Stilo was 52 Reg.

I've had the 90's Cinq Sporting and MK1 Punto (Sporting & GT) and I've loved them all. My New Abarth 500 (Euro NCAP 5* ), I have to say, tears my old Punto GT up in every single way....and prob would to most Vauxhalls

Si

 

[Hellcat]

Also, the Vectra is much more stable on motorways and is far safer too. Anyone who now starts quoting that they are the same in NCAP rating is ignorant of what this rating actually means. To prove the point, when the NCAP system was first introduced Volvos didn't exactly excel, even though they were (and still are) renowned for their real life safety and passenger protection. I saw a report recently about smaller cars and bigger cars behaviour in crashes, and I'd much rather be in the bigger car, any day of the week, if it all went wrong. That is the simple fact.

Are the newer Fiats better than those of about 6-7 years ago? My Stilo was 52 Reg.

Did you not see the little modus use the whole front inclusing half of the passenger cell of the Volvo estate to slow down? Volvo's being the safest brand is something of a myth. They're probably safer than similar aged cars for hitting typical Sweedish mammals but no safer than others hitting cars, walls, barriers...

 

[Helz]

Are the newer Fiats better than those of about 6-7 years ago? My Stilo was 52 Reg.

Clearly: people are buying them. The company isn't on the verge of bankruptcy

 

[Stilo_ste]

First can you change your name to Vectra Vitriolic...?
You base all your vitriol on the fact you had 1 (one) dodgy Stilo.... was it new or used? If used what did the previous owner do to it? If new fair play, you got a sh*tter.

To counter that Mrs Ffoxy has had her 1.2 (03 plate) from new, used and abused it, and its been mint. On the contrary, no amount of bigging up a Vectra on here will convince anyone other than you and your like get anything other than mis-placed smugness out of driving a frickin Vectra.

Can I, on this occasion, respectfully suggest you guys Jog On back to where you came from

Ha ha....


I have based my critisicm of the Stilo on 2 years experience, what's your denouncement of the Vectra based on? Other people biased opinions or other 'facts'?

There is no smugness in driving a Vectra at all, other than knowing it does the job. When we bought the Stilo, we actually liked it, it ticked all the boxes for us at the time. Unfortunately it let us down too many times to be considered a 'good buy'.

Maybe it was a 'bad one' but there appears to be a lot of documented 'bad ones' on here - just look in the Stilo section and take your head out of the clouds.




I seem to recall the Modus, and it was an Old Volvo.

Vauxhall / Opel isn't nearly bankrupt either - GM US is.

Fiat nearly went bust a few years ago too. Don't forget the very large cash injection from GM (2 billion iirc)


I truly do hope that newer Fiats are better, and that the brand remains - honestly. I don't like to see any big company go to the wall. It just isn't something I will consider re-visiting - once bitten and all that..


Happy motoring, whatever car you drive.

 

[Helz]

Fiat made a lot of costly mistakes with the Stilos, especially the early ones (such as yours, being 02 reg) - things like the new-fangled electrics that failed to work properly. Look at how much more complex and forward-thinking it was compared to it's Bravo/a predecessor. They assessed it and improved things for later ones, then gave up and switched to the Bravo and learned on the lessons of the past.