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Hi everyone. My name is Richard and I’m based in Bristol. I used to work for Welch’s, the main Vauxhall dealer many years ago in the early 80s as a salesman and developed a passion for 80’s Vauxhall’s which has never left me. I now am fortunate enough to own a Low mileage gorgeous Mk 1 Astra GTE 3 door in polar white, unmolested and completely original, a Mk2 Astra GTE 16v, same colour, very low mileage, again completely original and pretty much concourse throughout plus have just completed a full nut and bolt restoration to a 1985 Nova Sport with a mere 47,000 miles. This car is near enough identical to when it was delivered to the dealer new, other than it has the X 17 uprated camshaft which was manufactured in Sweden specifically for Irmscher and an option at the time. They are all driven and not just showpieces.

Hi Earlier this year I purchased a JC Wyvern which is a kit car using the Vauxhall Magnum running gear engine is the 2.3l High Compression slant four. Although the car look grand as he had recently a respray and a so called rebuild, I am now in the process of rebuilding it correctly. I would like to find any other JC owners so please get in contact if you own one or know someone who owns one

Hi everyone, Firstly, thank you for accepting my request to join. A little about me, I’m Craig from Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. My father worked in the local Vauxhall dealer on the island (McKirdy & McMillan) and I spent most of my younger years (1990 - 1998) growing up in amongst Cavaliers, Astras, Novas, Corsas and Carltons. The owner, Jim McMillan and I had a sort of bond and I had the utmost respect for the man and we became good friends despite the massive age gap. He had a white Senator CD annd it was sheer luxury. I still remember the reg no. It was G475 VGD. I loved that car. Unfortunately he took ill and the garage closed down in 1998 and he passed away in 1999 when I was 15. My apprenticeship was served in the local Ford dealer (W. & J. Duncan) then I worked in the Local Renault Dealer (Rothesay Motor Services) before going to work for my Father-in-Law full time driving his cattle float. I’ve owned a few Vauxhalls over the years, a Nova SR, Cavalier CD and two Cavalier LS and after not having owned one for around 20 years I’m starting to look for another Cavalier, Calibra, Vectra or Astra Will see what’s available when I’m actually ready to buy . Looking forward to having a good look around the forum and I’ll probably be looking for some help and advice in the near future.

Hi. Here is a photo of our Astra at the dealership back in December 2025 on the day we agreed to buy it.

Hi folks. Stonham Barns is holding Vauxfest again this year. But this year they are allowing club stands too. If anyone is interested in attending the details are to follow.

Has anyone else noticed how dangerous it is to drive at night with the modern cars emitting light beams that can be seen in outer space (almost)? What do you do to improve the situation? Night (yellow) Glasses, Tinted Windows, break the other cars headlamps ? Let us know what you think - take it away the floor is all yours!

Hi all new member I have a growing concern regarding this wet belt scenario I feel that it is time extreme pressure in some way should be applied to Vauxhall and other manufacturers to get rid of this wet belt whoever thought that this was a good idea I know other manufacturers use it as well as we will find out soon the cars for example bought on PCP of which more and more drivers seem to be going down that road will on average trade in after 4/5 years which means a lot of people buying second are going to experience this wet belt due for replacement not knowing this and continuing driving it with problems arising the average cost of replacing a wet belt is £1000 + where as a timing belt was on average £200 plus there a very few garages willing to tackle the wet belt replacement because of the amount of work on it I think vauxhall should either consider converting back to the timing belt or replace the existing cars with a chain that won’t deteriorate I think it is shocking that the motoring industry thought this was a good idea very poor show VAUXHALL & others Kenny L

Hi, Last summer I bought an approved second hand electric Mokka. I'm joining to ask questions - which I hope I'll post in the relevant forums! Peter, south coast England

Hiya Not managed to do a thing yet sadly , all of a sudden work has got very busy, on weds morning I'm hoping to send and clean the marks and fill with paint and then colour cut at the weekend. I promise to post progress photos as I go along.

Hello Steve. Welcome to the club. Feel free to post pictures of your car for all to see and admire. Yes as was mentioned in an earlier comment, I have some knowledge on maintenance on the Astra's. I am on my 2nd mk4 Astra, and wish I had got in to them years earlier than I did. I have been doing quite a bit to my beast, which due to its age is just replacing worn out parts. The main thing to do is keep up to date on servicing, and they'll return good mileage back. My Astra is a 1.6 16 valve auto, and has recently hit 242000+ miles, and is 24 years old. Happy motoring.

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

Thank you for your kind comment, my wife and I were very taken by its look and also the cabin and seats are well fitted and comfy. The dealer tells us it has a factory "XP" kit fitted which I must say gives it a modern and purpose full look , though my Son says the brake discs look tiny thru the big wheels !

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.

Hi Steve - welcome to the Club That should definitely blow the cobwebs out and give the battery a top up. @AndyR is your man for older Astra's advice, as and when any maintenance and repairs are needed

Now that the old girl has a new lease of life. I thought i'd give her a clean up and add some stripes to break up that silver a bit. And she has just made another milestone. 240000 miles. Not bad for a 23 year old.

We had our car just over a year from 2nd hand and it started to go. I never knew what it was, when i accelerated, i got "stop the car" and allsorts and it would cut out (not good on a fast bypass up in the highlands) My pal is a mechanic and the prices he said around gave me the fear. He said play your face at Vauxhall, so i did, one free wetbelt fitted for free, and not a £600+ bill, job done, Maybe grovel to Vauxhall as they realist how garbage a wet belt is.

Thought I'd introduce myself quickly. 2014 Insignia owner (two or three previous owners), very happy with it overall. Joined up to get help with a specific issue (I'm really not a car person so limited knowledge) but, after reading through some of the threads here, there's clearly a lot of very useful things to explore! I'm not likely to post much, I don't know anything useful about cars to share with you all!

Hi, I keep meaning to say thank you for your advise. We're a bit skint at the moment and the steering isn't playing up (touch wood), so we're saving up and hopefully get it in a garage ASAP. Thanks Ang :-)

Hi All, Recently picked up a 2012 Astra GTC VXR. Initially wanted an ST MK2 for the unbeatable 5-pot burble, but reckoned I wouldn't sleep peacefully after I'd researched the sleeve cracking issue in-depth 😅 This led me to the Astra GTC VXR. I've been pleasantly surprised with the overall package and driving experience this car offers. The performance and looks are a killer combo and a testament to a time when manufacturers were fighting to have the hottest hatch, while still letting you plonk a few buttons to unleash the dark side. Glad to be here!

Thanks for the welcome and when the weather clears up and I have cleaned the car I'll get some pics

Owned from new - metallic silver with factory fitted full body styling kit + 19in alloy wheels (snowflake design). Additional spare alloy wheel (purchased when no longer being manufactured). 130,000 miles - still runs extremely well. Bodywork in reasonably good condition for its age. Serviced and MOT'd last month. Excellent tyres - all tyres purchased during this year. Genuine reason for sale - running costs now somewhat of a luxury with only doing approx 2000 miles a year - for some years now. Does need money spending on it due to following issues - Offside & nearside inner drive shaft joints severely deteriorated (MOT minor defects) Nearside rear brake pipe corroded (MOT monitor & repair if necessary - advisory) Alloy wheels (which make the look of the car) could do with refurbishment. Panel on drivers door that operates both front windows not working. Petrol cap disconnected from central locking system as solenoid needs replacing. Wiper motor/linkages need attention as both wipers sweep against/beyond windscreen rubber surround. Water ingress into front passenger footwell. Reason unknown - suspect it may be windscreen seal damage/deterioration (not visible) where wiper blade has swept onto/over the rubber seal. Car needs TLC from a Vectra enthusiast who has the skills to maintain it. It would be such a shame to scrap it as 2.0 SRi petrol variants aren't so common these days - the car genuinely looks good. All offers considered. Tel: 07733 359313.

Hi there have you tried ebay? Failing that it might have to be a vauxhall dealership. I have found in the past that ebay has come up trumps on a lot of parts. Some can be high silly prices, but thee are quite a few that are decently priced. Hope this helps. Regards AndyR

Ty I got 1 from there thanks

Hi all Name is Kevin owned my Zafira since 2002 purchased as a 6 months old ex demo car from Hartwells

Hi everyone, I thought I would introduce myself to you all as I think I have some interesting history with Vauxhall. Back in the late 1950/Early 1960 my father worked at the Vauxhall plant in Luton, not really sure what he did, but probably on the production line somewhere. My earliest recollection of the car he drove was a Bedford CA Dormobile, I don't know that much about it other than the Reg number of NEW641 and the memories of places we visited with this vehicle, believe me we did some miles in it. The next car he owned probably around 1966 was a truly fantastic car, The Vauxhall Cresta PA Estate reg number UPM70, what a lovely car that was. Next was the PC Cresta saloon, another work of art, then he purchased ( brand new) probably with staff discount a Viva Van, not quite sure what model HA or HB in white, as a second vehicle in the household, I do remember that he tought both my Mother and my eldest sister to drive in it. So as you can imagine there is a bit of Vauxhall in my blood, currently I own a VX220, and a Mavano van that has been converted to a Campervan and there have been many other Vauxhall's in-between, as well as some interesting history with a vauxhall dealer where I worked for a few years. Just a short taster of many years with Vauxhall, if anyone is interested send me a message and I'll get back to you. Thanks for reading this, all the best

Hi mate I completely forgot about sharing my photos of my new Corsa ultimate and I also went for the 130 turbo!!........ it's like it's been given a steroid injection 🤣

Hi everyone from Australia. I have a 1960 Cresta, and very proud of her. I have recently found that the oil filter for her is no longer made. I am really hoping that others with Cresta’s have found either a supplier of an alternative or the collective buying power of special orders. This filter fitted the PA / PAY motors as well as a number of Bedfords. May well have been used in many others I am not familiar with. The RYCO filter number I have is R2065P. I am prepared to purchase in bulk. If members are happy to pass the word on I would be very grateful. Thank you for your help.

Lol Mate I'd be happy to sort out your scratches and paint chips and of course that extends to any and every member of this club .

I'll drive my car up to you when you've mastered it :-)

Hiya. Had a really good day today , what i was doing wrong was applying compound to the paint while it was wet with water , compound cuts better when the paint is dry so today got a few areas done dry and starting g to get very pleased with the results, as I go along I find more paint fits to do but that's OK, I e joy the results , from the weekend I'll start bothering friends and relatives to see if they have any paint scratches they want fixing !! Steve

Hiya. Completely agree some modern headlights are brighter a d more dazzzling the full beam, makes driving at night on B roads very difficult, I would like to upgrade from the standard bulbs my Vauxhall came with and I have found bulbs that are brighter but not searchlight beam strength, safer for other road users. But I agree it's high time this problom was dealt with. Steve

ah glad the cheaper option paid off and a lot safer in this sort of weather

And to add, does anybody know idmf DAB radionwas a thing on 2011 astra s? Idblike tonuse it but need to read the manual more or ask on this forum

Hi Peter and welcome.

Hi Steve. Yes it is all set to go ahead in june.

Took our first long drive (87 miles) in our 2011 Astra J today and I must say the car was a pleasant place to be , queit smooth , free of Drama , radio with TA now and again. We had sat the car since Dec 19th last year with a handful of small 2 to 3 mile drives , so I was pleased to give a run out, get a bit of charge into that battery. Steve

Thanks for reply i will have to go searcing again .saw video of pvc valve on peugeot puretech engine but valve is not in same place on vauxhall puretech

I've got a Crossland X and it has started to drink oil, I have always had main dealer service and the wet belt changed last year. I have been quoted over 6k to fix it doing a bit of digging it is my understanding Stellantis extended the warranty on Puretech engines beacuse of this fault

I have a 2019 Corsa registered in September 2019, I want to know if it has a dry belt, wet belt or timing chain because I have heard some woryying co9mments regarding wet timing belts

I have used a company that is based in Europe and great service - AutoDoc, worth going onto their website to see if available

Will do. I tried Wynnes adblue cleaner, but it hasn't helped with this particular issue - though I'd hope it helps reduce crystallisation in general.

Oh didn't realise you had an old Datsun, Andy - what model is it?

Hi everyone just want to introduce myself proud owner of my four vauxhall 🙂

88 mile round trip to the coast and back. Had a little glitch on the way out, but that was it. Purred all the way with no problems. 😃 just got to work out mpg to see if it's back to its usual consumption. Oh I'm so happy to be driving her and not be worrying.

Thats strange, i went vauxhall they said its the MAP sensor on inlet manifold.... ive check the 4 pin wiring all the way to the ECU its all good, just waiting for new MAP sensor come to see if it is that

I have a brand new and packaged tow bar complete with all nuts bolts and fittings for a five door 1.6 1998 astra any offers accepted . thanks Rick on 07889220124

I have now in my possession a 1996 Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Montana in green with 154,000 on the clock. I think it’s now had 3 owners as I had to put it into my name for SORN. My father owned the car for years and it was always garaged so it’s in very good condition but the engine even though it gleams does smoke a small amount. I would love to have any feedback on potential buyers.

This vehicle was purchased by me new in 1986. It had a new roof in 2023, new brake discs and pads 2023, a partial respray in 2016 and sundry remedial work 2024. It has approx. 58,000 miles on the clock. Can anyone please suggest a good selling site for this car. It has MOT until November 2025.

I have owned my very faithful Omega CDX 2.6 V6 automatic for sixteen years and my cousin for three years before. Unfortunately a suspected oil pump failure has resulted in a suspected big end knock. Before I send it to scrap yard heaven, does anyone know of any specialists Omega breakers who might be interested in salvaging parts for the few that are still out there on the road or in a collectors garage? She had quite a few new parts fitted in the last year and has five full size alloy wheels, two with new tyres a couple of weeks ago and two with new tyres last year, around 2000 miles wear. She would need picking up from Alton, Hampshire. I have been offered just under £300.00 for scrap so would be looking for offers of at least that, but I would rather see her recycled for spare parts. Please contact me for further details 07970496616. Frank Norris.