In brief: The Vauxhall Combo Van

[dxg]

(This is the Corsa-dervied thing I'm talking about.)

In a nutshell: pants.


I'm stuck driving one of these up and down the country this week (600 miles of the 1200 total done so far), and boy is it an unpleasant experience.

The highlights so far include:

Under-assisted rear drum brakes - on a van that will hit two tonnes when loaded isn't fun.

Duff turbo mapping. Forget the VAG TDI's progressive response and welcome to the world of boost only above above 2k rpm and a vehicle that struggles to move it's own weight below that engine speed.

An increadbily heavily clutch. So heavy, in fact, that first and second gears are pretty much unobtainable unless barely moving even with the peddle mashed all the way to the firewall. It was so bad that you would have found me in the third lane of the M8 in Glasgow city centre during this morning's rush hour having to use both hands to pull the thing out of second gear in the queuing traffic. That is *not* somewhere you want to break down. I don't know if this is a feature of the van itself or the fact that it's hired.

The worst stereo I have even seen in any vehicle. First - it's a van, so you'd think they'd fit something with a bit of clarity that could deal with the greater noise, but no. This thing doesn't even have RDS which, on a vehicle that's designed to tool up and down the country seems kinda odd. The stereo's so bad that I can't bare to listen to my music through it - so it's been Radio 4 all the way so far and you can only stand that for so long.

Terrible, terrible seats. First, the bulkhead stops them reclining far enough to get your arms appropriately straight for comfortable, controlled driving. The passenger one doesn't even slide. They are so damm uncomfortable that I'm currently having to stop every couple of hours just because my arse is hurting so damm much. I'm not kidding.

The engine has a fair amount of grunt though, although it feels really heavy. Haven't got a clue where it tops out because with those brakes, I haven't dared to properly stretch its legs. Bit of a shame on the remote bits of the M74, but I've got the final journey north in the Polo to look forward to for that.

Oh, and it holds a lot. And it's white.

Deek.

[dino]

So you like it then

[pettsy]

designers have only realised in the past few years how us van drivers need quality equipment like car users have,instead of just load-lugging ability!

[ModifiedMadness]

I drive one at work, I think I have more go at 3am than they have, I don't find the seat a problem though because I'm only small, usually have to move it forward a bit

[bstardchild]

As I've said before - Vauxhall don't make anything I like any more......

Yes I like the Monaro (it's an Aussi import) - I'll get one to replace the GSE or Lotus Carlton (depending on which ones dies first) when they are cheaper

Yes I like the VX220 but I'd Buy an Elise as a first choice if I wanted a plastic missile

I'm going to run My Senator till the wheels fall off before I buy a bloody Omega - in actual fact I quite fancy a Phaeton as it's replacement

[Tahrey1043]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!! it's a kangoo

heck considering how many fingers GM has everywhere, and previous fiat/french folk collaborations, it may well be

welcome to decontenting uk style btw

jeeez...... corsa van..... how dire strapped do you have to be to buy one of those in the first place? I suppose it's a spiritual successor to the bedford rascal, but i'd take one of those (soft-top, natch) before a corsavan

[Krupa]

I had a Corsa "Life" as a courtesy car while mine was in the bodyshop.

Quite well built despite the huge flat swathes of black plastic, and not that bad to drive. Decent amount of poke for a 1.2.

Main problem was its complete and total lack of character. It felt like a small, vague little hatchback and in a stunning shade of Spearmint Green and sporting 2 more doors than a car that small should (IMHO) it was about as interesting to look at.

Not a bad car, but woefully boring! My only Vauxhall experience to date, and tbh I really can't see why the Corsa is so popular with the boy racers. It's a bit of a girl's car.

[Tahrey1043]

because its group 1 insurance, has a ton of cheap/easy mods availble, and repairs are next to nowt

plus if theyve carried over the shared subframe meme from the older ones, you can quite easily fit a 2.0 turbo from an astra/cavvy/vectra in it... spell D-E-A-T-H-T-R-A-P

[Babe RuthLess]

Chevrolet haters, unite!!!!! (I'm a candidate for Supreme Chancellor)

It doesn't matter how you call them, Vauxhalls, Opels, Chevrolets, Holdens... I hate them. I just hate them. Don't ask me why. It must have something to do with the '83 Chevette (mk.I Astra in the UK) my mum owned throughout the 1980s. Just nasty.

The Corsa, well... It's not even a contender these days is it? I mean, it sells, but only to people with absolutely no knowledge of cars or perhaps the odd Chevy veteran who used to drive Comodoros (late '70s Carltons) and now can only afford a small car (thanks to the economic freefall of the 80s and '90s).

Deek's driving a Combo/Van thing - if you'd tried the real thing you'd know the seats are uncomfortable and the controls are nasty regardless of model and cost.

And the new Vectra is one ugly car too.

The only thing GM had going for them was the fact that their models used to be about 6 months behind was was being offered in Europe. Since the new Vectra though they adopted the "this model is too sophiscated for sale outside of Europe" line - borrowed from Fiat, I'm certain - and the Vectra is being launched here now, when it's become effectively outdated.

Then again, I must admit I'd hate it anyway because its a GM product.

[Tahrey1043]

dunno, the azzy is doing me alright (discounting, yknow, the thirst, and the lack of character) ... though it was an end of model run out so maybe effort was put in where it otherwise wouldnt have been, so it would shift off the forecourt

and it is making a funny squealing noise at the moment.... a week before i was due to book it in for a cambelt change

and smells like a pint of milk has been spilt in it though i know thats not even a possibility

hmmm

[bstardchild]

Chevrolet haters, unite!!!!! (I'm a candidate for Supreme Chancellor)

It doesn't matter how you call them, Vauxhalls, Opels, Chevrolets, Holdens... I hate them. I just hate them. Don't ask me why. It must have something to do with the '83 Chevette (mk.I Astra in the UK) my mum owned throughout the 1980s. Just nasty.

<snip>

Then again, I must admit I'd hate it anyway because its a GM product.

I don't agree

How can you dislike any of these

http://www.tigerstyle.co.uk/poloforum/v ... php?t=8414

I just don't think any GM products made these days with the odd exception are worth a wank

[GroovyCarrot]

I'm driving my sister's mk1 1.2 corsa at the moment. She's moving to london so trying to sell it and wants me to drive it around and get it noticed a bit, lucky old me. Still, gives me some time to do some work on the polo without worrying about getting places..

If I had to sum it up, I would say it's.. a car. A perfectly drivable, if a bit basic and unexciting, car. It's very easy to get into and drive, and it does everything it's supposed to, so I guess if you just want a car it's a perfectly good buy. Pros against the polo I would say are the handling (corners much more level), economy (50mpg on motorway trips from a mid 90's 1.2 with, I think, a carb is pretty good going) and ease of driving. Cons would be that it's not terribly exciting to drive, the driving position is too high, the seats are horribly unsupportive, the steering wheel is too big, the brakes are too sharp, the steering is too heavy and the power delivery isn't as even across the rev band as in the polo. I also can't get used to the damped throttle, it makes gear changes smoother but I find it a bit disconcerting that when I take my foot off the throttle the engine keeps revving until it decides it's ready, and then engine braking hits you in a great lump. Guess that's just something you get used to though..

[Tahrey1043]

yeah, the delayed lift-off is a WIERD thing... still, you get used to it apart from the odd fluffed very-fast change where it means the synchros cant quite cope (sounds like the corsa one is worse, maybe they're expecting people who cant change gear very well or very quickly?). It's not like it holds it wide open, it just stops it from closing completely using the idle control valve i think, so they fall off more slowly.

can usually feel it shut off downhill round town in 4th or 5th a couple seconds after lifting the pedal (..or more) ...... its a bit like the injector cut-off on the polo really. ('cept thats a bit more disconcerting.... when you dip below ~1500rpm, the power comes *back* slightly with a gentle release of the braking force )
a cleverer manufacturer might have made it only take effect when you push the clutch as well, really makes clutch-less shifts a pain in the pants

basically what you're saying is:
no major faults... but DULL and full of little niggles

[GroovyCarrot]

Yeah, pretty much If someone gave me a corsa and told me it was all I could drive for a year, I wouldn't throw a tantrum.. I'd just not have quite so much fun driving as I do in the polo. The squeaks and rattles from the dashboard might get on my nerves after a while though..

I must work out if it's carb'd or fuel injected.. it's called a 1.2 merit, and I know most of the injected corsas of that sort of age were named 1.2i.. but if it's a carb then it's a very, very good one. Fires up perfectly and doesn't have any of the uncertainty that the carb tends to have until it's warmed up. Can anyone shed any light on this? It's a P reg 1.2 merit btw.