Was Clarkson right? The Vauxhall Vectra Story

In 1990 Vauxhall was on top of the world. Ford’s serious misstep with the Sierra in the early 1980s, meant Vauxhall’s well put together Cavalier had cleaned up. The third generation Cavalier had continued those inroads in the late 80s, along with the excellent Astra and Nova that completed their mass car lineup. So, surely the next generation car, the Vectra, would do just as well? I’m sure you can tell from the build-up, that that didn’t happen, but why?
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#bigcar

[@kennyg4744]

I don't understand the fascination journalists have with "sports car handling". I need a car to be a car, not a racing car. I had a 1999 Vectra 2.5 V6 estate which got me up and down the motorways of the UK for my job without fail. 150,000 miles in 4 years with no more than scheduled servicing. I never had any problems with the seat, or steering wheel or driving position. Just an all round great, reliable car.

[@torresalex]

So true. Since the 2000s, cars have been judged by track times over practicality, economy, value for money or aesthetics. It's ridiculous

[@STORMCLOUDGREY]

I had a V6 estate too & loved it.....until the petrol tanker drivers went on strike - then 28mpg wasn't so good.

[@killahurtz6786]

It matters on a comprehensive level when talking about a car. About 10 years ago my friend bought a used 2001 BWM 3 series. We were testing it out, we went 110kmh on a highway off ramp that had a "safety" limit of 70kmh and it was fine. No body roll, nothing. I tried it a week later in a 2001 Corolla at 80kmh and almost wiped out lol. When someone wants to know "why is that car so expensive?!". Thats why lol. Then there the bottom end of things. My 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier had handing so rudimentary it was just dangerous. Body roll the opposite way you're turning, narrow wheelbase length and width, low ride height with high mounted squishy suspension meant a bump could send you up, to the side, down into the pavement and hopefully ricochet forwards instead of sideways. Meanwhile I had a 2006 Mazda3 that I did 140kmh on a private, closed rural road during a snowstorm to test my new Nokian tires. It left 2 tracks in the snow straight as a railroad lol. That car was stable as a stone table.

[@paulopereira6996]

I had in 2001 the Vectra estate 2.0 DTI sport, with Bilstein all around, hard, but very capable in the twisties. Don't agree with the description at all. I miss it.

[@baselhs]

Many cars were comfortable and reliable but got criticized for not having a sporty handling. When I finish my work I want to drive a comfortable car to my home, not to score some lap numbers.

[@NLBassist]

Still one of the best mirror designs!

[@royfontaine5526]

Not really. I liked it at the time, but it’s too fussy.

[@cafe405]

Clarkson alluded to that as being a essentially a tool designers used to hoodwink people in to thinking they'd bothered IIRC.

[@mummifiedgamer]

I fucking despised it.

[@Worstenboer]

I like the Vectra B mirrors also

[@ChrisPatrick-q6k]

​@@mummifiedgamerAre you Avensis Man?

[@fezzgoggot7825]

My dad bought a Vectra c in 2006. Best car he ever had. When he finished with it he gave it to me and I still drive it today-- this car has never let us down. 1.8 Life

[@kristianbran8203]

Me too brother, my dad bought it in 2009 , it had 530k km and still has guts, with good maintenance , oil changing etc. 1.8 122 z18xe, it s my daily driver. How much km it has yours?

[@DolleHengst]

One monday morning, a classmate at primary school told us his uncle had shown him and his dad his new Mercedes-Benz S500. They also did a stretch of Autobahn. As they hit the 155 mph limiter, an Opel Vectra overtook them. A 4x4 Turbo. They were stunned. From that moment, it was my classmates dream car. Later, in 2019 i read an interview with Calibra designer Erhard Schnell, who said that the stated Turbo power and performance figures were extremely modest. Instantly reminded me of the Vectra story, over 25 years ago

[@dorinp007]

The Vectra OPC came with a higher speed limiter, if I remember correctly. When all other cars were pegged at 250 km/h, the Vectra would go to 280 km/h

[@Ken_Dodds_Tickling_Stick]

Ive had 5 Vectra's - 3 B's and 2 C's and im now on my 3rd Insignia and loved all my Vectra's. Never any trouble with them ever.

[@lornapowell2362]

I worked at the luton factory in the summer of 1995 fitting the new production line for the vauxhall vectra...it was on 2 week shutdown while the new production line and tooling went in....12 hour shifts for 2 weeks £800 a week....happy days...especially as i was a student at the time so the money clearly came in handy...

[@Luton-Mick]

Worked there myself just as production was winding down in 2002 sad times, got moved over to the then IBC van plant next door but it was never the same.

[@atomic32205489]

For a couple of weeks in the mid 90s, we rented a then new Vauxhall Vectra. We drove all over the UK and fell in love with the car. When we got back to the US, we tried to find the US equivalent but did not.

[@paddycoleman1472]

I had a Vectra SRi as a company car back in the day. It has to be the most boring car I have ever owned but… in the three years I had the car it never put a foot wrong. It was very well built, equipped and drove well (enough). The cabin was quiet and comfortable and made for a practical family car. The engines were refined and fuel economy seemed good. The reality is that the Vectra did everything well enough but did not stand out in any area. It did not offend but neither did it excite. It made a sensible second hand car purchase.

[@paulcarter6146]

You were lucky then .

[@paddycoleman1472]

@@paulcarter6146 Well, compared to my previous company car it was a joy to own! Prior to the Vectra I had a Rover 420 GSi Sport 2.0 Turbo in British Racing Green. In terms of performance, looks etc. it was streets ahead of the Vectra but... It felt like the Rover spent more time in the garage being fixed than I drove it over 3 years. The 420 chewed through three clutches, a gear box and had several electrical problems. It was only in the last six months they found out what was causing the clutch problems and it was an incorrectly fitted drive shaft and once corrected the car was much better. The shocking thing is that it was not Rover that found the underlying issue but rather an independent mechanic/garage that specialised in racing and performance tuning. So the Vectra may have been boring but there is a lot to be appreciated with that sometimes.

[@mustsilm]

This is funny. I never grew up dreaming about driving a Ford either.

[@heiner71]

Agreed. Not every car can be a halo car.

[@MrDuncl]

Ford Capri - "The car you always promised yourself" (but didn't have to wait until you were 50 to afford). Now I just dream of a mint XR4i like my 50 year old manager had.

[@aaronbryan5095]

Yep, it's basically comparing who makes the more exciting fleet car/rental car lol.

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@aaronbryan5095 Both the Mondeo and Vectra were VERY exciting in Super Touring form though! Where the Accord Type R was close in concept to the Accord Super Tourer, I think the others differed more: e.g., Volvo 850R turbocharged vs the NA race car, the bodykitted Vectra GSi not bad but more of a cruiser than a track day machine?

[@Freespeech2222]

I did. I wanted a 3.0 Capri. I got one eventually and while being fast it was an absolute rust bucket.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

The Vectra B was a very sharp and handsome looking car

[@jamesspeytebroodt7237]

yeah I always liked the saloon, very attractive; the mirror design always caught my eye too

[@kristoffer3000]

Looks so good but the rest of the car just doesn't live up to those looks at all

[@Worstenboer]

Not was, it is still sharp looking. Timeless design.

[@Zero_Ninety]

Nice wing mirrors

[@jamesspeytebroodt7237]

yep always caught my eye yep

[@martinmuller2809]

I always wondered what made them use regular wing mirrors after the facelift

[@Andy-ev8sf]

My dad worked for Holden, leasing me a Vectra in 2000. I loved that car for the 3 years I had the lease. The sound of the engine was amazing. Plus they were more expensive than many other competitors so they were regarded as premium. It looked great and never had a problem. I was a bit of a lead foot back then and I loved to hear the engine roar.

[@CommodoreCaravan1981]

i own a 2006 Vectra StationWagen as an OPC version with 188KW and i like it much. it's not a car you turn around when you left it parking, but it's reliable, good to drive and reaches 260Km/h easily. i bought it in 2014 with 106.000Km, actually it has 260.000Km. till 2021 it was my daily, now it's a "summer and sunshine" car =).

[@Splendidtrucker1235]

Sehr gut

[@wertywerrtyson5529]

I had a red Vectra on the wall along with a yellow Tigra as a kid in the late 90s. I got a Ferrari F40 poster from a cousin but kept the Opels on the wall. I guess I was always a bit weird 😅

[@joshbrailsford]

There have been plenty of mass market cars with bedroom wall appeal greater than contemporary sports cars. Nothing unusual about appreciating attractive styling. I think the Tigra A was one of the most stylish cars of the 1990s.

[@iainmclaughlan1557]

I had pictures of Vectra parts in 1995 on the wall of my student digs.

[@Demun1649]

Weird? Which of us escapes that label? NONE!

[@joseguerra3004]

I have a yellow Opel Tigra from 1996😂 greetings from Portugal.

[@TheVintageApplianceEmporium]

I remember back in 1996 my cousin Antony got a N reg Vectra as a company car. As a miserable 18 year old myself I remember actually rather liking the thing. Then in 2004 I ran a 1998 Vectra 1.6 LS hatch as my main car for about a year. I absolutely loved it. OK it wasn't fast or a hoot to drive, but it was incredibly efficient, reliable and you could pretty much live in the boot. I have a fondness for Vectra B now and miss seeing them everywhere 😔

[@TassieLorenzo]

"Vectra B now and miss seeing them everywhere" Where did they go? In the UK, ok cars rust, but in Australia cars don't rust yet older Holden Vectras (and Astras and Corsa (Barinas)) are rare, while 20 year old Toyota Camrys still command $3-4k... It doesn't suggest that the Opels are a durable vehicle that is cheap to maintain, unless I'm mistaken.

[@alexklein455]

Toyotas are only more common because people keep them on the road longer as they just maintain their value because of the reputation. Nothing else. I see it in my shop a lot. ​@@TassieLorenzo

[@paulsz6194]

@@TassieLorenzoA The Alternators aren’t cheap to replace on those, and they have this weird radiator / heater hose, which my mechanic at the time called the "octopus " hose because it has other hoses branching out from the main hose, and it was about $98 for the hose alone from Holden about 16yrs ago…

[@williamfence566]

I had a 52 plate vectra ( 1.8 petrol ) from a year old for five years. Fantastic car . Just routine servicing and usual consumables for 80,000 miles. Young family then and it swallowed all the stuff we carted around. Never looked back at it when walking away but it wasn't bought for that

[@agaafear]

🥱

[@dunnockdan]

I run a 2008 Vectra C SRI 1.8, 156,000 miles currently, picked up for £1k 2 yesrs ago - and its still doing its thing, been a super reliable car, best car ive ever owned and ive owned most other equivalent brands over the years - pick them up for buttons these days.

[@the5th2000]

I did a double take when you described it as a "ski" pass-through. Of course it makes sense, it's just my whole life I always thought it was for fishing rods! Then again, not much snow where I'm from...

[@wolfgangg2604]

finesse is deep rooted in simplicity. this endures a long way. a proper driven and maintained vectra will never let you down.

[@ardley216]

When I was 5 I watched Clarkson a review of the Vectra and his words shaped my entire view of vauxhall. Whenever I see one, I only remember his review.

[@strahinjastevic7480]

That's called being a, sheep and refusing to make your own opinions.

[@LiviuXSA]

@@strahinjastevic7480 clarkson always made himself out to be a clown desperately trying to peddle propaganda to help various cars sell and try to ruin others. his bad review of the bmw x6 comes to mind, which went on to be a best seller, even though he had hoped to boost up the inferior range rover. and the examples are countless, he's just pure entertainment with zero factual value

[@1ybr]

​@@LiviuXSAexactly, some manufacturers still exist today because of his reviews (cough cough ARIEL) while others were doomed, he's a good entertainer but sometimes he gets way over himself

[@TheLifeEvents]

@@strahinjastevic7480 Even before Clarkeson's review, I thought it was a piss poor motor! I went and got a beautiful new Toyota Camry Mk IV

[@Spudchucker92]

The words of some stupid, overgrown posh snob shaped your view of a company? Let me guess. You read the Daily Mail and vote Tory because ‘oooo bad lefties’

[@RobinCapper]

The 'Vectra' number plate photo (at 08:07) with exposed silver screwheads through the black lettering shows how much someone cared...

[@daemiax]

I'm quite pleased with my 2006 Vectra.

[@ytrontube]

I also have a '06 Vectra 1.8 16V. I got it from my grandpa as my first car. It didn't have any options so it is nearly the cheapest Vectra you can get. But I bought another Vectra (2008). It's OPC-Line with half-leather seats and some other nice options and now I'm changing the parts from it to my '06 Vectra because it has only 100k miles. The 2008 one has a lot more miles and it has some gearbox issues (Easytronic gearbox). Sure the Vectra isnt the car that people dream to drive but it really is a reliable, fuel-efficient car with good driving comfort.

[@TheRealEmile]

Wait until you drive something half decent 😂

[@daddymulk]

​@@TheRealEmile I was gonna say similar 😂

[@daemiax]

​@@TheRealEmile Driven my friends BMW 3 Series... big clucking deal. I'll still chose a vectra. Cheap parts, reliable. Did 196KMH at 5k RPM ( Diesel mind you ). I'm mostly function over fashion. And to me , older model Opel are the cheapest and the most reliable, comfortable vehicles that transport you from point A to point B.

[@EightPawsProductionsHD]

"quite pleased"? James May, is that you?!

[@guchpl]

Here in Brazil, the history of the Vectra begins in 1993 when Chevrolet brought the Cavalier using the Vectra name. In 1996, production of the model began and became very popular. The automotive press called it: "the dream of the middle class". In 1996 it was the first car produced in Brazil that provided double airbags. In 2005, Chevrolet brought the Opel/Vauxhall Astra to replace the Brazilian Vectra. In 2011, Chevrolet do Brasil could no longer manufacture cars of Opel origin and began selling the Korean Chevrolet Cruze in the medium sedan segment.

[@johneddy908]

To the best of my knowledge the first-generation Chevy Cruze was sold as the Daewoo Lacetti Premiere in South Korea.

[@exoroxx]

In Germany, the story of the Vectra (under the Opel badge) started in 1988. It was the 3rd generation of the Vauxhall Cavalier. We had the Vectra at first! But our Astra started two generations later (Model F, 1991). I loved how Opel used to end their names with 'a'. Vectra was a cool name, a vector defines a clear direction in math.

[@francescodoria6060]

​@@exoroxxI've always thought the same thing about the Opel nomenclature, some were and are really beautiful: Astra, Vectra, Calibra, Zafira, Tigra, Antara. Today it is a little different, for the worse, like much of modern Opel production.

[@bogdanrusgp]

The 2 generations of Insignia are such beautiful looking cars. Especially the last one.

[@xrtricky7204]

My Dad had a 1997 Vectra 2.0 Diesel, and he loved it! Usually my Dad would only own a car for 3-4 years, but with the Vectra, he kept it because it was the best car he had ever owned. Reliable, economic and comfortable. He'd use is for long distance, around town, transporting stock and towing trailers. He even towed a large canal weed cutting boat on the back with ease over 50 miles (found out later it was illegally overweight for the class of vehicle) My Dad only stopped driving it when my Mum bought an SUV and it got to the point where it wasn't worth running 2 cars. Even then, he didn't sell it and kept it for 2 years until a friend of the family needed a vehicle. After sitting for 2 years it only needed a new battery and went through it's MOT no problem. My Dad gave the car to a friend and he was very hesitant because he remembered Clarkson's review but he had no issues with the car and had it until he moved away. I don't know what happened to it after that but I'll never forget that car or how much my Dad loved it

[@lobsterwhisperer7932]

the late 90's cars were the best made, went downhill after that.

[@michaelhastings7441]

I had a Vectra C estate for 8yrs I loved it and reluctantly traded it in, absolutely brilliant car .

[@williamegler8771]

I bought a 2001 Saturn LW300 brand new. I still own it although nowadays it is a semi-retired dog taxi and foul weather extra vehicle. It has 396,000 miles on the original engine and transmission. The only thing that doesn't work is the cassette player. It still runs and drives very well. Regular maintenance has resulted in a very reliable and durable vehicle that if it was available new I wouldn't hesitate to buy again. When the ĹW300 entered its semi-retirement when it hit 300,000 miles it was replaced by a Saturn Aura that had been driven 230,000 miles when it was traded for a 2020 Buick Regal Tour X which is a rebadged Opel/Vauxhall Insignia.

[@dontbeasadsoulja]

The design of the Vectra was sleek. As a child I liked it very much and wanted to have one when I grow up :)

[@SpikeLawrence]

I'm 17 and my Dad owns an '07 Vectra Exclusiv. The car's super practical with a massive boot and 5 seats. It's likely my own bias for two of my childhood cars having been Vectras, but I would certainly like to own one of the older, more uncommon models one day. I like the idea of preserving cars like these as more and more are taken off the road. Anyway, yes I am a Vectra fan!

[@eggsngritstn]

Thanks for including the relation to Saab. I love Jeremy Clarkson's analysis of the situation: "GM gave Saab the Opel and said, 'It's a good car; make minimal changes', and Saab responded by replacing two-thirds of the components." (paraphrase, of course).

[@dangerman01582]

I had a 2.2 petrol Vectra and a 3.0 diesel V6 Vectra. . Lovely car, cheap to run and I had 300,000 combined miles on them

[@thedarkknight1971]

What STILL makes me chuckle is his Vectra VXR 'Torque steer' acceleration demonstration... No hands on the steering wheel, give it the beans, and end up in the field next to you! 🤣🤣🤣 😎🇬🇧

[@lukvannieuwenhove437]

I bought a 1999 Opel Vectra in 2003. It was so good that I kept it until 2019. How many cars last 20 years without any serious defect?

[@Sputnick60]

Me too. It was a 1999 model with 10,000 kms I bought in 2000. It had 2.2 litre engine and I ran it for 15 years without ever needing more than regular service. I decided to keep it running for as long as it would go and made it to 250,000 when at speed on a country road it met a fox and the insurance company deemed the damage uneconomical to repair. No car I’ve owned has been as reliable as this one.

[@MrT79shakeshake]

I used to have a 17td Isuzu engined Cavalier when I lived in the Uk was a smashing car.

[@MIK23458]

Very very economical.

[@vaughanmcmillan1815]

We had Vectra's in the family mid to late 90's when I was in Primary school. Fast forward to 2017 and I bought my very own Supertouring 200! Love it Not the fastest thing ever but drives well and looks great (for me)

[@DerlesendeSith]

It's still strange for me to talk about Vauxhall. But thank you for your videos. I have a lot of fun watching them.

[@gio_a_o]

Here in Brazil, the 1996 Vectra was very popular, sold well, and is often being praised by journalists and seen as the benchmark for its class rivals. This is the first time I have heard complaints about its handling. The Mondeo was mostly ignored by customers since it was imported and had a higher price tag. Nowadays, the 1996 Vectra still brings nostalgia to Brazilians, and the ones still in good condition are becoming collectors cars

[@gio_a_o]

It also caught my attention that the 1996 Vectra design is apparently seen as bland in Europe. Here in Brazil, it's usually remembered as one of the best-looking and more original designs os the nineties

[@leogen8879]

To be fair, the big rivals of the Vectra were pretty irrelevant at the time in Brazil, as you said all of them were imported and the cost was way higher. For the same price, the Mondeo was a superior car in terms of handling and ergonomics, but in Brazil, the Mondeo, Laguna, Passat and the other rivals were all imported and therefore much more expensive. The Vectra ruled alone in its class in Brazil, being followed by the Fiat Marea (but the numbers weren't even close).

[@boronsniify]

I did the interior design for the “J95” Opel Vectra B - first Vauxhall Vectra. Rear suspension was much better than its predecessor and the V6 versions were quite quick, but I wasn’t keen on the exterior - the previous car was much slicker in my opinion. The Mondeo was a shock to GM with its slush molded instrument panel when we were using cheaper Fibrit. The base Diesel was only 82hp and an absolute slug, breaking engine mounts with copious vibration. The motor location bracket on mine actually fatigued free of the bulkhead, effectively stacking engine from chassis and leading to some interesting and very dangerous handling. I was glad when it ripped out the top cooling hose and seized - never saw it again. I saw the writing on the wall with GM - the next Vectra exterior looked like it was designed from cardboard, recreating the Austin Maxi with the Signum hatch version - and moved to spend the next 15 years designing Porsche interiors and exteriors….

[@cam-warner1998]

Currently driving a Vectra c 1.9 cdti Sri, actually quite a nice car tbh

[@petertorbet4740]

I remember the advert featuring Bjork ‘Play Dead’ where the car was featured driving through a future cityscape with a barcode(!) as a number plate. Either via a car magazine, or something I sent off for, I remember having a CD-Rom interactive brochure 👍

[@davidrmcmahon]

I might still have my CD somewhere, Might be worth a fiver on eBay now?! haha

[@kofib3]

I think that advert is available to watch on KZbin..And I had the CD which I got from the Earls Court motor show in 95.

[@aveedub7403]

Thank you for another great up load on my once favourite brand! i owned in succession; 1256cc Viva saloon, Chevette 1256cc hatch, an Opel Kadett 1300 SR, 4 Astra GTE's 1800cc/1998cc/1998cc 16v, and finally a 1998cc 16V Calibra. I loved drivng each one despite the dreaded tin worm in all but the Astra's!!! I had no idea Vauxhall/ Opel made a 3 litre Vectra as i might have been tempted, but the Calibra was the final straw, plagued with problems, penetrating rust mid 3/4 panels/sunroof surround, excessive negative camber on rear tyres and more random appearing warning lights than a Christmas tree ! Overall General Motors didnt care about long standing customer loyalty/ satisfaction or seemingly willing to invest in model evolution or fix problems, but that being said im sure it was no different with other Manufacturers either. Frustrated I decided to move brand and migrated to a MK 3 Golf VR6, followed by Audi 3.2 VR6 TT's ! The daft thing is i loved all the Vauxhall/Opels i owned! Unless you have money to burn for the average person sadly there is now very little choice of vehicle variety/style, its all gone to bloated over priced crappy SUV styles and even crappier electric "cars"! 🙄🙄🙄

[@MrDuncl]

So the Calibra's looks didn't make up for the hassle ? I always thought VW invented the hot hatch so that men could tell their wives they were getting a Golf because it was economical and practical. True story - a colleagues Mother scared herself by test driving a VR6 not knowing it was a hot hatch ! Personally my last two cars have been Golfs because most of them are economical (50+MPG) and practical.

[@markallen5353]

Absolutely love your videos, keep up the good work

[@ziggymx5]

I had the Saab 93 cousin and really loved it. Comfortable, roomy and a great drive.

[@alancobbin]

I had one of the last SRI diesels,it was I nice car ,looked good while giving decent economy,cheers fella for another great trip down memory lane👍😉💪

[@alexjaybrady]

The way the bonnet lines flows into the wing mirrors is genius

[@lordmmx1303]

As much as i love my daewoos, I loved my Vectra from 2001 too. It was a really reliable car. Never let me down, it had 400 000km on clock when it was sent to rest for good.

[@jonass961]

As a kid this was my dream car. My grandpa originally wanted a C Class but in the end decided on a Opel Vectra B with nearly full spec instead (like at 8:00, minus the cellphone and with dark cloth seats). To me it felt like the future with that digital display for temperature, climate control, electric window controls, etc. Also loved the buttons on the steering wheel and the way the dashboard flowed from side to side. Very comfy seats as well, awesome car imo.

[@danhaywood5017]

Had a Vectra c cdti for 9 years loved it never let me down. Had nearly 150k when i sold.

[@PLively]

I had a 2003 GSi. People scoffed at that car because it wasn't the Mondeo ST220. But I can tell you, on paper it may have been inferior but on the road it came down to the driver, as a few ST drivers would have to be forced to admit. I even got a few thumbs up from some enthusiastic Honda Civic Type R drivers - it wouldn't go around corners like a Type R, but in a straight line.... I'd previously had an Omega. I loved that car. I admit, the GSi was bundled with the optional Big Learning Curve package, mainly because of the FWD and understeer - which was nowhere near as bad as people would say provided you didn't turn it off, Mr. Clarkson. But I grew to love the Vectra and kept it long enough to upgrade the air filter and the exhaust to a full Scorpion stainless system. On the clock I once saw it get to over 170mph (I think the limiter had been removed by the previous owner). I hasten to add, that was on a race track, and not the M2 motorway bridge at 3am one morning. After putting nearly 200,000 miles on it it was in need of some expensive repairs, including the gearbox, and I sold it to a guy who used to repair Vectras and give them a new lease of life. I think it was broken for parts, because the DVLA says it isn't on the road. As it was driven away the sound of that burbling V6 through the exhaust echoing off the houses in my street brought a tear to my eye. These days I have grown up a bit. The streets are no place for the silly silly shenanigans I may have once gone in for. I now drive an EcoBoom 1.0 Fiesta. It is a good little car (but I feel like I'm driving a ticking time bomb with that wet belt). Sure, my wallet doesn't miss the Vectra 3.2 GSi - but I do.

[@roberttucker805]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Thanks.

[@Lord_Stig]

Love the Vectra C estate with the 2.0T such an amazing work horse. Simple/cheap to work and maintain and just enormous amounts of space.

[@die6oo]

My B is turning 26 years old and still runs smoothly without problems, I love it! Clarkson is an AH

[@aston-martin-internationalist]

There was nothing inherently bad about the Vectra B. The problem with British buyers is that with a complete name change, people were expecting far more, just like Mondeo had done over Sierra if it had retained the Cavalier name, I don't think it would have garnered so much negativity. I've had Cavaliers and Vectras (C) and driven the B and I actually preferred the Vectra C to drive over the MK2 Mondeo. Having said this, when the MK4 Astra was launched, it was also berated by Clarkson, again, nothing really wrong with it and the hot versions looked and went quite well.

[@timl1481]

Back in the late 90's, I was one group of 4 who took turns driving from London to Cardiff for a sales conference. Our steed for the journey was an early model, somewhat abused, 1.6L Vectra. It was not pleasant to drive, I remember fighting to keep the thing in a straight line. Later I had a second-generation example as my very own company car. It was better!! But still not great. Finally, I got to borrow one of my colleague's final versions for a day, and I remember a quite pleasant drive. So my experience is that the Vectra definitely matured with age.

[@ravenmadd1343]

I had a 2006 Vectra, loved the thing. I had it 11 years and it never missed a beat until the engine finally gave it up :)

[@Spheredalai]

GM should've followed VW Ferdinand Piëch's way of engineering cars, make the best technologies from top of the line models accessible for everyone's cars (instead the other way around and make premium cars based off cheap ones) *cough* *cough* im talking about saab using the vectra underpinnings etc

[@GojiraX]

With the Saab 9-3, they had changed so much that it was pretty much a completly seperate car. If GM had incorporated the Saab changes into the Vectra, I think it would have sold better for much longer.

[@fortune300]

@@GojiraX I think this relates to the 9-3 of first generation(900 gen2). 9-3 gen 2 was much less changed sins it was built on the Epsilon platform and not the REALLY BAD GM2900 platform.

[@4darrenmoore]

Disgraceful that Opel shut Luton despite it being more profitable & efficient than Bochum 😢

[@Freespeech2222]

Part of the EU plan to gut the UK manufacturing.

[@Romeo_GR]

1992, I was 14 and on family holidays in Germany. My father rented a Vectra 1.6. Considering that those years , our family car was a Fiat Ritmo Abarth, (which I still own) , the Vectra seemed really slow....but so comfortable, quite and well constructed. 1994 and family holidays in Switzerland and France, again with a Vectra , 1.8 face-lift this time. Comfortable and quite, a bit more beautiful and a bit faster! An excellent car to use as a daily driver....

[@orlinmarkov8108]

Got it from my father and still keeping my Vectra C 2.2DTI, 234k km, running like a clock and 21 years no worries :)

[@sietse9920]

It’s a bit confusing to watch, since on the continent Opel started earlier with the name Vectra. My father bought one in 1988 (and in 1989, for my mother couldn’t manage steering without powersteering, so after only one year he had to buy another one 😂) In the UK that model was still called Cavalier, but in the rest of Europe was called Vectra. It took me some time during the video to grasp this difference. Thnx for mentioning this difference. I never knew

[@BigCar2]

Yes, it's a bit confusing. As most of my viewers are British I decided to go with the Vauxhall branding, so if you want to see the history of the original Opel Vectra, then see my Cavalier video.

[@sietse9920]

@@BigCar2 thnx for yr prompt answer. I already watched that Cavalier vid. Of course! I watch and enjoy all yr vids (even though i’m from the continent 😂😂😂)

[@nr5494]

I joined a company and was given a 1.6 Mk1 Mondeo until my new car arrived. It was tremendous fun on the 70 mile journey to work. It had sharp turn in, a well damped ride, and stuck to the road incredibly well. When my 2.5 V6 Vectra arrived, the fun stopped. The rear axle had no grip, the damping was appalling, and it was like sitting in a bowl of porridge, with unsupportive seats and stodgy controls. A truly awful car in comparison. Clarkson was spot on. A later 2.2 diseasal was marginally less bad, but my Trooper handled better.

[@wonkychikn]

One of our cars is Australian built 1999 Holden JS series 2 Vectra 2.2 GL wagon (Vectra B estate)....It has been a great little car and very economical It now has over 200,000 km on it..

[@mattbarker581]

I had a Y reg Vectra B SRI 2.6 V6 ( rare engine model). A true pleasure to drive, never had any issues with the car, am still sad to this day that I sold it😢

[@polarlicht4758]

time for a Ford Focus MK1 story! 🥺 Huge world wide seller🥺

[@MrDuncl]

I recall Jeremy Clarkson stood in a fountain gawping at it and saying something like it was styled like a car from the future.

[@jonathanthorpe1653]

I had one of the limited edition tourer. It left my friends Mondeo ST24 standing. I actually really liked it and If I did not drive, it had it was actually quite fuel efficient.

[@STONE-wh2en]

My father had two Brazilian Vectras, a 1998 and a 1999 (with a GM 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine), both GLS sedans. The first had a chronic brake problem, hence the replacement the following year. Despite this, I really liked the car. The Vectra made a big impact, as it succeeded the Ascona (Monza in Brazil) launched in 1983 and sold until 1996, with a front and rear restyling in 1991. In 2005 came the 3rd generation of the Vectra, but the brazilian GM transformed the European Astra 2004 , with a sedan body style and named it Vectra and continued selling the previous generation Astra. Third world stuff. The car was replaced by the South Korean Daewoo Laceti (Chevrolet Cruze) in 2011.

[@JRLJamielin]

I loved my dad’s 1.8 Vectra SXi - it had big wheels, a spoiler, an exhaust out the back and a really great stereo, things a small boy growing up in the late 90’s loved - plus it was reliable and efficient. I checked online and it was eventually scrapped after having covered 250,000 miles. I really miss that car

[@canal_do_murad]

It's amazing how different the markets are, here in Brazil the Vectra was a success and is still loved today, while the Mondeo was a disaster here and isn't even remembered today.

[@edwardalexander9486]

Worth checking out Bjork's soundtrack to the original vectra TV advert - a beautifully-sounding confection, with, er, stunning early CGI visuals, including a whale's tail!

[@keithstarr8213]

I worked as a vauxhall technician back in the nineties, i bought a 2.ol vectra with the xev engine,loved it comfortable economical good boot space ideal family holiday car.diddent corner like a sports car but its not a sports car also easy to work on cambelts etc.

[@donyiiovanni]

I had a 2007 Vectra SRi 2.0 diesel for a number of years, never had a problem with it, and it handled quite well. Used to love watching them in yhe BTCC. Absolutely loved the thing

[@SteveMuir]

I for one always wanted one of the V6 Vectras. My wife still has her 2001 Holden badged Astra she bought new in 2002 so we have a soft spot for Opel cars. My highest top speed was in the Opel Omega caravan. (an estate or station wagon as we call them down under. ) on the German autobahn,.

[@mrtry8982]

I love all Vauxhalls 😭💕 all griffin no bull

[@mrjsv4935]

Opel Vectra B is the only Vectra I've ever driven, and it was a courtesy car while my own was being serviced. I think it was around 10 years old at the time, still pretty nice to drive. Parking brake had some problem though, had to pull the lever with two hands to make it stay in place :D

[@grahamherbert3612]

The finest condition Vectras, all seem to live in the East Riding of Yorkshire, almost every day I see some superbly clean and tidy examples.

[@rikum1235]

I still daily drive a 2001 Vectra B 1.6, and love it! Cheap to run, and very good to drive especially on longer journeys. Does everything I need from a car and well. It now has over 300k km's on the clock, but doesn't eat oil yet, and has been very reliable with just regular maintance. Rust has been a bit of a pain recently though.. My dad used to have a 2001 2.2 Vectra B sport, and drove it to 350k, until the head gasket went. That wasn't a great engine, had to also replace the timing chain multiple times. He switched to a 2008 Vectra C OPC after that. I prefer the B more:)

[@stephencurran5429]

The Sierra was a good car I had a 1.6 sapphire Sierra she was a great workhorse never missed a beat . Lot of people just want a car to get from point a to point b . No nonsense no gimmicks

[@system11yt]

I had a couple of V6 Vectras, they were a nice looking comfortable car. One had a power steering hose leak, other had a coil pack fail - that was it, I liked them.

[@RobG1981]

I didn't know that the Vectra was despised in the UK. Here in Germany, it was just another mid-priced, mid-sized car that swam along with the others.

[@adamdavis4346]

I had a Cadillac Catera, it was a rebadged Opel. I don’t know what model though. It was somewhat decent.

[@daveyoung325]

Opel /vauxhall Omega

[@denniz1990]

It was the biggest omega , i still remember when i was was younger i saw the catera and was thinking hey its an opel but different . I think i was like 12 or so

[@orion1983uk]

@7:55 The fake wood interior that Vauxhall used in the Vectra, to me, always looked like they'd coated the dashboard in a takeaway chicken korma. Another excellent video!

[@aveedub7403]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jaketeagle7755]

as somebody who had a CDX Vectra- they had a casette in the dashboard and a 5 Disc Changer in the glovebox

[@avec4amadman1]

I owned a whole fleet of Mk3 Cavaliers back in the day. Best car ever imo….. and at one point when all the rest of my family turned up at my mum’s house for dinner, I turned up in my Vectra, 15:47 my sister turned up in her Vectra, (my now X) wife turned up in her Vectra, and my dad‘s Vectra was parked on the drive. We all loved them at the time. Fantastic car for the money…. stuff what people like Jeremy Clarkson say in car reviews etc…… if you wanted an honest average usable everyday car for the family/all-rounder… They were great at the time

[@wutangpaul]

Late 90s Escorts were ridiculously good, the 1.6i in particular.

[@InputArchive]

Gen 1 Vectras are one of those cars you used to see absolutely everywhere, but when you stop and think about it, I honestly can't remember last time I saw one

[@polvandennieuwenhof9137]

I had a 2001 estate. Fine car with a lot if kit for the time. Loved my 1993 v6 vectra(mk3 cavalier) but the estate i had after never realy lived up to what it could be

[@danp8241]

my dad got a 2001 2.2 vetrca sri back in 2009... in 2010 i got a 2002 vectra 2.6 gsi as my second car i was 26... had it for 4 years and gave it to my dad... both were great cars... the gsi was my favourite car to date i regret moving on from it

[@cdchantler]

My mum had a vectra v6 estate. It was her favourite car ever

[@craigelmer8566]

Did about 60k in a vectra B sri140, 60k in a vectra B 2.5gsi, and then 120k in a 07 1.9cdti. Never had any issues. Munched the miles up well

[@spavatch]

As a matter of fact I liked the way it looked. Back in my teenage years I had a navy blue Vectra CDX liftback on my Windows 95 wallpaper and I wished we had one. It never happened though, dad bought an Astra. I still turn my head when I see one in good shape though so there's surely something to it 😉

[@harrylee833]

i used to love the look of these as a kid. especially a V6 CDX estate. but i loved the Xantia more and now i’m on my 4th one🤣

[@FidermanX]

For daily drive this is an excellent car specially the refreshed version.

[@johndo7742]

I just acquired a 2008 1.8 SRi and I am so pleased to have it. I had toyed with the idea of buying new or fairly new but when you look at it, the entire domestic car market has been poisoned. Well, maybe Morgan are still ok. I couldn't buy a BEV because I have to do a 240 mile round trip most weeks. I don't want a hybrid because, well why buy a car that is over engineered? I don't want a diesel because despite my long journeys, I don't want to even think about the DPF. I don't want a petrol car because I don't want an undersized, turbo charged, 3 cylinder, wet belt basket case. The Vectra I now have is fuel efficient, good looking, very practical and affordable - I actually own it!

[@jkb2016]

I was a kid when the (Opel 2nd G) Vectra was released and I liked it. I liked all Opels. I rather wanted an Omega, but my little brother owns a 2019 Insignia estate. He likes it a lot!

[@johndoyle4723]

I had a Cavalier as a company car, but then jumped to a 3 litre Senator and that was the end of my Vauxhall experience. I test drove a Mondeo as a suitable car for some of our sales staff, and it was superb, and they loved it, but the Vectra never really got any traction, and was considered a bit boring by our road warriors, they also loved the Peugeot 405 turbo diesel.

[@AledPritchard]

Great video, I love this channel, so informative, I could watch this channel all day. The best thing was discovering it and going through the back catalogue. Bliss! 👌🏻

[@t.a.5998]

I have a 2008 Vectra C Liftback 1.8 Petrol engine, manualtransmission. It has 244 000 original km and no issues whatsoever!

[@chrislockey7706]

I was lucky enough to have a Vectra 2.8v6 turbo auto Brilliant car , very fast but was expensive to tax

[@MrDuncl]

Even my 2.2L was expensive to tax as it was just the wrong side of a tax bracket (which didn't exist when I bought it).

[@RobertPerry-e4r]

I had one as a company car, 2.0 SRI, it was quick and solid, but terrible to drive, I used to avoid back roads and only drive on motorways and main roads, it didn’t really occur to that I was subconsciously avoiding certain roads until colleagues said they were doing it, it says something when the car you drive dictates the roads you go down, changing to a Peugeot 406 was a revelation and I had previously loved my 2.0 GLS Cavalier

[@snoopy10411]

The first car I ever drove was a MK3 Cavalier. It was my dad's company car. I was 15 at the time and remember taking it for a spin with my dad on Black Rock Sands beach at Porthmadog once the day trippers had all gone home whilst we were on a caravanning holiday at a nearby campsite.

[@nachof248]

I loved the 90s low drag Vectra when I was a kid In Argentina our TC2000 Touring car racing Vectra was awesome IDN, I loved it, I never understood the hate towards it, for me it's a beauty.