Astra SRi: My dirty secret
Discussion
Now,
I've always been a man who likes big cars. Older, I don't care. In the past, amongst others, my favourite cars have been the 520 touring (e39) and the current love of my life, a 1998 Audi A8. I don't care about the fuel, or the fact that everyone thinks I drive old man mobiles. (I'm 30)
However, I have been using the Mrs' Mini One to get to work recently. Mainly because it's a short hop across the city and my A8 struggles to achieve double figure MPG on such a run. It's yellow, and has flowers on the parcel shelf. I am quite a large chap and look like a prat in it. But slowly I have been warming to the "chuckability" of it, and the vastly cheaper running costs.
Hers is in for repair after someone pranged it whilst parked. I have the use of a 59 reg Astra 1.8 SRi from Enterprise. 5 door, bad boy low-profile alloys, the lot.
However, and here's the rub, in my brief experience I love it! The engine is revvy and seems to pick up quite well, handling is sharp but not crashy and generally it's fun to drive. There is a "Sport" button on the dashboard which apparently affects throttle response, turn in and damper settings- And it seems to work!
It does look like a chavmobile however. But I never expected to like it. At all!
Am I having a mid-life crisis or have I seen the light? Should I chop in the A8 for a hot hatch? Answers on a postcard.
I've always been a man who likes big cars. Older, I don't care. In the past, amongst others, my favourite cars have been the 520 touring (e39) and the current love of my life, a 1998 Audi A8. I don't care about the fuel, or the fact that everyone thinks I drive old man mobiles. (I'm 30)
However, I have been using the Mrs' Mini One to get to work recently. Mainly because it's a short hop across the city and my A8 struggles to achieve double figure MPG on such a run. It's yellow, and has flowers on the parcel shelf. I am quite a large chap and look like a prat in it. But slowly I have been warming to the "chuckability" of it, and the vastly cheaper running costs.
Hers is in for repair after someone pranged it whilst parked. I have the use of a 59 reg Astra 1.8 SRi from Enterprise. 5 door, bad boy low-profile alloys, the lot.
However, and here's the rub, in my brief experience I love it! The engine is revvy and seems to pick up quite well, handling is sharp but not crashy and generally it's fun to drive. There is a "Sport" button on the dashboard which apparently affects throttle response, turn in and damper settings- And it seems to work!
It does look like a chavmobile however. But I never expected to like it. At all!
Am I having a mid-life crisis or have I seen the light? Should I chop in the A8 for a hot hatch? Answers on a postcard.
That's my dad's current car at the moment:
not his exactly, but the same model year etc etc.
It's a diesel (oh dear I hear you say) but isn't that bad and quicker/sportier than the 307 (and the 306) he had before that.
Has good MPG (Duh - it's a diesel) even when motorway cruising at about 80-90mph.
not his exactly, but the same model year etc etc. It's a diesel (oh dear I hear you say) but isn't that bad and quicker/sportier than the 307 (and the 306) he had before that.
Has good MPG (Duh - it's a diesel) even when motorway cruising at about 80-90mph.
Egbert Nobacon said:
Long Journey in A8 = relaxed high speed travel in quiet comfort for you and family.
Long Journey in Astra = noisy, bouncy, arrive tired and jaded with ears ringing and back ache.
You must be mad to even consider it ...
Good point, and that's how I justify my uberBarge obsession- But if I'm being honest it's a bi-monthly affair going on a long trip- Rarely more than 2hrs Long Journey in Astra = noisy, bouncy, arrive tired and jaded with ears ringing and back ache.
You must be mad to even consider it ...
Had an Astra Sri 1.9 diesel (150bhp version as it turned out) in black with big wheels etc while my mx5 was in get repaired after being rear ended. When they phoned to arrange the courtesy car they said my policy meant I got a car of equal engine/performance but would a diesel be ok? I didn't care, it was just to go to and from work.
I loved it!!
There I said it publicly!
It could run rings round the mx5, certainly in a straight line and it handled pretty well with tons of grip. The "sport" button made a difference so I took to pressing it each day and they other toys were pretty good. About the only thing I didn't like was the cheap silver plastic on the steering wheel and on the dash to make it look sporty but just looked cheap and tacky.
Hit a badger at 1... a significant speed, stuck the front bumper back together with superglue before handing it back but that's another story.
I completely agree about the Astra and I'm glad I can finally admit to the world that I actually loved that car for the couple of weeks I had it. I'm so glad it's not just me.
I loved it!!
There I said it publicly!
It could run rings round the mx5, certainly in a straight line and it handled pretty well with tons of grip. The "sport" button made a difference so I took to pressing it each day and they other toys were pretty good. About the only thing I didn't like was the cheap silver plastic on the steering wheel and on the dash to make it look sporty but just looked cheap and tacky.
Hit a badger at 1... a significant speed, stuck the front bumper back together with superglue before handing it back but that's another story.
I completely agree about the Astra and I'm glad I can finally admit to the world that I actually loved that car for the couple of weeks I had it. I'm so glad it's not just me.
I rented one in Northern Ireland a couple of weeks ago and took the coast road back from Coleraine to Belfast City to catch my flight. The 1.8 engine was a let down - flat and unresponsive below 5k rpm and raucous above, but the chassis was the pretty good. Plenty of grip, well damped and willing to change direction eagerly. The gearbox was the usual Vauxhall rubbery reluctance but on the whole better than I'd expected.
Egbert Nobacon said:
Long Journey in A8 = relaxed high speed travel in quiet comfort for you and family.
Long Journey in Astra = noisy, bouncy, arrive tired and jaded with ears ringing and back ache.
You must be mad to even consider it ...
I always laugh when I see posts like this.Long Journey in Astra = noisy, bouncy, arrive tired and jaded with ears ringing and back ache.
You must be mad to even consider it ...
I'm sure an A8 is more refined than an Astra, but frankly, if a 1 year old Astra makes you tired, jaded and gives you back ache and tinnitus, then you are frankly one soft s
te!My girlfriends 6 year old, 1.2 corsa is like a limo compared to my car, and I'm sure that an Astra is a lot more refined than her Corsa!
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