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Hi Guys
Im currently driving a 53 Hyundai Coupe 2.0. It's a great car and really reliable but running costs (petrol and tax mainly) are becoming a bit daft now. I'm looking at a '56'-'57' plate astra but unsure which engine to go for. The 1.4 offers better reliability and slightly cheaper insurance but I'm worried it's going to be far too underpowered. Does anyone have first hand experience of either and have an idea of the economy I can expect from a 1.6? I've read all the book figures and there doesn't seem a lot in it but just wondered if anybody had first hand experience?
Thanks
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The 1.4 is fine if you're in and around town all the time. It's pretty awful if you're doing motorway runs all the time, or like passing dawdlers on A roads with any safety. The 1.4 is really the best engine in the Corsa, it's a bit pants in the Astra.
The 1.6VVT is the engine to go for, it's 115hp and no worse on fuel than the 90hp 1.4.
Expect mid-30s around town, high 30s to low 40s on a long run.
Edited by ChannelZ on 07/01/2012 at 13:34
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Cheers for the advice.
It's pretty much what I was expecting. As long as the 1.6 can deliver mid thirties around town that's what I'm looking for
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Mid thirties around town is a bit optimistic. Most cars of that genre will manage about 30 round town, 50 on A roads for about 40 overall.
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If you enjoy driving, try a Ford Focus before committing to an Astra. In general, bigger engines powering the same body suffer very little in terms of economy, as you have to use more acceleration to make decent progress with the smaller engine.
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Hmm not a great lover of the focus. Had an '02 focus and the piston rings went on that within about 6 months of having it. I think the new shape seems more like an older persons car. The astra seems a bit more sporty and contemporary.
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How 'sporty' could it be with a 1.4?
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Sporty looks/design, not necessarily performance
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If you're buying a car based primarily on how it looks then surely you can do better than a Vauxhall Astra?
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What would you suggest for around £5k with really good economy and sporty looks?
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Hyundai Coupe 1.6 on something like a 2006 reg could be had for less than that.
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Already driving a hyundai coupe but the 2.0. The 1.6 is just as bad on fuel as its far too underpowered considering its a heavy car
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Oh right sorry i didnt read the original post.
Could you not get a half decent 3 series diesel for that money?
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Had a little look at the 3 series. Trouble with them is the insurance is high and the MPG doesn't read up much better than the astra to be honest.
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Insurance will come down as you get more NCB, the 320D should give 45mpg+ and it will hold its value better than an Astra. A 3 series diesel in good condition will always be worth something where as an Astra largely wont.
Or if you really like the Hyundai then £5,000 buys a lot of petrol! Enough to get my Jag to town and back!
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Surely because the BMW diesel holds its value better, one would either have to pay a lot more for an equivalent age BMW, or, to keep in whatever budget one has, go for an older BMW. For example Parkers valuations for an Astra Life (a/c) 2007/56 with 40,000 miles from a franchised dealer is about £ 4200. A BMW 320D ES same age/mileage from a franchised dealer is about £ 9700.
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I dont need Parkers to tell me a 5 year old 320 with 40k will cost more than a 5 year old Astra with 40k. You could get a much newer car for your money with the typical white goods of Vauxhall and other value brands but i have seen 8 year old 3-series with 60-80k (which is about right) on them for within the OP's budget. We can sit here debating which car gives the utmost value but the OP specified something economical and 'sporty', if he hadnt of done we'd be sat here banging on about the virtues of Korean tinboxes.
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Find yourself a Toyota Celica. Very nice. 'Newest' you'll get is a 56 plate though. Insurance is very reasonable, tax is middling and it's economical. Also very good looking. You can get some very swish trims as well; the Celica GT is a beast!
See, nice: www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20114342479...p
Edited by Bobbin Threadbare on 08/01/2012 at 17:09
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...Toyota Celica...and it's economical
...not how you drive it lass.
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I'm not often allowed to drive Mr B's Celica. But I concede that you've got a point. He gets decent economy out of it.
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The poster is looking for something economical with sporty looks/design, not necessarily performance. As he identified, the Astra, especially the 3 dr, fits this remit. Presumably, as he already has a Hyundai, he knows the virtues of Korean cars.
Prince23 - How about a Kia Pro-ceed?
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I dont need Parkers to tell me a 5 year old 320 with 40k will cost more than a 5 year old Astra with 40k. You could get a much newer car for your money with the typical white goods of Vauxhall and other value brands but i have seen 8 year old 3-series with 60-80k (which is about right) on them for within the OP's budget. We can sit here debating which car gives the utmost value but the OP specified something economical and 'sporty', if he hadnt of done we'd be sat here banging on about the virtues of Korean tinboxes.
Woooow steady on fella theyre nice cars!!
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Really? Even the Ssangyong Rexton?
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The SSangyong Rexton is a bland looking 4x4 originally based on the Mercedes M-class. The real ugly car in the SSangyong range is the Rodius MPV. Anyway, Ssangyong is now majority owned by the Indian firm Mahindra.
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Yeah the Sangyong's are naff. I meant the Hyundai Coupe is a nice car. A lot of kit for the money and mechanically reliable. Just a little cheaply made but you get what you pay for.
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A lot of kit for the money and mechanically reliable. Just a little cheaply made but you get what you pay for.
So like a Vauxhall Astra then?
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A lot of kit for the money and mechanically reliable. Just a little cheaply made but you get what you pay for.
So like a Vauxhall Astra then?
No, the Astra hasn't got the electronic reliability of any Korean car. Why have a good engine and gearbox when the immobiliser has died again, or the doors won't unlock.
(Ex-longtime Astra owner)
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In reply to the original post, having driven large numbers of rental cars, the 1.6 VVTi Astra is infinitely preferrable to the 1.4. Can't comment on long term reliability but I do appreciate their refinement. Certainly vs the Focus.
Would the OP consider a late Corolla 1.6? Before I'm pilloried, have a look for the SR model, which has the sporty looks required and the 1.6 VVTi Toyota will usually be reliable. My parents own an 100,000+ mile 52 reg 1.6 Corolla estate and a 60,000 mile 56 reg 1.6 Focus estate. Both prefer the Corolla, which in their words has "more poke". The best compliment they pay the Focus is that it is "comparable" to the Corolla.
You probably can't go that far wrong with all three. Or a Kia/ another Hyundai. And also consider the arguments put forward by the other posters.
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Anyone had any experience with the 1.8 astra? I much prefer the SRI kit compared to the SXI generally found on the 1.4 and 1.6
So anybody had a 1.8, decent on fuel? Quick? Good handling etc?
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Yeah, in my experience (numerous hire cars for work) they're the nicest of the 'normal' petrols to drive, especially if you get the VVTi version, which was 140bhp. I think that engine came in about 2007. You can feel they've just got that extra bit of punch. That said, normally a 1.6 is perfectly fine, or the older 1.8 (about 125bhp).
The SRI pack if I remember was quite bumpy because of the massive wheels. Personally I prefer the SXi look really - less blingy.
Economy - can't remember, but I guess tax will be a couple of bands up at least
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Yeah is £210 a year which isn't great but if it's decent on fuel then I don't mind that as much. At the moment I'm getting 205 miles for £45 worth of petrol!
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That's only about 26mpg! You 'should' be able to get 35 combined.
The 1.6 'should' be good for low 40s, the 1.8 a little less (probably late 30s).
But since you're already 25% below the official figures, your actual figures might be very different!
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Yeah your right and my driving is a combination of motorway driving at 70mph rarely higher, and a bit of town driving, so my figures should be a lot better than 26mpg!!!
If the 1.8 is delivering late 30's that is very tempting...
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Driven sensibly (which it sounds like you're doing), then I think the Hyundai should be doing better. I've seen 2.0 engines turn in an honest 35mpg. Is it in good shape?
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Yeah it's in great shape. Only done 55k with FSH, oil and filter only changed 4 months/4K miles ago, I've checked the air filter and thats fine, Bosch super 4 spark plugs only done about 8k and the tyre pressures are all fine, got almost new firestones all round.
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If the 1.8 is delivering late 30's that is very tempting...
I had a Vectra with the 1.8VVT. 50 mile commute of 5 miles of city centre stop-start followed by 45 miles of press-on motorway. I got 37mpg average over the 20k I had the car. The Astra's slightly differently geared, and similar weight to the Vectra, so I'd expect 35mpg out of the Astra.
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I've found a lovely astra but it's a 1.8. However it is the VVT engine. Anyone know/reckon this will make any difference to fuel economy?
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I've found a lovely astra but it's a 1.8. However it is the VVT engine. Anyone know/reckon this will make any difference to fuel economy?
See my post immediately above yours.
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