Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Osprey on 28 December 2011, 21:30:37
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... not that I thought you would!
Had a minor fender bender last month – no escape route so I was forced to watch a dozy Ford Ka driver pile into my back bumper. The insurance company loan car was initially a Toyota Avensis 1800 estate with 5K on the clock.
Although it is styled in homage to a house brick, there is nothing remotely solid about it; everything feels as loose as the morning after a dodgy phal. The front wheels tramp horribly in first and second and the front end lets go at every possible opportunity. Combined with brakes that snatch, I would say the car is lethal.
There is plenty else I could mention but little things that stick in my mind are the bright green idiot light that urges you to change up a gear every time you go over 1500rpm and the figital handbrake switch cunningly hidden at arms length and out of sight somewhere under the steering wheel. On the plus side, the engine is pretty gutsy for an 1800, and it returned over 35mpg in moderate town driving.
Just as I was getting used to its all-round uselessness the air bag light stuck on, which I took as an excuse to get a replacement. This turned out to be an Insignia 1800 SRI with 6K on the clock. Oh joy! It has suspension, steering, reasonable road holding (for a WWD) and brakes that work properly. OK, somebody has let a limp wristed designer loose on pointless curves that compromise functionality, but only on unimportant things like switch positioning and rear visibility. ;)
So would I recommend this car? Errm... no. Although it feels nicely planted, there is roughness at most revs and the engine is totally gutless, especially lacking in grunt at normal overtaking speeds. Drop from 6th to 3rd before an overtake and you need to set an alarm clock before pulling out.
Just to cap it all, it averaged 31mpg which, considering it was mostly motorway use, is worse than my 2.6.
... or perhaps I should say worse than my 2.6 was before its thermostat stuck open :'(
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Oops - just noticed I put this in Omega help - sorry Daz!
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Well, you've managed to convince me.....
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The Avensis is dull and boring, but I found it "OK", and stupidly reliable. Uninspiring, but made it from A-B.
Insignia is similar!
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Insignia means Vectra which which means it won't be long before they will be getting tarted up by silly yougsters. Both are on my gay list!
Avensis? Gun to my head i'd rather have one than either of the above as at best they are nondescript & generally very reliable though no fun....vey popular as taxis.
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The Avensis is dull and boring, but I found it "OK", and stupidly reliable. Uninspiring, but made it from A-B.
Insignia is similar!
Whatever is'nt broken.....soon will be?
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Insignia means Vectra which which means it won't be long before they will be getting tarted up by silly yougsters. Both are on my gay list!
Avensis? Gun to my head i'd rather have one than either of the above as at best they are nondescript & generally very reliable though no fun....vey popular as taxis.
Insignia is a much better car than Vectra-C.
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The Avensis is dull and boring, but I found it "OK", and stupidly reliable. Uninspiring, but made it from A-B.
Insignia is similar!
Agreed - dull and boring when driven sedately, but positively pants-filling when trying to press on. And the one I had broke after 3 days! Luck of the draw, I suppose.
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The Avensis is dull and boring, but I found it "OK", and stupidly reliable. Uninspiring, but made it from A-B.
Insignia is similar!
Whatever is'nt broken.....soon will be?
Avensis is boringly reliable and robust.
Insignia has inherited Vauxhall's usual (recent) heritage of plastic trims falling apart IME...