Opel Astra '02

rondeco

Am looking at buying one atm. Can people tell me what they think of this car. They seem reasonably cheap. Do they have abs? Thanks for the input..

bazz26

rondeco wrote:

Am looking at buying one atm. Can people tell me what they think of this car. They seem reasonably cheap. Do they have abs? Thanks for the input..

The Astra has ABS since 1998 afaik.

I presume it is the 1.4 litre you are looking at. It is not a bad engine to be honest. It has about 90bhp which is more lively than a 1.4 litre Focus or Golf.

Personally I think the saloon looks nicer than the hatchback. Try and get the Njoy, Club or Elegance model as these are the best equipped with things like sunroof, alloy wheels and fog lights.

Make sure the timing belt and water pump has been changed every 50k miles or 5 years.

rondeco

bazz26 wrote:

The Astra has ABS since 1998 afaik.

I presume it is the 1.4 litre you are looking at. It is not a bad engine to be honest. It has about 90bhp which is more lively than a 1.4 litre Focus or Golf.

Personally I think the saloon looks nicer than the hatchback. Try and get the Njoy, Club or Elegance model as these are the best equipped with things like sunroof, alloy wheels and fog lights.

Make sure the timing belt and water pump has been changed every 50k miles or 5 years.

Yeah, its a 1.4 xe comfort. You're right about the saloon. It is much more attractive. Are they good and reliable?

bazz26

rondeco wrote:

Yeah, its a 1.4 xe comfort. You're right about the saloon. It is much more attractive. Are they good and reliable?

I cannot really answer that as I have never drove or owned one. I think a guy on here called Kluivert has a 1999 model so might be worth dropping him a PM.

Vikings

Hi Rondeco,

I just bought a 01 Astra (3dr) 1.4xe comfort today myself and while I havnt had much time to test it fully it really is a nice drive (compared to my old car anyway!), its very quiet also.

What price is the one you are looking at?

rondeco

IncredibleBulk wrote:

Hi Rondeco,

I just bought a 01 Astra (3dr) 1.4xe comfort today myself and while I havnt had much time to test it fully it really is a nice drive (compared to my old car anyway!), its very quiet also.

What price is the one you are looking at?

I'm looking at a 4dr comfort. 34k miles and one lady owner. Its priced at €10500 but I expect to get it to at least €10000. Does that sound right? Has it abs? What are its good points and bad points?

furtzy

They're a fine car. Had a 01 1.6 and it was the best car i ever had. Never had a fault. You should be aware of the timing belt/water pump issue. That is the timing belt is also connected to the water pump so if the water pump seizes (as it is known to do) it will snap the timing belt. Timing belt/water pump service is due at 40k so it might be worth checking if this has already been done and if not make it a condition of sale

mondeoman

also if it is a 'ECOTEC' engine,check for head gasket failure.
we have a 2000 1.4 in the family & H/G went at 52'000 miles:eek: .
also failed NCT on pass side track rod end at 35'000 miles:eek: .
apart from that it is very well put together & very nippy for a 1400cc;)

kluivert

Welcome to the exciting world of Opel Astra, Go Drive!

Thanks Bazz for the dip.

As he said I have a 1999 1.4 16v Club.

Sunroof, electric mirrors, heated mirrors, fully adjustable seats and steering wheels. I love this car. It has 90k miles on the clock and keeps asking for more.

Bad points first ok:

Watch out for the head gasket on the 1.4 ex, prone to leak at around 50k miles due to design fault on the 4th cylinder, at first signs of leaking oil get the rubber gasket replaced with an alloy gasket which will be stronger than the rubber one.

Timing belt must be changed at 40k intervals they are now advising. I got mind done at 70k miles, you must get the water pump changed at the same time.

Ticking noises from beside the engine, comes from behind the black air box on the right, this is the purge value and is nothing to worry about. Get it changed if it gets too loud.

Oil light doesnt come on, I have heard one person say that there oil light didnt come on when there was no oil in the car. Car replaced under warranty Very rare.

Good points now:

Great to drive, hugs the corners.
Lively for a 1.4 beats the Golf any day.
Comfortable, I got an armrest for mind, so very comfortable now.
Its a bit thirsty, if you have a heavy foot. Av mpg is 39mpg but on long journeys I get 45mpg.
Easy to service or service in Opel a service in Monaghan is 125e a pop.

Great backup www.astra-sport.co.uk I have had a few little problems as you do and have always been able to get it fixed from these guys in the technical forums. You se kluivert there in the Irish region forum as well.

Take it for a spin on the open road. Feel like a quick 0-60 then change the gears at 4500mph and you ll your still in third/fourth come 60mph and the car is still cruising telling you that it has more to give.

If you ever have a problem give me a buzz.

rondeco

Thanks for all the info, fellas. Great help.

The_Magoo

With regards price, it seems a little steep, actually no, sorry, very steep.
Low milage is a plus, but it does have a timing belt change approaching, which can cost. Factor this in plus probably new tyres and afull service and if you are buying off a garage get a warranty!
Example :http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=447339

rondeco

I am buying from a garage and was speaking with the dealer today. I haven't committed to anything yet but he is gone down to 8900. It sounds okay to me. Opinions?

Silvera

Hi rondeco,

I agree with kulivert's comments - Astra's are great cars!

I bought mine ('03 1.4 XE Njoy hatch, 39k) last August and am very pleased with it. I too was initially looking for a saloon version, but I got a great deal on this car (€11,500, private deal) so I couldn't pass it up!

I've put 10k on it since I bought it and changed the belt and waterpump (Buy a kit from OTTO for €170) at 35k. (40k is the reccommended time to change the belt/pump, but I was taking no chances )

It's a great car to drive, handles the corners very well and has a lot of power on tap.

My only (slight) complaints are that the engine runs a bit hard on tickover compared to a lot of cars, and the suspension is a bit hard over the bumps.
(Then again, if it had softer suspension it may not handle as well!)

Price wise, I'd say the 'new' price of €8,900 is good - but I would still haggle for a better deal (Book price is €10,580).

Also, is it a reputable dealer that is selling the car?
If you're not sure, be careful, there are some dodgy dealers about.

Welcome to the Astra Club!

Silvera.
(Ex-Panel Beater)

My Astra.....

unnameduser

hey!

I bought a 1.4 01 astra saloon gl last year for 8400. I have been driving a 1.6 avensis prior to it and although the astra has a smaller engine it still is quite nippy. I agree with the comments above about timing belt etc.

I prefer the saloon model myself. The astra handles v well, is fast for the engine it has, has respectable head/ feet room. It can be hard on the juice if you drive it hard otherwise its quite good. My astra does not have ABS unfortunately.

Mine is silver and whilst i like the colour im sorry i didnt get a different colour because silver is so common on astras. Ive seen a few black ones and they look quite good.

If you wanna jazz it up a bit ive seen some astras with lexus lights that look quite well.

Anyhu i give it the thumbs up and wish you the best of luck with it.

gary the great

Im thinking of getting the 1.7 disel astra, anyone any comments to make?
Im getting it a bit cheaper than market value as its of a relation. It will also be my first car.

And what are the pros and cons of a diseal over a petrol?Its a 99 by the way.

jimmycrackcorm

My missus has had an astra since 2000 and it has never given any bother and is a great solid drive.

kluivert

gary the great wrote:

Im thinking of getting the 1.7 disel astra, anyone any comments to make?
Im getting it a bit cheaper than market value as its of a relation. It will also be my first car.

And what are the pros and cons of a diseal over a petrol?Its a 99 by the way.

Performance & Consumption Cyl / CC BHP MPH 0-60 MPG
Vauxhall 1.7 Dti 4/1686 75 106 13.5 58.9
Vauxhall 1.7 TD 4/1686 68 102 16.0 46.3

68 bhp 1.7 TD – From launch to Jan 2000
80bhp ECO 1.7CDTi common rail diesel June 2003 111mph, 64.2mpg
1.7 16v DI Eco from April 2002

Performance & Consumption Cyl / CC BHP MPH 0-60 MPG
Vauxhall 1.4i 16v 4/1389 90 113 11.5 38.2
Vauxhall 1.6 16v 4/1598 100 118 10.5 38.2
Vauxhall 1.6i 8v 4/1598 75 106 13.5 38.2

Nothing wrong with either car in my opinion, the 1.4 maybe easier on tax and insurance.