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Is the VX220 turbo included?
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Is the VX220 turbo included?
You can but ask, the dealer I contacted had specific cars available. I was specifically intersted in the Astra 3 door Sport and did not enquire any further... I have a fair idea what the answer is though.
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As far as I know you also have to leave a £250 or so credit card deposit which is refunded on the safe return of the vehicle at the end of the 3 days.
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Im sure i read that you have to over 25, i'll check...
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'Drivers must be 25-70, have had no more than 2 minor convictions in the past 5 years and have made no more than one fault / theft claim in the past 3 years to be able to participate in the Programme.'
Taken direct from the terms and conditions on the website...
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I wonder if my local dealer will let me have the Monaro? Now that would be good.
--
\"Nothing less than 8 cylinders will do\"
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I took them up on their offer, did 120 miles a day, no questions at the end, not heard from them since, and bought one privately
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Also took them up on the offer with an Astra. Loved the way it drove but didn't enjoy the interior of the car, and didn't buy one. Absolutely no hassle from the dealer in Chippenham, who couldn't have been more helpful. It's a great way to get to know a car.
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Wonder what will happen to all the cars? Go onto dealer forecourts with ex-demonstrator on them? Although strictly not true, I would guess they will take more of a hammering than conventional test drives with a salesman in the passenger seat!
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I took them up on their offer, did 120 miles a day, no questions at the end, not heard from them since, and bought one privately
Had my 3 day test drive in the 150BHP SRI Astra Sport hatch. Was pleased that I was not subjected to a hard sell at all. When I left the car back I had a quick chat with the sales guy who asked did I want one. I said not this afternoon and that was that.
I liked the car but have no idea why they put the sport button so far away from the driver on the dash.
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When I was in the US last year, GM had 'The GM $250 Challenge' - if you test drove a GM car for 24hrs and then bought something else, they gave you $250. GM is losing so much mony it's probably worth them paying people $250 NOT to buy one of their cars.
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I saw in the local paper in Bedford that the local Honda Dealer is offering a no pressure test drive offer on their diesel car range. Go down, take a car for a spin and see how you like it. OK it's not the Three Day test Drive as offered by VX, but it is an open offer none the less - perhaps we are learning soemthing from the Americans?
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Im not plain stupid, just a special kind of stoopid.
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Vauxhall did this last year and again 3 years or so ago. Last year I had a 3.2 litre Vectra GSI delivered to my door by two guys who had driven it from Leeds I think it was, just for me. Three guys collected it 2 or 3 days later, did a quick check to make sure it wasn't damaged and politely drove it away. No sales chat at all.
I had absolutely no intention of buying one, but was curious as to what the 'best' vauxhall had to offer was.
Car was very quick. Hard to keep under the legal speed limit and therefore would be amazingly frustrating to use day to day (100mph on the motorway at not much over tickover with loads in reserve............).
The rest of the car had no soul or character whatsoever, but it was a very interesting sales ploy. Must work as they keep doing it.
Interestingly when they did it a few years ago I ordered a 2.5 GSI Vectra (old shape) and they rang me the day before they delivered it to say that the one they were going to deliver had just been collected from the previous 'tester' and it was in such bad condition they couldn't let me have it. The two front tyres were down to the metal wires with no tread at all, the brakes were shot to ribbons and they thought it had been put on a race track! They delivered a 2.5 SRI for the weekend and the following weekend delivered a GSI for a few days. Both cars were awful but I pity the people who buy the ex-demos that have really been thrashed by people on these 3 day trials!.
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As the Passat has gone back, thought I'd blag a Vauxhall under this scheme. Called my local dealer and was advised that you must have a credit card (not debit card) or they cannot play.
We recently scissored ours so that scuppered that. Car rep blamed HQ rules.
I mentioned that Renault had let me have a Grand Scenic for a 5 day loan & perhaps they could do the same with a VX .... rep said the best he could do would be extended day long test & I would have to insure the vehicle. The Rennie came with Insurance albeit with a highish (£500) excess.
Not over impressed by attitude of VX here. I know I was blagging but the rep did n't. You would think that he may a scented a potential customer since I explained that I was in the market for a replacement for the TDi.
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Not over impressed by attitude of VX here. I know I was blagging but the rep did n't (know).
All car salesmen (but not the women) instinctively know when someone's blagging. It's what separates salesmen out from ordinary people.
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It's true, when they're admitted to the sacred fold, and taught the secret handshake, they have a little device implanted into their spine which gives them tiny electric shocks when someone's just come in to rag one of their cars around.
I saw it in a documentary once.
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I am currently in day 2 of my 3 day test drive of an Astra Sports Hatch. Arranging it was relatively easy, phone call to book, then go in with licence and 2 utility bills, visa card for deposit and thats basically it.
The car? Well I am very disappointed in it. Now bearing in mind I drive a Scenic as a sensible family car etc etc, I was really wanting to like this Sports hatch, rediscover my youth etc.
However, visibility in it is awful! Rear vision is like looking through a letterbox! Side vision is at its best if you have the passenger seat lined up with the door pillar! Failing that, this is also poor!
The wipers do not have a variable intermittent wipe.
The steering mounted radio controls do not have a mute button which I find ideal for phone calls (bluetooth of course). Also, they obviously move with the wheel unlike the column mounted ones in the Scenic.
Engine does not feel as gutsy as the diesel in the Scenic.
All in all, very disappointed. Yes I know many of these will be features in all 3 door coupes but I must admit I have really grown more in favour of my Scenic to the extent that I parked up the Astra today and took the Scenic back out.
This is the first shape of Astra that I have liked, the last one was the most dull looking car I had seen in a long while! Just very disappointed by the car.
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The wipers do not have a variable intermittent wipe.
According to the specifications, that is standard equipment.
vauxhall.co.uk/specs/standardFeatures.jhtml?brand=...a
Exterior and convenience features
Windscreen wipers with variable intermittent facility and flick wipe
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Mmm, can't find it - assuming controls are similar to Vectra, where is the control in the Vectra?
I would check the handbook but there ain't one!
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Mmm, can't find it - assuming controls are similar to Vectra, where is the control in the Vectra?
On my Vectra it's on the wiper stalk.
I would check the handbook but there ain't one!
vauxhall.co.uk/media/ownersManuals/Cars/NewAstra/N...f
Page 17.
Setting wiper interval to a value between 2 and 15 seconds:
Switch on ignition,
Stalk downward from position O,
wait desired interval time,
Stalk to interval position --.
The interval remains stored until the next change or the ignition is switched off.
Switching the ignition off and moving the stalk to -- sets the interval to 4 seconds.
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Sounds like another example of technology gone wrong! What was wrong with the old fashioned rotating stalk to adjust the intermittent timing!
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"Switch on ignition,
Stalk downward from position O,
wait desired interval time,
Stalk to interval position --.
The interval remains stored until the next change or the ignition is switched off.
Switching the ignition off and moving the stalk to -- sets the interval to 4 seconds."
You cant be serious! thats barmy!
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You cant be serious! thats barmy!
I have to agree. Perhaps a French car manufacturer had some part in developing the electrics ;o)
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So would it be bordering on immoral to go and test drive a car I have no chance of buying since I don't have the money?? I would basically be using it to take for a spin for a few days. Hmmm, I wonder if they would know by the look of me.
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Franco, I made it clear that I had no intention of buying a car within the next year but this didn't present me with any problems.
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I have no chance of buying since I don't have the money??
Looking at the T's & C's, you need to put down a £250 deposit, which is refundable providing the car is returned in the same condition as which it was loaned - fair wear and tear excepted. The £250 is for the insurance policy excess.
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I don't think it's a moral issue, Franco: you could test drive a Vauxhall and then tell all of us on this forum how good it is, and that will have done several salesmen's work for them.
Unfortunately for Vauxhall, not everyone on this thread has been impressed.
I wish Skoda would do it - 3 days with a Fabia might be enough to persuade wife and daughter (both Daily Mail readers) that Skodas are good cars now.
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"Switch on ignition, Stalk downward from position O, wait desired interval time, Stalk to interval position --. The interval remains stored until the next change or the ignition is switched off. Switching the ignition off and moving the stalk to -- sets the interval to 4 seconds."
Same method was used in my Ghia Fiesta...it's not actually too much of a hassle when you get used to it. I would have prefered a switch or dial though.
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I must admit I found rear visibility an issue, but then again I liked the looks... and you couldn't have both. So while it wasn't mine I did avoid reverse parking whenever possible.
I found the intermittent wipers and auto indicators quite intuitive after a few miles, but then again I have had several recent Vectras as Hire cars so. The newer fords have similar indicators and I do miss them when I go back to my own car. I had a 150Bhp CDTi SRI and thought the sport button was in completely the wrong place. I found that I wanted to chop and change a fair bit and it was just too darn far away.
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"they have a little device implanted into their spine"
Car salesmen have spines? :-)
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I have only scanned this thread so this point may have been made. I would rather have three different cars for a day each than one for three days. For instance you could try a Vectra on 16" and 18" wheels to see if the ride suffers / handling improves etc.
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I asked about trying a Vectra and its no longer in the offer. It seems they change the cars around. The dealer offered me a normal test drive anyway, but almost as expected these days they failed to call me to confirm the car was available. There was no follow up call either.
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