My New Dis'Astra Coupe

[Dm_26]

Was getting pretty bored of the Clio, and since it was sitting on 107k miles on a french 1.2 engine I thought it was time to get rid.

I wanted to get a slightly bigger car as the Clio is just too small for me so I found this a few weeks ago and picked it up today

Vauxhall Astra 1.8 16v Bertone Coupe
2004 on a 54 plate with 54k miles

Loving it so far.

Plans are just to get fresh plates and Aerotwin wipers the now.
I like the standard look the now tbh.

C+C Welcome

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

No bad Ron Burgandy!

 

[Nick172Cup]

Looking good! I quite like these, I wont lie I do have a little soft spot for them. The 1.8 16v is probably one of the best engines out of the range bar the C20 LET they put in these as well, my friends one interiorwise was rather nice also with half leather/alcantara seats.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

I gather the C20 LET is the 2.0t unit?

 

[Nick172Cup]

I gather the C20 LET is the 2.0t unit?

Indeed.

 

[Tunst]

needs some snowflake wheels on, theres 2 around here with them they look awesome

Edit:

 

[Dm_26]

needs some snowflake wheels on, theres 2 around here with them they look awesome

I do like them, but the wheels I have at the moment at the SE2 ones which are pretty rare to find on the coupes aswell so I'll stick with these for a while. Might look into snowflakes at some point though.

Looking through all my docs, I found a receipt for 20% tints on the rear windows

 

[lanky]

Good man, 1.8 coupe! choice of champions
Check out debadged grills I think it makes them look a lot better.

 

[7unner172]

love these spot on buy that mate

 

[Dm_26]

Good man, 1.8 coupe! choice of champions
Check out debadged grills I think it makes them look a lot better.

I do like the debadged grilles or even the irmscher grilles but I'll see how it goes the now. Just ordered a set of fresh plates there so I will see how money goes

 

[Millen]

I gather the C20 LET is the 2.0t unit?

Actually the turbo lump in the mk4 astras was the Z20LET. The C20LET was standard in calibra and cav turbos back in the 80's. Serious power to be had from both variations though if you have the cash.

Nice looking coupe you have there too.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

IIRC iron block FTL

 

[lanky]

Sign up to www.astraownersclub.com It's a good forum for Astra's. Plenty in the for sale section, I've picked up a few things of there like total closure. If there's a recommendation thing i'm "precutduck" on there

 

[Dm_26]

Sign up to www.astraownersclub.com It's a good forum for Astra's. Plenty in the for sale section, I've picked up a few things of there like total closure. If there's a recommendation thing i'm "precutduck" on there

Already signed up mate. My username is the same as the one on here

 

[Christopher]

A burgundy Astra Coupe.

As long as you're happy.

 

[Goodj]

a good upgrade from where you were.

what's the interior like? If it's not cream leather, forget about it!

 

[Ali]

Prefer the Clio tbh!

 

[Gally]

Wow! And it's Burgandy.

My work mate had one of these, really bad to drive.

It looked okay though. Although his was silver not burgandy. Good luck with it.

 

[Rob]

A burgundy Astra Coupe.

As long as you're happy.

I thought it was just me.

 

[Goodj]

Prefer the Clio tbh!

T'is ClioSport,

My work mate had one of these, really bad to drive.

Considering he's moving from a 1.2, the ability to crack 70 in less than 24 hours will be more than enough for him to be getting along with for the time being.

I did like the 888 special Vauxhall did of these. If I had to, it would be one of those...... but that's a very different proposition

 

[daveski]

Been a passenger in a 888 version when I was an active member of Asta Owners Club (used to own a MK4 Astra) and it was nice. Completely different car to a 1.8 though.

I had a 1.6 hatch, had it for 2.5 years and it was sold and reliable, nothing ever went wrong or needed replacing other than normal service items.

 

[Gally]

T'is ClioSport,



Considering he's moving from a 1.2, the ability to crack 70 in less than 24 hours will be more than enough for him to be getting along with for the time being.

I did like the 888 special Vauxhall did of these. If I had to, it would be one of those...... but that's a very different proposition

I see your point. His Clio probably still handled better than the Astra, although they are dirt cheap nowadays.

 

[Goodj]

I'd imagine that the Astra Coupe, as wooly as it may be, is at least on a par with a Clio Shopping.

 

[Dm_26]

a good upgrade from where you were.

what's the interior like? If it's not cream leather, forget about it!

Interior is cloth seats unfortunely but I'm not that bothered about them as the rest of the car is sound.

I went to see a good few coupes and they were all terrible. Then I found this one with low mileage, SE2 alloys, spoiler, pretty much standard apart from that and the all important FSH. Resale will be helped with the fact it is actually a rare colour aswell.

At the end of the day, I needed something bigger than a Clio but still cheap enough to buy and insure on a part time wage and this fitted perfectly.

Seems as though if you don't upgrade to an RS Clio you will get slated on this forum. Nobody is allowed to be different, so please keep the sarcasm and smart arse comments out my thread. I don't see how I have to defend my choice in car.

I like it, that's all that matters

 

[alex-avfc]

Good car these are, my Mum bought one in 2002 in that colour with all the Irmscher kit and leather, liked it that much she bought a Turbo convertible a few years later (Z20 LET in them by the way, not C20)

I see your point. His Clio probably still handled better than the Astra, although they are dirt cheap nowadays.

Have you totally forgotten how soggy and rolly polly a 1.2 Clio is? I'd imagine the Astra would be a better drive.

 

[Dm_26]

Have you totally forgotten how soggy and rolly polly a 1.2 Clio is? I'd imagine the Astra would be a better drive.

Part of my job means I'm out in the car on all different types of road.
I must say the Astra is a lot worse down country back roads. The Clio was a lot more planted and easier to drive faster but the Astra is a lot better on every other road. Its more of a comfy cruiser and on the motorway it is brilliant, cruises along effortlessly compared to the Clio which would be screaming its balls off at 70mph.

The Astra is not without faults though. Fixed a few already although they were stupid electrical problems. 12v Cigarette Lighter wasn't working then my reverse lights packed in. Seems that Vauxhall aren't much better with their electrics than Renault !

 

[James28]

Might just be the angle of the photos, but its looks really loooonnngg. lol.

 

[Dm_26]

Half a metre longer than a Clio so a fair bit bigger.

Its great because people can sit behind me with my drivers seat right back on the runners. Boot is pretty big aswell.

 

[Dm_26]

Went up to Inveraray for the weekend and took some more pictures of the coupe.

Roads are fantastic up there especially through the Rest and be Thankful area.

Car ran like a dream and I am very very happy with it so far.

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking

David

 

[Dm_26]

A quick update -

Wired in a Total Closure module to the central locking ECU so that I can close my windows with my remote key - Pretty cool and useful.

My sub and amp are sitting in my room ready to be fitted tomorrow

Apart from that, I've just been racking up the miles with a good few long distance journeys, namely Arbroath and Dundee. Covered around 4,000 miles since I got the car with only one major problem....

Not only did I buckle the wheel but it actually split on the inside of the wheel. Had to buy a brand new wheel from Vauxhall which was not nice on the old wallet.

Apart from that, I am still very much enjoying my Astra over my old Clio

 

[DanielJames]

Quite like it, the 1.8 is deffo the engine to have if you don't want the Z20Let performance

My second car was also a 1.8 Astra, I loved it to bits!

 

[Englebert]

Seems as though if you don't upgrade to an RS Clio you will get slated on this forum. Nobody is allowed to be different, so please keep the sarcasm and smart arse comments out my thread. I don't see how I have to defend my choice in car.

This really gets my goat. You have posted this thread with the hopeful outlook that you will gain praise, reaffirming your choice of purchase. By offering up your car for opinion, you have to therefore accept some people won't like it. And yet, there you are, moaning that someone has dared to say they don't like your car. If you like it, and that's all that matters, surely any negative comments should be water off a duck's back?

Anyway, i digress. I think Bertone did a great job with the fantastically boring Mk4 Astra. Your latest photos show that, with a bit of sun hitting it, the colour looks good too. I think time has inevitably dated the car, but overall i still think its a handsome car.

Those mudflaps are a pet peeve though. They're for 4x4s and lorries as far as i'm concerned, they just look bizarre on anything with the pretense of 'sporty'.

 

[Scrooge]

I quite like that but the front bumper could benefit from a change it's just too plain, did they do a different one on the turbos?

 

[Englebert]

You're thinking of the one on the hatchback, which the Coupe didn't get ASFAIK.

 

[Goodj]

so, how did you buckle that wheel then

 

[dazzyb87]

i've gone from a turbo coupe to a 182, decided i didnt need the extra room in the car
guessin u wont be headin to pvs as its a bit of a treck for ya.
its a great car for cruisin around on the motorways and not tht bad handling wise
great lookin cars tho imo

heres my one

 

[Dm_26]

The bumper came exclusively on the Coupe models. I am looking into getting a GSi front bumper soon though.

Granted it is a "dated" car as they started making this shape of Astra on R plates i.e. 1997 but then again the Mk2 Clio came out then and only really stopped being produced in 2007/2008.

I do think it looks a lot better than standard Astras though being the Coupe model. And I also really like the colour, especially when it is clean.

As for the buckled wheel, I hit a fairly large pothole going down a back road as they had shut the motorway for repairs overnight. It was dark and very wet so the pothole was filled with water and I hit it at about 45-50mph down a very tight country road. Wasn't impressed but hey..that's life I suppose.

 

[DanielJames]

I like it tbh bud, Coilies and a RARB will transform the handling!

I had Janspeed coilovers on mine.. was a G hatch 3dr

 

[alex-avfc]

This really gets my goat. You have posted this thread with the hopeful outlook that you will gain praise, reaffirming your choice of purchase. By offering up your car for opinion, you have to therefore accept some people won't like it. And yet, there you are, moaning that someone has dared to say they don't like your car. If you like it, and that's all that matters, surely any negative comments should be water off a duck's back?

Anyway, i digress. I think Bertone did a great job with the fantastically boring Mk4 Astra. Your latest photos show that, with a bit of sun hitting it, the colour looks good too. I think time has inevitably dated the car, but overall i still think its a handsome car.

Those mudflaps are a pet peeve though. They're for 4x4s and lorries as far as i'm concerned, they just look bizarre on anything with the pretense of 'sporty'.

Totally agree with that!

 

[lanky]

How do you get people behind your drivers seat lol? I have mine right back and there's no room at all.

How easy was it to fit the total closure module as well? I've got one but not fitted it yet.