19 replies to this topic

[wilksy]

I’m looking at buying a VX220 and went to look at one today, when I drove it for a short test drive I noticed the front near side suspension was very crashy and made a real knocking noise, the offside seemed better.

The car has Gaz shocks fitted and all the wishbones were rusty and I guess the bushes are worn.

Is a crashing ride normal, I’ve owned all manner of cars but not a VX so have nothing to reference. I used to Sprint a BDA Westfield and that was no where as crashy.

[VX Boyd]

They are notoriously 'crashy'. Potholes will revurberate through the spine. Though I wouldn't say knocking is common place.

New bushes did mine a lot of favours - though some of that may have been a placebo effect.

[Crunchie]

Not sure what crashy means. They certainly have active or lively steering that allow you to feel every bit of the road and on bad road surfaces you’ll feel how bad they are. If you hit a pot hole it will make you wince, in sympathy for the car as Much as being uncomfortable. However they don’t knock. Although sometimes certain brake pads will have a knocking sound which you hear at low speed. A quick bit of light left foot braking will make this sound go away and confirm that it is the pads rather than anything else.

[Rosssco]

Check what Gaz suspension is fitted - some of the early stuff was poor in terms of ride comfort, and often people fit overly-stiff springs.

[wilksy]

With regard to crashy I mean that I could feel the steering physically shake when on a rough surface and the shake, noise and uncertainty was coming from the left the right hand side felt as i would have expected, the car just didn't feel connected. 

 

The guy did say that the brake pads will rattle and make a noise but that would just be a sound it wouldn't effect the car sense of security.  I used to have AP calipers on almost all my race cars and yes they knock but the handling etc wasn't compromised.

 

I think I may need to up my budget

 

 

[wilksy]

Gaz Gold fitted about 3+ years ago no information to hand on spring rates i'm afraid.

[Rosssco]

Goes without saying, but it would be worth getting a ride in one or two other cars to better judge if you think there may be an issue with the specific car you tried.

 

Gaz Gold are decent enough. I personally have never rated them too highly on the road, but many are very happy with them.

 

Pad rattle is not unusual and can be resolved majority of the time.

 

Ultimately its a very stiff chassis with little in the way of dampening and some suspension doesn't help in this regard!

[hairy]

There should be some Essex owners who could take you out for a comparison drive.

[phil.d]

Mine had gaz golds when I bought it. , changed to nitrons and made a big difference

[wilksy]

Thanks for the replies, going to look at a VXR tomorrow.

[TheRealVXed]

I went through 3 sets of Gas Gold due to the damper seizing.  This gave similar symptoms you describe.

 

The Nitrons are so much better but budget 1k

[wilksy]

That would make sense to me it felt like a broken spring or snapped ARB drop links but they were intact. I used to have a Alfa 156 which went through ARB drop links like they were made from cheese so I made some proper ones with rod ends - didn’t break then

[Strugs]

Thanks for the replies, going to look at a VXR tomorrow.

Which number, and where?

[wilksy]

No.50 at Jon Seal and very nice it was

[Strugs]

No.50 at Jon Seal and very nice it was

And I see it's now 'reserved'. Are you joining the fold then?

[wilksy]

Sure am, should be picking it up in a couple of weeks

[wilksy]

I’ve ever owned one Vauxhall in my life and it wasn’t a happy marriage luckily I had a fairly big crash in it and it was eventually written off so hopefully the 220 will be a much better experience.

[coldel]

I did own an 05 plate Astra 1.8 SRi once, the VX220 is pretty damn far from that in terms of how much better it is.

 

As for ownership, enjoy the ride, there will be frustration, tears, pain, anger - but also fun, excitement, enjoyment.

[Strugs]

Sure am, should be picking it up in a couple of weeks

Good stuff.. 👍

[VX Boyd]

Sure am, should be picking it up in a couple of weeks

 

Nice. How did you find it compared to the first one you tried regarding 'crashyness'?