RE: PH Heroes: Vauxhall Astra GTE 16V

[JayMan]

Chainguy said:

JayMan said:

In 1997 I had a G reg 16V GTE in Metallic Green (non original), lowered, big exhaust, bad boy alloys.

The suspension bottomed out if there was more than 1 person in the back and they weren't perfectly balanced in the middle of the car. It handled pretty badly, the power steering groaned when on full lock. The tyres wore uneavenly.

I got 6 points within 2 weeks of each other, the first for speeding 66 in a 40 zone - sorry, and 3 for running a temporary traffic light even though it was on green and I was following everyone else and the car behind me followed me too, copper decided to stop me, ignoring the other cars, even though he was coming the opposite direction and couldnt have seen what happened (victimised by police for being stupid enough to buy such a car).

Stereo and speakers were nicked by some ASBO who screwdrivered the lock.

All this said it was like shiite of a shovel in a straight line, nothing could beat it. Felt faster than the Porsche Boxster I subsequently owned, and anything since then.

After the Points incident I sold it and got a 1.4 Golf for a year to let my licence cool off.

Glad I got it out of my system but that motor was far too hot for me.

Your handling problems and tyre wear, coupled with the non standard colour, means it had probably went backwards through a hedge at 0.8 leptons at some point in it's life before you met it.

Im sure you are right, It was not one of my best purchases, was really glad to get rid of it. What was I thinking!

[Shropshiremike]

filski666 said:

anyway - who cares - they were more fun, rawer and faster than a Golf GTi 16v (although it might have just felt faster) - all IMO of course

Edited by filski666 on Monday 29th September 08:38

I remember in the Autocar test of the 309Gti/GTE 16v/Gti 16v they reckoned it was the Golf getting left behind on the twisties. Peugeot chassis and Astra grunt keeping them as front runners. Similar verdict in 'Car' mag in 88

Difficult to find a cheap standard one now though

[filski666]

Shropshiremike said:

filski666 said:

anyway - who cares - they were more fun, rawer and faster than a Golf GTi 16v (although it might have just felt faster) - all IMO of course

Edited by filski666 on Monday 29th September 08:38

I remember in the Autocar test of the 309Gti/GTE 16v/Gti 16v they reckoned it was the Golf getting left behind on the twisties. Peugeot chassis and Astra grunt keeping them as front runners. Similar verdict in 'Car' mag in 88

Difficult to find a cheap standard one now though

I never thought the 16v GTEs handled that badly anyway (I'll admit they were no "gem" in the chassis department) - true they spun the wheels a bit too easily - which led to ridiculous amounts of understeer on wet roundabouts - but go in fast, lift off, back end comes round, opposite lock, boot the throttle while feathering out the opp lock and off you go - no probs! (but very exciting!)

you did have to start applying the opposite lock before the back end stepped out though!!!



Love em!

[Shropshiremike]

filski666 said:

go in fast, lift off, back end comes round, opposite lock, boot the throttle while feathering out the opp lock and off you go - no probs! (but very exciting!)

you did have to start applying the opposite lock before the back end stepped out though!!!



Love em!

Yep, superb fun hot hatch - like the hot Pugs in that respect

[neilhogben]

Hi guys, ths is my first posting on PH. Love th site.

I've had two 16 valvers the first was my pride and joy it was J reg in silk violet (Grey) gut it went like the preverbial bat out of hell, yes it takes me back to a time when I was young foolish and intent on getting everywhere as fast as possible, but that was it's charm, on most everyday journeys it was composed and comfortable to drive, but when pushed It was a right hoot. I'd kind of like to own another but the angel on my shoulder(the missus) wouldn't exactly approve.

I'd climbed the hot hatch ranks having first owned a couple of Citroen AXGT's, then a friend got a white 16v and we were just hooligans. he then crashed his car shortly before I got the chance to own my own my own 16v.

My second 16v was in Burgundy, not a champion but it did have the coscast head (much sought after) this was only a stop gap before loosing my license following the WRC in wales in 2002. Mr plod doesn't take too kindly to 107mph on duel carriage ways. lucky for me he hadn't seen me a few hundred yards earlier as at the time I got caught I was slowing for a roundbout. Oh those heady days.

I've always hankered after the speed and excitement it had since that time and I have a 2002 Civic type r now which I fondly look upon as a spiritual successor.

Cheers PH

[muttit]

I had a Red 16V GTE for three years, having previously owned a MK1 GTE (the brakes were truly awful).
The early 16V's actually had 156bhp, and they would toast a Golf 16V any day of the week. I too remember Autocar testing the 2 and declaring the Astra a winner - which included the handling, very neutral at speed. I fitted 195/60 tyres onto my 14 inch rims, I never ran out of grip ! Great car, shame there are so few about now, and that everyone raves about Golf GTIs being the be all and end of hot hatches...

[MoonMonkey]

I had a 1986 Mk2 8v in silver in 1990. Loved that car but it was a bit of a dog if I'm honest. Best thing was the digital dash especially when covertly flicking it over to km/h and tear arsing down a private test track. Extra fun with a gullible mate on board who was then convinced we were doing 200 mph. Told everyone in the pub and was convinced it was true as he had seen it with his own eyes!!

Mine got nicked too.

[Shropshiremike]

MoonMonkey said:

I had a 1986 Mk2 8v in silver in 1990. Loved that car but it was a bit of a dog if I'm honest. Best thing was the digital dash especially when covertly flicking it over to km/h and tear arsing down a private test track. Extra fun with a gullible mate on board who was then convinced we were doing 200 mph. Told everyone in the pub and was convinced it was true as he had seen it with his own eyes!!

- managed 227 in the 16 valver on a similar test track - they were pretty slippery at speed

[traffman]

This is mine from last year .
Great colour and a load of fun . Good return on the motorway aswell.

[Shropshiremike]

traffman said:

This is mine from last year .
Great colour and a load of fun . Good return on the motorway aswell.

On the Mk3 Astra GSi alloys - good choice as you get the proper offset with them. I had a set of Cavalier GSi alloys on mine - easy to clean

[filski666]

Shropshiremike said:

traffman said:

This is mine from last year .
Great colour and a load of fun . Good return on the motorway aswell.

On the Mk3 Astra GSi alloys - good choice as you get the proper offset with them. I had a set of Cavalier GSi alloys on mine - easy to clean

aaah yes, the dreaded 49mm offset! - I managed to get a pair of Compomotive MOs in that offset, but that was the only aftermarket wheel I could find apart from the speedlines Courtenay's sold.

Must try and dig out a piccie of my GTEs....watch this space!

nice car by the way......is it in good nick? you planning on selling it anytime soon?

Edited by filski666 on Wednesday 1st October 08:01

[Chainguy]

It's really interesting the points some of the more technically minded have made about the cars geometry being terrible from the factory when it's set up from the factory, but being transformed when it's correct.

I was in one years ago being hooned around and thought it was fine on the twisties, but then the owner was into hillclimb in his spare time, and the car had been set up by the guys who prepped his hillclimb car.

[MikeyMike]

The C20XE is the reason I've kept my Cavalier GSi, fantastic engine, pulls so well considering its 'only' 150hp.

[Shropshiremike]

Chainguy said:

It's really interesting the points some of the more technically minded have made about the cars geometry being terrible from the factory when it's set up from the factory, but being transformed when it's correct.

I was in one years ago being hooned around and thought it was fine on the twisties, but then the owner was into hillclimb in his spare time, and the car had been set up by the guys who prepped his hillclimb car.

Perhaps they were a bit like the Mk1 Focus RS - didn't EVO have 2 differing viewpoints on the car at one point depending on the example they drove? They did make some mods to the diff after the initial batch.
I can also remember a few different comments in mags at the time on the Integrale being delivered new with all sorts of "geometry set-ups". Howard Lees' new example in Autocar was supposed to be particularly out of sorts to the extent they had to get it re-aligned.

It might explain a few of the differing mag opinions of the time. Certainly the 16v Astra had quite a few suspension changes compared to the 8 valve version.

[astrsxi77]

How heartening to see all these posts about the good old Mk2 GTE. I was expecting the usual brace of anti-Vaux snobbery.

I never got as far as the GTE, instead going from SX (1.6 carb) to the quite potent SXi (1.8i) before the V6 bug bit (Calibra). Even with the usual suspension upgrades and strut-bracery, my friend's Fiesta Zetec-S would dance rings around the SXi in corners but I loved my Astras. Raucous, peppy, light and good looking. Everything that cars are not these days.

It's so rare to see a Mk2 now, let alone a standard GTE (16v or not).

My favourite GTE 16v moment? Cycling to work many years ago and turning to see a black example carrering off a wet roundabout backwards and into the flowerbeds of the local Homebase. Matey promptly extracted himself and was on his way again before the rest of the traffic had even caught up!

[Mk3Escy]

Always loved these cars. Excellent motorsport pedigree, btcc & ladies wrc with Louise Aitken-Walker(remember the roll in corsica). My Dad used to have a met grey 16v back in 90>94. I remember being upset when he came home with his new rover 620ti(which are great q cars).

[999gsi]

always loved these cars,had three 16v's,a white f plate which i bought when i was 18(sold it after the 5th time of someone trying to nick it)had a h plate and a j plate-loved em also had a mk1 gte ,and a mk3 gsi-top cars.

[loose cannon]

my last gte was 18 months ago maybe 2 years now i love them 2 bitts always have since school days
the other is of my belmont which was stolen in 1992 like all vauxes of the day if they were not bolted down they were nicked and this was the end result of mine

im not going to bang on 2 much but for me there still as quick if not quicker than new machinery and they are a hoot to drive once you realise they go round corners sideways as mentioned above
also had a mk3 gsi with c20let and bright yellow paint it was featured in vauxhalls own magazine and i was collerd into a fast car shoot after getting spotted at chelsea cruise lol

Edited by loose cannon on Thursday 2nd October 19:15

not forgetting the main man john cleland in 1989's btc winner

Edited by loose cannon on Thursday 2nd October 19:21

[traffman]

filski666 said:

Shropshiremike said:

traffman said:

This is mine from last year .
Great colour and a load of fun . Good return on the motorway aswell.

On the Mk3 Astra GSi alloys - good choice as you get the proper offset with them. I had a set of Cavalier GSi alloys on mine - easy to clean

aaah yes, the dreaded 49mm offset! - I managed to get a pair of Compomotive MOs in that offset, but that was the only aftermarket wheel I could find apart from the speedlines Courtenay's sold.

Must try and dig out a piccie of my GTEs....watch this space!

nice car by the way......is it in good nick? you planning on selling it anytime soon?

Edited by filski666 on Wednesday 1st October 08:01

Well funny you should mention that i actually sold the car last march to a guy in queensferry . I spent over 2500 grand on the welding ,prep and having it painted. It was in very very good condition when i sold it for 2200.

[filski666]

traffman said:

filski666 said:

Shropshiremike said:

traffman said:

This is mine from last year .
Great colour and a load of fun . Good return on the motorway aswell.

On the Mk3 Astra GSi alloys - good choice as you get the proper offset with them. I had a set of Cavalier GSi alloys on mine - easy to clean

aaah yes, the dreaded 49mm offset! - I managed to get a pair of Compomotive MOs in that offset, but that was the only aftermarket wheel I could find apart from the speedlines Courtenay's sold.

Must try and dig out a piccie of my GTEs....watch this space!

nice car by the way......is it in good nick? you planning on selling it anytime soon?

Edited by filski666 on Wednesday 1st October 08:01

Well funny you should mention that i actually sold the car last march to a guy in queensferry . I spent over 2500 grand on the welding ,prep and having it painted. It was in very very good condition when i sold it for 2200.

a bargain!....have you got his number....?