Hi,

I have a Vectra with a 55 number plate. At about 60,000 miles the oil pump seized which ruined the 1.8l petrol engine. I had another 1.8l engine, second hand, put in and carried on.

Last week, driving the car with this second engine, there was a bang and the oil streamed out on the road. The RAC rescuer said there was a hole in the engine and that it was a write-off. This engine had done about 40,00 thousand mile with us.

Now both the cars had always been professionally serviced on time and kept in good mechanical order. In fact the last MOT on the second car was performed about a month before the failure. Both cars, however, were bought secondhand.

Have I just been unlucky? Is it possible that I have been driving them badly to cause both failures?

I have to say that the Vectra is physically an ideal car for someone of my long and lanky build and I'd buy another one is I could be reasonably certain that a third failure would be highly unlikely. If anyone could give me some guidance on this, I'd be highly grateful.