57 replies to this topic

[2GOOD]

I test drove this in July 2004 (towards the end of my test drive career)

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Location looks familar James

Editted to add: My story, short version - got knocked off the Ducati by a 78 year old woman who couldn't read a number plate @ 3.5m yet alone 20m, on a major A road, repaired by the NHS & given money by her insurance company to make up for the injuries, I went back to work at the Vauxhall dealership shown above, we weren't a vx220 dealer to start off with but the Gloucester branch who were put a spare car in our showroom, I kept studying it, other salesman had a bet on how soon I'd buy one, which delayed me a bit, but late 2002 & an LY was in my sights.

Edited by 2GOOD, 15 May 2012 - 09:34 PM.

[jonnyboy]

Actual purchase day stories I have loads First VX was purchased after a midweek run to north Wales. Car was tucked away under cover in a barn. After a little look me, my Mrs and my mum (yes we all went) were treated to tea and cakes by the Sellers mum. They even got the family photos out. They were lovely people and lived in a beautiful farm in north Wales iirc. Second one was down the road in York. Bit of an impulse buy from a chap that was renovating an old school house and needed the money to put a roof on an extension. Lovely family again and left my mum and wife alone in this house while me and the vendor disappeared off for a half hour test drive. Third one bought long distance again price negotiated blind. Train down to Oxford. Another brautiful house and lovely family to chat to. Drove the whole way back with the roof off. Fourth one was another train journey down to Leicester. Freezing cold test drive, another brew in another lovely house. Last one was my distance record. Train down to Southampton, bought on strength of Ph advert and a chat with the vendor before. No test drive. Seller opened garage door and it looked so right I just said lets get down the bank. Drove it back on the only sunny day we had in the whole of December.

[JG]

I love that story Darryl quite spooky

[JG]

I test drove this in July 2004 (towards the end of my test drive career)

 Barbados 031.JPG   92.28KB   0 downloads
Location looks familar James

It does indeed.
I miss going there actually.
For the first three years i had the car it went there

[jules_s]

Mine was brief. Went up to baylis and sat in a 'sold' black NA...might well be somebody's we know A couple of weeks later (after trawling the vaux site - really wanted a black one) I booked a test drive in Exeter and bought it on the spot.

[DarrylB]

I love that story Darryl quite spooky

Cheers JG, it was spooky!

I'd never been to Liverpool/St Helens/Lime Street station before, so to see that name my train time, train station and location on the ONE day that I was going there really sent shivers up spine....suffice to say I also got a lottery ticket that week too.

[2GOOD]

In reply to JG's comment about the Cheltenham dealer It's just a derelict eye sore now, the Haines & Strange name has gone & Baylis operates out of a much smaller building converted to a car dealership in one of the less nice areas of the town (the end of town where the two guys are from who under arrest for explosive/terrorist charges if that's made the national news)

Edited by 2GOOD, 15 May 2012 - 09:40 PM.

[2GOOD]

Mine was brief.

Went up to baylis and sat in a 'sold' black NA...might well be somebody's we know

A couple of weeks later (after trawling the vaux site - really wanted a black one) I booked a test drive in Exeter and bought it on the spot.

Didn't know that, Cheltenham or Gloucester?

[Bumblebee]

I was just browsing ph,I wasn't actually looking for a Vx or another car at the time as i had a clio v6,saw a yellow Vxt,fsh,mint etc,phoned them up and before I new it I was on my way to The stratstone garage in Cheshire (Aston Martin) came out a very happy lady ,bought it in jan 2011,tooked it up in the garage till march,felt like the longest wait of my life,talk about a spare of the moment thing but I've certainly not regretted it!

Edited by Aimy, 15 May 2012 - 09:59 PM.

[elwill]

Went round to someone I know for the first time, and he had a very low car under a cover. Couldn't figure out what it was but twigged immediately when I pulled it up to see the double exhaust. Made him get the cover off, sat in it etc and just fell in love. Was never a car I would ever have thought about and didn't know anything about them. Spent 6 months researching it, reading through this site on and off, decided I had to have it. Told him I'd buy it, took another 6 months to iron out various issues that meant I could actually have it. Went through many times were I never thought I would get my hands on it but it's all mine now.

[jules_s]

Didn't know that, Cheltenham or Gloucester?

Cheltenham.....I was quite surprised the salesman let me sit in it given it was already sold

Was the salesman you?!?

[techieboy]

Cheltenham.....I was quite surprised the salesman let me sit in it given it was already sold

The first VX I ever drove was a red VXT that had been sold earlier that day at Motorbodies in Luton.

Salesmen was just going to let me sit in to see whether I could get in and out and then said oh, let's take it around the block. Ended up going out for about 30 minutes.

[tommobot]

Looked for one for a while looked at 1 or 2 but there weren't quite right. Anyway, luckily someone brought my Intergra DC2 which I was selling on Saturday morning and then Saturday afternoon looked at one 150 miles away in Huddersfield and it was perfect, standard with just a VSE. Put a deposit down and picked it up the next weekend, only real issue was the DVLA sorting putting the chaps plate on retention in the week but luckily got a text on the Saturday morning that it was sorted and went off and picked it up! Oh, if anyone remembers him, it was 'Mainline's old one but I didn't purchase from him.

Edited by tommobot, 15 May 2012 - 10:04 PM.

[2GOOD]

Didn't know that, Cheltenham or Gloucester?

Cheltenham.....I was quite surprised the salesman let me sit in it given it was already sold

Was the salesman you?!?

Who knows? If the car was new & in the showroom, it was normally beside my desk, however I did & still do like my time off

[ArticMonkey]

Must be the Irish as the seller had something about him and the deal was rushed and done in a random car park. Plus heavy rain and having nevr driven a VX let alone an RWD car before made for a nervouse trip home.

I did draw the line at taking a rucksack of cash and went for a bankers draft. This turned out to be a good idea as the night before the seller was offered £1000 more and £300 for me to walk away!as the draft was in his name he felt guilty so sold it to me in the end.

[LazyDonkey]

Was about to turn 30 - wanted to buy a silly car. Test drove an S2 elise and loved it but was price was a bit too spicey. S1 too raw with a shite roof so started looking at VXs. Found the perfect car but it was full of stuff i didn't need (flip out dvd player, hardtop, K&N etc) so offered a cheeky offer for the car alone. Two weeks later (between christmas and new year) i got a phonecall at 11pm to say "its yours if you want it with all the toys. You can pick it up within 2 weeks". 2 weeks later i flew to Bristol, drove the car round the access roads of Bristol airport (first ever drive in a VX) and then drove it home to Glasgow. That was over 7 years and 70k miles ago and i've never looked back .

Edited by LazyDonkey, 16 May 2012 - 07:31 AM.

[luke.]

Purchased my vx October 2009 passed my driving test December 2009. People on the forum having wagers on how long before I crashed

[Mike (Cliffie)]

Purchased my vx October 2009 passed my driving test December 2009.

People on the forum having wagers on how long before I crashed

Was about to turn 30 - wanted to buy a silly car. Test drove an S2 elise and loved it but was price was a bit too spicey. S1 too raw with a shite roof so started looking at VXs.

Found the perfect car but it was full of stuff i didn't need (flip out dvd player, hardtop, K&N etc) so offered a cheeky offer for the car alone. Two weeks later (between christmas and new year) i got a phonecall at 11pm to say "its yours if you want it with all the toys. You can pick it up within 2 weeks".

2 weeks later i flew to Bristol, drove the car round the access roads of Bristol airport (first ever drive in a VX) and then drove it home to Glasgow.

That was over 7 years and 70k miles ago and i've never looked back .

So do you remember Jordan Judge

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

Lol, before buying my first VX I went to view an NA near Abergavenny. Guy asked me if id like to go out with him for a test drive, I agreed. As we were pulling off he laughed and said nobody ever gets in a car with him and that he used to race in some high end Porsche series (he was minted). He proceeded to thrash it through the lanes and I think I shat out a kidney in terror. I was white by the time we got back and didn't look at a another VX for about 6 months!!!!

[techieboy]

I think I shat out a kidney in terror. I was white by the time we got back and didn't look at a another VX for about 6 months!!!!