Astra Gtc
Author
Discussion

Nuttah

Original Poster:

566 posts

203 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
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Not a very piston head's car but im considering changing my current f30 318d (130hp) company car and getting a personal lease on a new astra GTC 2.0sri diesel (163hp)Now this is not a vehicle i would have ever imagined looking at tbh but I drove past my local dealer and noticed they appeared to have a cracking lease deal on them at the moment and thought they don't actually look too bad and well that's a great deal. I don't need a car as big as the 3 series i just need a small hatch that's economical. I have a e36 328i track toy and a Renault 5 gt turbo weekend toy/project.

Now i have had a scrirrroco in the past and don't expect the astra to be on the same level but would be interested to hear peoples opinions on these?


blank

3,766 posts

219 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
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I've had a five door with the 2.0 diesel and a GTC with the 1.6T petrol.

I wouldn't bother to be honest. Unless it is way cheaper than the Ford/VW etc alternatives. They are so average in every way (and poor in some) that you may aswell have one of the alternatives.

The doors are HUGE aswell. Real pain in car parks.

Napper

120 posts

243 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
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I've had a 2.0 SRI Diesel for 3 years which I use mainly for work purposes.
I have no real problems with it. It is what it is. I've had no reliability issues. I average between 45 & 56 mpg (depending on driving style). The doors are indeed huge but I never park in tight spaces anyway so it doesn't cause me any problems. The 100k miles warranty was one of the reasons I bought it and as it was a demo car that was a bonus. I generally like the look of the car although I would change the front slightly. The ride height is a little high but it has been a blessing in disguise for me because sometimes I drive on really bad roads and farm tracks. The interior is ok too. I've had no squeaks or rattles from the trim. It has automatic lights, wipers, and main beam, start / stop technology (which is selectable) the brakes hold for a second or 2 when you take your foot off the brake so any numpty can do a hill start without using the electronic handbrake, which in itself is pretty good.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't buy it as my main car....... But, it does exactly what I bought it for.

Hope this helps

Aids0G

569 posts

180 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
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Have had my GTC for about 10 months now, done 20,000 miles in it and I think it's great does between 42 - 52 mpg and is pretty quick for a 165 hp diesel. Chassis is the hiight for me clever front suspension means it's got great traction for a fwd and I find it very composed when pushing on, however it will lift of oversteer on greasy stuff bellow 40 but is easy to control and quite funsmile! Mines on 19inch option wheels which makes the ride a little hard but I love the looks and I think it helps as standard wheels are high profile.

Occasional creak from the interior but mine spends alot of time on very harsh roads! Go for it they are good fun!

Ag

Edited by Aids0G on Tuesday 24th February 17:40

Fattyfat

3,310 posts

227 months

Monday 23rd February 2015
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A few work colleagues have a variety of diesel Astras (GTC, 5dr and estate) and they all seem to rate them.

A GTC would be no use to me but I did test drive a year old 5 door last year and thought it was spot on for the money.

willmagrath

1,398 posts

177 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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They do look quite good, but the engine isn't very good. My dad has a 10 plate insignia with the same engine, and the engine is terrible, loud, slow, uneconomical and unreliable, many dpf issues. I'd stick with the bmw for sure

DeuxCentCinq

14,180 posts

213 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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Having now inherited 3 different Vauxhalls (Corsa B, Astra MkIII, Corsa D), and my father having 2 when I was a kid, I can heartily say - don't.

If it's not outstandingly crap, it will be utterly mediocre, which in my book is just as bad.


ED209

6,027 posts

275 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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My wife has had a GTC for almost 3 years, one thing there aren't is small. It looks bloody massive even next to my octavia estate.


I can confirm what others have said about the doors, they are massive and a nightmare in car parks.

dufusmuppet

937 posts

211 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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I parked next to one just the other day and it dwarfed my alfa 156 and doubt its any smaller than a 3 series bmw...

Bland looks imho and not my cuppa......

Crafty_

14,218 posts

231 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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DeuxCentCinq said:
Having now inherited 3 different Vauxhalls (Corsa B, Astra MkIII, Corsa D), and my father having 2 when I was a kid, I can heartily say - don't.

If it's not outstandingly crap, it will be utterly mediocre, which in my book is just as bad.
Seriously ?

What makes you think the last Astra you had, which was built over 20 years ago bears any resemblance to the current car ?
Even the corsa D is approaching 10 years old.


kuro

1,638 posts

150 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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DeuxCentCinq said:
Having now inherited 3 different Vauxhalls (Corsa B, Astra MkIII, Corsa D), and my father having 2 when I was a kid, I can heartily say - don't.

If it's not outstandingly crap, it will be utterly mediocre, which in my book is just as bad.
Im sorry but comparing an astra mk3 and a corsa b to a mk6 astra gtc is ridiculous. Both of those cars ended production 17 and 15 years ago respectively! While the corsa d is a current model its in the supermini class and is nothing like the current astra.

For the record, I have a 13 plate sri 165 and have put nearly 15k on it over the last year with no problems except for an occasional rattle in the headlining. I personally find it to be quite a spacious and refined motorway hack and its quick enough when you need it to be.

kuro

1,638 posts

150 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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Crafty_ said:
DeuxCentCinq said:
Having now inherited 3 different Vauxhalls (Corsa B, Astra MkIII, Corsa D), and my father having 2 when I was a kid, I can heartily say - don't.

If it's not outstandingly crap, it will be utterly mediocre, which in my book is just as bad.
Seriously ?

What makes you think the last Astra you had, which was built over 20 years ago bears any resemblance to the current car ?
Even the corsa D is approaching 10 years old.
Beat me to it, a totally irrelevant analogy.


Edited by kuro on Tuesday 24th February 20:54

samvia

1,635 posts

201 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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willmagrath said:
They do look quite good, but the engine isn't very good. My dad has a 10 plate insignia with the same engine, and the engine is terrible, loud, slow, uneconomical and unreliable, many dpf issues. I'd stick with the bmw for sure
I ran a 2013 5dr Astra with the 165 diesel engine for a while and found just about the opposite of that. Wasn't particularly loud, had a reasonable turn of pace/decent shove on boost, and did 48MPG average despite me never going easy on it. Didn't have it long enough to experience any DPF issues, but I imagine if the OP is talking about a lease then it's not going to be 5 years old.

The car itself was pretty reasonable, really nothing to get excited about but a good improvement over the last generation of Astra in every way. Ran a 1.6 petrol non-turbo for a while too, that engine was woeful.

BFG TERRANO

2,172 posts

179 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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I have a 2014 5dr Astra 1400. The car is generally ok. The engine ste. It's hard to explain just how flat, gutless and breathless it really is. Likes a drink to. Low 30s to a gallon.

I'd imagine the gtc or any other engine with reasonable power might make a half decent daily.

Edited by BFG TERRANO on Tuesday 24th February 20:32

willmagrath

1,398 posts

177 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
quotequote all
samvia said:
willmagrath said:
They do look quite good, but the engine isn't very good. My dad has a 10 plate insignia with the same engine, and the engine is terrible, loud, slow, uneconomical and unreliable, many dpf issues. I'd stick with the bmw for sure
I ran a 2013 5dr Astra with the 165 diesel engine for a while and found just about the opposite of that. Wasn't particularly loud, had a reasonable turn of pace/decent shove on boost, and did 48MPG average despite me never going easy on it. Didn't have it long enough to experience any DPF issues, but I imagine if the OP is talking about a lease then it's not going to be 5 years old.

The car itself was pretty reasonable, really nothing to get excited about but a good improvement over the last generation of Astra in every way. Ran a 1.6 petrol non-turbo for a while too, that engine was woeful.
Aaah ok I think they may have given the engine a spruce up at somepoint, but his is horrible. I'm only comparing it to my VAG 1.9 tdi with the same power. The VAG unit is so smooth and petrol like in comparison

Napper

120 posts

243 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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I agree with the comments about the diesel engine being noisy and I can only speak about the 2.0 but it is pretty responsive when you want it to be. It is as other have said, not the smallest car around and it has room inside for 5 people without any fuss whatsoever.

DeuxCentCinq

14,180 posts

213 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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My point is, they've been making utterly st cars for years, and there's nothing to indicate anything has changed.