I have seen a 53 reg Astra with FSH and on the website the car looks brand new, on the pics I cannot even see a single scratch or mark on it. There are no holes on the dash or roof so I imagine it might have been a civilian car rather than a panda car. The inteiror also looks spotless.
It comes with full police service history, 6 months warranty, four new tyres, 12 months MOT and its £1900 so in my budget. It is the 1.4 16v so cheap tax and insurance.
It has 103,000 miles could this be a problem but I only do a maximum of 3000 miles a year so it in many ways it is better for me to get a newer body which will take longer to rot than an older car with lower milleage where the engine has another 5 years life but the body doesn't.
I am planning of going in about an hour so need some advice before then :). I will be able to read any replies on the bus but can't really reply as its just too much hassle on a keypad.
I realise if it is a panda car it is going to be heavily abused so I am going to view it with an open mind, and there is another garage very close by so its not going to be a complete waste of time. If the pedals all feel loose and the gearchange feels really vague it is probably obvious the car is knackered.
Thanks.
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Ive never bought a panda car - so cant advise on that aspect
I own a 52 astra (1.6 8v), and although ive had a few issues they have not been that complicated to sort out.
i THINK that these cars are made of galvanised steel ( i know that i saw one at the birmingham nec in a giant fishtank - but i dont know if ALL the cars have them, so therfore rust may be minimal (but dont qoute me on this))
have a look for maynonaise under the filler cap, mine gets it in winter due to a faulty thermo and the over sized radiator (thermo to be replaced at service, due to it being behind the cambelt)
Having said that the car your going to see will have been regulary serviced so this might not be a issue for you.
These cars are ok to drive, handle much better than the prev ones,
Good luck!
Edited by redviper on 12/02/2009 at 12:52
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If it's got no holes anywhere on the dash or roof, and drives OK, then your assumption is probably correct. Worn seats might also be a problem. I have no idea on whether the price is good or bad but I guess you've made your own decision on that. If you're happy and the car drives well, your plan to get a higher mileage newish car is sound. It's easy to replace an engine.....
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Ask any policeman why they are not at the auctions buying thier ex company cars.
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Yep that puts me off a bit the copper I know is on duty atm so I can't have a word with him about it.
Its right next to the garage I had planned to visit today anyway so it won't be a entirely wasted trip (I also need to go to a HIFI shop in the same town). I have never driven an Astra G but have sat in the drivers seat of one and it all felt well screwed together so if things feel loose (e.g pedals, steering, gear change) its obvious it has been badly abused.
If it was a panda car I will simply walk away no matter what, if it was a civvy car and the car looks to be sound it might be a hard decisiion. The one previous owner fleet thing is a big advantage.
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Some years ago i bought a Rover 827si manual ex police.
It had been a class 1 driving instruction car for Oxfordshire, presumably Thames Valley, was in blue and apart from stonechips was in fine body condition.
Mechanically the car was superb and one of the best cars i've owned, scalded cat performance, but then it would have been well driven all its life.
I had a print out of the service histroy, which was to die for, more oil changes than i do (thats saying something), and other parts replaced regardless of cost.
Now my car would have been used exclusively for class one high speed training so the servicing would have been in keeping.
I see no reason why this Astra should be any less well looked after, but it will obviously suffer any normal problems that a car of that model will have over time, i understand ECU's can be troublesome on that model for example, but you'll have to judge that yourself.
The one thing you must bear in mind is that the used value will always be very low because the old bill owned it, so if you buy it must be a bargain.
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Many years ago I had a Maestro diesel ex panda car... did 30k miles and no problems at all... have looked at them since but not seen anything I fancied... theres a garage near Merry Hill which specialises in ex Police vehicles and doesn't seem to have any problems in shifting them and has been in business for donkeys years...
All cars have problems, but at least you know the servicing has been done... I'd go with the "go for it" brigade... but having seen the trouble you've had with your last purchase I accept no responsibility for any recomendations I may make!
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If it looks OK & the price is right, I wouldn't worry about the 103K miles.
If you only do that mileage, change the oil/filter twice a year. You won't need anything exotic.
Edit: SP.
Edited by FotheringtonThomas on 12/02/2009 at 13:47
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not an answer to the OP but....
but I have mayonnaise under the filler on my astra - i thought this was a sure sign of a water leak through the head gasket.
can it really be down to the thermostat?
if so I'll be greatly relieved
thx Dan
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but I have mayonnaise under the filler on my astra>>
Could be just short journeys in cold weather.
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You could try "technical".
It might be a result of short trips.
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I thought you only got mayonnaise if there was some water in the oil, but then I never have been much of a mechanic.
Maybe I worry too much.
Dan
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posted in error. Deleted at request of author
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 12/02/2009 at 19:08
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>> I thought you only got mayonnaise if there was some water in the oil>>
Can be caused by condensation.
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Mods please delete my 14:23 error, thanks.
{best I can do. If I delete it, it will also delete any posts tagged onto it. DD}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 12/02/2009 at 19:09
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Driving school cars are well looked after, but are few and far between. Response cars are hammered and I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.
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>> >> I thought you only got mayonnaise if there was some water in the oil>> Can be caused by condensation.
my 1.6 8v is prone to undercooling, I have a combination of a oversized rad, (same rads on the 2.0 Turbo apperntly) and a underperforing thermo
It is common on these cars at this time of the year to run cooler than norm, I do not get the mayo affect in the summer months, I can also confirm that my engine is not burning water (head gasket etc)
During the winter months, the temp gage sits just outside the cold zone, put the heater on and it drops into it, (this is a combination of a oversized rad, and a under performing thermo (that i hope to replace when its next service is due, as the cam belt has to be replaced))
During the summer its fine, and the temp sits at 80c again the engine runs slighty cool but it does not have the mayo effect, for this reason I tend to do twice yearly oil changes my local indie does them for me for pocket money prices (if i bring my own oil)
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Yes, as discussed several times over the years in technical, many medium sized Vauxhalls of this era ( not sure about newish ones ) seem overcooled, particularly at this time of year; SWMBO's 1.8 Zafira acts the same.
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posted in error. Deleted at request of author
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 12/02/2009 at 19:08
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The mayo had me worried and have actually booked the car in, the car is definitely running cold and the heater is erratic so a thermo problem sounds likely.
At least now i'll be able to talk knowledgebly to the mec ;-)
Many thanks for the tips
Dan
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it is normal for these Vauxhalls - i am going to get the thermo replaced to help but i have to get the cam belt done at the same time so i am going to get the two done together
There is no real damage that can be done - and as its normal there are things that can be done i for example
I like to have 6 month oil changes as well as:
Try to avoid short journeys, and let the car warm up before i call for heat from the heaters
Appenrently you can block half the rad of with some plastic or cardboard, but i dont fancy doing that and have avoided it for now
Edited by redviper on 12/02/2009 at 16:08
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Left well alone for the reasons discussed here and a few other reasons such as bad first impressions (it takes me 30 seconds to decide on a car, if after the 30 seconds I like it I am disapointed if I find anything wrong with it).
The positive thing that come out today is that an Astra is now high up on my 'want' list as they are good value for the money.
With the vauxhall over cooling issue would it not be using too much fuel if the engine is overcooled?
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I would not let the over cooling issue put you off, i dont think that it uses that much more fuel as its not crossly to cool, the engine gets warmed up eventually (albiet just (on mine)) I think i may need a replacment thermostat becasue it opens far to early and stays open as a result the engine (in this weather) barley gets to 80c, and switch on the heaters and it just about comes out of the "cold zone"
ive heard that you can get replacement thermos that open later on, if this is the case and you want to go down that route - then when its cambelt change time consider getting it done .
In the summer months mine happily runs at 80c so not to much of a issue.
Regular oil changes/servicing and you might find it a reliable work horse,
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Thermostats fail on these cars, and open too soon. To replace them, you should also fit a new cam belt, and water pump while you're there. The parts aren't expensive, and the job is simple, needing no special tools and even less skill.
Thermostat failure is not a big enough reason to put anyone off owning one of these cars - consider it a minor irritation.
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Rattle, a friend sold his excellent condition boring-burgundy 1.6 8v 51 plate 5 door LS with 60k miles for 1300 privately in December. So there should be something much better than this ex-police car out there for you.
FWIW my dad ran a 1.6 8v LS on a 2000 W for 5 yrs and it cost peanuts to service and maintain. Cambelt needed doing at 40k miles but not a massively expensive job.
I would have thought an Astra G was a good choice - I was tempted by my friend's as a cheap runaround, such good value it did it seem!
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Thanks there isn't anything with any history on the private market I can do at the moment but I am sure there will be soon. £1300 is a very very good price but it depends if it had history and MOT etc. I would rather spend £1600 on one which had an MOT and history rather than get one at the cheapest end of the market.
I have decided against the police car :). There are better cars around.
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Police cars can have some more unusual problems. We had Minis, 850s for pandas and 1275S's on the road patrol. Most of them suffered at the end with two holes in the floor where the driver's heels had worn it away with 24HR use. Probably better underlay in carpets now !
Ted
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Off topic again but I have seen a 52 reg Focus with 122k on the clock, 2 previous owners but full service history. Its £2k, the milleage is really really putting me off, am I right in thinking even if its motorway miles at that milleage the steering, suspension and gearbox will likely to fail fairly soon?
Would a 122k 52 reg one last longer than a 2000 one with half that milleage? I don;t think I will go and see this car unless I am missing something it is just a general query rather than starting a new thread to ask it. What ever I buy I plan to hand it down to my dad to replace his R reg Fiestas as realisticaly its only got another 18 months life left in it.
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Ex police cars - need some quick advice - neighbour over the road is a copper at the sharp end and he was showing me his company vehicle not long ago -a Focus.
Thrashed mercilessly, bumped up and down kerbs, back seat was filthy, has to be mucked out regularly from transporting lowlives to the station, back seat regularly covered in various fluids of all types, you can imagine. I think there are better buys!
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I think there are better buys!
you forgot the:
- regularly thrashed from cold as a norm,
- strange additions to the wiring that any faults will be hard to sort out
- driven through water, fields, up kerbs, used as battering ram, etc
- ill fitting panels where they're replaced so often
- non standard parts e.g. brakes (which will make replacement less than straightforward)
it wouldn't be for me, that's for sure
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"need some quick advice" ...........
Buy in haste, repent at leisure!
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....ex-police cars...not for me....
Unless you can get that nice large Peugeot which was used to chauffeur the chief around.
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> Unless you can get that nice large Peugeot which was used to chauffeur the chiefaround.
Jag down here!
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I suppose I must have just been lucky with mine, then... 36k miles and no probs...
How many of you that are slagging them off have actually owned one? And if so what are your experiences?... seems just like hearsay to me...
Edited by b308 on 13/02/2009 at 09:05
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seems just like hearsay to me...
there's nothing hearsay about my post above...it's absolute fact seen with my own eyes. I drive the things and check a log book when (rather than if) there's more damage on it.
Fair enough a new owner might well have the thing soldier on for quite a while.. and modern cars are seemingly quite robust....it's just that i'd rather have something that had been looked after a bit more than that
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WP, I see where you and others are coming from, but if you look around at the standards of driving generally, I'm not convinced buying an "ordinary" car is any better, especially when you know that servicing and repairs are carried out on police cars, unlike many privately ownned cars... I suspect many private cars are nowhere near as well looked after...
That garage I mentioned has been going for many years, if ex police cars were as bad as some make out then they'd have folded... they haven't, which indicates to me that a decent ex police car is no better or worse than any other s/h car... and I still have seen no evidence to the contrary... one thing I would say, though, is that I'd buy one from a garage that specialises in them rather than one which has the odd one, the specialist knows what they are looking for and has a reputation to keep up and the cars they sell I suspect are going to be the better ones...
Edited by b308 on 13/02/2009 at 09:33
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That garage I mentioned has been going for many years if ex police cars were as bad as some make out then they'd have folded... they haven't which indicates to me that a decent ex police car is no better or worse than any other s/h car...
the only reason people buy them is they're cheap, everything has a value of some sort
if you buy an ex driving school one, it will have been thrapped all its' life, but looked after too...
if you buy an unmarked that was used by senior staff (or similar) you might well get a worthwhile bargain
if you buy an ex marked one, it will be a total heap of junk and you'd be mad to buy it.. for the reasons I stated above
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WP, all you have done is prove my point, there are good and bad ones, just like there are good and bad of any car, but if chosen wisely they are just as good a buy as any other car...
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"buy in haste, repent at leisure"....
I don't think anyone could accuse Rattle (or Tawse for that matter) of buying in haste! :)
In general terms though it's interesting to see the different approaches to risk. And it makes good reading.
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Ive never bought a police car so I cannot advise on that subject
But i do own a Astra G - and Rattle, please dont be put of with the thermo issue as Number Cruncher said prev, consider it a minor irratation, i really wasnt trying to put you off, just trying to adsvise you on what to expect
Ive had two other Vauxhalls in the past both i took to considerably high milages so I have great confidence in their engines.
Edited by redviper on 13/02/2009 at 09:27
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...Jag down here...
Pleased to hear it - British, or about as British as you can get, and much more classy than a Peugeot.
Edited by ifithelps on 13/02/2009 at 09:44
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I am forever amazed at people who come up asking how to buy an ex panda. You would have to be mad no one abuses a car like police and cid are no better than response. Smashed bashed and beaten fixed at great expense and bashed again.
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