Vauxhall Astra 2.0L SRi Diesel

fabs said:
but tit doesn't look like an estate
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Nope they tend to be round with a pink bit on the front :D

( in before the edit :D )
 
fabs said:
I know but tit doesn't look like an estate
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tits rarely do. :)
The car looks like one to me though.
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The Astra doesn't even look sporty, I'd complain to Trading standards. ;)
 
although the astra has a major advantage over the peugeot ie 'is not french' - I had a peugeot partner van once and it was the biggest heap of crap I've ever owned both before and since (and that includes the triumph herald where the bonnet was litteral held on with bungee cord and duct tape)
 
The s***box is a Clio. One of the weird manumatic gearboxed ones (no clutch pedal so it has an electrically operated clutch and gear shifter). Does what it says on the tin. Starts every time, pulls away controllably, brakes work. Cheap to insure, tax, tyre etc.. Only had it 3 or so months but it's ideal for what we want it to do (get us to town/Sainsbury's and back and park easily without worrying about dear little Jonny throwing mummy's car door into it!)
 
The Astra demonstrator arrived yesterday afternoon. Couple of things struck me. The rear wiper is a similar switch to the focus although it's a lot wider and easier for me to use so might not be an issue. The 2nd thing is just a little weird, the "PRND" is to the left of the gear lever so you can't actually see it. It's almost like they fitted the one from a left hand drive by mistake.

Anyway, I've not driven it yet other than to put it on my driveway so will be giving it a good run-out today.
 
Not by mistake, more of a cost cutting execrcise. They'll be making millions more Opels in LHD than they will Vauxhalls in RHD so have tooled up to make the LHD version rather than the right. Almost every auto has the gears in that order, so fully forward is P, back one is R then N followed by D so you don't really need to see the position indicator lights anyway.
 
Nod said:
Not by mistake, more of a cost cutting execrcise. They'll be making millions more Opels in LHD than they will Vauxhalls in RHD so have tooled up to make the LHD version rather than the right. Almost every auto has the gears in that order, so fully forward is P, back one is R then N followed by D so you don't really need to see the position indicator lights anyway.
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They wish they were. ;)
 
i currently own a Astra VXR 2.0 turbo. i love it and comfortable and anyone who knows cars and isnt a ford driver that will automatically slate a vauxhall lol. there power to ratio is pretty good vs alot of other cars along with comfort and handling is smooth, , and diesel versions are good on fuel only down side is parts are not so cheap to other cars, :/

but my car is going soon! looking to upgrade to bigger engine :) but as i always say to people your always get mixed views on cars as we all like different things its just what works best for you :)

im looking at a Dodge challenger hellcat 6.2 V8 supercharged but id say alot on here would slate it straight away so personal taste ;)
 
Nod said:
Not by mistake, more of a cost cutting execrcise
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I suspect you're right but it's not a biggie as I'd get used to it.

Broken said:
i currently own a Astra VXR 2.0 turbo. i love it and comfortable and anyone who knows cars and isnt a ford driver that will automatically slate a vauxhall lol. there power to ratio is pretty good vs alot of other cars along with comfort and handling is smooth,
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Well I've driven it and I have to say I rather like it. Definitely smooth and comfortable and very quick (although it's he 2.0l diesel) and it's also smooth to drop down a gear when you accelerate compared to the Focus.
 
fabs said:
Well I've driven it and I have to say I rather like it. Definitely smooth and comfortable and very quick (although it's he 2.0l diesel) and it's also smooth to drop down a gear when you accelerate compared to the Focus.
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Sounds and definitely looks nice too!
As for the PRND no one looks at the gear lever when changing gear, be that Auto or manual.
I suspect that its actually a none problem area TBH.
I Wouldn't let it put me off anyway, if everything else was just about perfect ;)
 
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fabs said:
I suspect you're right but it's not a biggie as I'd get used to it.



Well I've driven it and I have to say I rather like it. Definitely smooth and comfortable and very quick (although it's he 2.0l diesel) and it's also smooth to drop down a gear when you accelerate compared to the Focus.
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Firstly, glad it seems to tick your boxes.

Secondly, we have 3 autos, one a vaguely traditional J gate selector (PRND on the right then across to 432 as you go forward for semi manual gear selection), one a knob (clockwise, PRND with flappy paddles for manual selection) and an oddity, a Renault with automatic manual changes and an electronic clutch (nudge forward for forwards - equivalent to D, towards the driver and back for reverse and towards the driver for N. nudge forwards to manually shift up, backwards to shift down then press a little button under the knob to return to automatic). The oddest thing is stepping into a manual, especially since that tends to be in Crete, so LHD to boot! Yup, you get used to things pretty quickly!
 
Well that was pretty pointless then.

The price list for Motability changes every 3 months so I knew there was going o be a new list today. There was a chance the advance payment for the model I tested could go up or down. I was prepared for the former but hopeful for the latter.

It's been removed altogether! :rage:
 
Ladygardens!
 
srichards said:
Bound to be a lot of cheap vw and audis around ;-)
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Seems they are now talking about offering a scrap-age scheme on all Diesel cars :D
( yes seriously) But that's against one of them thar hybrid things, or scalelectric cars.
 
I wonder what they would give me on mine against a Tesla S?
 
Deary me!

Spoke to Vauxhall Motability, turns out they're not making this model in this trim anymore and it was removed from the list as they've run out of stock! Apparently, when the demonstrator was ordered a couple of weeks ago, there was stock available. A few things spring to mind

  • Given they knew I can't actually place an order until 12th October, they must have realised that there would probably be none left by that time ad at least they could've warned me that it might be the case.
  • They must have been damned certain that they'd run out of stock/it was going to be delisted by Motability when they delivered it just 3 days before the list was updated
  • The fact that stocks have been depleted that quickly makes you wonder why they stopped making it!
Ah well, looks like I'm going to have to settle for the 1.6 petrol version. Saves me £200 on the advance payment but will cost 3 time that much in increased fuel consumption.
 
Seems odd they aren't continuing the car but in a slightly different trim. It's not an EU5 is it? That might explain why the sudden stock disappearance as EU5s can only be sold until current stock is gone so they have to have EU6...

Looking at the new astra listed on vx's site there is a 1.4 which is 150BHP. Urban figure for fuel is about 40 odd so it might be ok? I can't see any diesels listed on there. Wonder if VX are dumping diesels altogether?!

There is some asthmatic ecoflex with some easy tronic gearbox which promises 60+ mpg combined.
 
srichards said:
Seems odd they aren't continuing the car but in a slightly different trim. It's not an EU5 is it? That might explain why the sudden stock disappearance as EU5s can only be sold until current stock is gone so they have to have EU6...

Looking at the new astra listed on vx's site there is a 1.4 which is 150BHP. Urban figure for fuel is about 40 odd so it might be ok? I can't see any diesels listed on there. Wonder if VX are dumping diesels altogether?!

There is some asthmatic ecoflex with some easy tronic gearbox which promises 60+ mpg combined.
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There is a 1.6 diesel but, like the 1.4, it isn't available in the sports tourer.

This is the list of what is available, the only 2L diesel is the SRi which has sports suspension which I don't really want.

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Cobra said:
Seems they are now talking about offering a scrap-age scheme on all Diesel cars :D
.
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if thats true i'd like to know more - given my knackered old ford focus tdci ... if the govt will give me 2k for it instead of the 500 quid its actually worth ftw
 
big soft moose said:
if thats true i'd like to know more - given my knackered old ford focus tdci ... if the govt will give me 2k for it instead of the 500 quid its actually worth ftw
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They were just talking about it following the VW "scandal" but it has to be against an electric or hybrid.
Nothings sorted, but it also seems they a certain faction of the government, want shot of all diesel cars on the back of it.
Cant see it TBH.
 
Cobra said:
They were just talking about it following the VW "scandal" but it has to be against an electric or hybrid.
Nothings sorted, but it also seems they a certain faction of the government, want shot of all diesel cars on the back of it.
Cant see it TBH.
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The likelihood of there being new diesel cars when euro 7 emissions comes along is looking more and more remote. Heard a rumour at work that Ford will only be putting diesel engines in commercial vehicles. I would imagine other manufacturers will do the same as it will be too difficult and expensive to meet the emissions especially after moving to real world testing in 2017.
 
nilagin said:
The likelihood of there being new diesel cars when euro 7 emissions comes along is looking more and more remote. Heard a rumour at work that Ford will only be putting diesel engines in commercial vehicles. I would imagine other manufacturers will do the same as it will be too difficult and expensive to meet the emissions especially after moving to real world testing in 2017.
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I don't doubt your logic, I just find it really funny that no so long ago, diesel power was reserved for (noisy smelly) taxi's and as you say commercial vehicles.
Then, I don't know who's bright idea it was, first, but because diesel was so cheap manufactures then turned out family cars by the millions, claiming it to be a fuel of the future,
while the green opponents said how damaging it was to the environment.
And the price of diesel rocketed.
 
Cobra said:
They were just talking about it following the VW "scandal" but it has to be against an electric or hybrid.
.
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ah well - i'd want a petrol or diesel so that's not going to be on the cards - our local vauxhall dealer was offering 5k min part ex against a two year old meriva , but personally i'd rather drive a knackered focus
 
Cobra said:
I don't doubt your logic, I just find it really funny that no so long ago, diesel power was reserved for (noisy smelly) taxi's and as you say commercial vehicles.
Then, I don't know who's bright idea it was, first, but because diesel was so cheap manufactures then turned out family cars by the millions, claiming it to be a fuel of the future,
while the green opponents said how damaging it was to the environment.
And the price of diesel rocketed.
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That would be because diesel cars are a lot more economical. Then around 2001/2002, modern turbo diesels with direct injection meant the cars were more than capable of petrol car performance and insurance companies weren't asking stupidly high premiums to insure them. Now small capacity, direct injection, turbocharged petrol powered cars are the way to go, economy is much improved, although not quite at diesel economy levels.
 
big soft moose said:
our local vauxhall dealer was offering 5k min part ex against a two year old meriva
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Not a bad deal, shame about the model :D

nilagin said:
turbocharged petrol powered cars are the way to go, economy is much improved, although not quite at diesel economy levels.
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And not so long ago, if you mentioned "turbo" to an insurance company, you could hear them rubbing their hands together at the thought of the premium.
I must admit to preferring a lazy V6 or V8 over a whining screaming thing though.
 
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