2003 1.4 Astra.
- Thread starter Ahleckz
- Start date
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Your a goat, mate.
Good comeback.this.
The focus is a better car, but that is by a very small margin, it's not like the astra is the abomination of the class or car industry as some people are trying to suggest. And most serious review places agree that is a fair car, whether it's What Car , Parkers or Honest John .
Do not get me wrong, I have learned valuable information from this forum, yet the constant unjustified Vauxhall hate disappoints me.
It's a common car, the focus ain't articulary rare either.
To be honest when you're looking at second hand cars at this particular budget, it's quite hard to ignore the "value for money" factor and more often than not, the Astra beats the Focus hands down at this category.
You're
So apart from the usual "haters" rubbish - we're agreed that the only area that the Astra is better is being cheap?
I'm not a vauxhall hater, I'm not a badge hater in general. However, I have driven the astra for an extended length of time on numerous occasions (girlfriend owns one and my s2000 struggles to fit a GSD in...) and I hate it.
It's a justified opinion when I have driven equivilent cars in it's class. It's awful.
To describe the 1.4 as Nippy, is in the same boat as to describe Stevie Wonder as 'Ably Sighted'. He isn't, it's not.
It's a justified opinion when I have driven equivilent cars in it's class. It's awful.
To describe the 1.4 as Nippy, is in the same boat as to describe Stevie Wonder as 'Ably Sighted'. He isn't, it's not.
Soldato
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We'd need to know a lot more about your circumstances to say if it's a bad or good idea, but it's certainly the most boring car I can think of.
Given he's just bought a Honda accord, I don't think excitement was top of the list.
Soldato
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The Astra hate club on here is a bit silly really 
No they aren't particularly quick or fun to drive but they are solid and reliable and cheaper to buy than an equivilent focus. Depends what you want a car for really. Cheap and reliable, the Astra is a decent second hand buy in the 3-5k price bracket. No way i'd buy a new one though! Oh and people who own something like an S2000, well of course an Astra is going to feel a bit rubbish after driving your car 
No they aren't particularly quick or fun to drive but they are solid and reliable and cheaper to buy than an equivilent focus. Depends what you want a car for really. Cheap and reliable, the Astra is a decent second hand buy in the 3-5k price bracket. No way i'd buy a new one though! Oh and people who own something like an S2000, well of course an Astra is going to feel a bit rubbish after driving your car
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Nobody ever suggested avoiding because they aren't quick, but because they are annoyingly slow.
Yes, they are cheaper than the focus - they may be "solid and reliable" but not as solid and reliable as the focus. Ergo, the only thing better than the focus it does is be cheap... Still.
Yes, they are cheaper than the focus - they may be "solid and reliable" but not as solid and reliable as the focus. Ergo, the only thing better than the focus it does is be cheap... Still.
The Astra hate club on here is a bit silly really
You can pick up GSi's for between £3-5k so I'd be hoping a 1.4 would be considerably less than that.
oh and the focus is so much quicker on equivalent engines.
allrite, we start from 1.4, parker's official figures, looking at post 2000 cars.
Astra: 90bhp, 0-60 in 12 seconds
Focus: 75bhp. 0-60 in 13.6
Moving on to 1.6:
Astra: 98bhp, 0-60 in 10.5
Focus: 98bhp, 0-60 in 10.8
1.8
Astra: 123 bhp, 0-60 in 8.5
Focus: 113bhp, 0-60 in 9.9
2.0 was discontinued from astra in 2000, replaced with 2.2
Astra (2.2): 144bhp, 0-60 in 7.9
Focus (2.0): 128bhp, 0-60 in 8.9
performance versions:
Astra GSI, 200bhp 0-60 in 7
Focus ST, 170bhp, 0-60 in 7.9
Focus: 128bhp, 0-60 in 8.9
Each engine from the Astra is actually faster than the equivalent from the focus. Not just cheaper eh? Like the fact that they are cheap is so easy to ignore when you're looking at cars under £2k...
As for the solid and reliable part, they are the same (which is confirmed by pretty much any reliability index) if you think there's any significant difference you are wrong.
You're saying the engines are better just because of 0-60 times? Shock horror as more powerful engines yield faster times. The 1.6 Focus can be as fast as 10 secs to 60 depending on trim...
You'll find anyone gets shot down at the mere suggestion of purchasing a 1.4 Focus...
You'll find anyone gets shot down at the mere suggestion of purchasing a 1.4 Focus...
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There are better options for the same sort of money/age/condition which mean the Astra should only be in contention if you really like the looks, interior or genuinely prefer the driving experience.
Is the 2003 the one that looks like a lizard when it comes in that dull green colour, the Mk4? I've only driven an estate helping a mate move house so can't really give much help on the driving experience.
The Mk5 I drove had a flat spot the size of Argentina and hugely over-assisted brakes but the interior looked nice (design wise - the quality wasn't up to much) and I quite like the exterior styling.
Is the 2003 the one that looks like a lizard when it comes in that dull green colour, the Mk4? I've only driven an estate helping a mate move house so can't really give much help on the driving experience.
The Mk5 I drove had a flat spot the size of Argentina and hugely over-assisted brakes but the interior looked nice (design wise - the quality wasn't up to much) and I quite like the exterior styling.
