Austin-Rover Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I spotted this delightful Astra GLS on the eBay tat thread on Sunday morning, and by 7pm - I had it sat outside on my driveway. I'd probably have left it at 'that's nice' and moved on, apart from the fact it's a saloon, and a decent trim level. The small and medium sized saloons from the 80s and 90s have always been a bit of a novelty side-act. It's a shame the market for them has died off. However, the brochure for the Astra saloon tells you all you need to know really about the target audience; "...for any motorist - executive or otherwise - 'coming down a size'..." So what about this one then? It came from Lookers of Colwyn Bay on 19th May 1993 but despite that it has always lived on the Wirral. Two years later it's at James Edwards in Heswall where Miss Gordon buys it. She averages about 1,500 miles a year over the next twenty years. After James Edwards goes over to Peugeot, she takes the Astra to Lookers in Birkenhead for its annual service. Miss Gordon spends a fair bit of money on the Astra over the years. It's had Vauxhall main dealer servicing and MoTs every year of its life! Consequently the folder for bills and receipts is a hefty one! It's condition is pretty good. There's typical dents and scratches for an old car, but it's not been your typical pensioner car and driven hard into the scenery at every opportunity - the bumpers are nice and scuff free. It's picked up perhaps more damage after Miss Gordon died and her house was being cleared. There's some deep gouges to the paintwork in a number of places amde by some clumsy oafs. There looks to be some frilly bits behind the rear wheels behind the side of the bumper - where the muck hits (no mud flaps fitted!) and one scab right in the middle of the n/s/r arch. Compared to other Mk3 Astra rear arches, I would have to rate them as 'exceptional'! I've absolutely no idea what small niche it serves in the fleet - it can't be justified really, except for price and condition it couldn't be passed up. Maybe I can sneak it in to a couple of car shows this summer, or just admire those 'classic' saloon lines whilst it sits on the driveway. Cavcraft, Angry Sheep, I_am_Diesel and 33 others 36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyramrod Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Bring it to a couple of shows up here in the Lakes, it'll be most welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_Rocket Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 That is flippin' lovely!!! Well bought, so rare in that condition now...The 'small saloon' thing is much more common in mainland Europe I'd say. I also think the saloons were marketed as being slightly posher* than the hatches?Satin Red loveliness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry Sheep Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 That looks lovely, and nice write-up. Enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyramrod Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Park it beside Hyacinth, they'll make a nice pair! Coprolalia, Faker, Magnificent Rustbucket and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty2006 Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Wow ive never seen that steering wheel on a mk3 before, and Ive owned a few! Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skizzer Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Approved! I like the balance of the profile view of these. Lovely mouse fur seats in GLS spec as well. I've absolutely no idea what small niche it serves in the fleet - it can't be justified really, except for price and condition it couldn't be passed up The mark of a WINNER. eddyramrod and Cavcraft 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorfolkNWeigh Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Am I imagining it ,or did Vauxhall campaign these in the BTCC ? It would have been about the same time as Cleland was throwing Cavaliers around , so possibly a lower class or something.A quick Google only throws up this Historic one, that I've actually see at Silverstone Festival in a strange race with Dolomites, Cossies, Avensises ,indeed everything ever raced in BTCC, totally pointless as a race. warch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Flippin ace!!!! Anyone got a scan of the article where Russell Bulgin tests one of these by caning it up and down a few busy motorways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 You are one bloody lucky person, that's a fab car and was a bargain. Is that Chester Services on the M56 in the pictures, presumably v.close to where you got the car from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bell Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I hoped someone sensible would sweep that up in their arms and make a decent woman of it. Well done indeed. Looks fully amazeballs. eddyramrod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin-Rover Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 That is flippin' lovely!!! Well bought, so rare in that condition now...The 'small saloon' thing is much more common in mainland Europe I'd say. I also think the saloons were marketed as being slightly posher* than the hatches?Satin Red loveliness Re; the 'posher' thing. I think initially, yes they were hence they even got a different name in some cases to highlight the upmarket aspirations (Orion, Belmont). Latterly though - late 90s, early 00s - I got the impression they were just done out of habit or necessity without any real thought. The Focus saloon was just an abortion and the Fabia saloon you had to look closely to even register is wasn't a hatch. My abiding memory of the Mk3 Astra saloon is that nearly every one you ever saw here was an Opel and with Irish plates. Rusty_Rocket 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin-Rover Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 You are one bloody lucky person, that's a fab car and was a bargain. Is that Chester Services on the M56 in the pictures, presumably v.close to where you got the car from? Yes it is Chester Svcs. It had found itself only round the corner in Elton. Cavcraft 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
They_all_do_that_sir Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Don't think I've ever seen one in any other colour. Looks ace that does. Did they sell a two door variant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lord Sward Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 That Astra saloon was more aerodynamic that the hatch. PHACT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexg Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Lovely thing that. Well done for claiming it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMC Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 As another shiter who always manages to find a none existent gap in his fleet, I applaud you! Must be the rarest mk3 Astra variant by a mile. Austin-Rover 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew e Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Am I imagining it ,or did Vauxhall campaign these in the BTCC ? It would have been about the same time as Cleland was throwing Cavaliers around , so possibly a lower class or something.A quick Google only throws up this Historic one, that I've actually see at Silverstone Festival in a strange race with Dolomites, Cossies, Avensises ,indeed everything ever raced in BTCC, totally pointless as a race.image.jpgBe an ex-South African MSD one. I did a load brain scratching, rifling through old magazines. Then after I found this bloody link that tells you all you need to know!!!! I think the Astra entered a few races in the BTCC as a privateer. http://www.touringcarspares.com/Race_Cars/Mike_Briggs_1993_Championship_winning_MSD_Opel_Astra/ http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114330 http://www.supertouringregister.com/series/223/ NorfolkNWeigh, warch and Austin-Rover 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Tip top effort-cap duly doffed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comfysofa Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 That is all sorts of gorgeous...think that steering wheel was only used in the first couple of years of production?. andrew e 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inconsistant Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Lacklustre motoring at its finest. These 80s & 90s saloons say so much about the motoring aspirations of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew e Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 That is all sorts of gorgeous...think that steering wheel was only used in the first couple of years of production?.4 spoke Airbag came in (On the 1993 California special edition no less). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 God Bless Miss Gordon, your memories will go on Coprolalia, eddyramrod and Austin-Rover 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Vauxhall Astra Saloon 1.4GLS. New Shape...as said by the rep on the a-z of British motoring. I'm sure I've got a brochure for one of these at my mums loft. NorfolkNWeigh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnK Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 ^^ I was just going to mention that A to B - Tales of Modern Motoring programme. Some guy raving about how great his Astra Saloon 1.8 CD was and so much better than the Cavalier he could have had. Thought this looked a bargain when I saw it in the eBay thread, well bought! NorfolkNWeigh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KruJoe Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 I'll just leave this one here if I may: Jim Bergerac, Sigmund Fraud, Lacquer Peel and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_Rocket Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 What the....?? ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 What the....?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 I learned to drive in of these the same age and spec but 1.7 TD instead, it had covered over 250k by 1997 and still looked like new. I've got fond memories of them now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the judge Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Watch your back!!! Babs is going to have your leg off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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