Round one ... SHITE

[Station]

Last week I bought a nice 405 XUD Turbo that is an estate and runs in cooking oil.

Today I bought a mk3 Astra estate with Isuzu 1.7 turbo which also runs on veggie oil.

I really like the 405, the interior is ace and the boot is huge. It was a bit messy but I've given it a good clean and it looks ace.

The Astra is very unloved, it has plastic chrome diamond plate floor mats (is there anything more worrying that seeing these things when buying a car?) the power steering went on the way home and it's going to need new suspension as it's floaty and vague around corners. The bonnet has severe lacquer peel and the rear arches are going. I like mk3s though and have a load of parts in my garage and I reckon it'd be nice after a weekend of tidying. It also has a Vauxhall roofrack, but neither cars have a tow bar

 

Only one can stay though, but not sure which one? The winner will get a tow bar put on and used indefinitely for general workhorse duties.

[Sloth in a bowl]

The rule of cars and sex is: if in doubt, go French

 

P.S. this does not apply to military alliances

[trigger]

I'd be picking the 405 if it was my choice.

[HMC]

My old 405 estate td was fantastic, probably the most comfortable and economical car ive owned. Boring reasons, but that would be my choice

[phil_lihp]

This might be useless info but when the power steering went on the Mk4 1.7TD Astra I used to drive for a living it was actually the alternator that had died.

 

Another vote for the 405 though.  Do the Astra up and sell it on at a massive profit instead.

[HillmanImp]

I would also back the Pug as i don't like Vauxhalls. You on the other hand do, so you may well sway the other way. You have probably already made your decision but can i suggest you live life on the edge and toss a coin.

[dugong]

405s are BESTZORZ.

You can buy all the parts for it from a scrapyard.

[Lord Sterling]

Personally I'd pick the Astra over the Pug as I like Vauxhalls, but being sensible, I'd say keep the Pug as they are generally good workhorses, tidy up the Astra and sell it on.

 

Seeing as it's a consumer of veggie oil and a Vauxhall, I'm sure Billy du Corsaviour can find some space in his car lot for it.

 

You're onto a winnah fella.

[Junkman]

Admit it, you would pick a Rover over the two.

 

405 is good. I had three now. But apart from being good, it's nothing else. It's a prime, shite, dullsmobile.

[Inspector Morose]

You know, I'd pick the vauxhall. I just don't get the 405 love. I had one for a short while and albeit a perfectly capable car, I just didn't bond with it. The ashtray I feel has the edge over the pug just for the feel of the thing.

[Station]

Here's the Astra - it's a GLS model which means it's got electric everything.

 

I checked the receipts and it had a new engine put in in 2004 costing nearly 3k. It also had a radio code request from Vauxhall not that long ago which cost £40. And then about a year later the next owner ripped it out and put an ill-fitting Goodmans stereo in because he preferred CD's - horrid.

 

 

 

I'm wondering whether it's actually worth even looking at it as it's been so unlooked after by the previous owner that it might not be worth it. Should I hoover/wash it, tax it and sling it on ebay B.I.N?

[drum]

That astra looks useful. The 'GLS' sways it for me, but I am very shallow.

[trigger]

If it was a yellow 2.0 Sport then I'd say jump on it but that does look miserable, although a new set of trims would improve it.

[Station]

It had two Vauxhall trims on one side, but lost one in a comedy hoof onto the A55 (complete with smoke screen from the exhaust).

[lisbon_road]

Prefer the Vauxhall everytime.  GLS seats very comfortable.

 

But if it needs paint and arches fixed, perhaps the 405 makes more sense?

[Station]

Paint is fine apart from bonnets - green bonnets can be had ten a penny. Rear arches are OK, just visually 'bubbly'!

[dollywobbler]

Mk3 Ashtray estates seem to have all but disappeared. Even though I'm a French fancier, I quite like the Vauxhall.

[cms206]

I like those Astras a lot, had a K-reg 1.7 n/a diesel Merit estate as a company hack and it pissed all over the Golf 1.9D vans we had at the time.

[Station]

I've had a load of the mk3's - although I haven't bought one since 2005. It felt like an 'old buddy', and even though it is a bit of a dog, nothing rattled or felt flimsy. If anyone's interested in this I can tax it and you can drive it home 'insured' (ie on my trade insurance).

The top mounts are non-existant, and no doubt it'll have knackered wishbones and ARB links, but I have all these in my mate's loft. I also have new discs and pads that I was intended to bin, but glad I didn't now.

 

They are really nicely designed, the shape is nice and can be made to look good:

 

 

[Jim Bell]

Has to be the 405 to stay dude.

I refer sir to Rules 56 and 3 of Autoshite.

 

3. All Vauxhalls are shite.

 

56. Peugeot diesels with Bosch pumps are for winners.

 

Thus it was written, so shall it always be.

[Sigmund Fraud]

I'm a confirmed francophile, so one more vote for the 405. They are more spacious, more comfortable and more rust-proof than Astras !

 

I'm sure you can persuade Autoshite's favourite Vauxhall apologist to offer the Astra a new home...

[Steviemillar]

We had a couple of new leased GLS Wagons at the place where I used to work. I really liked it but I couldn't afford to buy the best one when the lease company was taking them back after three years.

What sort of wedge is in the Astra if you sell it?

[Station]

I'll clean it up and get it looking very presentable (including suspension bits and all the NOS stuff I have) for £350.

[Cavcraft]

What's in the Astra, David? If it's an Isuzu and there's a bit of test on it how much do you want for it? if it's the Slow Blow it can GTFO.

[Cavcraft]

I'll clean it up and get it looking very presentable (including suspension bits and all the NOS stuff I have) for £350.

 

How about if you don't?

[Station]

No, it's the HI-BLOW! Will check it when I get back though. The top mounts will need to be changed as it's fairly terrifying around corners.

[Station]

Engine is the Hi-blow, it's the Isuzu whatchermacallit. Both top mounts have gone, the anti roll bar links went a long time ago (it corners like a boat).

I replaced the thermostat with another one which didn't work. I've also taxed it for another 6 months (got it from 1st April).

 

 

I've given the inside a proper tidy out, it was filthy, but I found 33p and an unopened packet of L&B silver (wish I smoked now ). I even replaced all the blown bulbs and some of the typically broken plastics which result from a previous owner being a daft carefree twot.