Does this qualify as Shite?

[lisbon_road]

About September last year, I bought this Astra.  Astras are pretty rock solid, especially mk3s.  But this has some shite characteristics.....

 

When I bought it, I got it from a man who was leaving the country the next day so an instant decision was needed.

On start up, the clouds of blue smoke were staggering.  I then looked up the engine (X16XEL) and the internet was blue with people complaining about oil consumption.

 

And it is an automatic with top level trim, so surprisingly comfortable and doesn't have that ghastly stripey upholstery that most mk3s have.

 

And I really like the green colour too.  So what's the verdict, does it classify as shite or not?

 

 

[HillmanImp]

Does the number plate not make you feel like a tit?

 

http://instantrimshot.com/

[messerschmitt owner]

I had an ashtray convertible - it was shit! Pure, unadulterated shit!

[red5]

Yay. Worcestershire plate. Etc. Got to love an Astra F.   Ah, that  x16xel. The 'auto' spec one.

 

Wadham Kenning supplied? Or CMS?

[dollywobbler]

I suddenly find myself liking the Mk3 Astra. It's a nice, clean shape. The estate is fetching too. Can't remember the last time I saw a Mk3 estate thinking about it.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Astra-F was always a solid and reliable car

I still have two so it gets the thumbs up from me!

 

I always thought it was the C16XE that was the smoker (apparently the bores were machined incorrectly), not the X16XEL?

[lisbon_road]

There are stories about some XEs that had that problem.  But the XELs can be bad too.  I changed the valve stem seals with a tool that bolts onto the top of the head with the cams off and that helped.  I actually only changed 12 as 4 I could not get off.  Still uses a fair bit though.  Car history suggests that it did less than 1000 miles a year for a few years and the oil wasn't nice.  The throttle body was so full of gunge that the first step to cleaning it out was with a spoon.  Perhaps I answered my own question - that must be a shite car.

[Spiny Norman]

My sole experience of of a Mk3 Astra was the 100k+ company hack diseasel I had to drive occasionally at work. The only thing I remember with any clarity was how much better it was than the brand new Escort that replaced it.

Top drawer shite, without a doubt.

[Shep Shepherd]

I class anything pre-2000 as shite, so yes

[Cavcraft]

Brilliant! For some obscure reason nearly every Mk3 Astra I see these days is in that lovely* shade of metallic green. Another one of Vauxhall's finest hours, though for maximum shite points you should have bought an early 1.4LS SPi 3 door in white.

It's almost impossible to go wrong with a Mk3, really well made and takes huge abuse. 

 

 

Oh, my Mk4 Sport had the X16XEL engine and it was great. It smoked like a bastard when I first got it, but that was because it had stood for a while just after a head gasket replacement so was a bit clogged up. A few Italian tune ups and it was right as rain, pulled like a train and was ok on fuel too. 

[Wilko220]

Nice car; nice colour.

I could never understand why Vauxhall/Opel replaced the handsome mk3 Astra with the gopping monstrosity that was the mk4.

[Pillock]

My mum had one of those as a company car, but in the turquoise colour that seemed very individual until you saw every other car was the same shade. 1.7turdblower GLS with leccy windows and a higher spec stereo. In fact, with 14" wheels I think those three items were the only three improvements over the LS. I thought the remote stereo display was awesome at the time.

 

Never went wrong, unlike the Megane that came after it. Not even when a Skoda reversed into it and caved the wing in.

[DSdriver]

Mrs_DSdriver had a 1.4 manual Astra before getting the Peugeot of last resort. It was a nice little car to drive and liked to be driven, a bit like an Alfa only not quite that good. It lasted for years and had a lot more character than the pug has. Sterling purchase and defo Shite not shit.

[cms206]

Ran a 180k mile white K-plate n/a 1.7D Merit Mk3 estate as a work hack for a bit as everyone else fought over the Mk3 Golf vans we ran at the time (2007) 'cos they had capitalist power steering and turbochargers. I preferred the Astra's offensively blue interior and superior everything everything else to the Golfs. I'd buy one - 1.7TD estate for me, please.

[dangerousdave]

there another one of those cars that one minute there everywhere then the next youre thinking where have they all gone

[Mog]

These xe's are an allright engine if a little thirsty for oil but "they all do that".

 

Snazzy colour and i like the wheels so thumbs up (X2) from me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ps.   ALL VUAXHOLL R SHJIT

[twosmoke300]

Had x16xel at work that smoked like a train. Tried stem seals with no joy.

 

When I stripped it it became obvious what the cause was. The oil rings were gummed up solid. New set of rings and a hone and it was lovely.

 

The breather down to the bottom of the crank case blocks up too.

[fordperv]

The FIL had a mk3 ashtray 1.4 spi in olivegrau (goldy bronzey colour) it was excellent

[lisbon_road]

Seems to get a thumbs up.  I also have a three door with C14SE multipoint which I converted from single point - now that single point injection was true rubbish, the multipoint conversion made it go much faster and use amazingly less fuel.  If you look at howmanyleft.com there are far more of these about that Escorts.  Not a lot of Mk2 Astras mind.  (I have another couple of friends with Mk3s and did have two more gone now - I tried to get them all together to do an ironic line up but they weren't up for it - takes all sorts I suppose).

[Rusty_Rocket]

You're dead right about the 1400s. I had the odd C14NZ and it felt as if it had been mapped by a three year old!

Can imagine the SE is better in every way.

[trigger]

My old K reg Astra 1.4 MPi Si was a grade A weapon, quicker than it should be and great fun with a fruity exhaust note. I'd love another!

[beko1987]

I've always liked these. I had a friend who took the 1,4 lump out of one and put a 2.5 omega engine and gearbox in. Was pretty fucking rapid! He kept the 1.4 badges on, although did sort the logbook out!

 

The Z16XE in our meriva fucking munches oil too, seems a heriditary issue then!

[New POD]

I have written off 3 mk3 astras

[New POD]

My old K reg Astra 1.4 MPi Si was a grade A weapon, quicker than it should be and great fun with a fruity exhaust note. I'd love another!

 

 

82 bhp.  I ran mine with the ceramic missing from the cat and it was very nice.  Unlike the 1.6 Spi which was shite (that red car was a 1.6 and the other 2 were 1.4 Mpi Lsi one saloon and one hatch.

[Grundig]

Our local plod used these to keep law n order - usually 3 door ones

[ProgRocker]

Parents bought a 1993 L reg 1.4 60 ps 'California' limited edition in white. A tiny bit posher than the Merit version. It was a damaged repaired one. My dad requested that while it was getting repaired, it got retro fitted with power steering.

 

Then just 4 years ago my sister bought a red one. It was an emergency stop gap car as her idiot husband managed to lose the nice 04 reg Mazda3 to the bailiffs as the result of an unpaid tax bill. The Astra was a phase 2 with the 'V' grille...I think it was a 1.4 LS or maybe a Merit version. Strange thing I noticed was that for a low spec model in the range it had  large15" steel wheels (with Vectra C wheel trims).

 

I had driven both and liked them.

[wackywacerwill]

I remember my dad bringing the broucher home for these when he was due a replacement lease car for the sierra and trying to get him to go for the sport model with the alloys. Obviously not wanting to pay the extra he went for the 1.7 diesel in a gash colour with naff wheel trims and horrid upholstery.

[outlaw118]

Here's mine, just before an intense MoT failure experience....

[jonny69]

So what's the verdict, does it classify as shite or not?

 

Blue smoke doesn't count towards shiteness, except as an indicator of future engine headaches. In that colour with advanced state of greying plastic bumpers and the dismal automatic to remove any fun though, yes, it's properly shite. Good purchase.

[lisbon_road]

Now it has an awful metallic rattling noise.  Might be a lifter or something else.  Thinking I will start with removing the auxilliary belt to eliminate stuff and see if it persists and then....er....decide what to do......