theorganist tales of a Saxo and a Hooligans car

[theorganist]

Hello all, past member here, some of you might remember from having various tatty cars, in particular an imported LHD Renault 14 which sadly didn't end well. I haven't posted for what seems like years.  It is great to see this place is still going and I can see some names I remember.

In 2023 I got my first mortgage (at 48) and therefore the slight scruffy Maestro Mayfair had to go. As I needed something cheap to buy and run, my mechanic knew of a low mileage (28,000) R reg Saxo for sale, so I bought it.

It was only supposed to be a stop gap car but two and half years later it is still here, it is great fun to drive and runs well and has little rust. At some point in the past it has been keyed on one side and on the roof. It is a basic 1.1X with wind up windows and its original and working Citroen radio cassette. It hardly needs work for its MOT's and the only real problem it had was needing a head gasket changed. 

So that is my "modern" car!

A few months ago my cousin who is a bit of a petrol head and a former yuppie living in Surrey commuter land. He informed me he had left me a car in his will but as he had lost his garage space I might as well have it now.

It is a red F reg Astra GTE 16V. I have never owned a car like this, my ideal mark 2 Astra would be a beige 1.3L with brown trim. I am still getting used to it.

He had it as a company car from new and bought it off the leasing company when the lease ended, I have all the original paperwork. For the last few years it has been kept in a garage and only going out to be MOT'd. The cambelt hadn't been changed for 7 years, he insisted I should drive it back but something told me not too. Luckily I didn't as the waterpump pulley was seized. It has done around 105,000 miles and runs well, it has the digital dashboard fitted. I am going to get a good car cover for it whilst I try and find a garage to rent, there seem to be few around and they are quite pricey. It needs the headlining replacing and a good polish. The interior is okay but a little worn. It has a towbar for high speed towing.

Anyway here are some pictures.

[jim89]

Top3 tape storage 👍🏻

[danthecapriman]

Good to see your back👍

I love that Astra! Looks in really nice shape, especially considering how much they like to rust. Looking forward to see more.

[theorganist]

2 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Good to your back👍

I love that Astra! Looks in really nice shape, especially considering how much they like to rust. Looking forward to see more.

Thanks it's good to be back and get some interest in old cars again. 

It has an old Piranha alarm and immobilizer which I'm waiting to go wrong. The immobilizer involves running a fob along the underside of the steering column. 

[danthecapriman]

7 minutes ago, theorganist said:

Thanks it's good to be back and get some interest in old cars again. 

It has an old Piranha alarm and immobilizer which I'm waiting to go wrong. The immobilizer involves running a fob along the underside of the steering column. 

I remember those! Some of them had a little sensor type thing you pressed the fob onto. Some were better than others. I had one in one of my old Volvo’s and it was a pain. Had to disconnect it all in the end which wasn’t easy!

[HMC]

Hi, great to see you back. IIRC you also had a maxi (in sandglow?) and at one stage a talbot horizon. 

That GTE is epic- i sadly suspect also a strong magnet for wrong ‘uns and so arranging secure parking is deffo a good idea. 

[HMC]

Obviously that has sentimental value to you, but as essentially a one owner from new and at first glance in decent order- its got white room written all over it.

[theorganist]

1 hour ago, HMC said:

Hi, great to see you back. IIRC you also had a maxi (in sandglow?) and at one stage a talbot horizon. 

That GTE is epic- i sadly suspect also a strong magnet for wrong ‘uns and so arranging secure parking is deffo a good idea. 

I indeed have had three Maxis, one was sandglow originally but had been painted black over it. My last one was red. I did have a Horizon.

Yes I think the Astra could be a magnet for thieves, currently I have a crook lock and am ordering a wheel clamp, it has its alarm and immobiliser. If I can get a garage I will do. 

1 hour ago, HMC said:

Obviously that has sentimental value to you, but as essentially a one owner from new and at first glance in decent order- its got white room written all over it.

It is a bit worn in parts of the interior but essentially the car is solid. I don't feel I could sell it at the moment maybe in the future but I don't think it would look good selling it now and having just taken it out along the Halesowen by-pass I think it is going to be an enjoyable car to own.  

[theorganist]

2 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

I remember those! Some of them had a little sensor type thing you pressed the fob onto. Some were better than others. I had one in one of my old Volvo’s and it was a pain. Had to disconnect it all in the end which wasn’t easy!

It is working at the moment, it is probably 30 years old if not fitted when the car was new. I had a faulty alarm in a 309 which went off one day and I couldn't turn it off without disconnecting the battery. This alarm has a key where you can turn the alarm off at the alarm. My mechanic used to fit them new so if I change it I will probably ask him to disconnect it as electrics aren't my strong point!

[djoptix]

That Astra is fabulous and probably much more desirable than you think. Please be careful with it!

[Missy Charm]

Pah, look at the state of the headlining!  Vauxhalls really are rubbish!

The Astra really is nice, in all seriousness and bet you feel lucky to have got it.  It's also a bit special to have one that's still as red as its first owner's braces - not many will have kept the vibrancy in their paint.  Assume it goes well?  Remember them being well thought of, way back when.  

[theorganist]

15 minutes ago, djoptix said:

That Astra is fabulous and probably much more desirable than you think. Please be careful with it!

I have a wheel clamp coming tomorrow plus it has a crook lock although I will get a better one as mine probably is as old as the Astra! It also has an alarm and immobiliser although I might get them replaced at some point. Unfortunately cash flow isn't a strong point at the moment so this isn't the best time to be inheriting it. I can just about fit the Saxo and the Astra on the drive but not easily and I am not sure about blocking it in as there seems to be a grey area when it comes to parking in front of a drive even if it is your own! I do realise it could be a target and I will do whatever I can do.

[theorganist]

17 minutes ago, Missy Charm said:

Pah, look at the state of the headlining!  Vauxhalls really are rubbish!

The Astra really is nice, in all seriousness and bet you feel lucky to have got it.  It's also a bit special to have one that's still as red as its first owner's braces - not many will have kept the vibrancy in their paint.  Assume it goes well?  Remember them being well thought of, way back when.  

I do feel lucky, it has been taken care of although I think my cousin was a bit of a bodger. It does go well.

[theorganist]

Just ordered a disklok and currently the Saxo is parked in front of it, a feat which could have been a feature on the Krypton Factor!

Edited November 1 by theorganist
Spelling!

[HMC]

IIRC there was a hot hatch shootout in CAR in about 1990 and LJKS thought the engine in this was fantastic. IIRC he also wrote the Fiesta RS Turbo  had “halitosis as its calling card”*

 

*EDIT might have been bulgin.

[Cavcraft]

Welcome back, loving the Astra!

[vtec-e]

Nice to see an early model. You've got a good one there. I had a blue one (Monaco blue I think) back in the day, my second brand new car. They were a quick car at the time, but quite loud at speed. I had it for 7 years and did about 100k until some lowlife(s) tried and failed to take it when we were away for the weekend. They trashed the car, so it was consequently written off. 

Good move to get the Disklok. I'll PM some cheap anti-theft deterrents I used and worked, you may be able to make use of them.

[theorganist]

7 minutes ago, vtec-e said:

Nice to see an early model. You've got a good one there. I had a blue one (Monaco blue I think) back in the day, my second brand new car. They were a quick car at the time, but quite loud at speed. I had it for 7 years and did about 100k until some lowlife(s) tried and failed to take it when we were away for the weekend. They trashed the car, so it was consequently written off. 

Good move to get the Disklok. I'll PM some cheap anti-theft deterrents I used and worked, you may be able to make use of them.

Hopefully that and the wheel clamp will deter most. I might just keep the Saxo in front of it also.

They do seem sought after, I put some pictures up on a GTE Facebook group and had several messages and replies asking how much I want for it despite me saying I wasn't looking to sell at present.

Thanks any advice greatly appreciated.

[D.E]

Steering lock for visual deterrence, remove bits such as the distributor cable to make a quick getaway unlikely.

Wonderful cars these, once known here as the transport of house music listening pillheads who would wrap themselves around trees @lotsofspeed on Friday nights, but that's a long time ago. The few that still exist are worth serious money now. The notorious rear arches look solid in your pictures?

[ProgRocker]

20 hours ago, theorganist said:

 I am going to get a good car cover for it whilst I try and find a garage to rent, there seem to be few around and they are quite pricey.

Hello.  What great cars you have acquired. I always wanted an Astra E so I'm rather jealous about the GTE.

Re: garages. You could try getting in contact with your local authority as they may have a surplus of garages to rent. Hopefully one may be available in a reasonable walking distance.

[loserone]

Is there anyone locally who could help with safe storage until you have a garage sorted?

[Sportshatch]

Lovely GTE that. I always wanted one but missed the boat now price wise.

[Somerset Suffolk]

Council normally have garages for rent - not cheap - try Gumtree or even placing a good old fashioned "wanted" add in your local news agents - car covers are not great - even decent ones - if you do use one, its worth taking the cover off regularly to  let the car breath 

out door "Carcoon"  https://www.carcoon.com/product/outdoor-carcoon-size-4/ seem pretty good - not had one personally though - enjoy the GTE !

[theorganist]

Thanks all, currently the nearest available local authority garages are some distance away, that might be a last resort but I would rather one nearby. I will try a wanted ad. I did look on gumtree and a couple of other sites and there was nothing local. I have decided to keep the Saxo on the drive in front of it so that should be an extra deterrant. It now has a wheel clamp and the disklok will arrive this week. I have a feeling there are people that are so determined that nothing would stop them.

I am having second thoughts about a car cover as I have heard they can cause more issues with rust.

I have never worried about a car being stolen before, its not a partcularly nice feeling.

[dollywobbler]

Good to see you again. The 1.1 Saxo/106 is such a good car. So much fun and it turns out they usually have more power than advertised.

[Lord Sterling]

Great to see you back chap. I had wondered how you were doing. Certainly looking on the up with that amazing Astra.

We'll have to have a meet up, as you may or may not know, I'm a 2-Jag man with a side of V6 Vauxhall:

[Split_Pin]

Welcome back

What became of the 14? I love those cars!

The Astra is fantastic, the rear arches are the first place to go and yours look mint. What a lovely gift, enjoy!

[FakeConcern]

Two lovely cars, the Saxo is great, but the GTE is something else, not seen one of those for ages and in that condition too!

Here's a paper model of one I drew back in the early 80s when I had an XR3i

There's a few more cars on my thread here if you're interested

 

[theorganist]

4 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Good to see you again. The 1.1 Saxo/106 is such a good car. So much fun and it turns out they usually have more power than advertised.

Thank you.

Yes it's surprised me I only intended it to be a stop gap but I have had it two and half years which is good for me. It's very economical and nippy. Comfy too and is fun to drive.

[theorganist]

1 hour ago, FakeConcern said:

Two lovely cars, the Saxo is great, but the GTE is something else, not seen one of those for ages and in that condition too!

Here's a paper model of one I drew back in the early 80s when I had an XR3i

There's a few more cars on my thread here if you're interested

 

Looks great I'll take a look