Autoshite 1 Me 0. Exceed last years quota?

[Cavcraft]

Well in a move that will see me go from what appears to be one of Autoshite's MOST H8TD MOTORZ to something slightly less hated, the Astra Mk4 has gone.

Now I know most of you think they're wank but I loved the car to bits and never had any trouble with it.

It was well built, reliable, good to drive and did me and the 'vette family sterling service in the 26 months I owned it and is one of the very few cars of the couple of hundred I've owned that I will miss.

 

So it's goodbye Astra. I bought you BIG WEELZ, halo headlights and the obligatory Irmscher lookalike grille and Irmscher badge ...

 

 

 

...and hello to 2,800cc of dizzling GET OWT OV DA WAY I HAZ BIG CAR fun. OMG Pajero Exceed not Shogun sideways tramp drifting..

 

Which is fucking huge in comparison (obviously) and loaded with spaccy useless things like an inclonometer (for climbing kerbs outside my daughter's school?) and side steps which appear to be neither use nor ornament.

 

Anyhow this years tally includes the above plus the latest two minute wonder (60+mpg of dreary dizzleness)...

 

 

This (now gone)...

 

This (now gone)...

 

And a Chinese rev and rip scooter which I haven't got any pictures of. But it's gone anyway!

 

But I do still own this of course. Who knows one day it might see some light and some actual road use...

 

Billy Bilster, BBC-avette news, Vauxhall-less, Cheshire.

[Split_Pin]

Well I own BOTH of A-S's most hated motors, the MK4 Astra and Vectra B I'm completely baffled why the both these cars are hated so much on here. I've never had any major problems with either of them. So many people say that I'm wrong and that they are indeed terrible cars, especially anything with an Ecotec or even more specifically an X20XEV but I've only seen badly maintained ones go arse for tit. The late 90's X- engine generation are looked on as the unwanted sons of the so-called legendary C-series engines of the early 90's and late 80's.My 'fleet' are easy to work on, cheap to fix and I think the Coupe looks great. Nice and understated with frameless doors. There are good clubs around for them too. I do like your black Merc a lot though!

[trigger]

All I'm gonna say Cavette is i bet David Bailey isn't shitting himself over your photo efforts!, Every one of them only has only half the car in!

[Slaighty]

I bought the mrs a Mk4 Astra 6 or 7 years ago when she refused to drive the family Mk4 Escort any more. She has a soulless people carrier thing now so I have inherited it back to replace a thirsty Saab 900 auto.Its well over 130k now, never seen a garage except for Mot, only had oil changes as maintenance and has never gone wrong. Not most exciting thing to drive I admit. I realise tomorrow it'll probably throw a leg out of bed but hey lets tempt fate

[Cavcraft]

Well I own BOTH of A-S's most hated motors, the MK4 Astra and Vectra B I'm completely baffled why the both these cars are hated so much on here. I've never had any major problems with either of them. So many people say that I'm wrong and that they are indeed terrible cars, especially anything with an Ecotec or even more specifically an X20XEV but I've only seen badly maintained ones go arse for tit. The late 90's X- engine generation are looked on as the unwanted sons of the so-called legendary C-series engines of the early 90's and late 80's.My 'fleet' are easy to work on, cheap to fix and I think the Coupe looks great. Nice and understated with frameless doors. There are good clubs around for them too. I do like your black Merc a lot though!

I still maintain that because the 8V engines were bullet proof and bloody brilliant things that the Ecotecs were seen as 'not worthy'. I have to confess I thought the 2.0 Ecos would be toss but they don't half bloody go well and lost count how many 170,000 mile+ Ecotec engined cars I've had that never missed a beat.

[AXrescuer]

...and hello to 2,800cc of dizzling GET OWT OV DA WAY I HAZ BIG CAR fun. OMG Pajero Exceed not Shogun sideways tramp drifting..

 

Which is fucking huge in comparison (obviously) and loaded with spaccy useless things like an inclonometer (for climbing kerbs outside my daughter's school?) and side steps which appear to be neither use nor ornament.

They are useful when the car is used for what it was built to do! I don't suppose doing the local school run was part of the design team's remit.

 

For what it's worth, I really hate the sight of these things cluttering up the road and paths around my kid's school because the owners are too fucking lazy to walk the 100 yards from home and have to drop their cargo right at their classroom doors.

[Rod/b]

Didn't you only just buy the Sproutage?

[Cavcraft]

Didn't you only just buy the Sproutage?

Yeah, had it a week or so I think!

[Rod/b]

I quite fancy one to complement my 2006 version.

[Milford Cubicle]

Wow that Astra is tastefully done.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Ms_Bol's x-reg astra 1.6 16v is super reliable, she bought it at 2 years old and it has never even needed a new battery, is this a record? It has started perfectly right through the cold snap too so its showing no signs of age.Remarkable car that one. I think its had an exhaust, cambelt and waterpump, pair of front discs & pads, front springs and a screenwash pump, and thats the sum total of repairs in about 100,000 miles.

[Richard]

The battery on my old Viva was original and outlasted the car, a little over 9 years. Not that a Viva's battery had a hard life.

[Guest]

What's an Astra Sport? Isn't that just a 1.6?

[Cavcraft]

What's an Astra Sport? Isn't that just a 1.6?

Yeah, basically a sort of insurable SRi if you like. Went quite well without setting the world alight performance wise.The Pajero is quite entertaining and pulls very well but those stupid bloody window plastic weather shield things are getting on my tits.

[pandamonium]

I like the Mk4. The only Vauxhall I'd own!

[pompei]

Why do those Astras get such a bad press?

[CortinaDave]

Vectras are utter shit. I decided not to believe the hype when I bought a FSH W reg sri LPG a few years ago. It was one breakdown after another costing me £££ before the aircon unit caught fire and it dissappeared in a sea of flames a day after I'd spent £450 having the head gasket done.Never again.Batteries seem to have advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years. My T plate Cougar still has its original Ford motorcraft one and that doesnt seem particularly unusual now. Gone are the days when you only got 3 years max!

[messerschmitt owner]

I'm quite enjoying the Mk 3 Astra I've just bought! Roof down tonight on the way home!

[Station]

I've driven a few Vectras, and found them to be dull. These were 1.6/1.8's though in silver, and a non-turbo 2l diesel which was gutless.My brother's had a couple of gearboxes, and I think numerous engine reworks. I'd have one as a runabout though, they felt solid enough.I'd prefer a Cavalier tbh.

[Cavcraft]

Why do those Astras get such a bad press?

Because it's usually from badge snobs who've never owned one long term. Clarkson slated Vauxhalls more than once and some of the fickle ones believe every word he says.I have to say whilst they're definately a bit dull I've never had any major problems with Vectras either and I will maintain to my dying breath they're infinately better to own than a Mondeo amongst others. No, they're NOT world class cars but vfm wise they're very hard to beat.

[Pillock]

I quite liked my facelift SRI 140. It was well-built, quick enough, comfy but firm enough and more importantly it was a hell of a lot of car for the money.They've got a lot of known issues, but if you keep on top of things and don't ignore funny noises and ECU lights they're not too expensive to repair. Cost me £60 to get the manifold studs sorted and £30 to sort some wiring on top of the throttle body (I forget which sensor) that chafes through. And the rear drop links went too, that seems to be one of those 'yearly repairs' that you just assume needs doing for every MoT before they even look it over.

[Cavcraft]

One real Achilles heel of the Vectra is the stupid bloody slave cylinder in the gearbox, that's taken a few down I can tell you.I've not had a V6 one yet because the expense of the cambelt change/servicing isn't nice but I expect they're a fairly good laugh to drive.

[dollywobbler]

A friend had a V6 Vectra. It was a sodding nightmare. The engine and auto gearbox were forever falling out. And sitting inside it was like feasting on downers, while being wrapped in the shittest plastic veneer imaginable.But, it sounded glorious when it was actually on song, and I really liked the styling on the estate.