Vauxhall Astra 1.7CDTi EcoFlex

Ed · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:31

Dogbreath said:
Probably yes if she hasn't tried all the competition.

Only direct competitors as far as I know.

[TW]Fox;13267893 said:
Why does she keep having to buy them, do they not last very long?

Same reason other people buy new cars every three years.

OpenToSuggestions · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:32

What a stupid car to buy!!!

However Vauxhall are only selling what people want I suppose. Even if what people want makes no sense to someone with any car knowledge at all.

Ed · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:34

mglover070588 said:
Even if what people want makes no sense to someone with any car knowledge at all.

The majority of the population then?

Ed · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:36

Dogbreath said:
I had the 130 diesel as a hire car, and it's certainly one of the most nose heavy modern cars I've driven, it understeered very early if you pushed it.

This doesn't sound like anything I've experienced. I've hired several of these from Milan airport when visiting Monza and spanked the life out of them in the hills near Lake Como and they handled well, had plenty of torque and were great on the autostradas flat out.

Dogbreath said:
OTOH I've had the misfortune to have a 1.6 petrol Astra and the equivalent Focus as a hire cars, and disliked both of them due to the utter lack of performance. The Astra in particular felt so flat and lethargic it was hard to believe it was a 1.6.

The Focus actually felt quicker with 3 people on board and had the better handling of the two, but I'd need a frontal lobotomy to consider owning either of them with a 1.6 petrol.

I too have hired a Focus from the airport and it was crap and slow. Preferred the Astra diesel.

OpenToSuggestions · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:36

Ed said:
The majority of the population then?

They are only selling what people want, whether we see it as sensible or not.

Just like I bet samsung sell a lot of their 5 series 32inch 1080p TVs.

Ed · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:38

mglover070588 said:
They are only selling what people want, whether we see it as sensible or not.

My point is 'we' aren't important in the decision to build and market these cars. I'd never buy one but that doesn't mean someone who does should be shot.

wassap · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:49

Ed said:
. My last, a Vec C was safe, reliable and comfortable. People moan about the handling but I thought it was surefooted in all weathers, stable on the motorway and was actually quite refined at cruise.

Safe, Reliable and Comfortable are a given for any car in 2009.

wassap · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:51

Ed said:
This doesn't sound like anything I've experienced. I've hired several of these from Milan airport when visiting Monza and spanked the life out of them in the hills near Lake Como and they handled well, had plenty of torque and were great on the autostradas flat out.

I too have hired a Focus from the airport and it was crap and slow. Preferred the Astra diesel.

Wow, just about of all of the motoring press, and anyone who knows anything about cars, knows the Astra isnt a great handling car, and the Focus is a class leader.You must let them all know they are wrong

Ed · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:56

wohoo said:
Wow, just about of all of the motoring press, and anyone who knows anything about cars, knows the Astra isnt a great handling car, and the Focus is a class leader.You must let them all know they are wrong

Thanks for the insult. As it happens, it comes from experience driving the cars and my interpretation of it. Would I buy an Astra, no. Was it bad, no. Was the Focus better, no.

danza · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:58

Princey said:
What the hell does that mean? He was just unlucky with his then because they just as reliable as anything else in its class.

Please don't take what I said as a generalistaion about the Vauxhall marque - for the most part they are ok cars. Just anything that's without some kind of performance pretense if normally rather boring and humdrum.

And by hearse I meant it's cavernous, slow, difficult to manuever and very, very boring.

cheets64 · 11 Jan 2009 at 19:59

Why do you need to bring it up all the time , their are millions of people in this country, so buy bangers, some buy brand new cars, some buy 2nd hand cars.

wassap · 11 Jan 2009 at 20:00

Ed said:
Thanks for the insult. As it happens, it comes from experience driving the cars and my interpretation of it. Would I buy an Astra, no. Was it bad, no. Was the Focus better, no.

Well you cant come on a forum full of enthusiasts and make a comment like that, and not be picked up on it.

Insult :confused:

Ed · 11 Jan 2009 at 20:05

wohoo said:
Well you cant come on a forum full of enthusiasts and make a comment like that, and not be picked up on it.

What that a hire Focus was crap but a diesel Astra was alright? Maybe the extra torque of the Astra made for a better experience as well as it being a newer car but the point stands. I know people here are struggling to see how anyone can choose an Astra over say a Focus or a Golf but people do.

Princey · 11 Jan 2009 at 20:05

The thing is who needs top handling in a run of the mill car? The handling is not dangerous in the Astra and is more than enough for most types of driving it will be put under. If a buyer cares enough about handling they'd go for a VXR or what ever.

[TW]Fox · 11 Jan 2009 at 20:06

cheets64 said:
Why do you need to bring it up all the time , their are millions of people in this country, so buy bangers, some buy brand new cars, some buy 2nd hand cars.

I think GD is 3rd door down on the left, thanks!

Ed · 11 Jan 2009 at 20:09

There is an odd level of perspective when it comes to Vauxhalls, almost to the point of hate which I find very strange. There's far worse out there for sale. Why doesn't the awful Peugeot 307 share some pain too?

jamoor · 11 Jan 2009 at 20:10

Lopéz said:
You just said it yourself. All those companies do the exact same thing but much better - hence Vauxhall are considered to be "not up to scratch"

Ignore, I misread your post

jamoor · 11 Jan 2009 at 20:12

[TW]Fox;13267679 said:
New Seat Leon is horribly plastic as well, whats with that weird huge plastic slab in the middle of the dashboard?

Have you seen the Seat Exeo?

What a novel idea!

-Ad- · 11 Jan 2009 at 20:16

[TW]Fox;13267706 said:
I've only been a passenger, not driven one properly, but it's pretty awful from a passengers perspective

I mean WHAT is going on with that rear quarter window with the stupid doorhandles in it?

Looks like a 3 door, and it looks good. The door handles work as.. well.... door handles, so open the doors. What else do you expect them to do ?
I agree about the plastics, pretty bland and horrible inside, but doesn't seem too badly made.

The FR models are excellent (Diesel major TORX !

) and handle pretty well, and then the cupra is just epic in all ways (except the plastics). It looks awesome in asbo yellow with big wheels even though it's a bit chavvy