New AH Survey!

[OPCVXR]

I am just wondering if anyone likes the new AH and their thoughts?

Does anyone plan to get one in the near future?

Are there any other AH owners here other than myself and bassyastra?

[lowey22]

i dont like them much. they look a bit like girly hatches, not that they r bad, but the one b4 these new 1s (which most of us have i assume) dont hav that look. is there a new non-hatch H?

to sum it up, it reminds me of a civic...

[OPCVXR]

Thats funny because I (not that I hate the look) am not a big fan of the shape before the H!!! The hatch is not really a hatch, i't more like a sedan but yet it's not! Everyone in entitled to their own opinion I suppose!

[lowey22]

yeah, that is the beauty of the hatch, sort of sets it apart from other hatches, wel to me anyways...

[Namus]

don't like AH...reminds of Pulsar hatches and Mazda 3....

[imad4u]

i love the look of the AH i just dont like the amount of power it has ...

[Namus]

same engine hey....more weight too

[low]

Like the new Vectra they are a generation ahead of the old in lots of areas - BUT , unlike the Vectra the Astra didn't receive the bigger more powerful drivetrains ....

[Wallacesword]

Funnily enough, a friend of mine has just bought a silver Xdemo, 1.8 ltr here in Scotland. I don't know if our cars a strangled more than Aussie cars for emissions but this car feels like a 1.4! Anything the old car did in 3rd, you have to engage2nd and so on in the new one. It just wont go. And to think he sold his immaculate late 80's Astra GTE......now that car went like you know what. dug into bends and dealt with them, and topped out at over 130mph in standard spec. Looks like "progress" means more weight, iffy design, more expense. To think an 80's Mk2 Golf will easily outdrag a new one not to mention looking better while it is doing it. When will manufacturers learn? New cars are doubtless much safer.....starting with being much slower!
We have a guy over here called Jeremy Clarkson who does motoring programmes. Recently he pitched a new "performance" Astra against....a diesel Skoda Fabia around a well known race circuit. The Skoda destroyed the Astra.....as did...wait for it......a 1974 Triumph TR6!!!. He then pitched in a late '88 Astra GTE...and it was a photo finish with the TR6. Just about sums up progress!

[ecstasy]

i've got one black like urs (still looking for rims for it thou). I find the shape awesome and agressive; and like u mate i don't like the old shape at all. I took mine yesterday for the first 3000km service and as a loaner they gave me an astra city. My God where do i start, lets say i didn't want to jump in, and when i did it was like a time capsule. The car felt old even thou it was a 04 model. The finish inside the car is almost horrible (the stove at home has better knobs i believe). As for performance lets say the old one may "feel" faster but i don't think it really is (and if it is, it's not by that much on same models). The gear ratios have change very much at least on the auto models. Anyways luckily there are heaps of different cars around cause people have different tastes.

[anicorsa]

A 3-door Astra H would look nice.

The Turbo in the latest Wheels mag looks good too.

[Degen-Astra]

If they had the 171kw motor in the turbo out here...i would seriously consider it as an option, dependent on pricing of course.


I still want my Mini though! :wink:

[Namus]

there is nothing wrong with the Astra drivetrain.....but apart from the turbo, it does lack power....

[OPCVXR]

Thanks Ecstasy!

I was starting to wish I never asked! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just like every new model it takes most people a while before they like a design of a car I think. The more there are on the road the more people will like them.

I think you right about the styling. They are agressive looking with sharp lines. We looked at Focus and for a euorpean car you would sware it was made in taiwan somewhere, Corolla's are nice but I would have only gone for the sportivo with the 141kw celica motor but the price was too much. The interior of the new AH is nice. It's features absolutly s**t all over anything else and while the power may be more in the older model I am glad I got the new one.

Resale value has to be better since you can still buy the older design. I hope they keep the older design going for a few more years. The fact that there is a price difference between the old and new design means less are likly to get the new shape especially companies that buy a fleet of Astra's. If less are on the road insurance will be and is cheaper!

Mine has only 900kms and so far I love it.

[Rhino]

They don't make the Astra G anymore, so your dream of keeping that design going for a few more years is simply that. They are only clearing remaining stock.


The interior of the new AH is nice. It's features absolutly (sic) s**t all over anything else...
To be expected, it's a new car :roll: It'd be disappointing if they went backwards. But again, that's euro design. I do however wish we got ALL the features that are available in them in the Euro market. Bloody Australian market.

Does it have hill start assist? I would assume so.


Resale value has to be better since you can still buy the older design.
This confuses me. Why? Resale is only good if supply, or lack-there-of demands it. I'm not sure that having the G available would effect resale of the H - By the time most people would want to sell the H (say, 3 years from now when the warranty comes due, the market will again be flooded with them.

In comparison: There are only 20 odd black astra SRi turbo's. I would HOPE that lack of numbers would make that more sought after and effect resale... only because I have a vested interest.

I do agree that the shape will grow on people though. I hated the new veccy when it came out. I'd definitely have one now... Although I'm not convinced on the pricing.

I'd love an XT Forester next!

My 2c

[NUTTTR]

lol, my fiancee has the new H..... Don't like the shape, the blinkers give me the shits, so do the wipers!!! You can't work out when to turn the buggers off..... I guess it's because i only really drive it once/twice a week, but it's a car you have to drive all the time otherwise you forget it's quirks, i love the astra g interior, it's basic, which is what i wanted, not cluttered, etc..... The controls in the h are impossible (nearly) without looking at them, they have no real "feel" and you can't find the friggen a/c switch without looking down :) Mind you i have an sri, so the seats are better than the city, etc, and i too drove a dealer loaner, it was about 6mths old when i borrowed it and it was a POS.... it was 1000x worse than my car and made me laugh at the poor souls with 1.8L's, but after driving a proper one that's been kept well, etc the loaners are just a horrible car all round, regardless of v8 commonwhore or astra...
The astra's a "fastback" not a proper hatch, really, or a sedan IMHO... :)
But i wouldn't buy a H, the G is a much nicer car for me... The fiancee liked them too and got the H instead and she's happy with it
Aaron

[01CDsedan]

I like it for the most part - it looks okay, not better than the G but different and still good, and the interior is a huge improvement.

As I said in another post, it needs better tyres. And it also needs more power now that it's put on about 100kg.

Would I buy one? If I was looking for a new small car, I'd consider it - along with the Golf, 3 and new Focus when it gets here. I couldn't say I'd buy it without having tried out the competition first, which do appear to have the edge on paper.

[Namus]

The mazda 3 would whip it right now....

[Bernard Siong]

the new astra is ok the front and the back are alrite
but it can be easily mistaken for a new corolla
unlike the astra G its in its own class

[daopeliser]

looks alright i guess, looks like a mazda sp23 jus dun get why holden would make it look completly different 2 the old astras

[Namus]

prob cause of the new design, so they were forced to.....u can't have all of the new things which the new astra has (like higher safety level etc) without compromising or changing something somewhere

[TRN-00N]

i liked it at first but i dunno now it has patiential

[Tom76]

The Zafira B will get a new 1.8 engine (with Twinport, as the 1.6). It'll have 140hp, so maybe this engine will be available for the Astra H as well (sooner or later).

[BassyAstra]

Are there any other AH owners here other than myself and bassyastra?
hello :lol:


Im liking the new MG hatch, 0-100 in 7.4, 17" alloys, dual exhaust, spoiler, ABS, EBD... 30grand.

[stake]

Hi Pitch,

I liked it so much I bought one. I've had it for about a month now. I also liked the G as well. My brother-in-law has one.

What brand and size are your wheels they look quite good. How much where they? If you don't mind me asking

Astra H owners unite!!!
Stake. :D

[BassyAstra]

Pitch has MAK S5's 17"
Wouldnt mine putten 20"s on my AH 8) (one day)

[SmellyTofu]

First impressions just by sitting in it... felt like my one... what's new? sounded the same, felt the same.... plus there's no more go for the added weight. A bit underdone though there is a potential in it for the H.

[ecstasy]

First impressions just by sitting in it... felt like my one... what's new? sounded the same, felt the same.... plus there's no more go for the added weight. A bit underdone though there is a potential in it for the H.

were u on drugs at that time? cause the interior is nothing like the old one mate :roll:

[SmellyTofu]

I said feel & sound.. not looks. Basically not a good start in my mind anyway but whatever floats your boat. *shrug* It just didn't say, "Drive me" by sitting in it.

[BassyAstra]

I owned both and have found the new one to grip to the road better. Along with the new interior/exterior its natural progession, thus better than the G.

[shaohaok]

i'd agree with smelly on that one. if u shut your eyes and felt the steering wheel and all. somehow it's all very familiar. not that it's bad or anything.

[ecstasy]

gee i guess i should shut my eyes and "feel" my dads CLK430 :roll:

[Namus]

should i do that when i drive? lol :P

[OPCVXR]

I drove a G on the weekend and it just felt wierd.

Someone mentioned earlier that the H is more Jap look than euro and I wonder if that is because alot of manufactures are all sortta heading for that euro look thus making real euro cars look jap because it's becoming more and more common(if that makes any sense!)

[Namus]

well i don't know about ne1 else but that's just managed to confused the hell outta me...?

[BassyAstra]

I understand and agree with you on that. H sorta looks like the Mazda 3 which is Jap and the mazda 3 looks like the H which is Euro.

[ecstasy]

yeah and who came first the chicken or the egg :D

[BassyAstra]

Um chicken (in a high pitched whispy voice)...

[mrbenno]

I initially didn't like the H, now after seeing one at an Opel meet I have changed my mind. I still prefer the G for exterior looks but the interior of the H is far more modern which is good, after a few years some cars can feel dated when sitting in them IE HR32 GTR Skyline but the outside still looks wonderful.

[SH]

hi lads,
i have ordered a cdxi with the 18"s & the hbd body kit. some of you saying the new h looks like a mazda3 just has me thinking how this is possible(nothing alike at all). however i did look at the sp23 :shock:,
it's bloody terrible it might be faster than the astra h in a straight line but gee, the ride was crap, & the interior noise was shocking. i mentioned this to the sales man, if the car is like this when brand new whats it gonna be like in 2-3 years.
getting back to the astra h. it may not be as quik, but it is by far & away a much more refined car than the mazda.

[Slimcraigie]

I work @ a dealer and see 20-30 of each a day and I must say I prefer the G, but the original Astra up to 84 will always be my favourite Astra, but then I drive a Multipla :shock: so what do I know 8)

[BassyAstra]

[BassyAstra]

i have ordered a cdxi with the 18"s & the hbd body kit.
How much are the 18" and hbd kit costing ya?

[SH]

i have ordered a cdxi with the 18"s & the hbd body kit.
How much are the 18" and hbd kit costing ya?the body kit including rear spoiler was $3,200 fitted & painted. the 18's where $380 ea
+ tyres. it my seem expensive (this is what i thought at first) but cause i'm buying genuine opel (holden) i will not have people asking if i still have the genuine rims + it will hold it's value further.
it is all fitted by holden by design in sydney, not some dealers local panel shop.

[SH]

by the way, is that your ah in the photo. if so where did you get your badges from.
thanks

[SmellyTofu]

I work @ a dealer and see 20-30 of each a day and I must say I prefer the G, but the original Astra up to 84 will always be my favourite Astra, but then I drive a Multipla :shock: so what do I know 8)

Not this one???

http://www.autohausoverschmidt.de/images/Fahrzeuge/Multipla%20Fiat.jpg

[Slimcraigie]

Yes Officer, just a bit browner with reg no M17 PLA

[Bernard Siong]

hehehe that looks wierd

[BassyAstra]

Yes opelised my astra a few months ago check the astra section page 2... got em from slimcraigie... 1st to install opel 1st to do a complete audio install (done in october), 2nd person in Australia to buy/recieve an AH :lol:

[Namus]

wel slimus mate, all i can say is at least it's different..... :? :? :?

[OPCVXR]

the body kit including rear spoiler was $3,200 fitted & painted. the 18's where $380 ea
+ tyres. it my seem expensive (this is what i thought at first) but cause i'm buying genuine opel (holden) i will not have people asking if i still have the genuine rims + it will hold it's value further.
it is all fitted by holden by design in sydney, not some dealers local panel shop


I remember when I got my H in Melbourne I wanted the 18's but the cost was just way too much. It worked out to around $3000 for the wheels alone. If you want body kits you should get in contact with a company called Carshine www.carshine.com.au They are based in Melbourne but there are a few company's that have designed body kits that i have been thinking about from Irmscher, Lumma & MS Design and if you wanted you could mix and match. Just be carefull. The Irmscher prices are $$$ for any part!

I under stand what you said about Holden Fitted means it should retain better resale but I wonder if the G owners thought the same thing when they purchased new and opted the HBD body kit??? I see there around $13 odd thousand now with the kit fitted so is it really gonna make a difference... :roll:

At the end of the day it's your choice. If you like the HBD kit go for it. I just though I might tell you about some other kits available. :)

[SH]

yes i did indeed like the HBD kit, not to radicle + it's genuine opel stuff. i did like the irmscher gear but like you said$$$$. also i've spent crazy money on cars before, now that i'm 33 i like it abit more sedate :)

[OPCVXR]

What color do you plan to get?

Mine is Black and ther are pics of it in Album

[SH]

mine is blue, i picked it up today :D i love the cdc40 sound system in it :D

[BassyAstra]

i love the cdc40 sound system in it

No, its crap, you must upgrade!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P

[SH]

well i had a alpine system in my previous car worth 10K. the sound quility of the cdc40 is outstanding, but i listen to music & not that doof doof computer so called music.
:lol:

[SH]

two things,
did the badge on the rear have locater holes.
also you had the cdc 30, the cdc40 is the premium system, can not comment on that one cuase i have not heard it.

[ecstasy]

i've got the stock system and or a stocko is great! if it's not broken why fixing it :wink:

[BassyAstra]

I must admit the stock astra system is outstanding!
All questions about my opelisation can be answered in my opelisation thread in the astra section. But the answer is no its just adhesive.
As for doof doof, im not into the dance/trace/techno.

[astralavista]

Yeh I think we need an AH forum to shake off the folks who bought the old "very good" model which I loved also.

I have an AH CDX Black and It is fantastic little car.
AH stands for Awsome Holden... for the AH is a breakthrough in style based on a great existing platform. Get used to it.
Power is much better after a few Kms on the clock and it handles tight and solid as.
OLD astra owners will always besmirch the next generation but guys ...it is here and it is very good. Better in fact than the old one in so many ways which makes it an awsome car.
Yes the drive train is a carry over from the old model but that is a credit. Improved gearing makes it good fun to drive and over 3000km I get ave 8l/100 km. That is hard and soft driving.
Not had one complaint which is different from my old VYSS series 2 grunter.
I think we need an AH forum in it's own right.

PS: parked beside a black mazda 3 sp the other day and it ....looked like ...a mazda...not so different from the 1997 model 323 on the other side of it.
I've driven both and made my choice.



And by the way that 51% stiffer chassis and added weight makes it a better car.

[BassyAstra]

Alright lets get this running then, an AH section on the forum, whos in?

1. BassyAstra

[ecstasy]

i'm :D sick and tired of getting paid out by the old astras, more wieght bla bla bla i think it's plain jealousy :D :P

[astralavista]

me ...im in.
What do we need to do?
How can I do something?
Here is a great car .... wanting to break away from the past.......and rev up those ludites at Holden marketing.

[BassyAstra]

1. BassyAstra
2. Astralavista

Once we get a few numbers ill pm admin
Good to know your interested lavista :lol:

[astralavista]

besides ... if it is a girls car as well ....let em join .....I think they have every right to be proud as we are.
I Simply do not know what is required to ost a new forum.

[BassyAstra]

I dont think its that hard for admin to put a new link on the forum home page Astra / Astra H / Corsa / Vectra etc...
And im sure there have been more H posts than Zafira posts (although zafira has been around for a while now)

[astralavista]

Ok who do we contact?

[BassyAstra]

Im sure any of these guys could help us out (turblue, mr_astra, Dregger, Aus-SRi)

[astralavista]

Add me

[OPCVXR]

Count me in!

[SH]

yes this really needs to happen :)

[SH]

ah yes, now the car is german built, quality is supreme.
had the car 2 days now, & i can not find anything to fault :D

[BassyAstra]

Excellent

[Namus]

meh....if they really wanted to break away from the past, HSV would adopt; convert to RWD; drop in a turbo V6 in it and hey presto

[stake]

Hi fellow AH owners,
and all the others (don't want to leave anyone out !) :)

You can count me in for a AH section. The guys at http://www.astra-sri.co.uk/forums/ have different forums for the different models. I think it's a good idea.

[BassyAstra]

Yeah me too, im registered there - BassyAstra :P

[astra_city]

yeah the new astra is nice - feels quite classy to sit in. If I were looking for a car now in that segment the astra would definitely be in contention, but I wouldn't trade in my G for an H. (except the new turbo model if it ever comes to Australia)

[Tom76]

Alright lets get this running then, an AH section on the forum, whos in?

1. BassyAstra

The little voices in my head make me support this. Count my vote in. :wink:

[BassyAstra]

Woohoo Tom!

1. BassyAstra
2. Astralavista
3. Ecstasy
4. Pitch
5. Stake
6. Tom76

[ecstasy]

and almost all of them are black :D

[BassyAstra]

Well for the base CD model any other colour than black is not colour coded so they look ewww, except for the 2 Silver colours.
White in the CD model looks desgusting.

[Tom76]

and almost all of them are black :D

Actually they are a really, really dark shade of purple, but don't say that loudly.

:wink:

[NUTTTR]

The blue looks excellent in the new model..... I've got a blue (ultra blue) SRi and i love it, i drive the astra H (fiancee) and i can't get used to it, it's suspension is "bouncy" and jittery over bumps mid corner which makes for a scary experience... the astra G SRi does it a little, but nothing like the h... maybe due to the sports suspension? My SRi does handle a large amount better than the CD... I want the turbo one, with the IDS+ or whatever it is in europe to make the chassis handle better...
Aaron

[Tom76]

About the CDC (continuous damping control) / IDS+:

Read this article (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3165/is_5_40/ai_n6041190), it's at least as good as it sounds from the article, hell even better. I've had my Astra with IDS+ now for about 17.000km and I can't imagine driving a car without it again in my life.

[BassyAstra]

astra H SRi ???
There are 3 models, CD, CDX, CDXi ?
How can i get IDS?

[Tom76]

How can i get IDS?

Well I guess like with the Astra G (from what I read here) they'll make the more spicy options available over there (in Aus) later...

:roll: :?

Edit:

It's especially amazing if you take a look at the cars that featured CDC when the Astra H came out:

Audi A8
Bentley Continental
BMW 7 series
Ferrari 575; 360; 612
Lancia Thesis
Maserati Quattroporte
Porsche Cayenne
Rolls-Royce Phantom
SsangYong Chairman
VW Phaeton; VW Touareg

:P

[NUTTTR]

i fixed my post, lol :)

[OPCVXR]

_________________
My ride - Astra H Sport (now with eyelids)


Where did you get the eye lids from? if you dont mind me asking! :wink:

[BassyAstra]

Lumma Eyelids = expensive for 2 strips of plastic. But very nice.

[OPCVXR]

But where from??? Can we get here? I have asked Slim but he cant get any eyelids for our cars. Oh yeah, Have you ever been told your car looks like a peugeot? :screwy:

I did last night and I cant think of what Peugeot it looks like! :bang:

[BassyAstra]

Yeah for sure, the peugot from the back, we just have bigger lights.
As for the eyelids he got them direct from lumma as he lives close to them, and yeah tom said he could get for me but at high cost. Pm him.

[Tom76]

Well, if you both (Bassy & Pitch) want them, that would half the shipping costs (for each one of you) already, well at least if you live close enough to each other, or if it's cheaper to ship them in Australia (which I hope).

:)

And yes, they are quite expensive (about 50 Euro), but they fit quite nicely and do heaps to improve the look of the front of the car.

http://www.njimko.de/pics/kocsi06.jpg

[Tom76]

I did last night and I cant think of what Peugeot it looks like! :bang:

This one:

http://www.cardesignnews.com/events/geneva2001/highlights/images300/peugeot-307-751s.jpg

307 hatchback

:P :wink:

[zoidberg]

This new CDC thing talked about a week ago

Holden/Opel have never ever lowered a car properly...15mm there, 20mm there. Lowering is lowering and if its gonna be done then do it properly. I dont really like for Ford (you have to give it to them with the BA Falcon it's nice), but look at XR6 Turbo or the Focus ST compared to Commodore SS or Astra T....Ford lower there cars.

Anyways, when this CDC thing becomes available to us here in aus, no doubt it will have remarkable handling, you probably could be your bottom dollar the car wont be lowered properly.

So my question is, how would you fix this 'mistake' whilst keeping the CDC system operational?


Also the latest wheels magazine give's the order in which aus gets model variants of the new AH.

Next to come will be the 2 door SRi available with 2 engines, the 2.2L has been dropped and in its place a 2L turbo (smaller turbo than the Astra G SRi turbo had). this engine will produce about 125Kw and 250Nm. The 2nd engine will be the original 2L Turbo, producing 147Kw but 165Nm.

After that we get the convertable which now has a folding metal roof, and after that we get a sedan.

[Tom76]

So my question is, how would you fix this 'mistake' whilst keeping the CDC system operational?

Well, with Opel it's standard that the Astras with CDC/IDS are lowered 15mm. You still can replace the springs (with shorter ones, by Irmscher for example) and you still have the CDC benefits (since it controls the dampers, not the springs).

Heh, I hope I got the proper words there, if it sounds confusing then it's certainly my translation effort.

;)

[BassyAstra]

Next to come will be the 2 door SRi available with 2 engines

Next to come is the 3 door CD & CDx models, check the holden website, they are due August. After that is the Sri due December. No word on the others on the website. I might go check out wheels mag.





if it sounds confusing then it's certainly my translation effort


I understood that.

[BassyAstra]

Aye pitch check this out
http://www.carsales.com.au/pls/carsales/!cs_content.private_vehicle?vehicle_id=155410&current_rec=37&total_rec=318&sort_type=3&sort_type=3&make_id=5&model_id=73&search_distance=25&sort_type=3

Nice wheels aye? :wink:

[ecstasy]

whys is it so cheap? :shock:

[OPCVXR]

Aye pitch check this out
http://www.carsales.com.au/pls/carsales/!cs_content.private_vehicle?vehicle_id=155410¤t_re c=37&total_rec=318&sort_type=3&sort_type=3&make_id=5&model_id=73&search_distance=25&sort_type=3

Nice wheels aye?


They are nice! Thats the 1st set I have ever seen. There are chrome copies but they look like the real deal.

[OPCVXR]

Pitch wrote:
I did last night and I cant think of what Peugeot it looks like!

This one:


oh yeah! :lol:

[mr_astra_retired]

The admins/mods have discussed your proposal over the last few days and come to this agreement

We wont be putting a new section for the astra H for a few reasons , but mainly , there arent enough members on site to warrant a seperate section for the H at this present time, we want to keep the sections we have as they are and use them easiy.

Also if we created an ASTRA H section then we would have to create a seperate section for every other model e.g Corsa b,c , Astra f,g,h vectra b,c and so on and thus creating a large , complicated forum look.

A suggestion is when you post you can , for example put ,

"ASTRA H: Timingbelt problem" therefore we all know which model it relates to.

We are glad that you guys are really interested in the forum and hope you continue to help it grow

Let me or any other admin/mod know if you have any queries

Steven

[BassyAstra]

Thanks again Steven

[OPCVXR]

Thanks anyway Steven

[ecstasy]

:(

[aussie_in_london]

A performance company in the UK has just released a V6 engine conversion for the new astra H

3.2 V6 Astra H Conversion £5500 all included. Using all genuine Vauxhall parts

or

3.2 V6 6 Speed Astra H Conversion £7000 all included. Again, all genuine parts will be used.

veccy engine is used
may be alot of money but the performance sounds good 208bhp and they are looking at bringing out a supercharger kit for it soon
might start saving now should have the money by the time my warrenty runs out.