Used car guide

2005 Vauxhall Vectra: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 Vauxhall Vectras, from 1,456 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,456MOT tests in 2025

55%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)

5,900typical miles a year

4.4×the usual rate for steering rack inner joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2005 Vauxhall Vectras than on all cars registered in 2005.

Steering rack inner joints4.4× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
17% All 2005 cars
3.9%

Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.
Exhaust system2.1× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
19.8% All 2005 cars
9.4%

Failed outright at MOT: 4.3%, against 2.4% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.
Sub-frame2.2× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
14.8% All 2005 cars
6.8%

Failed outright at MOT: 1.8%, against 0.3% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.
Coil springs1.7× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
18.4% All 2005 cars
10.8%

Failed outright at MOT: 5.8%, against 2.6% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.
Anti-roll bar link joints1.8× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
7.7% All 2005 cars
4.2%

Failed outright at MOT: 3.1%, against 1.5% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

Better than most

Brake lights: 2.1% here, against 5.6% of all 2005 cars. Suspension arm: 1.6% here, against 4.1% of all 2005 cars.

By area

The share of 2005 Vauxhall Vectra MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

Suspension

57% of testsRough price £120–£400

At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.
Brakes

48% of testsRough price £150–£350

At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.
Lights and electrics

38% of testsRough price £10–£80

At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
Tyres

33% of testsRough price £70–£150

At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.
Exhaust and emissions

22% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.
Steering

20% of testsRough price £100–£450

At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Feel for play or knocking when turning.

Looking at a Vauxhall Vectra?

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Other years

Year	MOT tests	Most flagged
2009	1,270	Suspension 53%
2008	7,050	Suspension 53%
2007	6,118	Suspension 52%
2006	3,176	Suspension 52%
2004	897	Suspension 59%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2005 Vauxhall Vectras registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score