Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

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Sat 25 Jun 2016 17:04

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Paul baker 360

2 questions, first any one share some light on this dealer?

GCS Car Sales Ltd
610 Western Avenue?London?W3 0TE

And any tips on this car, price/ what to look out for

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 cdti Eco flex 16v se 5dr start stop sat nav leather seats

114,000 miles on the clock

Done vehicle check all green and has mileage data/record

2x KEYS, Next MOT due 11/03/2017, Full dealership history, Excellent bodywork, Beige interior - Excellent Condition, Tyre condition Good, Navi 600 Satellite Navigation - SD Card-Based Satellite Navigation System with 7in Colour Monitor and USB Connection, SD Card Slot and Aux-In within Centre Armrest, Cruise Control, Single-Zone Electronic Climate Control (ECC) Incorporating Air Conditioning, Start/Stop System, 17in 7-Spoke Alloy Wheels with Locking Wheel Nuts, CD/MP3 CD Player/Stereo Radio, DAB Digital Radio and Shark Fin Aerial, Driver Information Centre, Electrically Operated Front Windows with One-Touch Facility and Electrically Operated Rear Windows with Safety Autoreverse and Child Isolation Facility, Electrically Operated Rear Windows, Hill Start Assist (HSA), Remote Control Security Alarm System, Tinted Glass, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. BLUE, Drive Away Today!, £5,400 p/x welcome

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Sat 25 Jun 2016 17:22

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Paul baker 360

Edited by Paul baker 360 on 25/06/2016 at 17:33

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Sat 25 Jun 2016 19:06

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Ethan Edwards

First time buying a car? Were you given a previous car or inherited one? Comoany car? Do you have any insurance no claims discount?

Because if not I don't think that's a suitable first car. You should be looking at much smaller cars like maybe the Citroën C1 or maybe a small Fiat. For a few years first, not a lot wrong with the car you describe except that it's big powerful and likely to be expensive to insure and inevitably repair.

Hope that helps.

Edited by Ethan Edwards on 25/06/2016 at 19:07

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Sat 25 Jun 2016 19:21

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Wukl

My first thought was that £5400 was a lot for a 114k Insignia. But a quick check on Autotrader confirms that's not untypical. A petrol Insignia for the same money will be newer and/or lower mileage. I think general opinion would steer you away from a diesel at this mileage; it depends on your appetite for risk. If you can assure yourself that the DPF is ok, that the turbo is ok, that the DMF is ok etc, you could be getting a car that will run to 200k with no problems. Or it could have all those things waiting to fail, and fail expensively in which case £5400 look very expensive.

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Sat 25 Jun 2016 19:35

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Paul baker 360

Thanks for getting back guys. It will be my first ever car ( had a motor bike for a few years) insurance cost is not a problem.

Would an Alfa Romeo Giulietta 2010 petrol/diesel at around 70,000miles be a better car for me?
Cost around the same sort of money.

Appreciate the tips greatly

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Sat 25 Jun 2016 19:38

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Paul baker 360

Also add that my annual mileage will be crazy low as work/friends/family etc are all 5-10 mins drive away.

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Sat 25 Jun 2016 19:40

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Paul baker 360

+ it's for me / wife and 2 kids

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Sat 25 Jun 2016 20:08

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Wukl

I can't see anyone recommending you a diesel for very low mileage; it will hardly get warm in the winter. Petrol all the way, possibly look at a petrol hybrid if your short runs are in the suburbs at peak times. A Prius is just about your only choice around the price of that Insignia. It's a polarising car I know, but if you have a motorbike to hand you have excitement covered! They are very popular as minicabs I've read, and provided it's healthy and properly maintained should handle high mileages.

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Sat 25 Jun 2016 20:17

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - RobJP

As said : for lots of short trips, a modern diesel is big bills waiting to happen. Go petrol / hybrid.

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Sun 26 Jun 2016 14:13

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Metropolis.

Had a ride in an Insignia recently, lovely cars!! I know plenty of people that have had 4x4s for their first cars. Dont be put off. That said, with your mileage i'd opt for a petrol.

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Sun 26 Jun 2016 20:38

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - daveyK_UK

Lots of gearbox and clutch issues with the 1.8 petrol insignias, also a few head gasket cases.

Likewise lots of head gasket failures of the 1.4 turbo petrol insignias, although this is true of all the Vaixhall range that use this engine.

Lots of other common faults, the owners forum is a good place to do some digging.

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Thu 30 Jun 2016 10:19

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - puckdrop

Hi, I have a 1.5 Prius Hybrid.

There are a couple of posts on here recommending you steer away from Diesel due to your low mileage - I fully agree with this. However I would also suggest you don't go the hybrid route, and perhaps go for a full electric like a LEAF or a plugin.

The logic being this...

During warmup, a hybrid will empty the battery pack as it tries to let the engine warm up at a constant RPM so uses the electric motors more. So your car will actually spend a lot of time with the engine running to try and re-charge the battery to a "nice "level - only for you to empty it again assuming you don't start from hot after visiting relatives ( ie.. 1-2hr + stay).

Therefore you will never really see the benefit of a hybrid because you will be using more fuel recharging your battery to an acceptable level for the system.

A plugin would be better - it would give you the range on "hybrid" mode to just jump and go any distance like a "normal" car, with the EV range to give you low cost short trips. An EV like the LEAF would also be good for you given your low mileage.

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Sun 26 Jun 2016 23:24

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - Avant

Don't be frightened of high mileage, but do be wary of all thos electronic extras on the car you're looking at. I agree with the others - for your low annual mileage you need a petrol engine.

I'd suggest going for either a Ford (lots of them about to choose from - a Focus should be a good size for your first car) or something Japanese (a bette chance of getting a reliable one).

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Sun 3 Jul 2016 15:49

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - TopScot

Stay well clear of an insignia. They are designed for sales reps travelling up and down the motorway. I don't know if any taxi driver that hasn't had serious issues - Clutch, DPFs ,Dmf, snapped timing belts, two drivers in Glasgow, their insignias burst into flames! At that mileage your taking a big gamble.

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Sun 3 Jul 2016 21:09

Vauxhall insignia 2.0 eco flex se 12 reg - First time buying a car. Need advice - daveyK_UK

Only ignorance canbe the explination why some people want to defend the Insignia which has more common faults than most makes and models.

Buying an insignia over 3 years old and out of warranty is financial self harm.

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