A day of fun filled test driving on the way..

Vertigo · 4 Feb 2007 at 00:13

Rhyzz said:
Golf GTI is boring and not really comparable to the likes of an Astra VXR....

LOL, I'd take a Golf GTI over a VXR anyday and I'd wager most ppl on this forum would agree with me.

The VXR is a hopeless mess. Whilst Ford and Vauxhaull actually developed decent performance hatches, Vauxhaull did their usual trick of chucking a powerful engine in a standard Astra and sticking some tat onto it and that's it.

Stellios · 4 Feb 2007 at 00:21

wez130 said:
is the monaro VXR much more than £21k? that's one stunning car and much, much better than the astra VXR

Just under £30K IIRC, around £28k

West · 4 Feb 2007 at 00:59

Well it was a fun day...

I test drove my Mini, and although I was shattered, having done a night shift and had 4 hours sleep.. I still had the best 20 mins of my life driving this car...

I ended up taking a very nice Pepper pack 56 Plate 1.6 in Chilli Red.. my first impresseions:

Comfortable Seats
Pleasing to look at inside, I thought I wouldnt like the speedo position, but I did prefer it!
Driving position is nice

So we got started, and a new sort of thing that I have never tried before is where you put a fob in a dock and press a button to start the car, that I thought was very nice.. we got going and I found the car to be quite responsive to what I am used to, brakes are a lot more responsive, accelleration was also very nice, the pedal shape was like the BMW Padal ones which I liked..

I got to floor it to 60 at one point, I found the car to be nice in all gears and up hills. although I did struggle on a hill start with its bite, but thats something id get used to..

I did all the financing whilst I was there, and I have settled on the car, although with the financing i've been offered, i am gonna get the upgraded stereo kit..

Specs:

Mini One - 1.4 16v New Shape released in April with new engine
Lightning Blue with White Racing stripe
Pepper Pack - which comprises of 5 Star Spooler Alloys, Chrome Line Interior, Mats, Passenger seat adjuster, Storage Compartment pack, Front Fogs, Manual A/C, On Board computer, Interior Light back, Boost CD with Hi Fi Pack and 2nd Remote Key
Multi Function Steering Wheel with Leather, which added cruise control
Exterior Mirror Pack, heated and washer jetted
Rear Parking Sensors

And with all the delivery charges, first Reg Fee an VAT comes to £13,967.15

Over 3 years im looking to pay £300 a month and over 4 £267 a month, at most insurance is gonna be about £200 a month, but I am sure Direct Line will put that down to around 17/1800 as its only a group 5 car.

They want a £500 Deposit, which I will put in in April, as its gonna take me a couple of months to get that together, im gonna get around £800 Saved so if there are any complications with Insurance, that Ill have something to fall back on..

So, im a happy bunny!

On the other hand, my dad is torn, he can get the Astra SXI CDTI with all the trimmings for around 19k, but still leaves him 3k to play with.. but he goes over his budget just by getting just within 21.6k on the 1 series M.. I said he should go for the Astra I honestly thought you were getting more car for your money.. he also said that the 1 series seemed VERY lazy in the upper gears, but you could feel the torque on the Astra just sitting in it, it was a very nice motor.

PMKeates · 4 Feb 2007 at 01:24

West said:
he also said that the 1 series seemed VERY lazy in the upper gears, but you could feel the torque on the Astra just sitting in it, it was a very nice motor.

What 1 Series did he test drive - a 118d?

FC1983 · 4 Feb 2007 at 01:30

Over 19k for an SXI Astra? You sure that's not the VXR? Because if it isn't, that's hell of a price for an SXI.

Stellios · 4 Feb 2007 at 01:31

Thats one expensive astra. Id rather take a Megane 225 for that sort of cash.

West · 4 Feb 2007 at 01:40

PMKeates said:
What 1 Series did he test drive - a 118d?

Yuppers.. they didnt have an M version for him to test..

West · 4 Feb 2007 at 01:43

FC1983 said:
Over 19k for an SXI Astra? You sure that's not the VXR? Because if it isn't, that's hell of a price for an SXI.

Will have a body kit on, cant remember which it was, but he's having all the trimmings, so the car will LOOK like a VXR

FC1983 · 4 Feb 2007 at 01:45

West said:
Will have a body kit on, cant remember which it was, but he's having all the trimmings, so the car will LOOK like a VXR

Wouldn't it be better to actually get a VXR though? Or does he have to have diesel as it's a company car? If so I would have thought the 1 series would be a better bet.

West · 4 Feb 2007 at 01:46

FC1983 said:
Wouldn't it be better to actually get a VXR though? Or does he have to have diesel as it's a company car? If so I would have thought the 1 series would be a better bet.

Gotta be diesel as he gets it free on site where he works...

We thought that he would be better with the astra, as you're getting a decent pulling motor, the top spec engine and ALL the trimmings for less than you're paying for the 118d M.. although I think looks they are on Par, I think the Astra would suite him down to the ground..

FC1983 · 4 Feb 2007 at 01:49

West said:
Gotta be diesel as he gets it free on site where he works...

We thought that he would be better with the astra, as you're getting a decent pulling motor, the top spec engine and ALL the trimmings for less than you're paying for the 118d M.. although I think looks they are on Par, I think the Astra would suite him down to the ground..

I can't comment on that as I haven't driven either. Has he looked at the Passat, A3, Golf, Mondeo etc as there are a lot of cars for this sort of money.

West · 4 Feb 2007 at 06:13

FC1983 said:
I can't comment on that as I haven't driven either. Has he looked at the Passat, A3, Golf, Mondeo etc as there are a lot of cars for this sort of money.

He has the Volvo S40 next on his list, but to be honest I think he will go for the Astra..

[TW]Fox · 4 Feb 2007 at 10:10

West said:
I said he should go for the Astra I honestly thought you were getting more car for your money...

But it's a Vauxhall, and it feels like a Vauxhall inside, and it'll rattle like a Vauxhall after a few miles. It's the wrong class of car for this money. Why doesn't he look at the Audi A3 TDI instead? I'd trade a bit of spec for the quality of the A3.

Vertigo · 4 Feb 2007 at 11:02

West said:
you put a fob in a dock and press a button to start the car, that I thought was very nice

Seriously, what is it with push-button starters? Pointless gimmick that serves no useful purpose whatsoever, I'm really curious what people see in them.

On the other hand, my dad is torn, he can get the Astra SXI CDTI with all the trimmings for around 19k, but still leaves him 3k to play with

I presume you mean 2k to play with (21k total wasn't it?). £19k for an Astra is outrageous imo

he also said that the 1 series seemed VERY lazy in the upper gears, but you could feel the torque on the Astra just sitting in it, it was a very nice motor.

Err, what? Feel the torque? The Astra 1.7 CDTI has 100PS/240Nm I believe. Are you sure this wasn't the SRi with the 1.9 CDTi 150PS/320Nm unit? That would make more sense although only if the BMW was the 118d rather than the 120d.

£21k to spend on a new hatch? Audi A3 2.0TDI 170 Sport - £20915 RRP.

PMKeates · 4 Feb 2007 at 11:11

West said:
Yuppers.. they didnt have an M version for him to test..

Vertigo1's mentioned this, but I will again:

For starters, a 118d is a 118d engine performance wise - whether it's a base, an ES, SE, Sport or M Sport, they are all 122hp with 280 Nm of torque @ 2000rpm. 0-62 in 10.0s, top of 125 mph.

The Astra CDTi on the other hand, even if it was the most powerful SXi in the range, is significantly slower 0-62 at 12.3s and a top speed of 111 mph. Torque is 240 Nm @ 2300rpm. I can't begin to imagine how the Astra felt faster :confused:

Vertigo · 4 Feb 2007 at 11:33

Well there is a more powerful, 1.9 150PS unit but what doesn't jibe is that it's not available in the SXi, only the SRi. He could have test driven an SRi instead but this is £19.5k list, not "with all the trimmings for around 19k" :confused:

OllyM · 4 Feb 2007 at 11:36

West said:
Over 3 years im looking to pay £300 a month and over 4 £267 a month, at most insurance is gonna be about £200 a month, but I am sure Direct Line will put that down to around 17/1800 as its only a group 5 car.

They want a £500 Deposit, which I will put in in April, as its gonna take me a couple of months to get that together, im gonna get around £800 Saved so if there are any complications with Insurance, that Ill have something to fall back on..

Are you sure you should be financing a car if you don't even have £500 for a deposit? :confused:

And

@ the insurance - £200 a month is £2400 a year, which is way more than I'll be paying on my new ST TDCI (group 13), but I'm (slightly) younger than you!

PeterNem · 4 Feb 2007 at 11:41

West said:
Astra SXI CDTI

PMKeates · 4 Feb 2007 at 11:42

PeterNem said:
Amusing Picture

wassap · 4 Feb 2007 at 11:47

Bloody hell 19k for a astra diesel, sorry but just no, my Focus ST retails at 19k ffs.

Im with Fox, I have spent nigh on 7-8k miles in an astra diesel, and honesty its a nice car but not 19k nice, if your dad does a lot of driving the astra will start to grate on after a while, 19k is best spent on a VW or a audi diesel, the astra may have the toys, but realistically how often do you use most of the crap you get on cars nowadays!

Oh and whoever said the golf GTI was boring, you are having a laugh right? God you dont half get some crap on the forums nowadays :rolleyes: