Roffle GM dizzler Mk3 Astra - £4 a ticket

[RobT]

That is true. Similar to my Cavalier the ride is a tad jittery, but this issue virtually disappeared on the good quality Euro roads. Another Cav trait it shares is tall gearing, so once wound up it sat at 70-75 unstrained for many miles.

 

Luckily, my resolve is currently quite healthy.

Mine isn't! I'm keeping an eye out for an early pez auto hatch for urban mooching...needs to be cheap though because skintola.

[stripped fred]

I don't think it handles that badly to be honest and I found the ride to be OK too. My step-mum had a 1.8sri version as a company car and I used to rag it mercilessly. I was only about 21 at the time. I remember it understeered a lot. Perhaps it's because the 60bhp diesel engine doesn't test the handling as much.

[Rusty_Rocket]

I still have two of these, I've never had a problem with the ride quality, in fact I think they're very comfortable. Handling is numb, although the GSi one I have has a quicker steering rack which really makes a difference. 

That gold estate looks quite smart; the V-grille models had quite a few tweaks to the steering & suspension which made them feel more modern. That car also has the benefit of cheap tax with the 1.4 engine! 

[catsinthewelder]

I find mine crashy over bumps but that could be it's phat rimz innit or the fact that the dampers are probably all shot.  The cornering abilities didn't inspire initially but after 10 months of chucking it around the local roads it's usually me tailgating Audis in the twisty bits now rather than the other way round.

 

I'm strangely sensitive to spec on these,  I can't think of a less appealing* 20 year old car than a pogweasled 5 door hatch with orange indicators and V grille.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*With the obvious exception of VAG products,  I used to have nightmares that I owned a green mk3 Golf estate.

[Cavcraft]

It's lovely to read the updates on this.

Does anyone on here have anything negative to say about mk3 Astras at all?

My horn has been increasingly growing to try one as a daily. I'm still feeling my way around my new* R19, so it won't happen this week, but I sense it's only a matter of time...

Do it, you won't regret it. What you really want* is a white 1.4 SPi 3 door mingebag spec one, about 1992/3.

[bramz7]

Telling that the most numerous older car on the M4 yesterday morning was MK3 Astras. 

 

I'd love a TD CD spec saloon. Probably quite rare mind you...

[sierraman]

Fatha Sierra had a 1.4 poverty spec Merit 8 valve years ago. I can remember the tweed seats in it!

[RobT]

I find mine crashy over bumps but that could be it's phat rimz innit or the fact that the dampers are probably all shot.  The cornering abilities didn't inspire initially but after 10 months of chucking it around the local roads it's usually me tailgating Audis in the twisty bits now rather than the other way round.

 

I'm strangely sensitive to spec on these,  I can't think of a less appealing* 20 year old car than a pogweasled 5 door hatch with orange indicators and V grille

 

Same here, I don't have issues with the handling as I'll often chuck it into bends just to keep the momentum going. OK it's not on a par with a Rover S3, but then neither is a Mk5 Escort.

 

There's nowt wrong with being sensitive to specs. I have an aversion to the airbag steering wheel (the two spoke effort in this is much more comfortable to use) and a strong like of maroon GM chod of this period. I think this is Bordeaux Red whereas my Cav is Satin.

 

[RobT]

Time to move the old GM dizzler on, as I fancy something else (not sure what yet).

 

The 1.7D is slow, noisy and chucks out a fair bit of clag when cold, but is also rather endearing. I've done 4,000 trouble-free miles since buying it off stripped fred in March, and that included a trip to Holland in June. Tall gearing means it isn't a liability on the motorway and will sit at 70 for ages and return around 55mpg. Steering can be a bit wandery at speed sometimes, not sure if it needs tracking up, but for the most part it's fine.

 

MoT is until 23rd March 2018. It needed sill welding for the last one, the rear arches are a bit crusty and the boot floor non-existent in a couple of places where they meet the inner rear arches. Mileage is 181,000, it has a few foibles as you'd expect like the central locking doesn't work, and it would benefit from two new tyres - I've got a pair of Vredesteins to go with it, just haven't got around to fitting them.

 

stripped fred did a lot of repairs when he had it, and phil_lihp kindly replaced the headlining and battery when he borrowed it off me in April. I replaced the sump gasket as weirdly it developed a heavy leak after I did an oil change, so it's had two recent oil changes and oil and air filters.

 

Ideally I'd keep it as having an estate has proved useful over the summer, but I'm trying to be good and limit myself to three cars max for the rest of 2017. It's proving bloody difficult but I'll see how long I last!

 

Here it is at the RR gathering a few weeks back.

 

[stripped fred]

It's a very handy car to have, especially if you can cover it on classic insurance which I did although I know they're stricter now. I hope it finds a good home as it's quite endearing and so cheap to run. If someone was able to sort out the boot floor themselves it would help as the rest of the car's not too bad as far as I could tell, especially after you got the welding done last time Rob. Quite easy to work on too. GLWTS!

[320touring]

Does it do boost, or is it N/A (non accelerable)?

[Tickman]

I want and need no more cars so if it turns into the numbers game can I have 13 and 24 please.

[CreepingJesus]

I'll express a vague interest too in case things happen in an appropriate order. It's been too long since I've had a Luton load lugger.

[Cavcraft]

Does it do boost, or is it N/A (non accelerable)?

 

I think this is n/a, possibly early GM and should be veg friendly.

[stripped fred]

It's the GM 1.7 n/a. It does do acceleration though. I never found it that slow as it feels quite an eager engine. Then again, you're not going to pull out and pass a line of traffic, unless they're stationary!

[phil_lihp]

Great car this, very easy to live with and runs on fumes.

[New POD]

Do it, you won't regret it. What you really want* is a white 1.4 SPi 3 door mingebag spec one, about 1992/3.

 

I have written off a Red 1.4i LS Saloon (MPI), a burgundy 1.4i LS Hatch (MPI) and a 1.6i Arctic Hatch (SPI) and I can tell you that the Single point Injection 8V's are SHIT where as the Multipoint Injection 8V's are fantastic.

[Rusty_Rocket]

Glwts Rob! Surely a diesel Astra estate is the only car anyone could ever possibly need?!

I wish I could give it a home but having 2 here already means Mrs Rocket would be unfeasibly cross if another arrived! 

[RobT]

I think this is n/a, possibly early GM and should be veg friendly.

Yep it's non turbo so acceleration is sedate, but on the plus side it sips fuel. Makes the 40mpg I get from the Cavalier on a run look thirsty!

 

I think it's veg friendly. Does this pic denote Bosch?

 

[Lacquer Peel]

Bosch pump aye

[Cavcraft]

Also, aren't these the 'better' GM engine, i.e the early one as opposed to the wheezy ones fitted to sort of 1995 onwards facelifts Mk3s?

[Rusty_Rocket]

^^ definitely. GM strapped a low pressure turbo onto this engine for the V-grille cars which was unreliable and no faster. The 1.7D in Rob's car will go forever with minimal servicing. 

[stripped fred]

^^ definitely. GM strapped a low pressure turbo onto this engine for the V-grille cars which was unreliable and no faster. The 1.7D in Rob's car will go forever with minimal servicing.

It does feel a strong engine. I also like the noise it makes.

[Lacquer Peel]

Start up video pls

[stripped fred]

Have a bump. This needs a loving home.

[DVee8]

Would a roffle at £4.00 a ticket work?

[RobT]

It may well come to that, assuming there's enough interest. Or are we all roffled out at the moment?

[83C]

I'd be up for a couple of roffle tickets. 11 & 42 please.

[Heidel_Kakao]

It's an estate so I would be duty bound to enter if it does roffle. Numbers 7 and 21 if it happens.

[Jim Bell]

24 and 5 pls.