'08 Astra VXR

[LiamM45]

After years of old cars I took the plunge into the world of modern stuff and away from VAG cars. I looked at a few hot hatches, Focus ST, Mazda 3 MPS and Mk5 Golf GTi. As soon as I drove the Astra I knew it was the one I wanted, it suited my love of overpowered front wheel drive turbo'd hatches perfectly.







Marmite mod, but I like it, de badged rear



After a mini detail, a good clean, clay bar, coat of Poorboys black hole polish then Meguiars wax.


Ideally it needs a machine polish!

Had a little drive out with some friends last night, few Clios a, 1.0 3 pot Corsa (who needs power to have fun!)and a 240bhp n/a Civic Type R. We went over Great Ayton, Castleton and up to Blakey Ridge. Brilliant fun


I don't have many plans for it, it's pretty good out the box, just some springs and a rear anti roll bar then maybe look at making it go a little quicker. I love it!

[Mastodon2]

The back end looks slabby without the badge, like the back of a van. Put it back on and it would be a pretty good looking car.

[seumasbeathan]

Not a fan of the de-badging but stil, nice car

[DanielSan]

Leave the badge off, looks so much better without it. Suspension wise go for Eibach springs and a Whiteline rear ARB, it makes it the car it should've been from the factory. A decent stage 2 upgrade is a good start (exhaust and remap, stage 3 adds the front mount and a new map to account for it) and you end up with a good all round hot hatch.

[LiamM45]

I knew the de badging would be a love/hate thing. Personally I prefer it

Yeah I'm aiming for eibachs and the whiteline roll bar soonish.. Going faster is the expensive bit so ill try and save up and do all that in one go.

[dragonheart]

Love the de-badged rear, did the same to my SRi. Not a fan of the black wheels though.

[NadiR]

I'm liking the debadged rear, maybe take the VXR badge off as well? The black wheels suit the car well IMO, gives the car a nice clean look. I'm personally not the VXR's biggest fan in general, but I've not been in a VXR with the springs and ARB upgrades, which I hear they totally transform the car.

[Pulse]

I reckon it'd look nice with a smaller VX badge on the back to replace the old one. The reason most people take them off is because the badge is so huge.

Very nice looking car, though I am biased!

[melvster]

What is it like to drive regarding torque steer ? a friend of mine previously owned a Corsa VXR and that could torque steer forever and the car was not modified.

[Pulse]

melvster said:

What is it like to drive regarding torque steer ? a friend of mine previously owned a Corsa VXR and that could torque steer forever and the car was not modified.

Mine wasn't too bad, though naturally my Z4 drove far better.

[Crafty_]

melvster said:

What is it like to drive regarding torque steer ? a friend of mine previously owned a Corsa VXR and that could torque steer forever and the car was not modified.

Torque steer thing is blown out of all proportion, you just hold the wheel, it really is that simple.
There are many astras out there running over 300lb/ft that don't leap off the road every time the throttle is opened. The torque band is very wide too.


Looks nice in black OP.

[Mastodon2]

One of mates owns a lovely Astra VXR, totally unmodified, no problems with torque steer as far as I could tell from the passenger seat, and we covered some roads at "considerable pace" at times.

[pmjg66]

Went on the vxr power even at Oulton park 4th July and had a good blast in all the vxr range.

The Astra was very fast and stable but the Corsa was such fun

On the look out for a Corsa in the near future.

Jonny Adams hotlap was fun !

[LiamM45]

Torque steer can catch you out if you aren't expecting it or sometimes on rutted roads but with two hands on the wheel it's fine.

Honestly, its no where near as tricky to handle as Jeremy Clarkson states, the understeer isn't particularly bad, and on smooth flowing roads you can cover ground very quickly. Smooth throttle and steering inputs help big time! I'm hoping the addition of quality tyres (I'm on the budgets the dealer supplied), the ARB and slightly lower ride height should cure its negative handling traits.

[aussieinlondon]

Good to see the original snow flake 18's. Much prefer over the optional 19's, mind you, I prefer them in a silver finish on a black car.

Enjoy the car, fun they are......I still have my astra being one the originals back in 05, but it has been sitting in the back of the garage now for nigh on 2 years collecting dust lol

[BE57 TOY]

Nice car

[Pulse]

aussieinlondon said:

Good to see the original snow flake 18's. Much prefer over the optional 19's, mind you, I prefer them in a silver finish on a black car.

Enjoy the car, fun they are......I still have my astra being one the originals back in 05, but it has been sitting in the back of the garage now for nigh on 2 years collecting dust lol

Absolutely! The snowflakes are amazing. I bought mine brand new and had the choice of the 19s... No chance.

[LiamM45]

Well just a small update.

Car has now clicked over 60k. It's had a service and belts/water pump at VX the other week for a bargain price!

Apart from that I've just been enjoying driving it! Especially when we get together for a steady drive out over the moors.



For such a *terrible* handling car, it held it's own no problem on the twisty bits with the Clio's and the MK Indy.

I may threaten to fit some quality front tyres mind to replace the ditch finders, if I stop enjoying it enough to stop putting fuel in it and driving it I might have to start saving for some go faster bits!

I am planning on taking it to York drag strip on Bank Holiday Monday, wonder what 1/4 mile times we'll see.

[NadiR]

Nice to see your enjoying your car, I admit that these have really grown on me over the years. I reckon you should see high 14's for the 1/4 mile.

[Mike1990]

I picked my VXR last week, after having a few buzzing N/A Hot Hatches, Clio 172, Fiesta ST and Fiesta Mk5 ZS, the Astra is such a good car, so much better than the Top Gear crap that JC commented on and having Read 'EVO Magazine's' group test and long term reports i knew it's a good car out of the box. Mine's on the 19's but i'am hoping to switch to the 18's 'Snowflakes' sometime soon.