The Wife's Vectra-C - The other battle wagon

[Envoy CDX]

Is it rolled steel hangers on the exhaust that's missing?

[Robsey]

Probably needs something like this for the post-Cat exhaust pipe.



I would need to measure the pipe diameter to ensure the correct size.

[Robsey]

Is it rolled steel hangers on the exhaust that's missing?

No idea - it is completely missing - just a bit of weld left behind on the pipe.

And a barbed rod under the car body.

[ilovedmymantas]

Could you remove it and weld it at Troy's?

[Robsey]

My bank account is too heavily bruised from the MOT to even stick a plaster on it until the end of the month.

As for Troy - he is crazy busy at the moment, and I need to let the paying jobs get done first.

[Envoy CDX]

Is it rolled steel hangers on the exhaust that's missing?

No idea - it is completely missing - just a bit of weld left behind on the pipe.

And a barbed rod under the car body.

It'll sort. as long as its working for now. That is what matters.

[Robsey]

Finally - the Vectra has gone away for some tlc.

The dual mass flywheel has been making rude noises for years.
About a month ago, the whole engine vibrated when it revved at around 2000 rpm.

I have been nursing the engine around for as long as I can remember, so typical cruising is at around 1750 rpm.

30mph in 3rd
40mph in 4th
50mph in 5th and
60mph in 6th...
You get the idea.

Add to that, the timing belt is at least 16,000 miles overdue.

Recommended replacement is at 90 to 100k miles.
1st belt changed at 87k.
Second belt is still there at 193k miles.

This is where it gets bizarre.
The car was collected tonight by a girl I don't know.
Who has a garage 'somewhere' approx 3 miles away.

The only thing that stops me freaking out about it, is that my usual mechanic recommended her as he had no capacity for several weeks.

So I expect the car back in a few days. Fingers crossed - lol.

[Robsey]

I cannot think when I last tidied the car.
It was filthy, full of crumbs and stuff from my many mobile lunches.



I am sure the car will go quicker without the seven carrier bags full of junk and rubbish that I removed today.





It is still minging from 18 1/2 years of Robsey abuse, but better than it was.

[3cav3]

Sounds just like the issues I've got with my mk5 van, it wants exactly the same as your vectra plus a new gearbox. The stupid thing is on Friday though apart from wanting a headlight bulb (failed on route) it walked through its mot, not bad for a 12 year old commercial with 160k on the clock. Let's hope your bill is less than I've been quoted as it will probably result in the van being scrapped.

[Robsey]

I believe I am expecting a bill of £1300 if everything goes to plan.
About 7 hours labour if nothing goes the shape of a pear.
But it is a Vauxhall, so it is bound to fight back at every stage.

However, if parts are needed, the girl's garage specialises in dismantling Saabs. So she will have plenty of Saab 9-3 TiD parts available off her racks if anything breaks or strips along the way.

I am fortunate as I have the M40 gearbox...
A lot more robust than the M32 as used on the Astra and Zafira.

[3cav3]

£1300 sounds a very good price. Fingers crossed for you.

[Robsey]

Yes, I was expecting more, because I know that the clutch kit will include the dual mass, the release bearing and the crank seal...
not sure what else. Clutch slave, spigot bearing???

And of course a full timing belt kit.
The weak spot has always been said to be the plastic tensioner rollers.

I could have done with a full service and the inlet manifold being done, but you would be getting close to £2000 for all that. A bit strong an amount of cash for this time of year.

[Envoy CDX]

Fingers crossed it's all nicely done. It maybe the start of a cracking adventure of Vectra C tinkering

[Robsey]

The girl seems very dedicated.
She has already found a few issues with the offside outer CV joint - it is missing it's securing circlip.

The comment was "I only had to touch the strut and it came apart from the joint"
Yeesh!!

No other news yet about the car, so hopefully no sheared bolts in the subframe or anything else scary like that.

So far additional parts will be off-side CV joint and boot and off-side drop link.

[ilovedmymantas]

Doesn't seem a bad price, even with the extra costs.
To have the car driving as it should, racking up miles without worry must be worth it

[Envoy CDX]

The girl seems very dedicated.
She has already found a few issues with the offside outer CV joint - it is missing it's securing circlip.

The comment was "I only had to touch the strut and it came apart from the joint"
Yeesh!!

No other news yet about the car, so hopefully no sheared bolts in the subframe or anything else scary like that.

So far additional parts will be off-side CV joint and boot and off-side drop link.

That's good (and rare) these days. Be nice to see the end result.

[Robsey]

And the jalopy is back -
Hand delivered to my home.

I took it out for a local test drive.
Wow - it is totally different.
Feels a lot more solid and no more vibrations.

And another 90,000 miles of 'peace of mind'.

She also fitted an auxilliary drive belt as the old one was cracking.
I like the fact that she considered this whilst she had that end of the engine in bits.

First indications are very good.

£1385 including all the additional / recommended parts.


The car lives on.....

[3cav3]

Its great that not only you've got the car back, but also that you've found a decent mechanic. I bet she struggles a lot against sexism, but I couldn't care less what sex someone is, so long as they do the job well and at a fair price.
A friend of mines daughter used to be a mechanic for a few years but found sexism was too rife and moved into teaching instead. She says she'd rather of stayed as a mechanic.
Hopefully you'll now get another 18years out of the Vectra.

[Robsey]

Until I pull my finger out and get the Cavalier roadworthy, I have to keep the Vectra going.
Despite being 11 years newer than the Cavalier, a lot of parts are just as difficult to find.

As long as garages treat me and my cars well, and with respect, I will willingly spend my hard earned wages with them in the future.

As for being a girl - I have no worries about a woman working on my car. I tend to find that it is only a handful of men that act in a juvenile way. Girls tend to be more focussed and diligent.

[Envoy CDX]

Nice that it's fixed and that you're happy with the work. Merry Christmas Vectra!

[Robsey]

I have done about 50 miles since Saturday.
The usual Christmas related trips out.
I went through the usual Robsey paranoia.
"Did the engine just stutter?",
"does the engine sound louder and more clattery?"

All seems well.

What I did find was that despite only having the Combo van for a week, I kept putting the gear lever in the wrong place to select reverse, or trying to push the gear stick too far forward to engage 1st, 3rd, and 5th.

I am getting back into the swing of things now

Maybe I should treat the Vectra to a new cruise control stalk and radio aerial and base.

[Envoy CDX]

Maybe I should treat the Vectra to a new cruise control stalk and radio aerial and base.

Just yes

[Robsey]

Aerial whip fitted - not a huge improvement in reception.

I forgot to say... the aerial base for my car is obsolete in every type. Standard, with gps, or with DAB.
Being a hatch, my base has the rear washer jet hole in it.

All the bases available (aftermarket) for the vectra are for saloon or estate without the hole in

Base seal (aftermarket) is on it's way.
I should probably just clean the stalk tracks.
They are well known for getting dirty and becoming intermittent.

[3cav3]

Probably still better reception than I get in my Volvo, come to think of it I'm yet to find a Volvo with good radio reception once you get out in the sticks. The sound systems themselves are always great, its just I believe the ariels that they fit are too small, to anything made after the 240 era.

[Robsey]

Wow, the 240 era...

Probably only am radio back then (early to mid 80s).
Unless you had a particularly swanky Volvo with an upgraded radio - with "U" buttons.

Now they were battle-busses.