Asthmatic 1400 Astra.
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Discussion

BFG TERRANO

Original Poster:

2,172 posts

177 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
The new company car arrived Monday. Astra Design 1400 petrol.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect a missile but this thing is gutless. I mean dangerously underpowered and likes a drink to on its 100 mile a day motorway run. Joining a fast busy motorway is not easy, sorry to anyone I offended but I promise I was flooring it!

Anyone else agree or experienced one?

Mastodon2

14,324 posts

194 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
BFG TERRANO said:
dangerously underpowered
This. Is. PH.

BFG TERRANO

Original Poster:

2,172 posts

177 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
Mastodon2 said:
This. Is. PH.
I know! I'm hanging my head in shame but..... Tight company choice and needed reasonable family space so took a hit on engine in favour of space but it bad.... Really bad!

Drive Blind

5,771 posts

206 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
what are the figures for the Astra?

90 bhp/90 lbft(ish) and 1500 kg to drag about?
That's never going to be anything other than slow.

BFG TERRANO

Original Poster:

2,172 posts

177 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
Drive Blind said:
what are the figures for the Astra?

90 bhp/90 lbft(ish) and 1500 kg to drag about?
That's never going to be anything other than slow.
I think your about right. Something inside the door says 1885kg. I didn't think it would be as bad as it is! Company choices are tight, guess that will teach me to test drive first! It's replaced a Seat Ibiza 1600 td sport which in comparison went well.

Baryonyx

18,281 posts

188 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
Avoid the Astra 1.3TDCi then, it's probably even worse. A more disastrously st car I have not driven.

BFG TERRANO

Original Poster:

2,172 posts

177 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
Baryonyx said:
Avoid the Astra 1.3TDCi then, it's probably even worse. A more disastrously st car I have not driven.
I did consider that or a Leon 1.2 petrol turbo but it was over the allowance. Aside from the st performance the fuel economy is quite shocking.

Drive Blind

5,771 posts

206 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
could you not have got one of the diesels? Avoid the 1.3 but they still do a 1.7 don't they?

Power would still be about the same but you would get the increased torque of a turbo diesel.

Jonny_

4,704 posts

236 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
The previous generation Astra was appalling in 1.4 form. I had the dubious pleasure of one for a long weekend and it was chronically underpowered, as well as generally being a truly st, cheap, nasty, uncomfortable car.


Look on the bright side: the current Astra (i.e. your car) is generally much better, has a reasonably decent interior and other than the lack of power will be a perfectly acceptable family car. smile

Toaster Pilot

14,863 posts

187 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
What's the BIK like on a petrol even the 1.4? Odd company car

I've driven a couple of rentals in that spec, slow but hardly dangerous

BFG TERRANO

Original Poster:

2,172 posts

177 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
Drive Blind said:
could you not have got one of the diesels? Avoid the 1.3 but they still do a 1.7 don't they?

Power would still be about the same but you would get the increased torque of a turbo diesel.
The P11D value was set at £15500. This gave little choice for a reasonable sized car. A good spec small car or st spec mid sizes car. I couldn't quite get a golf or focus so went with the Astra as it's similar sized and had cruise. I'm genuinely amazed at how slow it is.

Privately I've had all sorts, currently a 1.8T A4 Quattro and it's quite good all round.

BFG TERRANO

Original Poster:

2,172 posts

177 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
Jonny_ said:
The previous generation Astra was appalling in 1.4 form. I had the dubious pleasure of one for a long weekend and it was chronically underpowered, as well as generally being a truly st, cheap, nasty, uncomfortable car.




Look on the bright side: the current Astra (i.e. your car) is generally much better, has a reasonably decent interior and other than the lack of power will be a perfectly acceptable family car. smile
Pretty much this is what I've come to accept.

McWigglebum4th

32,414 posts

233 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
We had a 1.4 astra

Utterly astounding car

How something could use so much fuel and go so slowly

BFG TERRANO

Original Poster:

2,172 posts

177 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
McWigglebum4th said:
We had a 1.4 astra

Utterly astounding car

How something could use so much fuel and go so slowly
Quite agree and all within 5 days and 600 miles!

mph1977

12,467 posts

197 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
the 1885 kg on 'something inside the door' will be if it's the sdame as most other recent GME?Vx/Opels the MAM for the vehicle so that's going to be 5 adults up with at least half a tank and some luggage .


I doubt very much it's 'dangerously underpowered'

buit based on corsa C 1.2 back to back with Corsa D1.2 the bloat between generations does take the edge off

I suspect that the current Astra is the same size if not bigger and probably slightly heavier than the J car Mk 2 Cavalier , and the Corsa D the same size and a bit heavier than the orginal Astra / first FWD Kaddett ?E ... Same as the insignia and Mondeo are the same size a the Carlton / Granada of the 1980s


996TT02

3,342 posts

169 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
McWigglebum4th said:
We had a 1.4 astra

Utterly astounding car

How something could use so much fuel and go so slowly
But I bet it has unbelievable CO2 figures, like most cars do nowadays.

Unbelievable is the key word.

How CO2 is used as an excuse to tax when CO2 is directly related to fuel consumption and fuel is already heavily taxed (and is the fairest way of taxing) I really do not comprehend. Well it feels like something else starting with "co-" but ends with "-n".

anonymous-user

83 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
The base 1.4 has 86 horsepower. Even lower than the previous generation. Around 56 horsepower per tonne.


Information below on an Exclusiv model.

Price £15,915
Combined MPG 51.4mpg
Fuel Petrol
Transmission Manual
Max power 87bhp at 6000rpm
0-62mph 14secs
Dimensions (L x W x H) 4419 x 2013 x 1510mm
Boot space 351litres
Doors 5
Warranty N years, 100000 miles
Engine type IN-LINE, FRONT TRANSVERSE, 1398cc
CO2 129g/km
Fuel delivery INJECTION
Driven wheels Front
Top speed 105mph
NCAP Overall rating 5
Weight 1545kg
Seats 5
ISOFix Yes
Insurance group 9

NicheMonkey

486 posts

157 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
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Had one of these for a month I was astounded at how ste it was lol

PinkRinse

365 posts

198 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
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I had a current shape 1.6 petrol Astra as a company car and it was just astonishingly slow, gutless, drank petrol like no ones business. I got chronic back & shoulder ache on long journeys too.

As soon as I heard a colleague was leaving I practically ripped the keys to her 1.7 diesel out of her hands! Better but still not amazing.

Oh and the A pillar blind spots have nearly had me in trouble a few times. Hateful thing.

carreauchompeur

18,319 posts

233 months

Saturday 21st June 2014
quotequote all
Approximately how much fuel are we talking about?