Who owns a new shape Astra?

BeatMaster

BeatMaster

BeatMaster

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I've always like the look of the new shape Astra and after my the loss of my Fabia vRS I've been on the lookout for a new car. I originally didn't know much about the different models Life, Club, SXi, SRi, Design and Elite but after a quick look around, the Design really stood out. The standard spec on the design is pretty high: Front and back electric windows, half leather interior, multi-function trip computer, auto-headlights, auto-wipers, anti-dazzle rear-view mirror, 16" alloys, air conditioning and remote central-locking :cool:

I'm looking at a 1.7 CDTi (100ps) which is 3 years old with 75k miles, FDSH and 1 owner. I'm wondering what I should be looking for when I view the car, what tends to go wrong? I'm unfamiliar with servicing on a vauxhall - key dates and milages?

Anyone own either an Astra with the 1.7 CDTi, design model or even both?

The justification for having diesel is I like the way they drive. Although I would be interested to know what people thought of the 1.6 aswell.

Thoughts and opinions welcome :)
 
I drove a two door SXi(?) 1.6 the other day at work and it felt like i was driving a pillbox...cramped and with very crap rear vision...
:)
 
I drove a 1.9tdi, a while back.

Found it fairly responsive and nice to drive. Comfy aswell.

The astra in question will feel a lot slower than the Fabia. The ones with the XP pack on them look really nice aswell imo.
 
We have an astra, and to be honest its shockingly bad as far as build quality, its coming up to four years old and is falling apart (Sxi 1.7 cdti) I would possibly go for the focus or mondeo?
 
I have driven a 2008 Astra, piece of tat IMO.

It was a 1.6 SRI or whatever they call their "sport" model.
 
Nathan said:
what did you do with your vrs in the end?
Click to expand...

I decided to take the money rather than buy it back with heading back to University I wouldn't really of had time to sort it out to get it fixed. Tis a shame really, loved the car and it was in really good nick :( C'est le vie.

I'm not so much after out and out performance but a reliable car. I've got up to £5,000 to spend, just deciding on what to buy is the problem.

I'd prefer something Focus/Astra size as opposed to Mondeo :)
 
Felt alright to drive when I took one out, looks quite nice too.

Did NOT like:

Massive flat spots throughout rev range
Hugely over-servoed brakes
Indicators
 
I used to own a 1.6 SXI on the 06 plate.


They are good cars, compared to other stuff on the market they are...terrible. But the car itself isn't all that bad. If you do buy one get one with the bi-xenon headlights, they are superb :cool:

The 1.6 at the time, for me, was a nice engine with ok-good response. But as Lopez said...really bad flat spots, but I don't know if this is on all of them?

The interior for some is horrid, for me it was fine, but then again interiors have never been a major point for me. Test drive one, see if you like it, don't get the 'Life' or the 'Design' - you get rubbish wheels and a terrible interior (that's a lot coming from me :p)

Get the SXI at least!
 
Honestly don't do it. The build quality is (still) rubbish, internal trim dropping off/squeeking is all too common, the plastic fettishists have to change underwear every time they get into your car and the 1.7d is going to save you a fortune in fuel only because you'll hate driving it. Anywhere. Did I mention those were the pluss points ?

On the downside it's nothing like the VRS so if you like how diesels drive based on that you'll not like the Astra and certainly not the 1.7d.
 
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My parents have a 3 year old 1.6 SXi. Haven't driven it much myself but my own perception was that it was a fairly comfortable, nice-looking car that was quite pleasant to drive. No problems with the interior either, felt solid enough. Been very reliable too, no problems at all with it. Radio is a bit rubbish though, sound quality isn't good and it's almost like the radio 'skips', but I don't know if that's an isolated problem or a common one.
 
The 1.6 is poor and underpowered, there is a large difference between the 1.6 and 1.8. Never tried a 1.7 but the 1.9 CDTI's are reasonably quick and good to drive.

Rear visibility is poor and build quality is average. I'm struggling to remember much about the car (I drove 10's of them in summer of 2007) whereas I can remember much more about the focus. The astra was imho a completely forgettable experience.
 
Dont get the 1.7 CDTI - its hopeless! We hired one and it was just terrible, no guts to it at all! Plus in general its pretty shoddily made, get a focus instead
 
We have one as a company pool car and it is shocking, we are selling it as it keeps breaking. Plenty of torque (1.9CDTI SRI iirc), but generally a horrible car which after considering one for myself, completely hate now!
 
It's a good looking car, other then that it gets you from A to B - I cannot think of a single good thing about it over the rivals.

Well maybe the...umm, but... no, nothing.
 
I wouldn't even consider a 1.6 petrol, it's quite easily the most gutless new car I have ever driven. I also had the 130PS version of the 1.9CDTi as a hire car and it was quite fun to drive (for a diesel), had a very firm ride, bordering on crashy. The boot space is pathetic however, and if you get the three door you need to develop arms like an orangutan to reach back to the seat belt on the B pillar.

It also has the hateful electronic indicator stalk that can invoke feelings of rage and a overwhelming desire the snap the bloody thing off.
 
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