Looking to purchase an Holden Astra help!!!

[rnn14]

Hi All,

I dont have an astra YET!!!..But i am in the market for one... Im after a standard Astra Pref the CD Model

With atleast Aircond,power windows even if it's the City Model i'd still be happy as long as it has the above to options... oh yeh and manual also..


I currently own a heavily modified gtir which i either plan to sell to be replaced with an astra or as a second car and turning my gtir into a full drag car......

Im after some information as the known problems with the astra city/cd models.......To be honest i dont like holdens i beleive there cars are poorly made. But since the astra was design in europe it might be a different story

Questions:

Has there been many recalls..
any problems with the gearbox
things breaking? poorly made interior trims....rattles....

With all your honest opinions how do you rate the astra as in build quality. will it last me the next 5-10years?.. or should i steer away from them?.....

Please do not recommend the SRI and or Turbo models.. i just need a car that will get me from A to B.


Sorry for the long post...

Cheers

[Benny-o]

Well just quickly to sort things out, as far as i know and it was for my car anyway so i'm guessing it's for all astra / opel ranges..

as far as i know, no opel car is made here, they're all imported. Can anybody correct me on this?? cos i agree with your holden build qual too, i guess we do make some good cars here, but most of the ideas / desing come from o/s anyway..

i have had one of those annoying problems and had a friend who had one to in a cd version - 03' model i think..that only happens every now and then so it's hard to locate, in the passenger front corner of the dash some times rattles slightly, for about 10 minutes, just frustrating, i thought it was cd cases (thats wat it sounds like too) inside the glove at first but i removed everything and it still happened, but it hasn't happened for about 4 months so u never know?? might be somethign to do with the heat and everythign expanding?? gearbox fine, some of the 02' models came out with break problem where reversing and then riding the break would cause it to squeel like u had no pads, but when taken back to holden they already have dampering kits to fix it, so they already know about the problem they just wait for u to come in a fix it, that i was annoyed about.. But if you're gettin a brand newi that could be something diff

just had another friend who brought a city model has had no problems for 3 months yet.. warranty will cover everything, but it can be a pain that's for sure, something i'm sure we all know about.. but generally i can't complain with the service. but it is nice to have a car that works fine from the word go..

Even giving the astra a fair beating should easily go the distance for 10 and still be running next to new, which u wont cos that's what thr gtir is for.. I admit i've only have mine for 2.5 years and at least 2-3 times a week since i've had it, it gets givin a beating - properly if there is a way anyway - I'm sure you know wat i mean..

Anyway have to definately recommend one that's for sure. Love the european cars, though next car will be a s15, another story..If you're from vic and around or prepared to drive to elsternwick and getting a brand new one, i can definately recommend a dealer u should see, a fair friend who did more than he should to knock the price down..

Sorry about the extra long post, but hey you started em!

good luck with all of it

[YuSuF]

First of all where abouts are you from?

[Benny-o]

victoria, on the south side :D well, not really but around there

[Degen-Astra]

How much you looking at spending? Also which state are you in.

RE-Calls - There has only been 1 recall on Astras as far as I know and it was in regards to a Locally supplied and fitted Tow Bar. Other than that...none.

Current shape Astra's are all European made. The more recent "Classic" made in Sweeden not in Belgium.

Manual Gearbox - No problems that I have heard of nor experienced.

Interior - Some complaints in regards to sticthing on the rear of or side of front seats. Window winders breaking easy (although i had my City with window winders for 3 years and none ever broke), but look out for this. I guess its dependent on the user as well.

Look for blown globes in the Speedo/Tacho dials and anywhere else. Sticking aircon dials also.

I rate the build highly. Not overly plastic like alot of mid-teen thousand priced cars can be.

[em]

*cough cough * mines for sale :wink: