Astra K SRi

[Mike1990]

Pommy said:

Has anyone here chipped their Astra 200?

There really doesn't seem to be much available out there and the most you can do seems to be about 20bhp, along with the gearboxes being close to their limits already and made of chocolate if you add much more to them.

There’s not many been done over here in the UK, but in Europe there appears to be a few,

Think 240bhp is achievable from a basic ‘map’ regarding the gearboxes, the Astra H VXR’s can run 300+ With no issues whatsoever.

Maintenance is key.

[Downward]

I’m looking at these for my next car.
The price on the SRI Nav is more affordable than the elite, Heated seats I’ve had them in 3 cars and really never used them.

Is the suspension better in the SRI ? My commute is fast B roads 40 miles each way. Would the 1.4 engine surfice too ?

[Buzypea]

Downward said:

I’m looking at these for my next car.
The price on the SRI Nav is more affordable than the elite, Heated seats I’ve had them in 3 cars and really never used them.

Is the suspension better in the SRI ? My commute is fast B roads 40 miles each way. Would the 1.4 engine surfice too ?

The suspension is the same on Elite and SRI models, though the suspension is different on the 1.4 and 1.6 engined cars, the latter has Watts linkage at the rear.

The 1.4 engines were notoriously unreliable prior to 2018. They suffered from holed pistons caused by low speed pre ignition requiring a rebuild or new engine. There will be plenty of info on Google about it.

Power wise the 1.4 is only 150bhp compared to the 1.6 200bhp. I’ve not driven a 1.4 version but according to those who have driven both on the Astra K forums, the 1.6 has much more low down torque.

[Downward]

Buzypea said:

Downward said:

I’m looking at these for my next car.
The price on the SRI Nav is more affordable than the elite, Heated seats I’ve had them in 3 cars and really never used them.

Is the suspension better in the SRI ? My commute is fast B roads 40 miles each way. Would the 1.4 engine surfice too ?

The suspension is the same on Elite and SRI models, though the suspension is different on the 1.4 and 1.6 engined cars, the latter has Watts linkage at the rear.

The 1.4 engines were notoriously unreliable prior to 2018. They suffered from holed pistons caused by low speed pre ignition requiring a rebuild or new engine. There will be plenty of info on Google about it.

Power wise the 1.4 is only 150bhp compared to the 1.6 200bhp. I’ve not driven a 1.4 version but according to those who have driven both on the Astra K forums, the 1.6 has much more low down torque.

Thanks seems that the Nav versions don’t have android auto so pointless getting an in built sat nav when I use waze and spotify.

Yeah hopefully I can find a 1.6 Turbo model.

[carlove]

I've got a Diesel one, the 136CDTi SRI. I got it at about a year old for £12k, put 100k miles on it since and it's never let me down, until Thursday, when it started juddering and threw a check engine light, in the garage tomorrow for some diagnostics, thinking is a failing fuel injector.


I was very tempted by a 1.6T one, but chose the diesel with the mileage I do.

Would definitely recommend one, reliable, good value, nice to drive and has all the toys you could need. Not sure why Vauxhalls get so much hate here.

Edited by carlove on Sunday 20th November 21:50

[Mike1990]

Nothing much to update, few hundred miles of 54k and proving to be as reliable as ever.











The car absolutely filthy, also the cold weather is also highlighting that the front tyres are getting near their end now, so probably a fresh set next year, to tighten the handling back up a notch.

Thanks.

[vindaloo79]

My car is still leased and as such I am instructed to have Vauxhall servicing.

I managed to get a new customer deal for 50% off via JCT600 website for Vauxhall other day. Came to £159 with MOT and minor service #justsayin.

[Mike1990]

vindaloo79 said:

My car is still leased and as such I am instructed to have Vauxhall servicing.

I managed to get a new customer deal for 50% off via JCT600 website for Vauxhall other day. Came to £159 with MOT and minor service #justsayin.

That’s pretty good, i think i paid around £250 and that was from a local indie!

[Raymond Reddington]

Good thread, I think these look really good.

I leased a 1.4 turbo Elite Nav back in 2017, and I was sad to give it back two years later. It was a bargain at £180 per month! If only those sort of deals still existed.

Here it was with it's old Swedish stablemate:

[carlove]

carlove said:

I've got a Diesel one, the 136CDTi SRI. I got it at about a year old for £12k, put 100k miles on it since and it's never let me down, until Thursday, when it started juddering and threw a check engine light, in the garage tomorrow for some diagnostics, thinking is a failing fuel injector.


I was very tempted by a 1.6T one, but chose the diesel with the mileage I do.

Would definitely recommend one, reliable, good value, nice to drive and has all the toys you could need. Not sure why Vauxhalls get so much hate here.

Edited by carlove on Sunday 20th November 21:50

So the juddering was the death of this Astra, despite doing diesel mileage everything got clogged with carbon, I got quoted £2k for the engine issues, also needed a new battery at £200 (thanks start/stop) and they recommended a timing chain as it was getting noisy and they'd have the engine apart anyway, which bought the total to about £3k, and the day after I left the garage deciding what to do with it, it gave me an airbag light. With it's 120k miles it was barely worth fixing(the garage didn't recommend going ahead with repairs), so I sold it on cheap as being a bit broken (and it's been untaxed with no MOT since ) .

I tried some bangernomics, which was an awful idea, and a great way to lose a grand on a scrap car.

So I went to some dealers and left with, a Vauxhall Astra K! My mileage has reduced significantly since I originally got the diesel with a job change, so I've got a 1.4T VX Line(which as far as I can tell is bigger alloys and sportier bumpers), the 1.4T has surprised me though, much nippier than expected, really like this one, it's ok on fuel (35-40mpg round town, 50 on a run) but I do miss getting 70mpg .
The logic of getting another Astra was the diesel was faultless until it went all diesel, had the new one since January and put about 4k miles on it, no issues yet, though I've got a 2 year warranty so can relax a bit.

Within a month of ownership I was rearended with the other driver deciding to bugger off, which was nice. He was caught very soon after and arrested for failing to give a breath sample - the picture below (the only one I have of this car) was taken as I waited for the police to come and take statements after the bump (they never came) - but they rang me a week later for a statement, gave me his insurance details and told me and he'd been charged with the above and will almost certainly lose his license, so a happy ending.

[Mike1990]

There’s a couple of things that have bugged since I’ve had this car, one of them is the lack of Aluminium Foot Pedals on the SRi variants, but over in Europe the OPC-Lines come with them, along with the Flat-Bottom Steering Wheel.

But at £160 I believe VX want for the pedals they definitely had to wait, until a pair cropped up on eBay! Pinched them straight away, and promptly fitted.









Much better!

Also I had a set of Dunlop Sport Maxx RT’s fitted a few months ago! Really good tire.





Not much to report really. Hopefully getting it Serviced & MOT next month, not far from 63k now. Still good as ever.

Thanks.

[Mike1990]

Well, the after the MOT which is passed albeit with an advisory for an Oil Leak which was surprising! (After some of my own digging) looks like it’s coming from the gearbox, passenger side driveshaft that goes into the ‘box.

But prior to this I’ve been looking at potential replacements, as with the price of used cars including the Astra being fairly high I decided to finally take the plunge..

I’ve looked at all it’s period rivals and decided on a Leon FR (5F) with the 2.0TSi with the DSG ‘box.

But first,



Last picture and day outside the local Chippy.

I have to say it’s been an absolutely fantastic car and would recommend to anyone.

Cheers.

[cirian75]

Deffo looking at one of these with the 1.6t 200, bit of a sleeper car, which I like the idea of.