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always best to leave jobs like this to a day when its warm and dry - maybe July (if we're lucky enough to have another good summer this year) :-)

Its a tough one as this can tend to happen quite a bit nowadays with short journeys and poor quality fuel which then leads to the engine clogging up with carbon, soot and various other contaminants. This is quite usual to consume more oil if the car is taken on a long run after a period of smoking it around town. The pistons rings tend to 'gum up' into the ring grooves on the piston and then when it is revving hard and good engine temperature the rings may release and make a better seal. Also, the oil should show signs of discolouring if the carbon level is high and the oil will blacken up with the soot. Much like the good quality fuel it is also very beneficial to have very good quality oil in the engine as well.

I think the audio system may need a firmware update to handle the new software updates - the dealer would want quite a bit of money to run the update but if there is a warranty on the car or you have only just bought it you may be able to swing a favourable outcome

haha, nice one....that old threat - like when she says you don't need two motorbikes and if you get anymore then....😁

Thats really good to hear you had a pleasant and positive time on the inaugural run. They say every day is a school day and you're not the only one to suddenly find a function in you car a year later and think to yourself I never knew that was there, or if only I knew that before :-)

Hi Peter.....welcome to the club Good to have you onboard !

Thanks to your review of the scanner - they all seem to have a lot more functions now than just reading codes. I use an iCarSoft scanner and you can recode, reset, functions (such as force DPF), regular software updates and so much more for 10 makes of vehicle and around £130 to buy. I believe the TopDon is also of the same spec and great value for money

Hiya,is this meeting on again in Suffolk in 2026? It's close by I'd love to come along.

Hiya, after my first night time drive last might in my 2011 Astra I felt the lights were not as bright as my previous lease car which was 2022 though I don't like the annoying trend for dazzling headlights that seems to be prevalent. I will try a set of those Halfords bulbs though, a little more light can only help.

Back doors child lock on all the time the button on door makes no difference on startup CHILD SAFETY ACTIVE comes up on dash. Any help much appreciated by this ancient newbie

Hello, I have recently brought a insignia 2011 2.0 CDTI Elite Nav. I have an issue with some warnings service AFL LAMP and both check dipped beams plus headlamp levelling malfunction the thing is it has halogen bulbs so I have taken it for a diagnostic scan and the error is Lin bus malfunction U1501:00 and a dozen U codes with numbers also. Do I have the correct headlights in my vauxhall? It does have Auto lights switch which is why im so confused that the type of headlights it has. Any help is much appreciated David

What a shame. Decent Vectras are very hard to come by, especially high-spec V6 models. It’s unfortunate I didn’t come across your post sooner, the search continues! Thanks for your response. Have a nice weekend.

Let us know what you find and how it was fixed

Crikey! that's a punchy engine - the 2.3 Magnum was a real powerhouse and not much could challenge that engine (and car) back in the day (when Vauxhall were heavily into motorsport) Totally agree, you will find out how well (or bad) the car has been built and you can add mods to it as you go along.

Appreciate the optimism, I really do, but I can't start because I don't know where to start, I simply can't find any schematics or sheets or whatever detailing how to get to the throttle body. Not a mechanic, but would go for the job if I had some support (sheets, schemes etc). Does anyone know where these could be brought/accessed? I tried looking for Crossland workshop manuals, bought the online Haynes manual which is not that detailed, but I can't find a proper workshop/service manual, not even to buy online. Any support would be appreciated.

Hi Andy , thank you for posting. I certainly will take you up on your offer for advice , and I'm a monster for regular and proper oil and servicing, on any car I've owned, firm beliver in prevention over cure . I'll post some photos as I go along . Cheers Steve

I would advise to try a second opinion from a specialist as you may end up spending more on parts that may not be needed.

Oh that looks like it will do the job nicely, please let us know how you find it does the job

Was thinking 'Europe' as they marketed it as an Opel so more than likely extend your search to European countries

lol...there's no pleasing everybody for sure!

It does sound like the condensation has spread to corrosion in the connections or mechanisms. I have previously drilled small hole(s) into the back of light units and speedos on motorbikes to allow the unit to breath (once the seals are compromised) and this works fine Maybe also see if you can remove, clean up and the spray electrical contact cleaner into the connections before refitting

Hi...and welcome to the Club Interesting to read your history with Vauxhalls, from the era when they were great cars to work on. Droopsnoot Firenza, always wanted one and now wouldn't be able to afford one....good luck with your search for a classic Vauxhall. Feel free to jump into any post you feel you can answer or add your opinion, wisdom, etc. Great to have you onboard !

Hi all, I’m an individual vehicle owner who’s experienced a wet timing belt–related engine failure and I’m trying to raise awareness and understand how common this issue is across the UK. Independent garages are increasingly talking about wet timing belt degradation (e.g. PureTech, EcoBoost), where belt material breaks down inside the engine oil, blocks the oil pickup, and leads to oil starvation and sudden engine damage — sometimes at relatively low mileage and with little warning. Rather than treating cases in isolation, I’ve put together a voluntary owner reporting page where people can share their experience if they choose. This isn’t commercial research, a survey, or data collection for profit — it’s about consumer awareness, supporting complaints, and helping owners understand whether what they’re experiencing is common. The page also includes guidance on: • what evidence helps if a claim is rejected • who to report issues to • and how others have navigated warranty/manufacturer responses If you’ve experienced something similar and want to share, details are here: 👉 https://sites.google.com/view/wet-belt-failures/home No obligation at all — even comments describing your experience are helpful for discussion. I’m also interested in hearing from mechanics or trade professionals who are seeing this more often.

Wow! I'm totally jealous - superb cars from an era when cars were interesting and were a passion unlike todays' vehicles. Welcome to the club !