Shopping For A New AH Astra SRI Turbo ... Questions & Help Required

[spikeyboy22]

Hi Everyone

First of all sorry for the long post ...

I am currently looking to purchase a new Holden Astra SRI Turbo ... I am getting closer to making up my mind but I have a few questions, you know those things that you will only really know will you live with the car for a while. I have had a quick test drive of one... and have climed all over one at the motorshow.

So I am hopeing that some of you AH Astra people and Astra Turbo cpuld help me out a bit with some answers.

Leather Seats & Seat Covers: How do your leather seats hold up to the test of time, I have a small dog (foxy) and I am worried that her claws will tear or at least mark them. The only thing I can think about is seat covers, but of course the astra has side airbags so Holden do not offer these as a option, Does any body know if Opel offers them as a option ? or does any body have any ideas?

Storage and Cup holders: First the cup holders, ther is four in all the doors and two muffin holders the the glovebox (useless) What can the ones in the doors be used for ?

Storage: The only space I can see to be used is the glove box? is there any where else, what about CD's where do you put them... How do you ,live with this? Just looking for ways around this?

Tint: Looking at black so it will look hot ans will be hot in the summer, so will need to be tinted, I have noticed that some people tint at difference % arounf the car, what is the idea with that. I am Victoria, what % do people think I shoudl go up too.. I dont want to be seen singing along in the car while driving .... What do you think ?

Pricing: Gee I just love buying a car, that fun of going back and fourth( with the dealer about price. Can anybody who has bought one give me a idea of what they paid, I have also talkd to two dealers already (including Simon from FTG Holden in Melbourne who has been great and I have not even seen him in person yet, but believe me he will) So if anybody is looking I would highly recommend them. But anyway, I work for a big bank and get national fleet pricing, it will be on a novated lease, and the pricing I have been is way differnet, and dont be suggest to ask my work.. they have no idea... they are so dumb.. So what is the best price you have got.

Well that brings be to the end of my long post ... I am sorry for the length, Thanks for reading and I hope you you can help.

spikeyboy

[jsantos]

Hi Everyone

First of all sorry for the long post ...

I am currently looking to purchase a new Holden Astra SRI Turbo ... I am getting closer to making up my mind but I have a few questions, you know those things that you will only really know will you live with the car for a while. I have had a quick test drive of one... and have climed all over one at the motorshow.

So I am hopeing that some of you AH Astra people and Astra Turbo cpuld help me out a bit with some answers.

Leather Seats & Seat Covers: How do your leather seats hold up to the test of time, I have a small dog (foxy) and I am worried that her claws will tear or at least mark them. The only thing I can think about is seat covers, but of course the astra has side airbags so Holden do not offer these as a option, Does any body know if Opel offers them as a option ? or does any body have any ideas?

Storage and Cup holders: First the cup holders, ther is four in all the doors and two muffin holders the the glovebox (useless) What can the ones in the doors be used for ?

Storage: The only space I can see to be used is the glove box? is there any where else, what about CD's where do you put them... How do you ,live with this? Just looking for ways around this?

Tint: Looking at black so it will look hot ans will be hot in the summer, so will need to be tinted, I have noticed that some people tint at difference % arounf the car, what is the idea with that. I am Victoria, what % do people think I shoudl go up too.. I dont want to be seen singing along in the car while driving .... What do you think ?

Pricing: Gee I just love buying a car, that fun of going back and fourth( with the dealer about price. Can anybody who has bought one give me a idea of what they paid, I have also talkd to two dealers already (including Simon from FTG Holden in Melbourne who has been great and I have not even seen him in person yet, but believe me he will) So if anybody is looking I would highly recommend them. But anyway, I work for a big bank and get national fleet pricing, it will be on a novated lease, and the pricing I have been is way differnet, and dont be suggest to ask my work.. they have no idea... they are so dumb.. So what is the best price you have got.

Well that brings be to the end of my long post ... I am sorry for the length, Thanks for reading and I hope you you can help.

spikeyboy



So firstly Seat covers, no don't use them as you said airbags in seats, just don't use them. Best way to keep your seats safe is to not let your dog in the car, this dosen't seem to be an option for you, so i would say get some rugs and just put them over the seat when you need the dog in the car or get some bench style seat cover and put the dog in the back seat where there are no worries like witht he front seats.

Second question, once again my advise is don't drink in your car and it's problem solved, i'm a bit anal with my car and don't drink or eat or allow anyone to drink or eat in it so i can't tell you if the cup holders are effective or not, i don't recall ever seeing four cup holders though i know there is one on the side of each back seat and a "muffin" holder as you called it, i wouldn't be putting a drink in the doors even if i did drink in the car.

Glove box and storage room in general is the biggest problem i have had todate. More annoying then anything, i just keep the six cds in the car that are in the stacker and if i need anymore i just keep them indiviually in the pockets behind the front seats, there really isn't room for a fat cd case if thats what you use, My glovebox has a first aid kit and the manual and its chockers.

Tint, not sure about %, i just asked for darkest legal tint, i would be nice if it was darker, however i'm not a fan of defect stickers. If your after really black i'd say look at that midnight black stuff

and pricing, this was in NSW for a red MY07 with tint and reversing sensors 35900

Hope that helps

[Red AH SRI T]

The cup holders in the doors happily hold Cans of Coke and small bottles of water with no problem at all. I also use the square hole behind the hand brake to hold my macca's drinks no problemo!

As for the seats, get the optional rear seat pet cover and restric the dog to the back seat. It's illegal to not have a dog restrained in a moving car anyways, so the Pet seat cover will solve ur issue with the dog and the leather.

And as for storage, i manage to fit my owners manuals and a nice big CD folder thingie in the glove box, you just have to know how to pack things in well :D

[Tfer]

Hi Everyone

First of all sorry for the long post ...

I am currently looking to purchase a new Holden Astra SRI Turbo ... I am getting closer to making up my mind but I have a few questions, you know those things that you will only really know will you live with the car for a while. I have had a quick test drive of one... and have climed all over one at the motorshow.

So I am hopeing that some of you AH Astra people and Astra Turbo cpuld help me out a bit with some answers.

Leather Seats & Seat Covers: How do your leather seats hold up to the test of time, I have a small dog (foxy) and I am worried that her claws will tear or at least mark them. The only thing I can think about is seat covers, but of course the astra has side airbags so Holden do not offer these as a option, Does any body know if Opel offers them as a option ? or does any body have any ideas?

Storage and Cup holders: First the cup holders, ther is four in all the doors and two muffin holders the the glovebox (useless) What can the ones in the doors be used for ?

Storage: The only space I can see to be used is the glove box? is there any where else, what about CD's where do you put them... How do you ,live with this? Just looking for ways around this?

Tint: Looking at black so it will look hot ans will be hot in the summer, so will need to be tinted, I have noticed that some people tint at difference % arounf the car, what is the idea with that. I am Victoria, what % do people think I shoudl go up too.. I dont want to be seen singing along in the car while driving .... What do you think ?

Pricing: Gee I just love buying a car, that fun of going back and fourth( with the dealer about price. Can anybody who has bought one give me a idea of what they paid, I have also talkd to two dealers already (including Simon from FTG Holden in Melbourne who has been great and I have not even seen him in person yet, but believe me he will) So if anybody is looking I would highly recommend them. But anyway, I work for a big bank and get national fleet pricing, it will be on a novated lease, and the pricing I have been is way differnet, and dont be suggest to ask my work.. they have no idea... they are so dumb.. So what is the best price you have got.

Well that brings be to the end of my long post ... I am sorry for the length, Thanks for reading and I hope you you can help.

spikeyboy

Aside from the optional pet seat cover which is a great idea btw, the leather seats are hardy enough to withstand a small dog (had a friend who had a Nissan Patrol with full leather, and he carried a Rotty and a Blue Heeler on the back seat.... no damage) providing you care for them extremely regularly. :)

The AH Astra I drove for 11 months I just carried a CD case and chucked it on the back seat. With a dark case, dark tint, it seemed to have remained invisible to others. I was prepared to take this risk. :) If you pack carefully, and use the map pockets, it is amazing what you can actually fit in, but the storage is a weak point.;)

Tinting.... all you can do is ask for the darkest legal tint :)

Regarding pricing, are you talking to the correct sales team at Holden.... the ones who handle the fleet buyers? That is my suggestion.......... ;)

Good luck, and let us know how you get on :D

[Ishley]

I think most of your questions hae been answered. As for the seat cover question, as far as i know seat covers are illegal on cars that have the air bags in them. And as the others have suggested just put a seat cover or blankets on the back seat for when you carry your dog.

The cup holders will hold a 600ml bottle of drink, with a bit of persuasion.

The tint is something you will have to decide on, just ask for some help at your local tint shop. The storage is pretty poor in the Astra, i leave my CD case on the floor in the back seat, or push it under the front seats.

As for price, i suppose it comes down to how far the dealer is willing to go. I got mine for $33,888 drive away.

Good luck in finding what you want for the price you want :)

[CJB]

what state are you in??????? :)

[WLD-18L]

he is in VIC. 35% is Darkest legal and its not very dark at all. Altho my mum has a MY07 AH CDX in black and she has Darkest legal tint and it looks ok because the interior is black so i spose it all blends in.

i went for 30 on sides and 20 on rear on my silver TS i think it looks nice.

good luck

[OPC]

if u really really really want to use a seat cover for the front get one of those flimsy crappy ones from supercheap and dont tie it off

or just put a towel down on the front seat... a foxy shouldnt move it that much... (then again my bro's foxy is a nutcase)

supercheap also sell rear seat covers for dogs... depending on pricing u can get some real good ones

as for cup holders i just use the centre console... the side door ones dont hold sweet F.A.

[Alix]

Storage and Cup holders: First the cup holders, ther is four in all the doors and two muffin holders the the glovebox (useless) What can the ones in the doors be used for ?

Cans fit in the doors OK. Bottles I've always had problems with. Otherwise, yeah, storage isn't too crash hot. I always have trouble with my phone, my parking permit, my work security pass and other stuff like that that I want close at hand for when I need it.


Storage: The only space I can see to be used is the glove box? is there any where else, what about CD's where do you put them... How do you ,live with this? Just looking for ways around this?I burn copies of my CDs, chuck those into a CD holder (ie in pockets, not cases), and chuck that under the front passenger seat.


Tint: Looking at black so it will look hot ans will be hot in the summer, so will need to be tinted, I have noticed that some people tint at difference % arounf the car, what is the idea with that. I am Victoria, what % do people think I shoudl go up too.. I dont want to be seen singing along in the car while driving .... What do you think ?If it's like my CDTi the windows have a tint in the glass already, which might reduce your options here. Actually, that tint isn't too effective at keeping the sun out - mine still gets hot inside, and I've had a sunburnt driving arm with the window closed. Next summer I'm thinking I might look at getting a clear UV film put on or something.


Pricing: Gee I just love buying a car, that fun of going back and fourth( with the dealer about price. Can anybody who has bought one give me a idea of what they paid, I have also talkd to two dealers already (including Simon from FTG Holden in Melbourne who has been great and I have not even seen him in person yet, but believe me he will) So if anybody is looking I would highly recommend them. But anyway, I work for a big bank and get national fleet pricing, it will be on a novated lease, and the pricing I have been is way differnet, and dont be suggest to ask my work.. they have no idea... they are so dumb.. So what is the best price you have got.If you're leasing, try a few different leasing companies. I'm in the ACT, and Rodium has a really good reputation around here for good pricing of all the lease companies. As long as your work is willing to deal with them, you should be right to go.

I bought mine outright though, but being a CDTi, the actual price probably isn't much use to you. However, I did manage about 15% off RRP + list price of accessories + full dealer delivery.

[pred8r]

re the tint;

The tint on a dark car will appear to be lighter than the same grade on a light coloured car, this is especially noticable on bright days.

Its to do with the way your eyes work.

[OPC]

Cans fit in the doors OK. Bottles I've always had problems with.



is it the AH ur talkin bout or the G ?

cos in my AH the doors dont have the round can holders anymore like the G did just stupid square crappy holders

[bones]

Having only got my car last week, I don't have much issue with the storage options compared to my Calibra. Yes, I miss the big shelf it had but passenger airbags have made those a thing of the past. I put my office pass in the little holder in the centre console, along with toll money. My sunnies and phone go in the decent size bin behind the handbrake, where I could also easily put a 600ml drink bottle. I put a can of Coke in the door-holder on the weekend and it worked fine [could probably take a 600ml bottle too]. I keep my street directory in the passenger's door and CD's in my door's storage area. The glove box has the car's manuals and all the useful krap I always keep like cleaning cloths, pad and pen, spare sunnies, etc. Everything has a place, nothing falls out and it's all to-hand when I need it.

[Alix]

is it the AH ur talkin bout or the G?

The H. I can get a 375ml can in the door holder pretty easily.