2.2 Direct Elite HB

A VFM car to buy and own

I have owned the car for 10 months and completed 20K, having paid £2,400 at 100K. Recently flew through MOT. Used for a mixture of long and short drives.

This car is known for fuel pump and chain issues as well as having a vulnerable air conditioning condenser at the front. This car has suffered all of these but fortunately they have been dealt with buy the previous owner and dealer. For me it has been 20k of near faultless driving so I have scored highly based my own period of ownership but if you are buying my advice is to check for these issues and ensure you know the SOG act. Also there are still many VFM examples about but don't pay too much.

Good - Smooth drive and acceleration, feels solid and safe, great gear box, fairly easy to self service (use a good oil), comfortable, well equipped, loads of space in the cabin and boot easily accommodating 4 adults plus luggage on the way to uni, cheapish and plentiful parts, reasonable insurance.

Bad - Interior is quite bland and plasticy, can be juicy on the MPG if flogged or used for short journeys, high tax, poor image (if that's what you want), variable Vauxhall dealer service standards, can be noisy and clunking on the road, the leather seats do not suit everyone's posture.

I like this car it has given me VFM motoring and I look at the running costs in terms of what I save in depreciation compared to buying newer models. Servicing the car at home is good for getting to know the car and anticipating problems which will keep down the running costs. I owned a 07 BMW 318 series before this and this is a far better drive with much lower running costs.

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