Here in Brazil we had the Vectra Sedan manufactured by GM. People loved it as it was a luxury car by our standards. But in 2007, instead of launching the face-lifted Opel Vectra, they chose to manufacture the 2007 Astra Sedan and put a Vectra badge on it thus advertising and selling them as the "new" Vectra. The old Astra was still being produced without the 2007 facelift, so people just believed they were buying a totally new Vectra. GM Brazil wanted to cut production costs, but still wanted to have the name Vectra competing for the market. That was odd.
I don't understand the disdain most people in the UK have for the Vectra. I worked in the UK and had a estate in a very nice spec. Drove it all over the UK and the Continent. I put 96k miles on it in three years. Never left me stranded and was very reliable. One of my colleagues had a poverty spec C-Class that didn't have A/C . He said he would NEVER be caught driving a Vauxhall. In the summer he would arrive at work sweating after his commute while I arrived fresh out of the shower fresh in my air conditioned Vectra.
The superior ride and handling of the Citroen were quite apparent in the video and it does have that marvellous interior. I was also surprised at how peppy it was when you put your foot down. Perhaps the Vectra is meant to be aspirational for salesmen - work a bit harder and you can get something a bit better - but I don’t want to be over critical of a car that is simply an adequate means of transportation because I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.
Love how the heater airflow control has a man with a hat on for the upper position; very much 'of its time' but all the rest of the dash is wonderful Citroen quirkiness. Thanks for explaining how it works.
Interesting and informative comparison there. Call me old-fashioned, but I really like the styling of this generation Vectra and Astra (badged as Holden in NZ), inside and out. There’s something quite solid, safe and reassuring about them. I would be glad to have one as my everyday car if I didn’t have my van, which I can also camp in. Thanks Ian for the insights, a joy as always 😀
The 2001 C5 has the bonnet release on drivers side it's a right hand drive, parcel shelf that rises when boot opens plus a sun/privacy blind that's built into the parcel shelf can be raised and lowered manually, steering wheel controls for radio etc. And I believe the xantia had similar stuff. I've a 2003 C5 with 300,000 miles on it and it's never let me down.
I know what you mean about the dynamics of cars these days. You would think that with the increasingly awful roads we have in this country, that soft, wafty suspension would make a come back, but all the modern cars I've driven have been rock hard suspension and rock hard seats... 🥺
Indeed, I still can't believe my over 30 year old Peugeot rides so much nicer on shitty roads than brand new cars. In addition I don't feel like I'm handling a cheap chinese toy with all the hard plastic in cars today. WHY ARE STEERING WHEELS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC THESE DAYS?!
@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge As for ride, the first place to look, is tyres. Most modern car tyres don't have rubber in them any more - well, not much - just look at the sidewall height.
Glam Stachee's 1980s nostalgia lounge yep I have a 2018 VW Passat and even on comfort settings the ride is just awful. It’s like it hasn’t got any suspension at all and the seats are bloody awful, where as I remember my dads old Peugeot’s back in the 80s as a kid always falling asleep on the back seat, minus the seatbelt of course because no one, especially kids in the back wore seatbelts in them days. But I lived to tell the story😂
Driving on sidelights in towns at night on a non signed 30 MPH road ( street lights every 25 yards ) was was normal up until the late 70's, it prevented being dazzled by ones own lights being reflected off the chrome on the car in front and shop windows. Using headlights during daylight, except in thick fog, is also a modern thing, blame Volvo. The road noise and handling on the GSA would be improved by fitting Michelin tyres as they were OE when new, the car being designed for them.
I am pretty sure that under that French law sidelights only was mandatory in lit up cities at least up to the mid seventies. The French also had the yellow headlights, all in order to avoid dazzling the traffic. You are right that Volvo and Saab started the Lights-during-the-Day, then it got mandatory in Sweden and it spread to other European countries. There must be a clear indication that this improves safety, but I am not sure the modern day "lighting arms race" is the right way to go. In the seventies halogen lights started to replace the old 45W bulbs (and made them seemed weak) -- but now you need Xenon-lights or extra LED-lights (now the halogen lights seems weak). The result is that we all get dazzled and need even stronger lights to see -- Pedestrians and cyclists disappear in the shadows unless the are wearing reflective vests and also have strong led-lights.
@@paulmanning8897 I think you read it wrong. Tony wrote: Using headlights during daylight, except in thick fog, is also a modern thing, blame Volvo. It could be rephrased: Using headlights during daylight is also a modern thing, blame Volvo. .. Except in thick fog (where it was always used - even mandatory).
@@paulmanning8897 It was not mandatory to use headlights during the hours of daylight but sometimes people did, a 40/45 watt Tungsten bulb was not bright and in daytime fog the vehicle would often be visible at the same time as the lights. Older vehicles often had 30/35 watt bulbs, pre sealed beam units, Toc H lamps come to mind. ( Toc H was a charity organisation having hostels that were reputed to only use 20 watt bulbs in them.)
@@friedjohn This race for ever brighter lights probably causes as many accidents as driving with no lights, I have lost count of the times I have had to stop whilst walking at night because of being dazzled on rural roads with no lighting or footpath, carrying a torch so I can hopefully see and be seen on the way home from the pub. How did we manage with 6 volt electrics and 30/35 watt bulbs ( 20/25 watt on a motor bike) that were as bright as glowworms?
Always enjoy the videos. Citroen had to unfortunately, lose some of its quirkiness to gain more sales, and thus turned out stuff like the ZX and Xsara. It's a shame they had to do that, but they did. Looking at latest Citroen crossovers, it's such a same to see where they've ended up. The Vectra is very good at what it does, eats the miles with very little fuss, which is why it was a firm favourite, with reps, and hire car companies, often some of the garages we had here would use them courtesy cars, because you could jump out of pretty much any car and find your way around a Vectra.
"One of the most meritorious cars of the 20th century " Engineering guru LJK Setright. Yet at one time they were as desirable secondhand as a Rubik cube with blank squares...
All the vauxhall needs is a self leveling suspension ,rear wheel drive,and a good drivers seat and your laughing !!!!!! Great content .....STAY SAFE🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
As a former Astra G owner, I enjoyed driving the one I had. Its "Lotus Tuned" suspension setup made it genuinely fun to chuck into corners and I the steering felt somewhat better than that in a Vectra - which I've driven and didn't like anywhere near as much. I didn't have ABS or Traction Control so emergency stops could be quite scary at times but it taught me how to control the car better in those situations. The only real drawback I had, just like the Vectra, is that the seats were terrible and no good for long distance travel. When it came to replace my parents car (which was a Mk3 Cavalier and a good car at that) we ended up looking at several Vectras before eventually deciding on a Mk3 Ford Mondeo as the ride & seats were a lot more comfortable. I really wanted to like the Vectra but it didn't quite hit the mark for me or my parents.
I dont know about the Lotus Tuned suspension. But GM Europe did seek advice from Lotus about the design. And the "G" does drive surprisingly well. My wife used to have a 2000 Astra 1.6 CD, which had a few more toys inside. She now has a Astra H 1.8 Elite, again with loads of toys. Even though its technically better, the old Astra G handled better for sure.
I always liked Citroen’s with their quirky styling and innovative design. I had a Xantia a few years ago it was one of the most comfortable cars to drive I have ever owned. Sadly Citroen seem to have joined the boring run of the mill Euro designs these days.
Yes French cars have always been known for their comfort and smooth ride. I have a 2018 VW Passat and it’s bloody awful. Rock hard suspension and seats, & you can feel every bump in the road!
@@matty6848 I hate rock hard seats and suspension. Car makers sell us sportiness, not realising many of us don't want sporty cars, we want comfortable cars.
Haven driven Gsa's back in the 90s - even though the gearchange was a bit baulky and never superslick - I would definitely say that the gear linkage in yours is need of adjustment - there shouldnt be that much slop. Your Gsa is definitely a car worth going the extra mile on and ironing out it minor foibles. Once you get around to fact that the Vectra is now 2 decades old, you can appreciate as an effective means of A to B transport it fills it roll admirably - rare enough now to be a mildly interesting sight on UK roads too.
Yep good old Vectra pure workhorse built for the Sales rep and thousands of motorway miles, just like it’s replacement the Insignia. Not the most refined or comfortable, but will get you to your destination and happily at speed all day!
We had a family GS. It was a wonderful and comfortable car. Mom, dad, little brother and me all comfortable in GS traveling to Greece and pretty much everywhere. Dad had a (surprise, surprise) company Vectra and it was awesome for being fast but very firm and felt cramped. We loved the Vectra for being a new car, fancy, quick, but we loved traveling with our GS more. It was more noisy but it made a soothing noise to us kids and we got used and loved the hydraulic pump *click* :)
Back in 1996 I had a new Vectra GLS hire car to temporarily replace my accident damaged 1996 Xantia SX company car. I much preferred the Xantia to drive, but the Vectra had a much better sounding Grundig stereo which also held onto weak FM stations far better than the stereo in the Citroen did.
McPherson struts were actually designed by the engineer of the same name while at Chevrolet after the war. The prototype car that first utilized them, the Chevrolet Cadet, was never manufactured and McPherson jumped ships and moved to Ford where the struts were actually first used on a production car.
The first car to use MacPherson struts was the Ford Consul. Technically, rear struts are called Chapman struts, as Colin Chapman of Lotus fame adapted the MacPherson strut to the rear of his cars in his quest for adding lightness
I'd have the GSA all day long! Your comparison justified it! Thank you. Very much enjoyed! GSA reminds me of an excited Jack Russell as apposed to a St Bernard 😂
The driveline shunt is endemic in the GS/GSA. With time you can learn to drive it very smoothly. The semi-automatic convertisseur however completely transforms the car and smooths out the driveline shunt completely. I rebuilt three GSs from the ground up and added thicker sound deadening throughout the roof area, under the carpets, under the seats, and under the boot mat. It made a noticeable difference The horrible loop pile carpets were also replaced with thicker cut pile carpeting. One must never be shy to hoof the GS/GSA along. It seems to excel when driven hard. I think the estate makes more sense than the hatchback. There's more headroom in the back for one thing and the tailgate opens down to the floor for another. You mentioned a fuel smell - South African built GSs had a black mastic sealer around the lip of the cover plate of the access panel on the boot floor and around the cover plate over the fuel filler pipe. I don't think your GSA does, so consider doing that to keep the fuel smells at bay. Also check all fuel line rubber hoses for perishing and replace as necessary. There's one on top of the tank and another underneath the car around the firewall, if I recall, and one onto the carburettor.
I bought a new GS 1220 Club in 1973. When I took it to a Peugeot garage for its first MOT test, I was, upon collection told that it had failed with a non-operative handbrake. After I pointed out that the handbrake operated on the front discs only - and not the rear ones, I was issued with a pass certificate! I really enjoyed that truly advanced, if quirky little Citroen.
One of the family cars when I was a nipper was a Citroen GS Special on T plate and when it was damp misty weather it refused to start. The ride was superbly comfortable!. Despite the bad reviews of the Vectra, they were/ still are a popular car. If you get the chance to test drive a Toyota CH-R, Ian I recommend doing so. Nice quiet comfortable ride. Yet another excellent video, Ian.
GSA or Vectra tough tough choice for me but I am going #causefrench i do like the Vectra mainly for the mirrors but it still looks like a cavilier in some respects, but the GSA looks so much better and different from inside so GSA for me
Very well done. Great commentary that held my interest right to the end. The thing I always remember about Vauxhalls in the 90s was that they were very fast. Astras were the same. They designed them to do 100mph on the motorway or autobahn. I don't think GM cared much about the handling or the enjoyment. The GSA is so much more appealling. Glad it won!
Totally agree: you can have decent ride and handling. Try a ZX or a 306. But today manufacturers seem to think that to appeal to younger buyers the ride needs to be like a shopping trolley. Your spine is not protected by the suspension system, it IS the suspension system. Then they charge you more calling it a "Sports" package.
Nerd fact warning.... The guy that designed this Citroen GSA ..Is still very much alive (As of 13th Sep 2020) ... 88 Year old Robert Opron. This is NOT a very fair match Mr HubNut... You are comparing a unreliable car with bad electrics and poor stodgy road holding to a Citroen ... You are not giving that Vauxhall Vectra much of a chance Mr Hubnut... Ha Ha Ha Ha ..
@@dogwalker666 The Vauxhall Vectra 1995-2002 was nasty..It was a step backwards from the Vauxhall Cavalier which was an awesome car.. .. I don't won't to disrespect HubNuts Vauhall Vectra ..But it has nothing going for it.. ..... It is why they vanished off the UK roads so quickly ... It was a AWFUL choice of a car to pick as an "Everyday car" by HubNut AKA Ian .. But he knew this when he bought it... He knows it will end in disaster and it will be nothing but a headache ..But every time something goes wrong with it AND LOTS WILL GO WRONG WITH IT ..It will be a brand new video for Ian to make for his channel.. Ian is not stupid.
A very fair assessment. Having driven quite a few GS / GSAs (including the very same one above) , a Diesel BX and a Vauxhall Corsa Mk2 , I do prefer the G Series. It`s noisier, difficult to drive smoothly in stop/start traffic and rusts...but its also nippier, easier to maintain with air cooling -and the comfort for the price and size is just unbeatable ! (And you can soundproof it if you want ...) As for the Corsa, I might as well have driven my fridge...
My parents had an Oltcit. It was the Romanian version of the Citroen Axel. I learned to drive on that car. Had the 1.3 litre, 62 HP, engine out of the GSA. And allround independent suspension and disc brakes. Loved that car. In Romania the Dacia 1310 (Renault 12) was pretty much the only alternative until '89. And the Oltcit was so much more better to drive.
A nice comparison of a pair of your daily drivers! I appreciate some of the complexities on the GSA, not because I've owned/worked on one, but the hydraulic system brings to mind aircraft design, esp. the accumulator for the brakes. Also, most aircraft (piston) have oil-cooled engines, and are of the boxer design (until one gets into radials!) (or auto-conversions--yes; there are "LS-swapped" airplanes out there). But, I digress... Safety seems to have come a long ways, but the automation rapidly creeping into auto design has me concerned; seems to be pulling the average motorist further away from "defensive driving" and "situational awareness". I've found myself oddly attracted to a number of the "older" cars you've tested in recent years, w/ good visibility, good handling/steering feedback, stick shift, and relative simplicity under the hood...problem is (besides "cash-flow issues") finding a not-too-rusty example of any of them locally...the best bet seems to be finding a good, used pickup, such as a Toyota Hilux, or Nissan (pre-Frontier models).
Probably not a bad thing as Modern Vauxhalls are riddled with problems and now they are owned by a french company which is quite fitting as psa have never been worried about poor build quality and reliability.
Loved the vid, Ian! Great stuff! Every time I see your GSA in vids, it reminds me of my diesel BX -- I loved it!Look forward to all your stuff. Best wishes.
Nice comparison. I'd be tempted to fabricate my own parcel shelf for the GSA with a piece of hardboard, trimmed, one end secured behind the rear seats and the other attached to the tailgate with two nylon cords!
What a fine looking car your GSA is. The black really suits the shape! Mine was only 1100 ish cc and a4 speed box. I really need to buy another one. Not a Vectra though!
Re the 2.2 Engine in the Vauxhall. It was nothing to do with the Saab B2x4 engines. Not in the slightest. It was a USA engine used in Saturns of the time. Saab engines do fit however, as they have the same Bellhousing bolt pattern. So are fans of Boy Racers who want cheap power for Corsas, Astras, and Vectras. Since the Saab B2x4 engines are full forged and can run up to 500bhp wtth Zero engine mods. (Im an ex Saab Master Technician).
About engine sizes: Back in the days in France it was also a question of tax, The Renault 4 cv, the Citeoën 2cv, in Italy they taxed the cc, that was why engineers developed small cc engines with a very high performance, here in Denmark they taxed the price of the car, and so we had cars with bigger engines, but not mutch luxery but a hole in the Dashboard for the ignition key and a cigaret lighter ...
I like the GSA. Lovely Rorty engine note and interesting interior. Superior ride. Vectra got slated for ride and handling so it's probably normal. Wasn't a big enough advance over cavalier. They did build the body well though as there's still a lot around with no rust. It's practical and acceptably comfortable
Really liked the video, interesting comparison think it highlights more what's wrong with modern cars in general rather than just the Vectra. A lot of what you said was wrong with the Vectra could be applied to most cars from the end of the 90's onwards. Power steering can be great when it comes to parking, but kills the feed back in cars today. Driven many modern cars (not keen on them, much prefer my classics) and they all seem to lack feed back from the steering.
This is a very interesting comparison to me; I own two Citroen BXs, a 1992 TGS and a 1988 GTi special model respectively, and a 2000 late pre-facelift Xsara VTS, and it's highly interesting to see the performance of the GSA as a car first produced over a decade before the BX, and the Vectra as a comparative-era small family car to the Xsara. Apologies for the follow herculean essay of a comment, but I wanted to mention how your experiences align with my own. I very much agree with your statement that the BX's adoption of power steering was a big step forward - I've found both my BXs are very easy to steer at almost any speed, with the sole exception of full lock, which becomes unusually heavy quite quickly. The turning circle of the BX I've found is definitely lacking against later cars though, but fortunately is not a great downside. Your analysis of the general performance of the GSA is also highly curious as I've found my BX TGS has quite frankly completely unmatching ratios for the engine. It's a well-behaved and rev-happy 1.6L attached to a gearbox with an extremely short first gear - such that any movement of the car, either accelerating or releasing the throttle, is very jerky - and with very bad top end gears too - despite the rev-happiness of the engine, 4th and 5th gear produce extremely laboured acceleration and the distinct sound of some strain from the engine. It's unfortunate as the BX GTi with its 2.0L engine handles its gears noticeably more evenly, and both cars are otherwise brilliant to drive. Both retain the intense power of the brakes from the GSA, as I've been able to slow from a full 70mph to a stop in what I would consider an exceptionally short distance for a system designed in the early 1980s. The interior is highly comfortable as with the GSA too - my mother drives a 2019 Nissan Qashqai and has regularly stated her jealousy of the mid-trim tweed seats in my BX TGS and the very accommodating leather alternatives in the BX GTi, and I've found them almost difficult to get out of because of how well they hold me when driving. The hydropneumatic system I believe is very directly descended from that of the CX and GSA so it offers the same qualities. Brilliant cars that I've enjoyed every second driving despite a few small age-related issues. My Xsara VTS follows a similar pattern to your Vectra for sure too; it's the top-of-the-range 16V 2.0L version, and has a great deal more pull than either BX and very evenly-spaced gearing. The use of conventional suspension provides a very much stone-in-your-backside sensation compared with the hydropneumatic system as well. As it's a more sporty coupe model of the Xsara, corner handling I've found to be very flat and balanced, unlike the comfort-oriented BX, but otherwise it's a comparatively lacking ride. The interior of the car has seen a lot of wear from previous owners, but even in spite of that is not really so comfortable as either BX - it's plenty tolerable but is definitely not of the same quality. The superiority of the safety measures and inclusion of things such as airbags and ABS over the BX of course is another similarity with the Vectra. Again apologies for the very lengthy comment, but I think the differences and similarities between Citroen cars as well as different generations of car in general are interesting to point out and to consider.
When it comes to petrol BXs, I think I'd only ever go fuel injection. Just smoothes things out. The carbs they were using in the 1980s really weren't very good - hopeless auto chokes being one example (as shared with many other makes at the time).
@@HubNut That's definitely the case - my BX TGS is likely one of the very last BXs produced with a carburettor - possibly one of the last hatchbacks altogether - and it has a very consistent tendency to leave the auto-choke wide open for much longer than necessary. It causes the engine to idle at unusually high revs for a while after being turned on, but fortunately seems to cause no others issues. That has however reminded me of a curious thing you might find interesting to hear - you'll no doubt remember the BX GT you drove some of your tour of New Zealand in, and well, I live in New Zealand myself and as a Citroen enthusiast was coincidentally very close to buying the car just a few months ago! I ultimately passed up on it as I'm in the wrong part of the country, but there was notable interest from a few other older car enthusiasts - your sticker was even still present on the back! I hope it'll be pleasant news to you that it's still in good hands and being kept pottering about the country.
My GSA x3 had the same problem with the charge light... it was charging as well.. .I think the problem lies in the connector on the generator.. :) Miss that car! all the syncros in the gearbox was worn out... and the car had 98.000km on the clock... :O
Excellent comparison. I bet that 2.2 petrol Vauxhall is thirsty! I might be wrong but late in the run Citroen did a “hot hatch” variant of that car. Def certain aspects of the Citroen which could be worked into modern cars. I recently went in a very modern Citroen C4 Picasso…..wow….incredible ride quality. Barely feel any bumps in the road, yet I believe it’s on normal suspension? How do they do it! PS the steering on that Vauxhall seems to be like on my Honda-it will get u to your destination but that’s it. No going quickly into corners!
Another thing that all hydraulically sprung Citroens give you that is rarely mentioned by any testers. You arrive much fresher from you journey because the instalation of the harmonics of motion riding on nitrogen instead if metal springs. Less vibration transferred to the body at all levels is so much more relaxing. It also made them great rally cars where drivers were less fatigued after long fast runs behind the single spoke wheel. Plus a better view of the instruments and better controls... Ah Zee French. Viva La Difference. Hey, how about a comparision between a GSA & BX?? Please....
Certainly tempted by this advert for the gsa, once my saab is 100% and sellable. I think I'm going to be in the market gsa (though they seem rarer than the gs).
Have you tried super unleaded in the vectra? I had an Astra 1.6 16 valve back in the 90's, engine completely gutless below 3k but switching to super totally transformed it. I've a Hyundai 1.4 at the moment and can get a 12% improvement in mpg and a small increase in torque at lower revs by using super.
Much thanks Mr. H an extremely entertaining comparison. Every time I look at your GSA I just think how modern it looks, it really wouldn't look out of place if it appeared as a new model (except it looks much better than most new cars). The slightly bonkers Space 1999 style controls are a delight too, why oh why did Citroen turn boring and want to be like every other car manufacturer, such a shame.
You may want to wrap the exhaust?,keep those intake runners cool. Cool intake 👍! Several years as a race car mechanic. Cooler fuel is a good thing. More power.
I’ve driven neither model...but from my armchair, the Citroen strikes me as an engineering led design aimed at architects - the Vauxhall being an accounts led design aimed at salesmen. So the Vauxhall sold in massive numbers to fleet buyers, and probably made a good profit for the company, whereas the Citroen I suspect never made much return and had a far more limited appeal at the time. And maybe because it’s a bit left-field, is the one I’d want on my driveway 👍🏻. Thanks for the review Ian!
In fairness when the vectra was new, new rubber bushes , shocks, decent tyres probably felt OK , its 20 yrs old was never meant to go that long. The GSA likewise has been partially restored, perhaps a 20 yr old unrestored GSA?
that was a much better comparison of cars from quite different generations that the video I seen yesterday with ed china and some other bloke trying to compare an old MGB to a modern mazda thing....... ...............The GSA wins on looks as fas as I am concerned but the might just be nostaliga from my childhood...as my Dad had many as company cars (and 2CV's, Visas. Ami8's etc )
I would love to see a comparisson between the GSA and a BX. The Vectra certainly seems good for your purpose but it seems quite anonymous, but so does a Mondeo or Passat from the same period.
So the 90s car hadn't evolved enough to make the need for only one car great enough. Which means it makes sense to own multiple cars as some are more suited to certain types of driving and trips than others. Sounds fun to me.
Was the aftermarket steering wheel cover on the gsa deliberately put on at a jaunty angle just to complement the rest of the whacky controls and random wiring. My ocd was being severely tested. So Hubnut.
Great video ian. The vectra seems to be just a dependable motor, which theres nothing wrong with, i had the astra sri with the same engine, which was quite punchy
Given the mechanical complexity and non-user friendliness of the GSA, my personal preference would be for either the Ami Super estate, or otherwise the Ami 8 estate. My rationale is 'keep it simple' - but with a pliant suspension! And then, there is my not inconsiderable nostalgia for my old Ami 8 estate. In a battle for hearts, the lovely sound of an air-cooled engine, together with a very comfortable suspension, make the Citroen a clear winner over the Vectra. As Ian alluded to, a more straightforward comparison might be between a Xantia and a Vectra...
Tight and twisty country lanes favour the Citroen. Do the same test on endless miles of motorway and I wonder if the outcome of this comparison would change.
I really enjoyed this video. I've covered many miles in a Vectra as a passenger and I've owned a Citroen BX. I've never been more annoyed by a car than the Vectra. The ride and seats were the worst I've ever experienced. I too couldn't get my head around why a designer ,with lots of other people involved, would sign off the Vectra and be proud of it.
I had a 2003 Saab 9-3 convertible that looked remarkably similar under the hood. The bump steer on that car was terrifying until I fit an Abbot Racing steering rack brace. From the factory the steering rack was mounted with huge flexible rubber bushings that allowed considerable lateral movement. The Abbot Racing brace solved for this with solid aluminum. Might the Vectra suffer from a similar problem?
i think the thing with the vectra seats is they were designed to be properly ergonomic but your average person has no idea how to set a seat up right in the first place you should seat the for/aft 1st being able to fully deprss the clutch then seat rake is set so as you are able to rest your wrist on the top of the steering wheel - if reach adjustment is available on column rake should be sufficient to allow you weight to be shared by your back and buttocks vauxhall apparently provided seat instructions after complaints by those who were driving early cars!
You mention the GSA has independent suspension like the Alfasud. Actually the Sud only has independent front suspension. The rear is a beam axle, albeit a very well designed one.
I love that GSA. The only thing which puts me off it is the high revs at cruising speed. A few years ago I had a Mk4 1.0L VW Polo which hilariously had a rev counter. At 70 mph the poor wee engine was buzzing along at 4,000rpm. Although the car was comfortable enough, I was scared to take it on long journeys. It didn't matter much as I only intended the car as a stop gap until I got something more sensible when my budget allowed. The GSA is even lower geared than the Polo - running 4,600rpm @ 70mph. That's scary! I replaced the Polo with a Mk 2 Kia Rio 1.5 CRDi which had the same rpm to mph ratio in 3rd gear as the GSA has in top. Perhaps some day you'll do a review of the little Kia.
I find it entertaining how car manufacturers have come up with things like "Emergency Brake Assist" or whatever just as an attempt to cover the poor response of a vacuum servo. Something Citroën had covered for many decades before.
Interesting comparison test on your two cars. I would sell both of them, and get a Xantia instead. You would get the good points of both cars in one, but you would miss out on the air cooled engine in the GSA.
Here in Brazil we had the Vectra Sedan manufactured by GM. People loved it as it was a luxury car by our standards. But in 2007, instead of launching the face-lifted Opel Vectra, they chose to manufacture the 2007 Astra Sedan and put a Vectra badge on it thus advertising and selling them as the "new" Vectra. The old Astra was still being produced without the 2007 facelift, so people just believed they were buying a totally new Vectra. GM Brazil wanted to cut production costs, but still wanted to have the name Vectra competing for the market. That was odd.
That was really interesting. I never knew GM would of done that in the brazillian market.
Scott Smith GM does weird things all round the world!
Absolutely love older Citroens, used to own a J reg('91)Citroen BX and it was liked driving in an armchair.
I don't understand the disdain most people in the UK have for the Vectra.
I worked in the UK and had a estate in a very nice spec.
Drove it all over the UK and the Continent.
I put 96k miles on it in three years.
Never left me stranded and was very reliable.
One of my colleagues had a poverty spec C-Class that didn't have A/C .
He said he would NEVER be caught driving a Vauxhall.
In the summer he would arrive at work sweating after his commute while I arrived fresh out of the shower fresh in my air conditioned Vectra.
Clarkson said it was shit so all the sheep thought it must be shit as well even though they never owned or even drove one.
I remember when the poverty spec C class first launched, it was the most expensive car to NOT have electric windows.
B M remember the 180E? Now that made a base model Hilux look loaded...
@@plutomotorsblackpool Clarkson tested one on a track. It understeered so badly at speed it went straight on even on full lock.
@@MrsZambezi They had pulled fuses to disable the traction control and Abs system, not everything is quite how it appears on TV.
The superior ride and handling of the Citroen were quite apparent in the video and it does have that marvellous interior. I was also surprised at how peppy it was when you put your foot down. Perhaps the Vectra is meant to be aspirational for salesmen - work a bit harder and you can get something a bit better - but I don’t want to be over critical of a car that is simply an adequate means of transportation because I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.
Love how the heater airflow control has a man with a hat on for the upper position; very much 'of its time' but all the rest of the dash is wonderful Citroen quirkiness. Thanks for explaining how it works.
Interesting and informative comparison there. Call me old-fashioned, but I really like the styling of this generation Vectra and Astra (badged as Holden in NZ), inside and out. There’s something quite solid, safe and reassuring about them. I would be glad to have one as my everyday car if I didn’t have my van, which I can also camp in. Thanks Ian for the insights, a joy as always 😀
Hard to imagine that when these cars where build that one day their new cars are made by one company. Entertaining video as always!
The 2001 C5 has the bonnet release on drivers side it's a right hand drive, parcel shelf that rises when boot opens plus a sun/privacy blind that's built into the parcel shelf can be raised and lowered manually, steering wheel controls for radio etc. And I believe the xantia had similar stuff. I've a 2003 C5 with 300,000 miles on it and it's never let me down.
And of course very comfortable!
@@cheesywheels it's like a mattress on wheels.
Yep C5 quite a ugly looking thing but boy are they built to last and very comfortable!
A nice comparison between car generations, the good things that have been improved and the good things that have disappeared.
You are such a compelling presenter. You get better and better.
GSA all day long. New cars are just boring and numb on a whole. For joe public- fine. For a petrol head like me.... nah. Great test and comparison Ian
I know what you mean about the dynamics of cars these days. You would think that with the increasingly awful roads we have in this country, that soft, wafty suspension would make a come back, but all the modern cars I've driven have been rock hard suspension and rock hard seats... 🥺
Indeed, I still can't believe my over 30 year old Peugeot rides so much nicer on shitty roads than brand new cars. In addition I don't feel like I'm handling a cheap chinese toy with all the hard plastic in cars today. WHY ARE STEERING WHEELS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC THESE DAYS?!
To achieve good ride and handling is possible but requires good engineering. Any idiot can do one without the other.
@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge As for ride, the first place to look, is tyres. Most modern car tyres don't have rubber in them any more - well, not much - just look at the sidewall height.
Glam Stachee's 1980s nostalgia lounge yep I have a 2018 VW Passat and even on comfort settings the ride is just awful. It’s like it hasn’t got any suspension at all and the seats are bloody awful, where as I remember my dads old Peugeot’s back in the 80s as a kid always falling asleep on the back seat, minus the seatbelt of course because no one, especially kids in the back wore seatbelts in them days. But I lived to tell the story😂
Driving on sidelights in towns at night on a non signed 30 MPH road ( street lights every 25 yards ) was was normal up until the late 70's, it prevented being dazzled by ones own lights being reflected off the chrome on the car in front and shop windows. Using headlights during daylight, except in thick fog, is also a modern thing, blame Volvo. The road noise and handling on the GSA would be improved by fitting Michelin tyres as they were OE when new, the car being designed for them.
I am pretty sure that under that French law sidelights only was mandatory in lit up cities at least up to the mid seventies. The French also had the yellow headlights, all in order to avoid dazzling the traffic.
You are right that Volvo and Saab started the Lights-during-the-Day, then it got mandatory in Sweden and it spread to other European countries. There must be a clear indication that this improves safety, but I am not sure the modern day "lighting arms race" is the right way to go.
In the seventies halogen lights started to replace the old 45W bulbs (and made them seemed weak) -- but now you need Xenon-lights or extra LED-lights (now the halogen lights seems weak). The result is that we all get dazzled and need even stronger lights to see -- Pedestrians and cyclists disappear in the shadows unless the are wearing reflective vests and also have strong led-lights.
@@paulmanning8897 I think you read it wrong.
Tony wrote:
Using headlights during daylight, except in thick fog, is also a modern thing, blame Volvo.
It could be rephrased:
Using headlights during daylight is also a modern thing, blame Volvo. .. Except in thick fog (where it was always used - even mandatory).
@@paulmanning8897 It was not mandatory to use headlights during the hours of daylight but sometimes people did, a 40/45 watt Tungsten bulb was not bright and in daytime fog the vehicle would often be visible at the same time as the lights. Older vehicles often had 30/35 watt bulbs, pre sealed beam units, Toc H lamps come to mind. ( Toc H was a charity organisation having hostels that were reputed to only use 20 watt bulbs in them.)
@@friedjohn This race for ever brighter lights probably causes as many accidents as driving with no lights, I have lost count of the times I have had to stop whilst walking at night because of being dazzled on rural roads with no lighting or footpath, carrying a torch so I can hopefully see and be seen on the way home from the pub. How did we manage with 6 volt electrics and 30/35 watt bulbs ( 20/25 watt on a motor bike) that were as bright as glowworms?
@@tonys1636 You're right. I don't believe cars really NEED anything more than well-designed halogen headlights (NOT projector-lens type)
Always enjoy the videos. Citroen had to unfortunately, lose some of its quirkiness to gain more sales, and thus turned out stuff like the ZX and Xsara. It's a shame they had to do that, but they did. Looking at latest Citroen crossovers, it's such a same to see where they've ended up.
The Vectra is very good at what it does, eats the miles with very little fuss, which is why it was a firm favourite, with reps, and hire car companies, often some of the garages we had here would use them courtesy cars, because you could jump out of pretty much any car and find your way around a Vectra.
I had a GSA years ago and it was a great car only problem was it rusted then I bought a BX which has some plastic panels, also a great car
The GSA is simply one of the greatest cars ever made and I will never fall out of love with it.
"One of the most meritorious cars of the 20th century " Engineering guru LJK Setright.
Yet at one time they were as desirable secondhand as a Rubik cube with blank squares...
All the vauxhall needs is a self leveling suspension ,rear wheel drive,and a good drivers seat and your laughing !!!!!! Great content .....STAY SAFE🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
As a former Astra G owner, I enjoyed driving the one I had. Its "Lotus Tuned" suspension setup made it genuinely fun to chuck into corners and I the steering felt somewhat better than that in a Vectra - which I've driven and didn't like anywhere near as much. I didn't have ABS or Traction Control so emergency stops could be quite scary at times but it taught me how to control the car better in those situations. The only real drawback I had, just like the Vectra, is that the seats were terrible and no good for long distance travel. When it came to replace my parents car (which was a Mk3 Cavalier and a good car at that) we ended up looking at several Vectras before eventually deciding on a Mk3 Ford Mondeo as the ride & seats were a lot more comfortable. I really wanted to like the Vectra but it didn't quite hit the mark for me or my parents.
I dont know about the Lotus Tuned suspension. But GM Europe did seek advice from Lotus about the design. And the "G" does drive surprisingly well. My wife used to have a 2000 Astra 1.6 CD, which had a few more toys inside. She now has a Astra H 1.8 Elite, again with loads of toys. Even though its technically better, the old Astra G handled better for sure.
Very interesting comparison and the irony of an advert for a brand new Nissan at the start of a hubnut video never fails to make me smile.
I always liked Citroen’s with their quirky styling and innovative design. I had a Xantia a few years ago it was one of the most comfortable cars to drive I have ever owned. Sadly Citroen seem to have joined the boring run of the mill Euro designs these days.
Yes French cars have always been known for their comfort and smooth ride. I have a 2018 VW Passat and it’s bloody awful. Rock hard suspension and seats, & you can feel every bump in the road!
@@matty6848 I hate rock hard seats and suspension. Car makers sell us sportiness, not realising many of us don't want sporty cars, we want comfortable cars.
A Sensible Young Man agreed. I’d sacrifice performance for comfort.
Haven driven Gsa's back in the 90s - even though the gearchange was a bit baulky and never superslick - I would definitely say that the gear linkage in yours is need of adjustment - there shouldnt be that much slop. Your Gsa is definitely a car worth going the extra mile on and ironing out it minor foibles. Once you get around to fact that the Vectra is now 2 decades old, you can appreciate as an effective means of A to B transport it fills it roll admirably - rare enough now to be a mildly interesting sight on UK roads too.
Hmmmm- Citroen GS is a 30 year old car by the time the Vectra came in ...
Yep good old Vectra pure workhorse built for the Sales rep and thousands of motorway miles, just like it’s replacement the Insignia. Not the most refined or comfortable, but will get you to your destination and happily at speed all day!
Nice comparison - Didn't see that one in Autocar :-D I can't believe that I had to add my own ptschoo, though. Standards are slipping! ;-)
We had a family GS. It was a wonderful and comfortable car. Mom, dad, little brother and me all comfortable in GS traveling to Greece and pretty much everywhere. Dad had a (surprise, surprise) company Vectra and it was awesome for being fast but very firm and felt cramped. We loved the Vectra for being a new car, fancy, quick, but we loved traveling with our GS more. It was more noisy but it made a soothing noise to us kids and we got used and loved the hydraulic pump *click* :)
Funnily enough, I have a 2001 zafira with that stereo and its front is held in with a stick too. At least they're consistent.
Do all vauxhalls have good stereos? My mum had a G reg Astra Tiffany and that had a really good sound machine. Even tapes sounded good.
Reliability not an issue then, needs a stick, always needs a stick.
@@jamp12008 I've had two and yeah, the stereo sounded pretty good on both.
Diseasel 👍
Back in 1996 I had a new Vectra GLS hire car to temporarily replace my accident damaged 1996 Xantia SX company car. I much preferred the Xantia to drive, but the Vectra had a much better sounding Grundig stereo which also held onto weak FM stations far better than the stereo in the Citroen did.
McPherson struts were actually designed by the engineer of the same name while at Chevrolet after the war. The prototype car that first utilized them, the Chevrolet Cadet, was never manufactured and McPherson jumped ships and moved to Ford where the struts were actually first used on a production car.
The first car to use MacPherson struts was the Ford Consul. Technically, rear struts are called Chapman struts, as Colin Chapman of Lotus fame adapted the MacPherson strut to the rear of his cars in his quest for adding lightness
Nice fact. Cheers.
I'd have the GSA all day long! Your comparison justified it! Thank you. Very much enjoyed! GSA reminds me of an excited Jack Russell as apposed to a St Bernard 😂
Hubnut: Exploring questions nobody's asking with an interesting answer lol
The driveline shunt is endemic in the GS/GSA. With time you can learn to drive it very smoothly. The semi-automatic convertisseur however completely transforms the car and smooths out the driveline shunt completely. I rebuilt three GSs from the ground up and added thicker sound deadening throughout the roof area, under the carpets, under the seats, and under the boot mat. It made a noticeable difference The horrible loop pile carpets were also replaced with thicker cut pile carpeting. One must never be shy to hoof the GS/GSA along. It seems to excel when driven hard. I think the estate makes more sense than the hatchback. There's more headroom in the back for one thing and the tailgate opens down to the floor for another. You mentioned a fuel smell - South African built GSs had a black mastic sealer around the lip of the cover plate of the access panel on the boot floor and around the cover plate over the fuel filler pipe. I don't think your GSA does, so consider doing that to keep the fuel smells at bay. Also check all fuel line rubber hoses for perishing and replace as necessary. There's one on top of the tank and another underneath the car around the firewall, if I recall, and one onto the carburettor.
I bought a new GS 1220 Club in 1973. When I took it to a Peugeot garage for its first MOT test, I was, upon collection told that it had failed with a non-operative handbrake. After I pointed out that the handbrake operated on the front discs only - and not the rear ones, I was issued with a pass certificate! I really enjoyed that truly advanced, if quirky little Citroen.
Always liked that era of vectra
One of the family cars when I was a nipper was a Citroen GS Special on T plate and when it was damp misty weather it refused to start. The ride was superbly comfortable!. Despite the bad reviews of the Vectra, they were/ still are a popular car.
If you get the chance to test drive a Toyota CH-R, Ian I recommend doing so. Nice quiet comfortable ride. Yet another excellent video, Ian.
GSA or Vectra tough tough choice for me but I am going #causefrench i do like the Vectra mainly for the mirrors but it still looks like a cavilier in some respects, but the GSA looks so much better and different from inside so GSA for me
I love the GSA dash plus fort. So bonquers!
Very well done. Great commentary that held my interest right to the end. The thing I always remember about Vauxhalls in the 90s was that they were very fast. Astras were the same. They designed them to do 100mph on the motorway or autobahn. I don't think GM cared much about the handling or the enjoyment. The GSA is so much more appealling. Glad it won!
Totally agree: you can have decent ride and handling. Try a ZX or a 306. But today manufacturers seem to think that to appeal to younger buyers the ride needs to be like a shopping trolley. Your spine is not protected by the suspension system, it IS the suspension system. Then they charge you more calling it a "Sports" package.
Nerd fact warning.... The guy that designed this Citroen GSA ..Is still very much alive (As of 13th Sep 2020) ... 88 Year old Robert Opron.
This is NOT a very fair match Mr HubNut...
You are comparing a unreliable car with bad electrics and poor stodgy road holding to a Citroen ... You are not giving that Vauxhall Vectra much of a chance Mr Hubnut... Ha Ha Ha Ha ..
As someone who owned that very model vectra I totally agree with your summary of them. I replaced mine with a peugeout 405 GTX a far superior car.
@@dogwalker666 The Vauxhall Vectra 1995-2002 was nasty..It was a step backwards from the Vauxhall Cavalier which was an awesome car.. .. I don't won't to disrespect HubNuts Vauhall Vectra ..But it has nothing going for it.. ..... It is why they vanished off the UK roads so quickly ... It was a AWFUL choice of a car to pick as an "Everyday car" by HubNut AKA Ian .. But he knew this when he bought it... He knows it will end in disaster and it will be nothing but a headache ..But every time something goes wrong with it AND LOTS WILL GO WRONG WITH IT ..It will be a brand new video for Ian to make for his channel.. Ian is not stupid.
Brian said it so it Must be true indeed they were awful but as a source for vids it’s a good choice.
@@dogwalker666 OH YES.. There will be lots of videos of this car failing ..Kind regards Brian
@@briansaiditsoitmustbetrue4206 AFAIK he didn't buy it.
The GSA's instrument panel is the most retro/futuristic thing I've ever seen! Wonderful. God bless Citroen for making it a reality
Cool 😀 Both car's are unique in their own way.
What would make a great comparison video would be the GSA vs the Austin Maxi.
The gsa steering wheel looks like something out of the 70s show ufo
Ha! I liked the last scene. Very Quentin Wilson! Another point to mention is that one car is totally grey inside and one car isn't. Cheers.
A very fair assessment. Having driven quite a few GS / GSAs (including the very same one above) , a Diesel BX and a Vauxhall Corsa Mk2 , I do prefer the G Series. It`s noisier, difficult to drive smoothly in stop/start traffic and rusts...but its also nippier, easier to maintain with air cooling -and the comfort for the price and size is just unbeatable ! (And you can soundproof it if you want ...)
As for the Corsa, I might as well have driven my fridge...
My parents had an Oltcit. It was the Romanian version of the Citroen Axel. I learned to drive on that car. Had the 1.3 litre, 62 HP, engine out of the GSA. And allround independent suspension and disc brakes. Loved that car. In Romania the Dacia 1310 (Renault 12) was pretty much the only alternative until '89. And the Oltcit was so much more better to drive.
I'm hoping to acquire one!
Well what an interesting video, two hatchbacks of different generations being reviewed and driven back to back. I enjoyed it very much indeed 🙂☺️
A nice comparison of a pair of your daily drivers! I appreciate some of the complexities on the GSA, not because I've owned/worked on one, but the hydraulic system brings to mind aircraft design, esp. the accumulator for the brakes. Also, most aircraft (piston) have oil-cooled engines, and are of the boxer design (until one gets into radials!) (or auto-conversions--yes; there are "LS-swapped" airplanes out there). But, I digress...
Safety seems to have come a long ways, but the automation rapidly creeping into auto design has me concerned; seems to be pulling the average motorist further away from "defensive driving" and "situational awareness". I've found myself oddly attracted to a number of the "older" cars you've tested in recent years, w/ good visibility, good handling/steering feedback, stick shift, and relative simplicity under the hood...problem is (besides "cash-flow issues") finding a not-too-rusty example of any of them locally...the best bet seems to be finding a good, used pickup, such as a Toyota Hilux, or Nissan (pre-Frontier models).
Funny how Vauxhall and Citroen are the same company now.
Stellantis..
Indeed
Probably not a bad thing as Modern Vauxhalls are riddled with problems and now they are owned by a french company which is quite fitting as psa have never been worried about poor build quality and reliability.
So that will make them really unreliable now with quality french electrics and poorly layed out engine bay
@@bmwman1981 that's a vectra.
Loved the vid, Ian! Great stuff! Every time I see your GSA in vids, it reminds me of my diesel BX -- I loved it!Look forward to all your stuff. Best wishes.
Nice comparison. I'd be tempted to fabricate my own parcel shelf for the GSA with a piece of hardboard, trimmed, one end secured behind the rear seats and the other attached to the tailgate with two nylon cords!
What a fine looking car your GSA is. The black really suits the shape!
Mine was only 1100 ish cc and a4 speed box. I really need to buy another one. Not a Vectra though!
The best compromise for you is maybe the Xantia or the XM :)
Re the 2.2 Engine in the Vauxhall. It was nothing to do with the Saab B2x4 engines. Not in the slightest. It was a USA engine used in Saturns of the time. Saab engines do fit however, as they have the same Bellhousing bolt pattern. So are fans of Boy Racers who want cheap power for Corsas, Astras, and Vectras. Since the Saab B2x4 engines are full forged and can run up to 500bhp wtth Zero engine mods. (Im an ex Saab Master Technician).
I liked this whole video! Well done Ian! :-)
Interesting comparison video Ian. The GSA is in my top three HubNut vehicles with TWC & Foxanne. Lot's of character.
About engine sizes: Back in the days in France it was also a question of tax, The Renault 4 cv, the Citeoën 2cv, in Italy they taxed the cc, that was why engineers developed small cc engines with a very high performance, here in Denmark they taxed the price of the car, and so we had cars with bigger engines, but not mutch luxery but a hole in the Dashboard for the ignition key and a cigaret lighter ...
I think it must be a function of me getting older but the GSA is really floating my boat 😁
I almost expected the old Top Gear theme tune to come in at the end of this video
You "fielded" the compare very nicely Ian.
That GSA is gorgeous. Lovely in black.
I like the GSA. Lovely Rorty engine note and interesting interior. Superior ride. Vectra got slated for ride and handling so it's probably normal. Wasn't a big enough advance over cavalier. They did build the body well though as there's still a lot around with no rust. It's practical and acceptably comfortable
Really liked the video, interesting comparison think it highlights more what's wrong with modern cars in general rather than just the Vectra. A lot of what you said was wrong with the Vectra could be applied to most cars from the end of the 90's onwards. Power steering can be great when it comes to parking, but kills the feed back in cars today. Driven many modern cars (not keen on them, much prefer my classics) and they all seem to lack feed back from the steering.
This is a very interesting comparison to me; I own two Citroen BXs, a 1992 TGS and a 1988 GTi special model respectively, and a 2000 late pre-facelift Xsara VTS, and it's highly interesting to see the performance of the GSA as a car first produced over a decade before the BX, and the Vectra as a comparative-era small family car to the Xsara. Apologies for the follow herculean essay of a comment, but I wanted to mention how your experiences align with my own.
I very much agree with your statement that the BX's adoption of power steering was a big step forward - I've found both my BXs are very easy to steer at almost any speed, with the sole exception of full lock, which becomes unusually heavy quite quickly. The turning circle of the BX I've found is definitely lacking against later cars though, but fortunately is not a great downside. Your analysis of the general performance of the GSA is also highly curious as I've found my BX TGS has quite frankly completely unmatching ratios for the engine. It's a well-behaved and rev-happy 1.6L attached to a gearbox with an extremely short first gear - such that any movement of the car, either accelerating or releasing the throttle, is very jerky - and with very bad top end gears too - despite the rev-happiness of the engine, 4th and 5th gear produce extremely laboured acceleration and the distinct sound of some strain from the engine. It's unfortunate as the BX GTi with its 2.0L engine handles its gears noticeably more evenly, and both cars are otherwise brilliant to drive. Both retain the intense power of the brakes from the GSA, as I've been able to slow from a full 70mph to a stop in what I would consider an exceptionally short distance for a system designed in the early 1980s. The interior is highly comfortable as with the GSA too - my mother drives a 2019 Nissan Qashqai and has regularly stated her jealousy of the mid-trim tweed seats in my BX TGS and the very accommodating leather alternatives in the BX GTi, and I've found them almost difficult to get out of because of how well they hold me when driving. The hydropneumatic system I believe is very directly descended from that of the CX and GSA so it offers the same qualities. Brilliant cars that I've enjoyed every second driving despite a few small age-related issues.
My Xsara VTS follows a similar pattern to your Vectra for sure too; it's the top-of-the-range 16V 2.0L version, and has a great deal more pull than either BX and very evenly-spaced gearing. The use of conventional suspension provides a very much stone-in-your-backside sensation compared with the hydropneumatic system as well. As it's a more sporty coupe model of the Xsara, corner handling I've found to be very flat and balanced, unlike the comfort-oriented BX, but otherwise it's a comparatively lacking ride. The interior of the car has seen a lot of wear from previous owners, but even in spite of that is not really so comfortable as either BX - it's plenty tolerable but is definitely not of the same quality. The superiority of the safety measures and inclusion of things such as airbags and ABS over the BX of course is another similarity with the Vectra.
Again apologies for the very lengthy comment, but I think the differences and similarities between Citroen cars as well as different generations of car in general are interesting to point out and to consider.
When it comes to petrol BXs, I think I'd only ever go fuel injection. Just smoothes things out. The carbs they were using in the 1980s really weren't very good - hopeless auto chokes being one example (as shared with many other makes at the time).
@@HubNut That's definitely the case - my BX TGS is likely one of the very last BXs produced with a carburettor - possibly one of the last hatchbacks altogether - and it has a very consistent tendency to leave the auto-choke wide open for much longer than necessary. It causes the engine to idle at unusually high revs for a while after being turned on, but fortunately seems to cause no others issues.
That has however reminded me of a curious thing you might find interesting to hear - you'll no doubt remember the BX GT you drove some of your tour of New Zealand in, and well, I live in New Zealand myself and as a Citroen enthusiast was coincidentally very close to buying the car just a few months ago! I ultimately passed up on it as I'm in the wrong part of the country, but there was notable interest from a few other older car enthusiasts - your sticker was even still present on the back! I hope it'll be pleasant news to you that it's still in good hands and being kept pottering about the country.
Perfect position for the heater controls on the GSA as it's always your lady passenger who decides the temperature & direction of air flow.
Only you would ever think of doing a comparison between these two cars! 😂 I'll take the GSA thanks.
Myself too id say . Ive allways liked querky cars
My GSA x3 had the same problem with the charge light... it was charging as well.. .I think the problem lies in the connector on the generator.. :) Miss that car! all the syncros in the gearbox was worn out... and the car had 98.000km on the clock... :O
Excellent comparison.
I bet that 2.2 petrol Vauxhall is thirsty!
I might be wrong but late in the run Citroen did a “hot hatch” variant of that car.
Def certain aspects of the Citroen which could be worked into modern cars.
I recently went in a very modern Citroen C4 Picasso…..wow….incredible ride quality. Barely feel any bumps in the road, yet I believe it’s on normal suspension? How do they do it!
PS the steering on that Vauxhall seems to be like on my Honda-it will get u to your destination but that’s it. No going quickly into corners!
For some reason the GS extended it's production till 1990 in Indonesia.
@Indosarnia ya lihat sini ruclips.net/video/84ClOofbjvU/видео.html
@Indosarnia memang benar cbu
I'd take the Vectra any day...
I must say the mk1 Citroen C5 has to be the best car with a smile. It always looks happy!
I like the new, wider shots with the wireless system
10:45 Im pretty sure people call that Stockholm Syndrome lol
Under bonnet of the GSA reminds me of the early Subies spare tire on top of the boxer engine
Rev counter makes this GSA quite sporty. I think it's the best all-rounder in the fleet. Very handsome shape.
Another thing that all hydraulically sprung Citroens give you that is rarely mentioned by any testers. You arrive much fresher from you journey because the instalation of the harmonics of motion riding on nitrogen instead if metal springs. Less vibration transferred to the body at all levels is so much more relaxing. It also made them great rally cars where drivers were less fatigued after long fast runs behind the single spoke wheel. Plus a better view of the instruments and better controls... Ah Zee French. Viva La Difference.
Hey, how about a comparision between a GSA & BX?? Please....
Enjoy the comparison type videos Ian!
Certainly tempted by this advert for the gsa, once my saab is 100% and sellable. I think I'm going to be in the market gsa (though they seem rarer than the gs).
Have you tried super unleaded in the vectra? I had an Astra 1.6 16 valve back in the 90's, engine completely gutless below 3k but switching to super totally transformed it. I've a Hyundai 1.4 at the moment and can get a 12% improvement in mpg and a small increase in torque at lower revs by using super.
Much thanks Mr. H an extremely entertaining comparison. Every time I look at your GSA I just think how modern it looks, it really wouldn't look out of place if it appeared as a new model (except it looks much better than most new cars). The slightly bonkers Space 1999 style controls are a delight too, why oh why did Citroen turn boring and want to be like every other car manufacturer, such a shame.
You may want to wrap the exhaust?,keep those intake runners cool. Cool intake 👍! Several years as a race car mechanic. Cooler fuel is a good thing. More power.
Shame we never got a Delica vs Took video ;D
I’ve driven neither model...but from my armchair, the Citroen strikes me as an engineering led design aimed at architects - the Vauxhall being an accounts led design aimed at salesmen. So the Vauxhall sold in massive numbers to fleet buyers, and probably made a good profit for the company, whereas the Citroen I suspect never made much return and had a far more limited appeal at the time. And maybe because it’s a bit left-field, is the one I’d want on my driveway 👍🏻. Thanks for the review Ian!
In fairness when the vectra was new, new rubber bushes , shocks, decent tyres probably felt OK , its 20 yrs old was never meant to go that long. The GSA likewise has been partially restored, perhaps a 20 yr old unrestored GSA?
Everything about the Citroen is bonkers. That interior! Even if the Vectra is 'best' overall, the Citroen is bloody awesome for styling.
that was a much better comparison of cars from quite different generations that the video I seen yesterday with ed china and some other bloke trying to compare an old MGB to a modern mazda thing....... ...............The GSA wins on looks as fas as I am concerned but the might just be nostaliga from my childhood...as my Dad had many as company cars (and 2CV's, Visas. Ami8's etc )
I would love to see a comparisson between the GSA and a BX. The Vectra certainly seems good for your purpose but it seems quite anonymous, but so does a Mondeo or Passat from the same period.
The bonnet pull is also on the passenger side in my 92 Peugeot 106 haha
The HP pump is driven directly off the engine behind the cam belt 😊
So the 90s car hadn't evolved enough to make the need for only one car great enough. Which means it makes sense to own multiple cars as some are more suited to certain types of driving and trips than others. Sounds fun to me.
Was the aftermarket steering wheel cover on the gsa deliberately put on at a jaunty angle just to complement the rest of the whacky controls and random wiring. My ocd was being severely tested. So Hubnut.
Great video ian. The vectra seems to be just a dependable motor, which theres nothing wrong with, i had the astra sri with the same engine, which was quite punchy
Given the mechanical complexity and non-user friendliness of the GSA, my personal preference would be for either the Ami Super estate, or otherwise the Ami 8 estate. My rationale is 'keep it simple' - but with a pliant suspension! And then, there is my not inconsiderable nostalgia for my old Ami 8 estate. In a battle for hearts, the lovely sound of an air-cooled engine, together with a very comfortable suspension, make the Citroen a clear winner over the Vectra. As Ian alluded to, a more straightforward comparison might be between a Xantia and a Vectra...
Tight and twisty country lanes favour the Citroen. Do the same test on endless miles of motorway and I wonder if the outcome of this comparison would change.
Having driven both on almost exactly the same journey, I choose GSA. Mildly more buzzy at speed but those seats. Way better.
I really enjoyed this video. I've covered many miles in a Vectra as a passenger and I've owned a Citroen BX. I've never been more annoyed by a car than the Vectra. The ride and seats were the worst I've ever experienced. I too couldn't get my head around why a designer ,with lots of other people involved, would sign off the Vectra and be proud of it.
I had a 2003 Saab 9-3 convertible that looked remarkably similar under the hood. The bump steer on that car was terrifying until I fit an Abbot Racing steering rack brace. From the factory the steering rack was mounted with huge flexible rubber bushings that allowed considerable lateral movement. The Abbot Racing brace solved for this with solid aluminum. Might the Vectra suffer from a similar problem?
i think the thing with the vectra seats is they were designed to be properly ergonomic but your average person has no idea how to set a seat up right in the first place
you should seat the for/aft 1st being able to fully deprss the clutch
then seat rake is set so as you are able to rest your wrist on the top of the steering wheel - if reach adjustment is available on column rake should be sufficient to allow you weight to be shared by your back and buttocks
vauxhall apparently provided seat instructions after complaints by those who were driving early cars!
Nice comparison Sir. The more I see the Vectra it just screams give me the full SABB makeover to make me safer, and to look aggressive LOL 👍 Tam.
You mention the GSA has independent suspension like the Alfasud. Actually the Sud only has independent front suspension. The rear is a beam axle, albeit a very well designed one.
I love that GSA. The only thing which puts me off it is the high revs at cruising speed.
A few years ago I had a Mk4 1.0L VW Polo which hilariously had a rev counter. At 70 mph the poor wee engine was buzzing along at 4,000rpm. Although the car was comfortable enough, I was scared to take it on long journeys. It didn't matter much as I only intended the car as a stop gap until I got something more sensible when my budget allowed.
The GSA is even lower geared than the Polo - running 4,600rpm @ 70mph. That's scary!
I replaced the Polo with a Mk 2 Kia Rio 1.5 CRDi which had the same rpm to mph ratio in 3rd gear as the GSA has in top. Perhaps some day you'll do a review of the little Kia.
Love citroen. Not sure I could own one (don’t really know how reliable they are...tho Mums BX19 was good)....but would lust after a CX Gti Turbo.
I find it entertaining how car manufacturers have come up with things like "Emergency Brake Assist" or whatever just as an attempt to cover the poor response of a vacuum servo. Something Citroën had covered for many decades before.
Interesting comparison test on your two cars. I would sell both of them, and get a Xantia instead. You would get the good points of both cars in one, but you would miss out on the air cooled engine in the GSA.
Xantias are nice, but not GSA nice.