Vauxhall Cars for 2007/8

The all new Corsa. With stunning, confident new styling, plenty of space and brilliant attention to detail, inside and out. A dynamic new chassis with punchy petrol & diesel engines makes it fun to drive. And more clever features than ever can only make life easier wherever it takes you.

New Vectra hatchback, saloon and estate models raise the game with enhanced levels of refinement. Dramatic new styling, significantly improved driving dynamics and increased interior quality all combine to set new standards of comfort and control. The car's chassis is entirely in tune with UK roads and with an improved engine line up that includes V6 petrol turbo performance, alongside advanced common rail turbo diesel technology, New Vectra is more rewarding to drive in every sense.

New Signum is a new breed of executive hatch. Effortlessly combining the premium quality of a saloon with the versatility of an estate car and the flexibility of a modern MPV. The latest models benefit from dramatic new styling, enhanced interior design and significantly improved driving dynamics. And with Sat Nav standard across the range, the driver will feel every bit as relaxed as those sitting behind. Satisfying the conflicting demands of work, family and leisure in one roomy and unashamedly individual package, New Signum is truly a car full of ideas.

Paris Motor Show World Premiere for the Antara, Intelligent four wheel drive to give car like dynamics Launches this Summer Just one year after the three door GTC crossover concept car's enthusiastic reception at the IAA 2005, the production version of the all new Vauxhall Antara made its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show on 30th September 2006.

The Vauxhall TRIXX small car concept shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March, highlights the company's accelerating innovative design and style objectives. TRIXX has an inflatable rear seat, sliding electric doors, and a push button roof hatch that allows it to carry extra long objects upright. For economy and performance in the ultra compact city car Vauxhall has selected the all new 1.3 CDTi common rail diesel engine.

New Corsa VXR on sale mid March Lightweight turbo 1.6 litre engine producing 192PS and more than 260Nm Top speed of 140mph and 0-60 in 6.8 seconds Immediately distinguishable from other models in the new Corsa range, the three door only VXR comes with several unique VXR styling cues. The mirrors, front foglamp surrounds and centre exit exhaust tailpipe all have a triangular theme, while the aggressive front and rear bumpers are unique to this model. Sweeping side skirts and an angular roof spoiler help accentuate the three door Corsa’s already muscular design, while a mesh front grille, blue painted brake calipers and optional 18 inch alloys further set off the VXR’s performance appearance.

The Astra VXR uses a 237bhp version of Vauxhall’s turbocharged 2.0 litre petrol engine to deliver blistering acceleration. While it’s rather flat at low revs, there’s a massive surge as the turbo gets into its stride and launches you forward. Flat out, rivals simply won’t be able to keep up.

& our next blog will be called (Classic Cars from Vauxhall).

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Vauxhall's Tiny Tigra

Priced at...£13,995 - £16,145

The 89bhp 1.4 litre engine in the Tigra may be 3.0sec slower from 0 to 60mph, but on the road it feels every bit as lively as its 1.8 litre sister with 125bhp. The 1.3 litre diesel isn’t as quick as the 1.4 but it’s smooth and flexible and has good pulling strength.

Vauxhall has done a fine job of making the Tigra’s body rigid and resistant to shimmy on poor surfaces. It copes well with bumpy roads and has a supple ride in town. The handling is competent but does not provide the same fun factor as the Mini Convertible, and the Tigra’s steering is also low on feel.

With the roof stored away, the Tigra’s steeply raked windscreen directs most of the wind blast over its occupants heads to make even motorway journeys easily possible. Raise the roof and very little wind roar is audible, although some road noise does infiltrate. The engines keep themselves to themselves unless worked hard.

The clever roof and a decent drive should see the Tigra’s used values hold up well, much like its competitor, (the Peugeot 206 CC). This makes the Vauxhall a sound private buy, while the 1.4’s 16% company car tax banding makes it attractive to business users. The 1.3 diesel’s emissions put it in the 15% company car tax bracket.

Some metal roofed convertibles have had reliability problems with their electric folding mechanisms, it’s too early to tell if this will be true of the Tigra’s. The car borrows its chassis and engines from the Corsa range, and these have proven to be durable components. The interior appears more solid and better built than the Corsa’s.

For security the Tigra’s steel roof makes it much more resistant to thieves than its rivals with fabric roofs. Deadlocks are also fitted as standard, and the Tigra should keep most criminals at bay. Twin front and side airbags are included on the safety roster, as are anti lock brakes, but traction control is an option.

The Tigra is strictly a two seater, but it’s a very practical one thanks to a large boot that is not rendered useless when the roof is folded. Some boot space is lost with the roof lowered, but there’s still enough space for a couple of small cases, and there’s a generous shelf behind the seats.

Overall the Vauxhall Tigra has a quick and easy to use roof that still leaves a decent amount of luggage space, and it's well priced, easy to park and is good on fuel too.

The next blog will be called (Vauxhall Cars for 2007/8).

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Please fill free to drop us an email if theres anything we can help you with, and go ahead and tell friends about us and check out our links and let us no what you think. Because your appinions matter and we're allways changing to make things better. If you want a persiffic vehicle and its not here then let us know what it is at general33@hotmail.co.uk.

Vauxhall Manaro Holdens sister

PRICE: £29,965 to £36,995

Vauxhall borrowed the Monaro from its Australian sister company "Holden", and made the Vauxhall Monaro available in the UK.

The Monaro shares little but the badge with any other Vauxhall, shunning the 2.2 litre four cylinder in favour of a thumping V8 borrowed from a Corvette. A larger car than most coupes, the Monaro has useable back seats for a couple of adults even though it’s only a 2 door.

Monaro backs up those muscular looks with a thunderous 5.7 litre V8 powerplant. Handling is reasonable and there’s plenty of standard equipment. But you’ll be on first name terms with your local petrol stations & it's not as fast as it could be.

The standard Monaro Chevrolet V8 produces 349bhp and 353lb ft of pulling power. The VXR flagship has a 6.0 litre V8 which produces 398bhp and 391lb ft of pull.
Narrow back roads throw into focus the Monaro’s sheer size. It’s big but fairly nimble for a vehicle of its size. The steering, although slow, is accurate and provides plenty of feedback. The firm suspension keeps the body under control but small, high frequency bumps can cause it to patter.

The Monaro is kitted with a premium audio system, but the only time you’ll want to use it is during a motorway cruise. Because that V8 grumble underneth the hood is to be savoured, not muffled. Road noise is acceptably low, given the low profile tyres, and wind noise is kept to reasonable levels, too.

The powerful V8 engines and amount of kit for your money makes the Monaro seem at reasonable value, but average fuel economy is less than 20mpg or 13mpg around town. Servicing will be expensive, while insurance costs will be steep, too, due to the car’s group 20 rating. High carbon dioxide emissions earn the Monaro a place in the maximum 35% company car tax band.

Equipment may be in plentiful supply, but the switches that are used to operate it do not feel of a high enough quality. The plastics, too, are not worthy of a car that commands such a high list price. It is too early to predict the Monaro’s mechanical reliability.

The Vauxhall Monaro gets remote central locking, an alarm and deadlocks as standard. There are also a visible VIN and locking wheelnuts. Twin front and side airbags are present, as are ABS and seatbelt pre tensioners.
There’s plenty of cabin space up front. The seats adjust electrically, while the large steering wheel can be adjusted for reach as well as rake. However, the heaviness of the clutch and gearbox make the car feel more of a handful than it needs to be, especially in town. The trim is uninspired but hardy.

The Vauxhall occupies a fair amount of road space, but the good news is it’s big on the inside, too. Even with tall people in the front seats, rear occupants will not find themselves short of legroom. There’s plenty of shoulder space, too, although the tallest passengers may find their heads brushing the roof lining above the rear window.

There’s no reason for anyone to feel uncomfortable in the Monaro, because both versions come complete with climate control, leather upholstery, a top end CD multichanger with steering wheel mounted controls and electric front windows, along with remote central locking, cruise control and metallic paint.

And our next blog will be called (Vauxhall's Tiny Tigra).

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The Upside of Buying a Vauxhall

The upside to buying a Vauxhall is that it basically will sell itself, now below you'll find exactly how and were their best rated. Along with this, Vauxhall also have a great safty rating on their cars, although you should come to expect it's on more newer cars then the older ones.

(New & Used), #5 = not bad - #1 = excellent.

#1.) Vauxhall Corsa: (New) The Corsa does everything just that little bit better and more than its rivals.
#3.) Vauxhall Astra: (Used) Modern styling and comes with good equipment levels on all it's cars.
#5.) Vauxhall Astra: (New) Good enough to have the VW's worried. Astra offers a very fine drive and a spacious cabin.
#3.) Vauxhall Vectra: (Used) You get a huge lot of car for your money when it comes to the famous Vectra.
#4.) Vauxhall Vectra: (New) A fine cruiser with excellent refinement, and handling has very much improved.
#1.) Vauxhall Vectra estate: (Used) A huge boot and a smoothe ride for little cash what more could you want.
#1.) Vauxhall Vectra estate: (New) Huge load bay, spacious cabin and an economical diesel engine.
#1.) Vauxhall Zafira: (used) Ground breaking MPV, and goes for rock bottom prices.

Now for the all important Air Bag issues that people have. It should answer all your Quries.

Theres a huge concerns about children and other small passengers, especially smaller people being killed or seriously injured by malfunctioning or over powerd air bags, in 1997 the National Highway Traffic Saftey Administration (NHTSA) issued a final rule to allow auto manufacturers to use lower powered air bags. This rule permits air bags to be depowered by 20 to 35 percent. In addition, starting in 1998, all repair shops and dealers were allowed to install on/off switches that allow air bags to be deactivated. Vehicle owners could now be authorized (by the NHTSA) to get on/off switches installed for one or both air bags in their car if they (or other users of their car) fell into one or more of these specific risk groups:

For both driver and passenger sides Individuals with medical conditions in which the risks of deploying the air bag exceed the risk of impact in the absence of an air bag.

For the driver side (in addition to medical conditions) Those who cannot position themselves to properly operate their cars at least 10 inches (25.4 cm) back from the center of the driver air bag cover.

For the passenger side (in addition to medical conditions) Individuals who need to transport a baby in a rear facing child restraint in the front seat because the car has no rear seat, the rear seat is too small to accommodate a rear facing child seat or because it's necessary to constantly monitor a child's medical condition

For the passenger side (in addition to medical conditions) Individuals who need to carry children between one and 12 years old in the front seat because (a) the car has no rear seat, (b) the vehicle owner must carry more children than can fit into the back seat or (c) because it's necessary to constantly monitor a child's health.

If you would like to get an on/off switch installed in your car, you need a copy of NHTSA's brochure, Air Bags and On/Off Switches. Information for an Informed Decision, and the accompanying form, Request for Air Bag On/Off Switch. You can find these on the NHTSA web site, as well as at AAA clubs, new car dealers and state motor vehicle departments. The NHTSA will send you a letter of authorization that you can take to a repair shop. (Before you bother with all this, you should check with your auto dealer or repair shop to see if an on/off switch is available for your car.) Some retrofit on/off switches can be found and used if federal requirements are met switches must be operated by a key and equipped with warning lights to indicate whether the Air bags are turned on or off.

A group of doctors at the National Conference on Medical Indications for Air Bag Deactivation considered the medical conditions commonly reported in letters to the NHTSA as possible justification for turning off Air bags. They did not, however, recommend turning off air bags for relatively common conditions, such as pacemakers, eyeglasses, angina, emphysema, asthma, mastectomy, previous back or neck surgery, advanced age, osteoporosis, arthritis or even pregancy.

The NHTSA will authorize air bag deactivation on a case by case basis under appropriate conditions. Never try to disable the bag yourself remember.
The Future of Air Bags is aimed at maintaining and improving the lifesaving benefits of air bags that are in full swing. New NHTSA sponsored tests use improved (dummy) injury criteria based on new knowledge and research.

Cars that currently offer side air bags represent the new wave of occupant protection. Engineers say that designing effective side Air Bags is much more difficult than designing front air bags. This is because much of the energy from a front impact collision is absorbed by the bumper, hood and engine, and it takes almost 30 to 40 milliseconds before it reaches the car's occupant. In a side impact, only a relatively thin door and a few inches separate the occupant from another vehicle. This means that door mounted side air bags must begin deploying in a mere five or six milliseconds.

Volvo experimented with different ways of mounting side air bags and chose seat back installation because that protects passengers of all sizes regardless of how the seat is positioned. This arrangement allows them to place a triggering mechanical sensor on the sides of the seat cushions under the driver and front passenger. This prevents the air bag on the undamaged side of the car from inflating. Installing the entire air bag package in the seat back also offers the advantage of preventing unnecessary deployments that might be caused by collisions with pedestrians or bicycles. It takes a collision of about 12 mph to trigger side air bags.

BMW engineers have chosen door mounted air bags. The door has more space, allowing for a bigger bag that provides more coverage.
All of this makes it pretty clear that the science of air bags is still new and under rapid development. You can expect many advances in this field as designers come up with new ideas and learn from real world crash data.And our next Blog will be called (Vauxhall Manaro Holdens sister).

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Awesome Vauxhall VX220 Coupe

The Vauxhall VX220 is too extreme to be a rival for the Mazda MX 5 or the Toyota MR2, so its natural competitor is the car that shares its chassis, the "Lotus Elise". Unlike most contemporary Elises, the VX also has a 145bhp 2.2 or 197bhp 2.0 litre turbocharged engine. The standard VX's performance is sensational, but the Turbo can take on the very best performance cars. Both deal with corners with ease, and the driver is rewarded with phenomenal sensitivity through the steering wheel and other controls. There's no power assisted steering, but it doesn't need it, even at parking speeds. The five speed gearbox used is precise and keeps the engines singing. The VX's light weight means there's no turbo lag to worry about. Instead, there's just instant power coupled to brilliant handling. A supple ride takes care of comfort, although getting in and out of a VX is an acquired skill. We'd recommend either model, but if your budget can stretch to the Turbo, then get it. It has the same delightfully balanced chassis and handling as the 2.2 litre model, but considerably more power (197bhp v 145bhp), so it's that bit quicker. The 2.2 litre model is not far behind the Turbo it still makes a brilliant choice, and it's easier to live with than its contemporary Lotus rival, "the Lotus Elise". Most VX's will have been specified with leather seats, which are worth having, and an upgraded CD stereo, which becomes redundant at speeds beyond 60mph due to wind noise. A hard top is the desirable option and makes the VX more winter proof, although it can squeak and creak. A special edition Lightning model was finished in yellow with black wheels, but don't pay any extra for it. For such a specialised and focused sports car, the Vauxhall VX220 is amazingly easy on the wallet, thanks to enjoying the same labour rates as a Vauxhall Corsa. You will have to seek out a Vauxhall dealer that has a VX trained mechanic or seek an independent specialist. Because you'll need to visit them every 10,000 miles. Insurance is affordable for a car with such performance and the car's light weight means that a fuel economy of 30mpg is easily attainable in daily driving, although the small fuel tank will still require regular replenishment. The tyres on a VX are particular to that model because of their unusual sizes. The front ones are quite narrow for a performance car, so make sure they have plenty of tread, or you could be facing a steep bill for a full set of replacements. Check the tyres of any VX carefully to make sure the wear is even. If it's not, the car may have been crashed or the wheels bashed off of kerbs. Also look for signs of track day use, such as plenty of brake pad changes in the service file. There were some reports of collapsing suspension on early VX models, but this has not proved to be a common problem. Look for damp in the cabin, because the hood leaks and water ingress can leave a musty smell if it's not delt with immediately. The seats can work loose on their mountings and rock very slightly, so make sure they are securely fixed. The engines are tough customers, but ensure there is plenty of coolant in the water, because the radiator is up front and the engines can become very hot in slow traffic. Try to leave the car running for long enough to check that the automatic cooling fan cuts in as it should. But it's always advised to take someone with you who knows about them for that extra piece of mind, and remember not to buy the first one you see.

Verdict:: Superb handling sports car at very affordable prices.
Against:: The hood is not 100% weatherproof, and entry and exit can be tricky.
For Supercar:: looks, performance and handling at small hatch prices.

And our next blog will be called (The Upside of Buying a Vauxhall).

Please fill free to drop us an email if theres anything we can help you with, and go ahead and tell friends about us and check out our links and let us no what you think. Because your appinions matter and we're allways changing to make things better. If you want a persiffic vehicle and its not here then let us know what it is at

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Vauxhalls Spacious Zafira

Vauxhall Zafira MPV (1999 to continuing)

FOR: Clever seating for seven in a relatively small package, and good to drive.
AGAINST: Needs more safety kit, and the cabin is also short of storage cubbyholes.
VERDICT: It provides reliable and flexible family transport.

The Vauxhall Zafira is a seven seater, and they are arranged into 3 rows, the back row of which can be folded away (flushed with the floor) easily to create more space, individually or together. At the time of its introduction, this was considered "revolutionary", seats can be physically removed from the vehicle if not required. The system was named Flex 7. The car first appeared in 1999, and a second generation model was introduced in 2005.
Before the Zafira came along, the MPV market wasn't exactly full of bright sparks. Vauxhall's Flex-7 seating really changed things, the rear pair of seats quickly fold away flush into the floor, while the seats in the middle reclines, slides and tumbles. It’s easy to use, and now much copied by the likes of the latest Toyota Verso. It makes the Zafira's cabin more flexible than rivals of the day such as the Renault Scenic or even the Citroen Xsara Picasso.
The biggest problem with Zafiras is that they cambelt changes every 40,000 miles. There not cheap neither as each one comes in at around a few hundred quid. Except for the turbo model, fuel economy is good, with the favourite 1.8 petrol producing nearly 33mpg. If you opt for an engine above the 1.8 mark you'll notice a jump up in the insurance groups, so work with your budget to make sure you won't be left short. Models from 2001 onwards, service intervals were doubled to 20,000 miles. Vauxhall's Network Q web of approved used garages do good work at reasonable rates, but the thing is repair bills can be high if you're unlucky and something does go wrong.
What to watch out for when you go to buy one: Damp carpets that could indicate that water is working its way into the cabin through gaps in the bulkhead, but this isn't quite as serious as it sounds. Because about an hour's labour and a bit of sealant will have it fixe,. give all of the seats a test fold, but pay particular attention to the slide latches on the middle row, which often fail and can leave the seats unsecured, rear bumpers cost a lot to replace, so check for cracks or bodged DIY repairs with mismatched paint, and inspect handbooks to make sure that the cambelts have been replaced when they should have been. This doesn't apply to the chain-driven 1.6 and the 2.2 litre petrol engines, or the 2.0 litre diesel. Check that the spare wheel is still strapped underneath the car where it should be. It's there to free up space for the clever rear seats, and is all too easily stole,. the word on the street is go for the 1.8 Elegance model and avoid the 2.0 Di Comfort.
This Astra based seven seater is Vauxhall’s surprise package. Innovative ‘Flex 7’ seat-folding technology puts it ahead of the pack in terms of use of space and its compact size means it’s a good drive. But the ride is ponderous and the rear seats are for small children only.
High driving position gives a good all round view. The seats and steering wheel are adjustable, which makes it easy to get comfortable. Dials are clear, but some radio buttons are too small and fiddly. However, Zafira's driving position does feel more ''van like'' than the Astra on which it is based.
Wind and road noise mean it's less refined on the motorway, but it's otherwise competent, changing lanes and overtaking easily. Front passenger has plenty of space and the seats are quite supportive
High level of standard equipment, including air conditioning and electric front windows. Design is the best mix between spec and trim, while the 2.0 GSi has plenty of sporting touches like 17in alloy wheels.
Zafira lags behind the Picasso and Scenic with just a three star Euro NCAP rating. There are driver and passenger airbags with optional side bags, plus ABS and traction control on top cars. The Thatcham New Car Security Ratings (NSCR) give Zafira four stars for drive away theft protection and two stars for break in security.
The heavy body means the 1.6 isn't quite up to the job, as sed the 1.8 is a better all rounder and will suit most needs. 2.2 is a brisk performer without being hot, which is left to the athletic 2.0 turbo in the GSi. Zafira is without an impressive diesel engine. The early 2.0 Di is slow, low on power and unrefined. The 2.0 DTi from mid 2000 is a big improvement, with more power and performance. However, neither is a truly modern choice and is only suitable for the long distance motorway driver. Zafira is largely based on the Astra and it shows on the road. Its taller, chunkier body means it's not as supple, but it still handles more like a conventional car than a bulky MPV. It's easy to manoeuvre and good all round visibility makes it easy to drive around town.

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And our next blog will be called (Awesome Vauxhall VX220 Coupe).

Please fill free to drop us an email if theres anything we can help you with, and go ahead and tell friends about us and check out our links and let us no what you think. Because your appinions matter and we're allways changing to make things better. If you want a persiffic vehicle and its not here then let us know what it is at general33@hotmail.co.uk.