On the scrounge for "real world" info
Discussion
So, I'm more a lurker than a poster (so far) but my love for all things Coupe (V8 and Monaro) stays strong.
I recently got made redundant and I'm (hopefully) not far from a new job - and a new car.
So my (lovely, long suffering) girlfriend, Gemma, suggested I buy something new. I thought long and hard about this and came to the conclusion she's right. Well, she's always right - but that doesn't mean I listen!
£37,995 is out of the question (well, it has to be a VXR) as my next job won't pay more than £25k (you do the math!) but I am seeing a crap load of six-month old one's on the net for sale at £10k off list - quite the bargain?
I've told her I'm probably going to buy an Astra VXR. New. It's cheap enough and has some grunt, and it's quite the looker too. The only thing is, the engine is facing the wrong way, and it's driving the wrong wheels.
So convince me.
Those with some miles under their belts - can you answer me some simple question? (Sorry to ramble)
1. MPG. It's been discussed, but humour me. What are we averaging? Round town is my domain but the new job may herald some M-Way living.
2. Tyres. How thirsty are they on the old rears? What sort of size are they (19s, yes..)?
3. Insurance. I've already done the math there actually - it's a lot more than the Astra. Any recommended companies? Adrian Flux?
4. Servicing. Anyone got any experiences? I've built an engine or two and have even serviced a 911 so I don't mind getting greasy hands. But that doesn't look good in the service book - but who can you trust eh!
5. This one's irrelavant.. does the PCM/Exhaust change/upgrade give INCREASED MPG etc?
So I'm just looking for those driving them to tell me what it's all about. I've always been in the "It'll be alright" camp and it never actually has been.
Sorry to go on, and thanks for reading!
4. Any tips/advice? Should
I recently got made redundant and I'm (hopefully) not far from a new job - and a new car.
So my (lovely, long suffering) girlfriend, Gemma, suggested I buy something new. I thought long and hard about this and came to the conclusion she's right. Well, she's always right - but that doesn't mean I listen!
£37,995 is out of the question (well, it has to be a VXR) as my next job won't pay more than £25k (you do the math!) but I am seeing a crap load of six-month old one's on the net for sale at £10k off list - quite the bargain?
I've told her I'm probably going to buy an Astra VXR. New. It's cheap enough and has some grunt, and it's quite the looker too. The only thing is, the engine is facing the wrong way, and it's driving the wrong wheels.
So convince me.
Those with some miles under their belts - can you answer me some simple question? (Sorry to ramble)
1. MPG. It's been discussed, but humour me. What are we averaging? Round town is my domain but the new job may herald some M-Way living.
2. Tyres. How thirsty are they on the old rears? What sort of size are they (19s, yes..)?
3. Insurance. I've already done the math there actually - it's a lot more than the Astra. Any recommended companies? Adrian Flux?
4. Servicing. Anyone got any experiences? I've built an engine or two and have even serviced a 911 so I don't mind getting greasy hands. But that doesn't look good in the service book - but who can you trust eh!
5. This one's irrelavant.. does the PCM/Exhaust change/upgrade give INCREASED MPG etc?
So I'm just looking for those driving them to tell me what it's all about. I've always been in the "It'll be alright" camp and it never actually has been.
Sorry to go on, and thanks for reading!
4. Any tips/advice? Should
1 - 15mpg around town - 25mpg - 28mpg possible on a long run/cruise, my average is 20mpg
2 - needs a set of tyres every 15k or so (at least mine did) fronts wear quicker than the rears, unless you are doing burnouts all the time
3 - insurance seems ok for the power, ~£800pa for me.
4 - needs servicing every 10k miles. Just seems to be oil and filter change and lots of checking. approx £150 per service ??Very easy to work on.
5 - yes in some vehicles, if the vehicle is tuned by an experienced tuner.
tips/advice - Save up some money for a decent brake upgrade, and watch out for those speed cameras
talking with booster today at virginia waters - 18 months on and the car is still fantastic - you wont regret it
>> Edited by GSE on Sunday 5th February 22:03
>> Edited by GSE on Sunday 5th February 22:07
2 - needs a set of tyres every 15k or so (at least mine did) fronts wear quicker than the rears, unless you are doing burnouts all the time
3 - insurance seems ok for the power, ~£800pa for me.
4 - needs servicing every 10k miles. Just seems to be oil and filter change and lots of checking. approx £150 per service ??Very easy to work on.
5 - yes in some vehicles, if the vehicle is tuned by an experienced tuner.
tips/advice - Save up some money for a decent brake upgrade, and watch out for those speed cameras
talking with booster today at virginia waters - 18 months on and the car is still fantastic - you wont regret it
>> Edited by GSE on Sunday 5th February 22:03
>> Edited by GSE on Sunday 5th February 22:07
Bugger.
Almost exactly what I was afraid of.
That is to say, it's comparable with the Astra in most respects. 20k services (£200), tyres no one knows about but with 240bhp through the fronts (and the steering) I suspect well under 20k for those too. Insurance is individual obviously - but my 911 was a group 20 and was £900 (27, clean licence).
Darn.
Oh, thanks!
Almost exactly what I was afraid of.
That is to say, it's comparable with the Astra in most respects. 20k services (£200), tyres no one knows about but with 240bhp through the fronts (and the steering) I suspect well under 20k for those too. Insurance is individual obviously - but my 911 was a group 20 and was £900 (27, clean licence).
Darn.
Oh, thanks!
Hi Dan,
As someone who is the same age living in the same county and a current Holden owner I thought I'd share my thoughts.
Firstly, is it you or the girlfriend we need to convice???
A combination of factors means I'm selling my Holden Commodore and top of my list to replace it is a second hand CV8 Monaro. I've looked at lots of cars including the Astra VXR, Maserati Spyder, BMW's, Audi's, and even the DB7. Nice as they are, I can't help thinking that the Monaro is the better choice.
If I were you (and I will be in the same situation as soon as I sell my car) with £20k to spend on a car, and had the choice of an Astra VXR or 2nd hand CV8 (Probably with some mods already) the Monaro would be my choice without hesitation.
Insurance for both me & the girlfriend is £700 (Admiral) with me as the owner and primary driver (3 points & 6yrs NCB). However if I buy the car and put it in the girlfriends name with her as the primary driver with 4yrs NCB it drops to below £650 (Diamond). Just punch your details into www.confused.com and see who's the best for you. Most people are finding that people like Elephant, Tesco, etc are giving really good quotes, but as you know it's all down to an individual's current status that determines the resulting price.
Servicing is cheap and if you do decide to do a DIY job it'll cost you £3.85 for a filter & £25+ for 5l of oil. Services can be done at any Monaro approved Vauxhall dealership, Linden Special Vehicles, or Monkfish Performance. Servicing on the Commodore is 10,000km (6,000miles) so I'd be tempted to do an interim service every 5,000 miles with the Monaro. The engines are bullet-proof even with significant modifications.
The expense comes once the modding bug bites, and believe me it will. As you don't mind getting your hands dirty you could save a lot of money by doing the jobs yourself.
If you haven't already test driven the Astra & Monaro I'd suggest you let the cars do the talking. Next time we're meeting just pop along to see & hear the cars and talk to their owners.
IMHO if you want exclusivity and to turn heads buy the Monaro. If you want to blend in with the general population, buy the Astra.
As someone who is the same age living in the same county and a current Holden owner I thought I'd share my thoughts.
Firstly, is it you or the girlfriend we need to convice???
A combination of factors means I'm selling my Holden Commodore and top of my list to replace it is a second hand CV8 Monaro. I've looked at lots of cars including the Astra VXR, Maserati Spyder, BMW's, Audi's, and even the DB7. Nice as they are, I can't help thinking that the Monaro is the better choice.
If I were you (and I will be in the same situation as soon as I sell my car) with £20k to spend on a car, and had the choice of an Astra VXR or 2nd hand CV8 (Probably with some mods already) the Monaro would be my choice without hesitation.
Insurance for both me & the girlfriend is £700 (Admiral) with me as the owner and primary driver (3 points & 6yrs NCB). However if I buy the car and put it in the girlfriends name with her as the primary driver with 4yrs NCB it drops to below £650 (Diamond). Just punch your details into www.confused.com and see who's the best for you. Most people are finding that people like Elephant, Tesco, etc are giving really good quotes, but as you know it's all down to an individual's current status that determines the resulting price.
Servicing is cheap and if you do decide to do a DIY job it'll cost you £3.85 for a filter & £25+ for 5l of oil. Services can be done at any Monaro approved Vauxhall dealership, Linden Special Vehicles, or Monkfish Performance. Servicing on the Commodore is 10,000km (6,000miles) so I'd be tempted to do an interim service every 5,000 miles with the Monaro. The engines are bullet-proof even with significant modifications.
The expense comes once the modding bug bites, and believe me it will. As you don't mind getting your hands dirty you could save a lot of money by doing the jobs yourself.
If you haven't already test driven the Astra & Monaro I'd suggest you let the cars do the talking. Next time we're meeting just pop along to see & hear the cars and talk to their owners.
IMHO if you want exclusivity and to turn heads buy the Monaro. If you want to blend in with the general population, buy the Astra.
Wise words! Thank you.
Convincing wise.. neither really. I've wanted one since I saw them in Oz - and I really like V8/RWD (well, duh.. lol). I'm probably trying to convince myself NOT to like/buy one. Not really gonna happen.
I think I'll test drive both the Astra and the Monaro. I know what I'll like best - hence why I haven't done it yet!
I tried confused.com and the cheapest quote was nearly £1000 - I'll give Tesco a go as they were excellent on my 911.
Thanks again, and I'll get to a meet!
Convincing wise.. neither really. I've wanted one since I saw them in Oz - and I really like V8/RWD (well, duh.. lol). I'm probably trying to convince myself NOT to like/buy one. Not really gonna happen.
I think I'll test drive both the Astra and the Monaro. I know what I'll like best - hence why I haven't done it yet!
I tried confused.com and the cheapest quote was nearly £1000 - I'll give Tesco a go as they were excellent on my 911.
Thanks again, and I'll get to a meet!
My advise would be to buy a c.£20k Monaro (search on Autotrader), get a brake upgrade followed by a performance/exhaust package from Linden or Wortec etc. as & when you can afford it.
Save money on other areas of your life & buy 98/99 Ron petrol with the money. I doubt you'll regret the decision.
No real world comparison between the Astra & Monaro other than the badges & the fact that they are both cars! Chalk & cheese, depends what you prefer, FWD or RWD, manic turbo or lazy N/A engine. Most of us here would prefer the later I assume.
Personally I like both, but if forced to choose I'd take a RWD V8 every time. Did nearly 70k miles in HSV's over 5 years. Cheaper to run than my Saab 9-5 Aero, honestly.
Save money on other areas of your life & buy 98/99 Ron petrol with the money. I doubt you'll regret the decision.
No real world comparison between the Astra & Monaro other than the badges & the fact that they are both cars! Chalk & cheese, depends what you prefer, FWD or RWD, manic turbo or lazy N/A engine. Most of us here would prefer the later I assume.
Personally I like both, but if forced to choose I'd take a RWD V8 every time. Did nearly 70k miles in HSV's over 5 years. Cheaper to run than my Saab 9-5 Aero, honestly.
Just do it mate, you wont regret it. Astra? not my bag I'll be honest - your comments about engine, wheels etc are right!
My personal preference is for understatement and the wolf in sheeps clothing bit, so I went for CV8 and have done the Wortec stuff. About 420bhp I think. AP racing brakes all round this month with luck. VXR is nice, but slightly more unsubtle in looks and a bit too "in yer face" (sorry to VXR owners, just my personal taste!) CV8 with wortec stuff and brakes will smoke a std VXR anyway! Also, the suspension on the CV8 is much nicer for mile eating, VXR seemed choppy and quite harsh. Great for track stuff but knackering on the street compared with CV8. With the mods - headers, decat, single box perf exhaust, CAI and remap I get 22 mpg average, 28 on long run and low teens around town, 16 if I'm being sensible (rarely!) Bl**dy good for a 350 cid motor! My tyres made 15k and I change the oil at 5k between services for good measure - oil is cheap compared to engine parts. My insurance with Direct line is 900quid with a Scamera tax loading.
The car is just plain good fun, a pleasure to own. Classic muscle car drive with neat modern touches. Everyone asks/looks etc, real talking point. Rarity is always nice, and there aint that many Monaros compared with Astras! Wouldnt part with mine - yet ! Will keep it til I can afford an Aston V8 - may be some time Ha!!
V8Dave
My personal preference is for understatement and the wolf in sheeps clothing bit, so I went for CV8 and have done the Wortec stuff. About 420bhp I think. AP racing brakes all round this month with luck. VXR is nice, but slightly more unsubtle in looks and a bit too "in yer face" (sorry to VXR owners, just my personal taste!) CV8 with wortec stuff and brakes will smoke a std VXR anyway! Also, the suspension on the CV8 is much nicer for mile eating, VXR seemed choppy and quite harsh. Great for track stuff but knackering on the street compared with CV8. With the mods - headers, decat, single box perf exhaust, CAI and remap I get 22 mpg average, 28 on long run and low teens around town, 16 if I'm being sensible (rarely!) Bl**dy good for a 350 cid motor! My tyres made 15k and I change the oil at 5k between services for good measure - oil is cheap compared to engine parts. My insurance with Direct line is 900quid with a Scamera tax loading.
The car is just plain good fun, a pleasure to own. Classic muscle car drive with neat modern touches. Everyone asks/looks etc, real talking point. Rarity is always nice, and there aint that many Monaros compared with Astras! Wouldnt part with mine - yet ! Will keep it til I can afford an Aston V8 - may be some time Ha!!
V8Dave
More good info, thanks.
I do realise how biased you guys will be here over the Astra thing; but I am too. I must admit Vauxhall have pulled it out of the bag with the newun but it's still not what I want. Just trying to get something "new" as every car I've owned has been a money pit.
Just to let you know, I have a Calibra Turbo (hence the Coupe theme) that I rebuilt with a custom ECU, big turbo, blah blah blah so I'm trying to move on.
Check out www.modica.co.uk/calibra.htm for pics. I know it's not a Monaro, but it's still quite nice!
I'll call Picador and see if they'll let me out in one or two.. lol
So far, money wise, the Astra isn't a world away in front. Cool.
I do realise how biased you guys will be here over the Astra thing; but I am too. I must admit Vauxhall have pulled it out of the bag with the newun but it's still not what I want. Just trying to get something "new" as every car I've owned has been a money pit.
Just to let you know, I have a Calibra Turbo (hence the Coupe theme) that I rebuilt with a custom ECU, big turbo, blah blah blah so I'm trying to move on.
Check out www.modica.co.uk/calibra.htm for pics. I know it's not a Monaro, but it's still quite nice!
I'll call Picador and see if they'll let me out in one or two.. lol
So far, money wise, the Astra isn't a world away in front. Cool.
Caspy, was thinking of calling Picador and doing a back-to-back test drive to see what I suited best.
I'm a pretty safe driver but I am concerned that in this country it could spend more time sat in my driveway with me worrying about losing it.. I did that in a 911 (at 30mph!) and it's not a lot of fun. Heh.
I'm less concerned with my wallet. Although I don't know why. <cough>
I'm a pretty safe driver but I am concerned that in this country it could spend more time sat in my driveway with me worrying about losing it.. I did that in a 911 (at 30mph!) and it's not a lot of fun. Heh.
I'm less concerned with my wallet. Although I don't know why. <cough>
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