oppinions please

[swedge]

ok so i have a few ideas lying around my head

ive been looking for more of an economical car for the daily, easier for getting my son in and out and meaning i can take him places without spending millions on fuel bearing in mind i drive a 20seh on r1 carbs

ive been looking at 53/54 plate vectra diesels, vectra c/d? not sure what one it is

they seem to be pretty cheap, alot with clutch judder is that common?

this time of year at my work its really busy so they do a bonus whereover the course of 3 months i can make about 3k on top of my normal wage

now heres the thing, if i did go for a vectra there would be no point in keeping my nova for justa normal road car and i couldnt come to ripping it apart for the track

mot is due next month so ill mot it and sell it, use the money i have to buy a vectra diesel and buy another nova shell/half prepped track car

id love to build a track car and only use it for that, ill need to get my trailor licence too as i only passed 4 years ago

oppinions please :) if i ask any of my family all i get it stop spending bloody money on that car lol

[steviegsi]

Pull your own nova apart, no point buying another you know nothing about and have to fix someone else's problems.

[marc69]

give me your nova and you can have my track car!

otherwise as said above, at least you know your car is solid and not full of filler etc.

[Mazz]

Why buy another Nova? Just use yours, and tbh, I'd keep at least MOT'd you know thats ok/safe..

But you kinda contradict yourself...

"buy another nova shell/half prepped track car" & "id love to build a track car"

So which one?!! Buy or build!!

And a 53/54 Vectra would be a C

[swedge]

Yeah I see your point in keeping mine now will kill me to to it apart though haha

Anything to look out for on the vectra

[paul080803]

Clutch judder is the flywheel on a cdti. It is dual mass.

They are ok, but tbh better diesel family cars around for £3k!

[paul james]

Why would your Nova need to be ripped apart for track use?

[swedge]

When I mean rippe apart I don't mean it literally I meant stumping everything out it weight saving roll cage etc

[steviegsi]

If you don't wanna start stripping the nova, I'm sure it would still be enjoyable as it sits.

[swedge]

I think the clutch judder is only on the 1.8's after reading some sites

[paul080803]

100% affects 1.7 and 1.9cdti! Less common on the 1.7 as less powerful.

I had a 1.9 cdti 150bhp and it was a great car, did 45mpg average which is good for the oooomph! Was an Astra though so slightly lighter than a veccy. High mileage ones do suffer from problems.

Tbh if it was my money in that price range would be a VAG 1.9 PD engine.

[novalew]

why not keep the nova as a fair weather car?

[Southie]

Put your Nova in for the Mot and when it passes then decide IMO, if it don't need much to keep on the road then strip and track it, if it costs you more than you thought then sell it and forget having another Nova and live with your memories that you owned a good looking Nova :p

[EwanG]

Tbh vauxhalls are cr*p cars apart from the old skool ones. I wouldnt be seen dead driving a Vectralol. Buy something German they are solid and reliable and better on mpg. You only get what you pay for. Your better buying an older vw than a newer vauxhall :thumb:

[swedge]

It won't need much for its mot it's barely. Been driven since its last lol

I'll not it and see how I feel then, definitely want a track car though so whether it's mine or another I don't know

[8valve-craig]

Why would you need a trailer licence?

A Nova on a good trailer weighs no more than 1300kg so you could still tow it even with a 2200kg vehicle before breaching the limits of a Catagory B licence. (what you have)

Towing it with said Vectra would leave a massive amount of weight for passengers and spares, still without going over 3.5t

[swedge]

You sure? I thought if need the trailor license to tow a trailor with the nova on

[swedge]

Right so got this from the direct.gov site

B

As category B but with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg. The total weight of the vehicle and the trailer together can’t weigh more than 3,500 kg. The weight of the trailer,*when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle

So what's te rough weight of a nova stripped out and caged?

[paul080803]

800-850kg max!

[swedge]

So as long as the trailer is no more than half a ton I'll b fine

[8valve-craig]

Yep. Mine weighs 800kg with f/g bootlid, poly windows, XE and a full cage (+ a tank of fuel).

Just make sure the laden weight of the trailer doesnt breech the towing capacity of the vehicle pulling it and you are fine. (look at V5 for braked and unbraked)

Also make sure the plated weight on the trailer is low enough to comply and as stated you are fine up to 3.5t train weight.

[paul080803]

Or remove the plate from the trailer!

Just be sure your legal in all other aspects because if you get stopped with an unplated trailer you will be taken to nearest weigh bridge!

[swedge]

Maximun towing weight seems o be 1500kg for the vectra there's no chance the vectra way more than 2 ton

So if the trailor and car on top is no more than 1500kg I'll be fine?

[Mieran]

Have a look into MK4 Astras, much better cars than vectras imo

[marc69]

Why not make your track car road legal? When you drive to a track the car is fully warmed up and lubed, ready to go (no comments please).

You actually get used to the noise and harsh ride.

Make sure you have full car cover to take you home if you do break it etc on the track (although you obviously broke down outside the track on your way to watch)

[swedge]

What's the towing capacity on mk4 Astra though why diesel engines are available

I used to have a x14xe Astra

[swedge]

Its no just having a track toy it's having a more economic daily

[Mieran]

I like the 2.0 DTI SRI but not sure how good the engines are

[General Baxter]

anything with a duel mass flywheel, will get judder, sooner or later,

my pug 406 110hdi, it happened at 159k miles, 1st gear judder just pulling off,
my 2.5tdi VW van 26k has judder all over the place,
my passat had it, but now soild fly wheel conversion,

most cars have one now, 'it helps smooth out the power', no it was the only part that could hardly **** up, so the invented one that will so we have to pay more to fix it lol

[swedge]

What about the max towing weight for an astra?

[8valve-craig]

Astra will be pushing it. Dont forget the laden trailer cant weigh more than the unladen towing vehicle.

Even a Vectra will only be marginally ok. I think a base model weighs in at 1270kg, so your loaded trailer would have to be slightly less. Its still do-able though.

[Hobbit]

Iirc Mrs Hobbits 2.2 sri astra can tow 1300kg

[swedge]

Think I'd still prefer the vectra

[paul080803]

Astra wont be suitable

[swedge]

Yeah like I said I'd still prefer the vectra chunkier and would feel better towing with it

[paul080803]

I have had 3 vectra c's although they were all gsi's so the 3.2v6. Lovely to drive, bags of room etc.

Towed with 2 of them, small dingys so about 600kg and didn't even feel like connected.

[swedge]

I'm just hoping I get the laws correct when towing as I don't fancy any points

But reading up I should be able tow the nova on a trailor without having to do the trailer licence