Well, the Leon FR is getting old and the mileage is creeping up! So I've decided to get it replaced. Ideally wanted something larger (under a year old with about 10,000 on it), still kinda sporty looking, but more comfy with far superior better equipment. Budget wasn't massive as I've just moved house. I have a friend who owns a Vauxhall dealership and, despite swearing I'd never have another, I've just put a deposit on an Insignia SRi VX-Line Nav. It's a very different car to the Leon, but it has surprisingly good handling.

 

I had wanted an A4, but their residuals are soooo high. They'll retain more, but I got this top-spec Insignia for a really good price. I was never a big fan of the first iteration of the Insignia, but their mid-term facelift made them look a LOT more appealing.

 

I've of course gone for white, my Leon was white, the Z is white! So I'll be picking this up next week all going well. It will stay pretty standard, apart from a bit of tailgate de-badging and some Opel badges (I hate the Vauxhall logo) and will transfer the private plate over.

Looks nice Si. Health to enjoy mate

I'm more interested in seeing the Leon :wink:

How do they make modern wheels so ugly ?

How do they make modern wheels so ugly ?

 

I think they look awesome - kinda remind me of the RST Dog-leg wheels. Mine comes with the 19" 'Atomic' wheels though (which I prefer) - but the car is identical.

 

I'm more interested in seeing the Leon :wink:

 

Here she is! Great car and bags of fun. Because it has such a taught chassis and LOTS of torque, I end up driving everywhere in it like a bit of a c**t!

 

Looking Good Si, I was tempted by the Insignia, looking at replacing my daily in the new year. I keep seeing Insignias around and thinking they look nice (after swearing I'd never own a Vauxsausage ) Think the later better looking model is a lil out my price range, currently a Jag XF is the leading contender but I'm yet to drive a 3 series and a couple of Audi examples.

Hate 'em, like the new Golf (I think) and the new Nissan wheels. Although the ones in the pic below are "less bad". Bring back Minilites (not really).

 

I think they look awesome - kinda remind me of the RST Dog-leg wheels. Mine comes with the 19" 'Atomic' wheels though (which I prefer) - but the car is identical.

 

Good luck with your new toy Si......:clover:

 

......The new Insignia does not look bad at all - although I'm with Andy on the wheels.... :tongue::wink:

 

Richard:cool:

I've lost count of the miles I've done in hired Insignias going to and from various boats around the country.

Always a comfortable journey, and they shocked me hugely when I first drove one as I expected to hate it (as I did the Vectra).

We nearly bought a Tourer version (right up until the day of the first pregnancy scan and we discovered it was twins - hence now S-Max Titanium X Sport).

 

Only thing I don't like (and I haven't found a car I do like it in) is the electronic handbrake.

It just doesn't seem natural at all. And I don't trust it. I found myself purposely looking for perfectly flat places to park even if it meant a longer walk.

I'm quite used to electronic handbrakes and kinda like them. I had a Passat R-Line for a while and it had it. When you get used to it, I found them to be very useful and the extra space they free up is a bonus.

I do like the insignia. Nice choice Si. What's the interior like? My mate at work had one for a few weeks and really liked it despite a few niggles think it was the base model though so the interior was a bit meh.

I didn't want leather interior, but it has everything else. 8" TFT display, SatNav and infotainment system that does almost anything you want it it to including having a little touch pad in the centre console to navigate.

 

This is identical to mine, cloth sports seats, nav system etc.

 

A very pleasant cabin, lovely ride quality....hard to believe it's a Poxhall! Will ditch the Vauxhall badging though!

 

Wanted to pick it up sooner, but we're burying Grandma tomorrow as she died last week, so I'm down in Somerset at my folks' house.

a vauxhal insignia the only self combusting vauxhall ever made. hope you find what you are looking for si.

Yeah I found it.....

Yeah I found it.....

goods stuff mate.is it a vxr please say yes.

No! I need a daily driver! I have a twin turbo V6 already (the Z)! I've put a deposit down on a VX-Line though, so it looks sporty at least.

Good cars, the touch/connect system is very nice in these. My boss has the same car, I drive the Astra with the same 2.0 engine pretty sure its 165ps, only problem is mine is an SE so looks like an old mans car.

I hope they have improved the seats since I owned one I had a 2012 plate SRI 160 bhp Diesel paid extra for nice bigger wheels I had it for one month hated it with a passion though I do have back problems anyone with a bad back leave them alone lol but I did love the way it looked it was quick smooth nice gearbox I quite like the electronic handbrake had one on my Antara 4x4 yo do just get the hang of it then like it :) Looks good in white but i hope u have a slave to wash it every 5 mins lol I couldn't do a white car where i live winter time mental wash the car take a few mile trip to local shop looks like been through a field or 2 on the way there lol hope you enjoy the motor anyway its always nice to have a new or newish car to bomb about in :)

No bad back here. I think the seats changed in '13 when the facelift one was launched. Certainly I found them comfortable enough.

No! I need a daily driver! I have a twin turbo V6 already (the Z)! I've put a deposit down on a VX-Line though, so it looks sporty at least.

 

cool mate nice one

Nice Leon Si, yeah my new Mk1 makes me drive like a bit of an ass as well, taking it to the slopes in France in Jan!

Double post