Vauxhall Astra 2.0L SRi Diesel

If you don't mind it being what it is, then nothing is wrong with it ;)
 
:) sorry.

Nothing really, there is nothing wrong with that vehicle. I was basically saying that if you like it get it, if not then don't. My inlaws have an Astra, many police forces use them as well, my good friend setup a really good tuning business based on astras originally.

So, as far as I know, nothing wrong with them. And if you like a little extra power I know exactly where to go :)
 
fabs said:
Ah, never was one to be bothered by a badge. ;)
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I have nothing against the badge.. in fact the badge itself is by all accounts well built and reliable.

It's the bit of cheap tin the badge is stuck to that I've never regarded too highly.
 
My Dad has an estate one. It's really good (for a diesel - I loathe the stinking clanking evil things). Make sure you get the upgraded better quality seats with the side support though as the standard flat ones (like the blobby insignia has) are pants. He got his Ex demo so a big chunk off list price and it's only a year old. Rear leg room is a bit poor but the boot is decent. I'd probably specify dual zone climate control not just the standard air con.

Equipment is a bit basic as his has windy(!) windows in the back and there is no rear ventilation. He had an omega before and that was electric everything and there were vents in the back and an extra power point.

Ride is pretty decent even on the 19" wheels. Road holding is pretty good. It's a very taught car (compared to the Insignia which is like driving a sponge pudding) and even as a passenger you can really tell the astra is for driving and the insignia is for front seat passengers.

He previously had an Omega from 12 months old (ex vauxhall demo again) and that did a good 10 years with hardly anything going wrong. It just had basic servicing and maintenance and that was it.
 
srichards said:
My Dad has an estate one. It's really good (for a diesel - I loathe the stinking clanking evil things). Make sure you get the upgraded better quality seats with the side support though as the standard flat ones (like the blobby insignia has) are pants. He got his Ex demo so a big chunk off list price and it's only a year old. Rear leg room is a bit poor but the boot is decent. I'd probably specify dual zone climate control not just the standard air con.

Equipment is a bit basic as his has windy(!) windows in the back and there is no rear ventilation. He had an omega before and that was electric everything and there were vents in the back and an extra power point.

Ride is pretty decent even on the 19" wheels. Road holding is pretty good. It's a very taught car (compared to the Insignia which is like driving a sponge pudding) and even as a passenger you can really tell the astra is for driving and the insignia is for front seat passengers.

He previously had an Omega from 12 months old (ex vauxhall demo again) and that did a good 10 years with hardly anything going wrong. It just had basic servicing and maintenance and that was it.
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Thanks Suz. I won't be specifying anything as I'll have to take what ever it comes with. Don't really want to spend hundreds on extras when it will just get given back after 3 years. ;)
 
I think it has the same engine as my SRi Insignia, good bit of grunt (163 BHP) and 50+ MPG.

If the SRi Astra is the same spec as my SRi Insignia then it's got a reasonable amount of "toys" as standard :)
 
I'd visit a Vauxhall dealer and sit in them. Then tell me you don't need the decent seat :)
 
srichards said:
I'd visit a Vauxhall dealer and sit in them. Then tell me you don't need the decent seat :)
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The SRi comes with a different seat to the "standard" car, I'm not sure you can change it :)
 
If the better seats are standard in the Sri then that's great. I couldn't remember. Makes a big difference to rear passengers too as the standard seats are awful.
 
ST4 said:
He has to endure a Citreon C4 for his trouble though.

Actually its a decent car, been in it a few times. Loads of stuff on it.
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That's the one I wanted last time but couldn't get a test drive. Ended up with a Focus as I had one at the time but the next model turned out to have a poorly designed interior IMHO. Buttons & dials badly designed and positioned for my needs and it doesn't look like it's any different on the current models so I won't be going down that route this time.

It also has a ridiculously small boot for the size of car, especially given my wife's 02 Civic's is bigger.
 
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I'm kind of biased against Astras . . . purely because that was the 2nd car I ever owned and I'm convinced the damn thing was cursed (I think I've posted about it in the staffroom at some point. It wasn't satisfied with a load of random, intermittent mechanical problems, I think it actually wanted to kill me too).

I'm sure that's a pretty unfair assessment to apply across the whole brand though, so probably no help to you at all :lol:
 
If you do short distances only then why not get a 1.4 Turbo or 1.6VVT petrol? New diesels are complex creatures and more expensive to fix when they go wrong... Petrols aren't that thirsty.

I owned 3 Astras in the 90s and they were superb. They might have less interior room than a golf. Golf could sit 4 people comfortably, but unlike the Astra the Golf couldn't take more than 2 suitcases. the Family II 1.4 engine was brilliant.
 
welshwizard645 said:
If you do short distances only then why not get a 1.4 Turbo or 1.6VVT petrol? New diesels are complex creatures and more expensive to fix when they go wrong... Petrols aren't that thirsty.
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It's on the Motability scheme so repair costs aren't an issue. Neither of those models are available anyway.
 
lol I am just glad owner didnt see me pretending to get in it for the pic..
 
I think the focus is available on motability isnt it ? - IMO for the price bracket fords are better (ie more reliable) than vauxhalls. IMO the issue about realiability is not so much that they won't give your a courtsey car as that if it breaks down in the middle of nowhere someone who's disabled isn't always able to walk three miles to the nearest phone reception.

Also how do the sums add up on motability versus just taking the money and buying a decent second hand car ?
 
Are there any statistics that demonstrate ford is more reliable than Vauxhall? I find it hard to believe and never heard of GM as an unreliable manufacturer.
 
big soft moose said:
I think the focus is available on motability isnt it ? - IMO for the price bracket fords are better (ie more reliable) than vauxhalls. IMO the issue about realiability is not so much that they won't give your a courtsey car as that if it breaks down in the middle of nowhere someone who's disabled isn't always able to walk three miles to the nearest phone reception.

Also how do the sums add up on motability versus just taking the money and buying a decent second hand car ?
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The Focus is available, it's downside is noted above (post 23).

As for the sums, Motability covers the cost of tax, insurance, servicing, repairs, breakdown cover and tyres. All I pay for is fuel.
 
fabs said:
Ended up with a Focus as I had one at the time but the next model turned out to have a poorly designed interior IMHO. Buttons & dials badly designed and positioned for my needs and it doesn't look like it's any different on the current models so I won't be going down that route this time.

It also has a ridiculously small boot for the size of car, especially given my wife's 02 Civic's is bigger.
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Intrigued to know what you mean by that. I have the pre-facelift Focus, which I assume you are talking about. Buy the right model, most of the switches can be left on in Auto- mode so no fiddling required and the stereo and voice activation is all controlled from the steering wheel. It really couldn't be simpler.
As for the boot size, just buy the estate.
 
nilagin said:
Ford currently stands at 7th in the reliability ratings, Vauxhall stands at 20th.
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer
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It is a rather misleading index as they've mixed reliability (frequency of breakdown) with cost of repair. Interesting to see Bentley at the bottom, is that because they break down all the time or is it that when it requires a repair it is expensive? Likewise they comment themselves on Toyota that they are very reliable, yet costly to repair...I couldn't care less for a new car whether it is costly...And to us the Toyota we've owned is the only car ever (touch wood) that spend three months out of three years ownership at the dealers for repairs...None of our other cars have been that bad...

So Ford at 7th is that because they break down often but when they do it is really cheap (as they are in my opinion), or is it that Vauxhall rarely breaks down but when it does it is very expensive....I would have though that for a new car the latter doesn't matter anyway, and for the OP it is also a non issue...

A very strange index I must admit...
 
The index clearly states the table is a combination of frequency of failures combined with cost. Ford comes in 7th with a score of 86 which is better than average which lies at 100. Vauxhall however comes in at 20th with a score of 123, making it below average.
Use of the drop down bar at the top of the index produces further data, such as,
Average time off road, Ford comes 12th at 2.06hrs, Vauxhall comes 18th at 2.15hrs
Average repair cost, Ford 7th at £288.36, Vauxhall 11th at £309.95
Or if you require another source for reliability data, there is Autoexpress, based on readers ownership experience. Focus has a reliability of 94.58%. Astra has a reliability of 91.29%
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars/driver-power/64280/most-reliable-cars
 
nilagin said:
The index clearly states the table is a combination of frequency of failures combined with cost. Ford comes in 7th with a score of 86 which is better than average which lies at 100. Vauxhall however comes in at 20th with a score of 123, making it below average.
Use of the drop down bar at the top of the index produces further data, such as,
Average time off road, Ford comes 12th at 2.06hrs, Vauxhall comes 18th at 2.15hrs
Average repair cost, Ford 7th at £288.36, Vauxhall 11th at £309.95
Or if you require another source for reliability data, there is Autoexpress, based on readers ownership experience. Focus has a reliability of 94.58%. Astra has a reliability of 91.29%
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars/driver-power/64280/most-reliable-cars
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Which are fair comments, however do not reflect what I would class as reliability. 9 minutes extra of the road is nothing, and the difference in repair cost is as per previous.

Forgive me, but I think for it to make sense in the context of what was requested would be very simple numbers on how often there is a breakdown. That is reliability, not how much it costs when it happens. For all we know it just means that ford doesn't pay a living wage. Likewise with the other survey, it includes all sorts of stuff.

Hey how. It is so close to each other that I would say it is insignificant. Likewise Toyota scores better and my experience has been a very bad one.
 
nilagin said:
Intrigued to know what you mean by that. I have the pre-facelift Focus, which I assume you are talking about. Buy the right model, most of the switches can be left on in Auto- mode so no fiddling required and the stereo and voice activation is all controlled from the steering wheel. It really couldn't be simpler.
As for the boot size, just buy the estate.
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The rear wiper controls are a fiddly little switch on the end of the stalk, the switch for the lights is in an awkward position and, being a smooth dial, not that easy to get hold of (I have greatly reduced sensation in my hands). The switches for the fog lights are equally in an awkward position. As for the vertical vents..

I don't want an estate and I'm not "buying" anythibg.
 
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