Advice needed re Astras - are they worth it?

[vxssgurl]

My youngest daughter is thinking of upgrading her crappy (and old) little Mazda for an Astra later this year - and neither I nor her Father know ANYTHING about them...

Can anyone with ANY knowledge of the Astra's provide some feedback for her/us in terms of where to start looking (I am pretty sure she will go 2nd hand), pricing etc?

Thanks!

[angelo.vs]

My girlfriend has a 2005 Astra (new shape) and I think its a very good car for what it is. Suspension is nice and firm, interior looks very euro, panels sit flush and sound solid, performance is not too bad just dont compare it to an LS1 and fuel economy is great. We got hers brand new including ORC for $22000.

[Dacious]

Cons:
60,000km cambelt changeover (check service records if higher mileage than that to ensure it's done). Holden dealers vary but it's a $600-1200 job depending who you talk to, so some avoid it. Parts are $200+ alone, don't skimp on tensioner rollers this as it's exxy if it goes bang.
45-50K brake changes - the stock pads destroy the discs like all Euro cars. The black brakedust is a plague. Change to DBA/Bendix and it stops.
Minor 'Euro' things. Our first one did a engine sensor, the second warped the thermostat housing causing a weep and seized the ignition lock barrel (which is the same as a Commodore).

Pros:
TS Astras best handling/going/economy compared to the same year Toyo/3/Pulsar/Civic. 1.8 and auto decently quick.
Best standard bunch of features - remote lock/immobilisier, tinted glass, H/D charging system battery, 6-speaker CD, very smooth and quiet for a 4 when cruising. Firm seats which actually support you for hours without pain. We drove Melb to Uluru and back.
Basic build seems very good and solid. Underfloor flooded with wax as anti-corrosion feature.
Good space inside for real adults, front and rear.
Enormous inside hatch - 750 litres with seats folded.
High resale - trade loves 'em.
No real weaknesses. As long as serviced to the book, no engine/trans issues.


Missus had a '97 (56K) now has has an '02 (80K) and they've both been great to drive, average 9-10l/100 in traffic (best ever - 6.8 in the middle of Oz on 100km/h cruise).

[angelo.vs]

Cons:
. The black brakedust is a plague. Change to DBA/Bendix and it stops.
Minor 'Euro' things.


Same issue we have with the Astra.

[Merlin]

I currently have an 03 TS Astra Sri-Turbo which I bought to supplement the bike in commuting duties. I have owned a heap of turbo performance cars so can do a decent comparo.

Pros:
- Engine is great, addictive turbo rush.
- Heaps of mid range torque, you can quite happily short shift at 3000rpm all day, no need to rev the crap out of it.
- Fuel economy is excellent (which is really why I bought this car as I do so many kays). I am currently average 8.6L/100kms in 80% city driving. Pretty good for a car that runs a high 14/low 15's.
- Suspension is on the hard side but not really noticable, leads to pretty good handling.
- No torque steer to speak of, it has ESP/traction control which does a very good job.
- Interior is pretty comfortable, full leather, heated seats, power everything ect.
- Rear seats fold down together making a large storage space in the rear.
- Insurance was pretty cheap.

Cons:
- There is a little bit of lag below 1500rpm but this isnt really an issue for me as I am used to smallish capacity turbo engines.
- Indicators ect are on the wrong stalk - you get used to it though...
- Build quality is pretty good, though the interior light has stopped working and some rattles are developing.
- Cam belt needs changing at 60,000kms, mine is due now, need to get some quotes.
- 2 door can be a pain in the butt to access the rear, the doors are heavy and 'slam' shut and open too wide (all 2 door cars suffer this though).

In summary it has been a very good little car (had it for about 6 months now) and hasnt caused any trouble so I could happily keep it for a long time - However I suffer from the "turnover" bug where I must try something different every 12 months...:idea:

[O5BRKY]

The other half has a 2006 AH CDX coupe,and it's GREAT!

[KingClifton]

The TS (older shape) are good, reliable cars that were a cut above the competition.

The newer ones get mixed reviews. The latest models (IIRC, starting with MY06) seem a bit de-contented: for example, they have shockingly awful seats. Depends on the model - I read a post on here about the diesel vs the petrol ones having completely different spec.

Make sure you get one with at least 16" wheels, the 15s availabe on the pov-spec models look horrible.

Ditto with color - go black or gold.

[Alister]

My wife has an 01 TS Astra City...

Cons (worst to least worst):
-build quality issues - interior is coming to pieces, car has leaked on occasion during heavy rain
-ignition barrel design is flawed - on certain models, the sliding hard metal pin in the barrel gradually wears away the soft alloy in the barrel which happens when you turn the key to start the car. A service bulletin from Holden claims the problem was fixed with a new design a year after the TS Astra was released yet it happened to us late 2005 and again late last year. Pain in the arse as if it happens, you can't start the car.
-electrical weirdness - very rarely the aircon/fan refuses to work or the car refuses to start
-expensive parts and services (somewhat)
-aircon smells very foul occasionally
-torque steer when you floor it, you have to fight the wheel to keep it from veering off the road :)
-very firm, unusually shaped seats, not a fan of them
-squeaking seats (common problem)
-stock pads very very dusty and hard on stock rotors
-unsuitable for tall drivers (6'2" here and i'd to put the drivers seat further back
http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=102504&catId=100477&tid=100008&p=8&title=Car+reliability+(archived


Pros:
-handles very well, very nimble around corners
-very good resale
-auto is quick for a 1.8L 4cyl and provides very smooth changes
-great on fuel, 8-9L/100KM 100% city/surburban driving and my missus has a leadfoot
-plenty of space for storage (hatch)


Dacious: Are you sure about it sharing the same ignition barrel as the Commodore? When the locksmith came out to replace the ignition barrel I suggested this (after reading it somewhere on this forum) and he said they are different and incompatible.

[Bravo Brad]

got an 04 hatch and 2 x 06 wagons, apart from the brake dust they have been great.

[VYBerlinaV8]

Have a TS Astra sedan (2005), and it is a fantastic little car. I get about 7.5-8.0 l/100km around town, and 6.5-7.0 l/100km on a trip. It is a strong and flexible little engine, and seems to run better on regular 91 fuel than 95 or 98 (strangely).

Brake dust is a problem, but I wash it every month or two and it comes off easily enough. Maintenance seems fairly cheap, and in almost 2 years its done less than 30,000km. I was thinking about trading it at 3 years with about 55,000km on it, so I won't need to do brakes and timing belt.

[vxssgurl]

Thanks everyone!

Seems she is on a winner on the broader spectrum of pros/cons... so long as we upgrade the pads and ensure regular servicing (which would happen no matter which car she chooses anyways!)

I believe the colour choice is black with a full tint.

Should look good for her sojourns to Chapel St...

[Pickles]

We've got an '05 TS Astra Equipe- 1.8 auto 15" alloys abs,t/c,e/w,cd etc etc, all for around $20k NEW. Best value ever. It'a a GREAT little car-we've been interstate in it -cruises at 110k at around 2900rpm no worries at all. I actually prefer it to the new model, & I was speaking to a Holden dealer who said the same thing-he wished they still had them new as he said "they just walked out the door!"
I'd go for what we've got, -an Equipe, as you get the 15' alloys, bigger brakes, abs, traction control etc. But if you are patient you could look for an 04/05 "TS" (not AH) CDX ASTRA which has heated leather seats, climate control a/c, trip computer, mags - a real little luxury car.
A MAGIC car except, yes-----the brake dust!
Cheers, Pickles.

[wrexed03]

Dont forget the diesel. Great economy and with mods it should go as good as the petrol turbo version if not even better with the huge amount of torque.
From what i hear they are quite reliable according to feedback that i have recieved from people i know who have purchased them.

Regards

[nickh]

in my family and circle of freinds..

My mum has a AH CD Hatch manaul
My missus has a AH CD Coupe auto
My dad has a AH CDX Coupe manual
My best mate has a AH CDX Coupe manual

Mate all great cars however auto kills it.. manual is fun esp the coupe...

Id strongly recommended one of these cars

[Dacious]

My wife has an 01 TS Astra City...

Dacious: Are you sure about it sharing the same ignition barrel as the Commodore? When the locksmith came out to replace the ignition barrel I suggested this (after reading it somewhere on this forum) and he said they are different and incompatible.

We paid $90 for the part at dealer. Friend with an '01 had the locksmith out when her's seized, who pulled a Commy one out of his parts bin and said 'presto - fits!' $40. He said they looked identical.

Maybe there's different series of them?

[Alister]

Ahh you're right mate...
There are a few types according to the service bulletin.

[SS Enforcer]

We have a 2005 AH manual as well. It's the gold colour ' wifes choice' and rides on 225 x 16" rubber, so far can't fault it. In 15 months it has done approx 22k and not a single issue with it, except excessive brake dust ;) . Great car to drive, roomy, comfy seats, positive steering and it has fantastic stoppers. The fuel economy ranges between 7.0 to 8.8 so its cheap to run . Neither wife or I have any complaints may upgrade it to a diesel at the end of the year or a Golf diesel.

cheers

[O5BRKY]

As mentioned teh other half has a Black CDX Coupe AH model,16" wheels and goes well even with the auto, looks good to since we put black/white number plates on it.Brake dust yes,but just use some Armourall wheel cleaner every wash and they come up great,when new pads are required I'll get a different brand that aren't as bad.

[BLOWN]

Cant speak for the earlier models as i have never driven them but i cant talk highly enough about the new ones

If she can get the money together get the diesel
I loaded one up and drove around sydney for the day then all the way to Springnats on 1 tank - 860k's

The weight i had in the car works out to 4 adults and with the torque you wouldn't even know there was anyone else in the car

I have also had the 6-speed auto and they're just as good. 3 of us in the car going up a hill and you wouldn't know there was anyone in the car

Plus diesel engines usually go for ever


The 2-litre turbo is a bloody rocket ship too if she wants something really fast :)

[EddieVE06]

We had a AH Astra 05 for 12 months and no problems with it. Was a great little car, great fuel economy, power was good for the engine size. Very solid and well built, yes brake dust was a nightmare but I just got into the routine of doing the wheels weekly, would take no time to clean them

Got rid of it to make way for a VE.

[vxssgurl]

Thanks for all the feedback - this is excellent!

RE the diesels... what is servicing like in terms of cost?

There is no way we want her in the pocket rocket turbo - plus at 22 I doubt she could afford the insurance (her car, her running costs)

BUT at least she drives a manual, so no worries there at least.

Anyone have any idea what the second hand market values are like? Obviously, we would like to see her in the best car possible for the lowest price... the values in cars.com and the trading post are all over the place, so it's hard to get a true feel for what they are worth...

[Calais V 6.0]

I have a Black 2006 wagon and its a great little car. Yes, I agree that the auto brings it down a bit. It would have to be the worst auto I have ever used. Rough as guts as well. Go the 5 speed.

I found the cheapest on the net was about $18000. It has low k's as well.

2005 HOLDEN ASTRA AH MY05 CD
8,700 kms. 5SPD MANUAL. AC,Compact disc player,Central Locking,Engine Immobiliser,Power Steering,Metalli...
MAROOCHYDORE, Queensland - Sunco Motors
$17,999

I cant add links yet but this was on Carpoint dot com dot au

Good luck.

BTW, that is a demo car. It has no rego and the $17999 price is without on road cost. But, it is quite cheap. Stay clear of the black IMO as it is impossible to keep clean.

[Pickles]

Thanks for all the feedback - this is excellent!

RE the diesels... what is servicing like in terms of cost?

There is no way we want her in the pocket rocket turbo - plus at 22 I doubt she could afford the insurance (her car, her running costs)

BUT at least she drives a manual, so no worries there at least.

Anyone have any idea what the second hand market values are like? Obviously, we would like to see her in the best car possible for the lowest price... the values in cars.com and the trading post are all over the place, so it's hard to get a true feel for what they are worth...
If you're talking second hand, as I've said before, go for an 04/05 'TS" series. These have the same mechanicals as the current "AH" Series, but are about 100 kilos lighter, consequently they are a litttle more "sprightly"!
Depending on ks etc, you should be able to get a good one for $14-17k. Don't go for the "city"(very plain), go for the CD or the later Equipe, which have such things as alloys, cruise, elec windows, abs, traction control etc.
Build quality is excellent--earlier cars were made in Belgium, later models in Poland.
Cheers, Pickles.

[Calais V 6.0]

I thought the later model TS were made in Spain?

I agree though, if your budget is less than what you can get the latest shape, the older TS shape is still a great buy. Build quality is great but not quite as good as the new car. The upside is the lighter car with that 1.8 engine. The CD in the new car is the base model and has all the options most people need.

Happy shopping!

[Black AH CDX]

Great cars.

I've had a 2005 CDX Manual hatch and now have a 2006 SRi Turbo Coupe.

Check out www.opelaus.com to hear more from other Astra owners.

[Marco]

I'm trading my 2001 TS Astra on a VE so I'm probably in a good position to give a rundown. Mine has 162,000km on board and is a manual CD sedan.

In that time, I've had no major problems. Minor problems have been an electric mirror motor that stopped working, a crank angle sensor that failed when the car was only a couple of months old, squeaky driver's seat, and a couple of rattles in the dashboard somewhere that I never got around to doing anything about.

Performance is decent for what it is. Fuel economy has been excellent - I generally average in the 7-8L/100km range either driving around Canberra or up to Sydney on the freeway. There's a decent amount of room inside, the seats are good and the build quality has been quite good - nothing came off during my ownership and it was all put together quite well from new.

Brake dust, as others have mentioned, is a problem but you get used to that. I didn't have the same brake wear problems that others have reported, but most of my driving was freeway work which obviously means my brakes didn't get a workout. The two timing belt changes that I had to do cost about $800 each, including other regular service items at the same time.

I'd happily buy another one if I needed a small car again.

In terms of resale, the dealer who bought mine on Saturday commented that people were coming in asking for them all the time. I got $7000 for mine as a trade in, having paid $26,500 on the road new. Not bad for the mileage, I thought.

[vxssgurl]

Thanks for all the detailed info... sorry Pickles for not picking up on your previous costings - I was speed reading and missed it!

I'll head over to the opel site and have a squizz tomorrow - thanks for the link Black AH CDX...

And, Marco, it's always good to know that you would buy one again in the same circ's.

Thanks again everyone!

[BLOWN]

RE the diesels... what is servicing like in terms of costThe diesel should be the lowest cost to maintain as they just seem to run for ever
Plus insurance would be bugger all


There is no way we want her in the pocket rocket turbo - plus at 22 I doubt she could afford the insurance (her car, her running costs)The manual diesel actually aren't that much slower than the turbo petrol model



BUT at least she drives a manual, so no worries there at least.The diesel autos are a shock.
They fly - and i pretty much hate 4's but these are fantastic little cars



Anyone have any idea what the second hand market values are like? Obviously, we would like to see her in the best car possible for the lowest price... the values in cars.com and the trading post are all over the place, so it's hard to get a true feel for what they are worth...Most of them seem to be high 20s

[mbpr]

I just bought one for the missus as a run around car. Paid 20500 drive away for 06 plate. It Black has electric windows cruise alloys. I was looking for a second handy and then they had the sale a couple of weeks ago with the cash back deal.
The second hand ones were 17000 for an 04\05 so it figures to get the new one with 3 year warranty. cheers

[O5BRKY]

I have a Black 2006 wagon and its a great little car. Yes, I agree that the auto brings it down a bit. It would have to be the worst auto I have ever used. Rough as guts as well. Go the 5 speed.




I find the auto smooth & goes well,and ok,yeah a manual would be fun though!

[Wonky]

I just bought one for the missus as a run around car. Paid 20500 drive away for 06 plate. It Black has electric windows cruise alloys. I was looking for a second handy and then they had the sale a couple of weeks ago with the cash back deal.
The second hand ones were 17000 for an 04\05 so it figures to get the new one with 3 year warranty. cheers
Jayzuz!! You did bloody well if that price didn't include any Holden card rebate or trade-in! We got one a few weeks ago - same thing - metallic paint and the pack with four electric windows/cruise/alloys and even the dealer I've bought four Commodores from in four years couldn't do better than $22,500 on road and complained I was squeezing him dry. Found one dealer who was prepared to do $21,500 on road and 'my' dealer and two others said to grab it before they realised they had made a mistake. If your $1,000 better was a straight up price, no trade-in and no Holden card rebate then I dips me lid to you mate!! :kneel:

[iamhappy46]

My girlfriend bought a 2001 Holden Astra SRi non-turbo coupè. It has a very torquey 108Kw 2.2L engine and 5 speed manual. The ignition barrel died also, which as stated, is a common problem. Our locksmith actually modified the old ignition barrel so that it would never have that problem again though and cost a whole $11!

The power delivery makes it very smooth to drive, with exceptional fuel economy from the drive-by-wire throttle engine. We actually get better fuel economy than our neighbours 1.8L 2001 model Astra as the 2.2L has much better gear ratios :) The engine is actually taken from the Holden Zafira and uses a timing chain instead of a timing belt, so seriving costs are much lower. The interior is much nicer than the regular Astra's with heated seats, velour trim and the car is fitted with a factory bodykit and fog lights. The car handles much better than the regular Astra's as well, with 16" alloys and sports rated shocks/springs.

We upgraded to DBA slotted rotors and Bendix brake pads, with Whiteline supplying a rear swaybar and castor adjustment bush to make the car handle a little better(as I drive it occasionally and I am fussy!)

My Girlfriend is only 23 and insurance is around $800 a year for full comprehensive with a $19,500 agreed value. 'Motor Magazine' actually rated them very highly when they were released.

[vxssgurl]

My girlfriend bought a 2001 Holden Astra SRi non-turbo coupè. It has a very torquey 108Kw 2.2L engine and 5 speed manual. The ignition barrel died also, which as stated, is a common problem. Our locksmith actually modified the old ignition barrel so that it would never have that problem again though and cost a whole $11!

The power delivery makes it very smooth to drive, with exceptional fuel economy from the drive-by-wire throttle engine. We actually get better fuel economy than our neighbours 1.8L 2001 model Astra as the 2.2L has much better gear ratios :) The engine is actually taken from the Holden Zafira and uses a timing chain instead of a timing belt, so seriving costs are much lower. The interior is much nicer than the regular Astra's with heated seats, velour trim and the car is fitted with a factory bodykit and fog lights. The car handles much better than the regular Astra's as well, with 16" alloys and sports rated shocks/springs.

We upgraded to DBA slotted rotors and Bendix brake pads, with Whiteline supplying a rear swaybar and castor adjustment bush to make the car handle a little better(as I drive it occasionally and I am fussy!)

My Girlfriend is only 23 and insurance is around $800 a year for full comprehensive with a $19,500 agreed value. 'Motor Magazine' actually rated them very highly when they were released.

Good to know - thanks!

[Alister]

Man, the stock brake pads are hard on rotors. Back rotors needed to be replaced after only 55 000km. Fronts were able to be machined.
Also, don't replace the stock pads with Lucas pads. They absolutely suck and stop nowhere near as well as the stockos.
I wanted Bendix but the workshop I took it to didn't have any left and assured me Lucas were just as good :cussing:

[vxssgurl]

Doesn't matter what car I own - HAS to be Bendix. My guys know this and make sure they have em ready...

Will make sure the girlie's Astra is treated the same...

[Devil CV8]

one thing to know about the Astra's. My daughter had a 2004 TS CDX astra and until the day she got rid of it she had an intermittant problem that went unresolved...... The power steering would cut out and the steering would obviously go very hard. The Astra's have an electric power steering pump, so obviously there was an electrical fault but the dealer was unable to rectify it. Hope the new owner has more luck. by intermittant I mean you could have the problem 3 times in a day, or months between problems.

[littlered]

But if you are patient you could look for an 04/05 "TS" (not AH) CDX ASTRA which has heated leather seats, climate control a/c, trip computer, mags - a real little luxury car.
A MAGIC car except, yes-----the brake dust!
Cheers, Pickles.

Agreed :yahoo: - wife has a 2004 CDX with all of the above. Fantastic little car to drive. No problems since we bought it new. (except brake dust).

[cutter bob]

from personal experience if i where to go down the small car route again i would go for a mazda 3 over an astra. i've owned an astra sri and i've done alot of driving in my mates mazda3 sp23 and the mazda 3 just appealed more to me in handling, comfort and its interior layout.

this is a personal preference, but if you are going to be shopping around go have a look at the mazda 3

[Drewie]

from personal experience if i where to go down the small car route again i would go for a mazda 3 over an astra. i've owned an astra sri and i've done alot of driving in my mates mazda3 sp23 and the mazda 3 just appealed more to me in handling, comfort and its interior layout.

this is a personal preference, but if you are going to be shopping around go have a look at the mazda 3


I'll second the above statement, daughter has an '06 Mazda 3,
it is brilliant. If ever I down size I would look at the 3 or the 6.

[EL2]

I don't own an Astra, but a mate of mine is a '2 Astra household'. Here's his comments :

Wife: '05 auto Equipe (Polish built). Paid $18K when 9mo old with 6K on
the clock (private). Yep on the brake dust too - but karcher gets that
off easily enough. Not had to change the pads or rotors yet (approx 20K
on it now). Only had one service while we've had it, paid about $250 at
a dealer. Occasional slight rattle somewhere behind the dash when taking
off, but wife doesn't care about it. Otherwise flawless and cheap to run
and she loves it. Plenty of room for baby seat/pram etc. Indicator on
the "wrong" side of the wheel, but you get used to it quickly enough,
and it's only an issue if you switch cars often.

Me: MY07 manual diesel (Belgian built). Paid $28k a couple of weeks ago.
So far, so good - only problem trim piece fell out from under the dash
when driving away new - hadn't been affixed properly. First tank netted
me 6.8L/100kms with a 50:50 mix of city/highway. 700kms - filled up with
1/4 tank left to beat long weekend price rise. Torque to burn - aircon
drag in non-existant. Easy to drive, but hang on when turbo kicks in.
Sport mode fantastic (and may have contributed to those fuel figures).
Timing belt service interval in diesel is 150K, not 60K (TS), 80K (AH)
or 90K?(AH SRI). Judging by the service hours listed in the logbook,
diesel servicing should be pretty much the same as the petrol (and @
15K/12mo intervals). Again, plenty of room on the inside and in boot.
Can't upgrade CD player (there's a warning in the owner's manual) and
towbar guy told me that fitting a towbar aftermarket was problematic due
to wiring issues - suspect some fancy multiplexing going on. Electric
everything makes me wonder what gremlins will creep in ten years or so
down the track if it's not looked after. Controls all electric rather
than mechanical, and take some getting used to but not a problem. Lack
of storage cubbyholes inside is though.

[German Statesman]

On the Polish-built TS tell your dealer that flocking tape to insulate the centre stack plastics will take away that rattle - very common.

[iamhappy46]

Only one problem with the Mazda 3, future resale value.

There are so many of them that when you go to sell them 3 years from now they would have lost most of their value due to an over supply.

Sort of like the X3 Hyundai Excel with so many of them sold new, the secondhand market got flooded with them 3 years later and killed their value.

Sure the SP23 and MPS models would hold their value as 'cult cars' but the regular 3 will have bugger all trade in or resale value 3 years from now. Something to think about. Expected to lose $10,000 in 3 years once fleet vehicles hit the secondhand market.

However, each to their own.

[HSVMAN]

from personal experience if i where to go down the small car route again i would go for a mazda 3 over an astra. i've owned an astra sri and i've done alot of driving in my mates mazda3 sp23 and the mazda 3 just appealed more to me in handling, comfort and its interior layout.

this is a personal preference, but if you are going to be shopping around go have a look at the mazda 3

I assume your SRi was a TS? I bought an 05 AH CDXi for the missus early last year now we are now selling it to put the money into the house. Its one of the nicest small cars to drive IMO (without being biased of course) and I have driven a few Mazda 3's which are also nice. The AH has a very solid feel and is extremely stable in the rough. I will get roughly the same as what I paid for it a year ago with 10000kms on it - mainly due to not being available in NZ any more :)

[cutter bob]

I assume your SRi was a TS?

mine was a 2004 model .... so whatever that would be

[HSVMAN]

mine was a 2004 model .... so whatever that would be

Yes TS as AH SRi only just came out. The Mazda 3 is definately ahead of the TS for styling however the TS would be the safer car (who buys them for that alone?) The AH is a far better comparo IMO. Should take a look at one

[vxssgurl]

from personal experience if i where to go down the small car route again i would go for a mazda 3 over an astra. i've owned an astra sri and i've done alot of driving in my mates mazda3 sp23 and the mazda 3 just appealed more to me in handling, comfort and its interior layout.

this is a personal preference, but if you are going to be shopping around go have a look at the mazda 3

Personally, my preference would be the Mazda 6 - but this is going to be her car, paid for with her money, and she wants an Astra... apparently the Astra is more compatible with Chapel Street than a Mazda... go figure!

[Drewie]

From a maintenance angle the Mazda 3 has a chain instead of a cam belt
so from a maintenance cost view you are not faced with the periodic cam belt changes needed on the Astra, not sure how often the belt has to be changed on the Astra though or the costs involved.

[Alister]

Every 60 000km and it costs a ****load.
Used to be every 100 000km if I remember correctly but Holden changed it as quite a few belts were snapping around 80 000km hence wrecking the engine (the 1.8L Astra engine is an interference design, timing belt snaps = big mess).

[chevypower]

i am absolutely convinced the Astra CDTi manual is a MUCH better car to drive than the Mazda 3 SP23, so much so, i couldnt believe they were the same price. The build quality is also more evident in the Astra. I have driven both, i was a little impressed by the low end torque on the SP23, but it had nothing on the Astra CDTi in that department anyway.

[HSVMAN]

i am absolutely convinced the Astra CDTi manual is a MUCH better car to drive than the Mazda 3 SP23, so much so, i couldnt believe they were the same price. The build quality is also more evident in the Astra. I have driven both, i was a little impressed by the low end torque on the SP23, but it had nothing on the Astra CDTi in that department anyway.

The CDTi is simply amazing for a little diesel! More grunt than the petrol version for sure. Its just a pity no one buys them here and if you want one its a 5 month bloody wait! And they dont even market them.
Holden logistics stikes again!

[Carby650]

The CDTi is simply amazing for a little diesel! More grunt than the petrol version for sure. Its just a pity no one buys them here and if you want one its a 5 month bloody wait! And they dont even market them.
Holden logistics stikes again!

Sorry for bringing up an older thread but I wanted to get some further opinions on the Astra.
I'm looking to get the wife something and took her for a test drive yesterday in both the std Astra and the turbo diesel. That turbo diesel blow us away. They really are one hell of a car but they are approx 6k more expensive. So I need to weigh up if the extra $$$ is worth it. From reading this thread there appears to be some rather expensive belt changes on the std Astra at 60k which are not required on he diesel till 150k.
Would the general servicing on the diesel be cheaper? I gotta admit that I am a tad dumb when it come to diesel cars so any opinions/ideas are welcome.
I gota say though that the Rev head in me is leaning towards the diesel even for the extra price. Manuel of course. For a small car they fly.
cheers
Carby650

[Black AH CDX]

go for the diesel manual. Servicing intervals are the same as the petrol and any extra you may pay for the cost of services will be worth it for the sheer thrill of driving it and the money u save in petrol.

Head over to www.opelaus.com to hear what owners of the Astra CDTi have to say.

[HSVMAN]

Yeah BlackAHCDX is right the manual has more power again and is a bit cheaper. In all honesty the extra dollars over a petrol model is a tadd inflated by Holden IMO and it will take you a long time to spend that extra $5-6k on petrol but if you want a car that will last for many years and forever be cheap to run go the diesel. Then start using bio diesel :idea: I'm involved with a company who is going to make their own bio diesel but I know there is already a couple of kiwis in AUS who run a company doing the same

[CharlieDontSurf]

Sorry about the thread dredge.

I've been reading about the petrol timing belt issues.Can someone comfirm(Dickie Knee??) that the AH (non direct injection) 1.8 has a timing belt change at 80k? I'm looking at a car that has 55k on it and want to factor in the cost of the timing belt change

Cheers

[Swordie]

If you are after an Astra Diesel have a look at a Golf Diesel. They are the benchmark and good on price.

[CharlieDontSurf]

I'm after a wagon which only comes in petrol unfortunately

[mac06]

Sorry about the thread dredge.

I've been reading about the petrol timing belt issues.Can someone comfirm(Dickie Knee??) that the AH (non direct injection) 1.8 has a timing belt change at 80k? I'm looking at a car that has 55k on it and want to factor in the cost of the timing belt change

Cheers

The TS Astra has the belt changed at 60,000kms and the AH Astra has the belt changed at 90,000kms