Discussion
Hello all
Been lurking on these pages for years so thought I may as well post up a thread as I procrastinate from work!
Owned my Silver '07 Astra VXR for four and a half years now and its been through some changes and is due a lot more shortly.
Bought totally standard in 2016 on 60k miles for a bargain price and loved it for the first month then a few problems occurred...boost solenoid failed so it would go into limp mode and then it started to smoke a lot which turned out to be both stem seals and turbo. A full rebuild and new turbo later and it is now on 110k and going strong!
It has done a few ring trips, endless daily commutes and some spirited driving now and then and served me well.
It isn't hugely modified but has:
Eibach Pro springs
Whiteline rear ARB
Miltek Decat
Hybrid Turbo
Cross over delete and intake
MTC Intercooler
mapped
polybushed
Team Dynamic 1.2s
The plan is to tidy it up (Bodywork is far from perfect) and then make it more of a track, weekend toy as it is taken off daily duties.
Already have a huge list of parts ready to fit including a full 3" exhaust, AP brakes for the front, new manifold, bigger intake and a few other bits and pieces to enjoy with coilovers and a full forge rebuild kit on the way soon as well.
Been lurking on these pages for years so thought I may as well post up a thread as I procrastinate from work!
Owned my Silver '07 Astra VXR for four and a half years now and its been through some changes and is due a lot more shortly.
Bought totally standard in 2016 on 60k miles for a bargain price and loved it for the first month then a few problems occurred...boost solenoid failed so it would go into limp mode and then it started to smoke a lot which turned out to be both stem seals and turbo. A full rebuild and new turbo later and it is now on 110k and going strong!
It has done a few ring trips, endless daily commutes and some spirited driving now and then and served me well.
It isn't hugely modified but has:
Eibach Pro springs
Whiteline rear ARB
Miltek Decat
Hybrid Turbo
Cross over delete and intake
MTC Intercooler
mapped
polybushed
Team Dynamic 1.2s
The plan is to tidy it up (Bodywork is far from perfect) and then make it more of a track, weekend toy as it is taken off daily duties.
Already have a huge list of parts ready to fit including a full 3" exhaust, AP brakes for the front, new manifold, bigger intake and a few other bits and pieces to enjoy with coilovers and a full forge rebuild kit on the way soon as well.
Top lurking indeed! You're a stalker not a talker lol
Car looks well. Looked at one of these a few years ago. These really need the right colour and yours looks great in silver with matching alloys.
Non petrol head question but what mpg do you see in daily driving?
And how did you feel that it needed a turbo rebuild? Is it a common issue?
Car looks well. Looked at one of these a few years ago. These really need the right colour and yours looks great in silver with matching alloys.
Non petrol head question but what mpg do you see in daily driving?
And how did you feel that it needed a turbo rebuild? Is it a common issue?
To be honest for fuel it isn’t as shocking as I would’ve thought. My old mk1 Focus RS with about 25bhp less used way more fuel. On a good run in 6th it will do
Mid 30s and if you drive at near 60 that number will rise. On its last ring trip there was an R26 Megane and an fn2 civic that made the same journey. Filled up at the same stations, drove at the same speeds and the Astra always used the least fuel.
I don’t think turbos are overly common but when I found out mine was going it was worth doing whilst it was getting rebuilt that and the stem seals meant it smoked like a chimney!
Mid 30s and if you drive at near 60 that number will rise. On its last ring trip there was an R26 Megane and an fn2 civic that made the same journey. Filled up at the same stations, drove at the same speeds and the Astra always used the least fuel.
I don’t think turbos are overly common but when I found out mine was going it was worth doing whilst it was getting rebuilt that and the stem seals meant it smoked like a chimney!
Edited by shaun_1987 on Monday 20th April 20:28
Nice car OP..
Had an Arden blue for a couple of years and absolutely loved it..
People that have owned one know they are very underestimated and handle well, whilst the comments about torque steer and not being a good daily are the people that watch too much Mr Clarkson..
Does yours have the IDS+ Suspension?
Had an Arden blue for a couple of years and absolutely loved it..
People that have owned one know they are very underestimated and handle well, whilst the comments about torque steer and not being a good daily are the people that watch too much Mr Clarkson..
Does yours have the IDS+ Suspension?
shaun_1987 said:
No mine doesn’t have that. Just springs, polybushing and the rear roll bar. Couldn’t quite believe how much of a difference the roll bar made!
Still good to have those bits uprated, the RARB does make a difference, never fitted one to my car but drove one with it on and it was night and day..I wish I could’ve kept my VXR as a track car and stripped it out but funds never allowed me to unfortunately..
Here she is next to my ‘current car’ the Type R
5mileofdeath said:
shaun_1987 said:
No mine doesn’t have that. Just springs, polybushing and the rear roll bar. Couldn’t quite believe how much of a difference the roll bar made!
Still good to have those bits uprated, the RARB does make a difference, never fitted one to my car but drove one with it on and it was night and day..I wish I could’ve kept my VXR as a track car and stripped it out but funds never allowed me to unfortunately..
Here she is next to my ‘current car’ the Type R
Was lucky enough to get on a fleet managers track day (I merely knew the fleet manager who wasn't arsed with track days) at Brands Hatch in 2007. This was the full VXR range from Meriva upto VXR8.
the Astra was bloody brilliant I thought and to top the day they had x 2 Nurburgring edition VXRs being driven by Matt Neal and Tom Onslow-Cole for hot laps.
My friend who I managed to blag on to the event and I managed to get in both at the same time.
As expected we goaded them both on which led to them wringing the necks of these cars to the point of mine flying off into the gravel and my butt twitching somewhat.
A great memory I'll never forget.
the Astra was bloody brilliant I thought and to top the day they had x 2 Nurburgring edition VXRs being driven by Matt Neal and Tom Onslow-Cole for hot laps.
My friend who I managed to blag on to the event and I managed to get in both at the same time.
As expected we goaded them both on which led to them wringing the necks of these cars to the point of mine flying off into the gravel and my butt twitching somewhat.
A great memory I'll never forget.
six port said:
Was lucky enough to get on a fleet managers track day (I merely knew the fleet manager who wasn't arsed with track days) at Brands Hatch in 2007. This was the full VXR range from Meriva upto VXR8.
the Astra was bloody brilliant I thought and to top the day they had x 2 Nurburgring edition VXRs being driven by Matt Neal and Tom Onslow-Cole for hot laps.
My friend who I managed to blag on to the event and I managed to get in both at the same time.
As expected we goaded them both on which led to them wringing the necks of these cars to the point of mine flying off into the gravel and my butt twitching somewhat.
A great memory I'll never forget.
Sounds like a great day! I can’t say I’ve ever blagged a day like that hathe Astra was bloody brilliant I thought and to top the day they had x 2 Nurburgring edition VXRs being driven by Matt Neal and Tom Onslow-Cole for hot laps.
My friend who I managed to blag on to the event and I managed to get in both at the same time.
As expected we goaded them both on which led to them wringing the necks of these cars to the point of mine flying off into the gravel and my butt twitching somewhat.
A great memory I'll never forget.
Brett748 said:
I had a Nurburgring VXR and did 15,000 miles in the year I owned it. It had coil overs, Pro Race 1.2 and a map.
I loved it, it was a proper guilty pleasure car. I loved the old school boosty power delivery and noise, underrated car.
They do seem to be quite the workhorse! Were you just using it as a daily or was it big trips?I loved it, it was a proper guilty pleasure car. I loved the old school boosty power delivery and noise, underrated car.
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