Vauxhall Astra Sporthatch 1.6 easytronic, 57/2008 - Vehicle condition buying advice needed

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Thu 18 Mar 2010 21:20
Vauxhall Astra Sporthatch 1.6 easytronic, 57/2008 - Vehicle condition buying advice needed - rgskater

I’m looking to buy a Vauxhall Astra sporthatch 1.6 SXi easytronic in pearlescent sapphire black. 57/2008 and has done 15911 miles for sale at £7995 from a car supermarket.

After speaking to the salesman and being told the car is in superb condition and being a fair distance from the place, I decided to best get the AA to carry out a ‘comprehensive’ inspection, as I’m always wary when told things like this and I’m not great when it comes to cars.

The report came back advising that the car has minor stone chipping to the bonnet, front bumper and both side wings and fine surface paint scratches, the element in the 12v plug in the dash is missing and the boot floor carpet is badly stained and unlikely to come out even with professional cleaning. That there is also some corrosion to the exhaust (but doesn't stipulate where and how much) and indicates on the report as having ‘limited life’. Also noted is that the car’s brake discs have become surface corroded due to inactivity. Other than that everything reads well

Checking online guides the price seems ok using independent dealer prices but I was expecting a car in superb condition to be a bit better than this and also nothing to indicate whether this type of damage, etc, especially in regard to the paint chipping and corrosion to the exhaust and brake discs, is acceptable. It's so long since I bought a car and not one this new that I have no idea if this is all ok although the report says the car is in general acceptable/satisfactory for it age and mileage

Hunting high and low everywhere, I can't find any guides or advice as to what should be considered acceptable for a car of a particular age, especially as this car is only 2 years old. I know it might be a tall order but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Edited by Avant on 18/03/2010 at 21:40

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Mar 2010 21:40
Vauxhall Astra Sporthatch 1.6 easytronic, 57/2008 - Vehicle condition buying advice needed - Avant

Condition seems reasonable - but have you had a good long test drive in this car? I ask because I'm driving a Corsa courtesy car at the moment with the Easytronic transmission, which I can only say is the worst form of gearbox I have ever come across.

Every gearchange comes with a gut-wrenching lurch - even if you try lifting off the accelerator furing changes, or using the manual override. Step-off from rest is sluggish, and kickdown results in a hopelessly long delay (again accompanied by a lurch) before anything happens.

The Corsa has only 8,000 miles on the clock, so I assume there is no fault, and others on here have complained about semi-automatic transmissions often and vehemently.

Tastes differ, and you may think it's fine, but don't buy without trying it out.

Edited by Avant on 18/03/2010 at 21:41

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Mar 2010 22:07
Vauxhall Astra Sporthatch 1.6 easytronic, 57/2008 - Vehicle condition buying advice needed - gordonbennet
Agree with Avant about the gearbox but your choice.

The exhaust will have been like that from a couple of weeks old, possibly from delivery day, and as it's stood for a few weeks the discs will get a bit pitted with rust, it's normal.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Mar 2010 23:32
Vauxhall Astra Sporthatch 1.6 easytronic, 57/2008 - Vehicle condition buying advice needed - rgskater

Thanks for the quick replies.

I haven't test driven this particular car yet but test drove the same model last year. I definitely agree about the gear changes compared to all the conventional autos I've driven over the years. I drove it for about 1/2 hour at various speeds/different situations and found it ok to be honest. I guess time will tell over a longer period.

When I got the report from the AA the main thing that really made my heart sink was the minor stone chipping and light scratching. Considering it's 2 years old, I wasn't sure if this was normal on all 4 areas (bonnet, both wings and bumper) for a car having done this much mileage/age and if it is, is it easy to get sorted as usually these paint problems seem to cost a lot (re-spraying panels, Vauxhall dealer quoted around £1000) or don't look that great.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 19 Mar 2010 08:00
Vauxhall Astra Sporthatch 1.6 easytronic, 57/2008 - Vehicle condition buying advice needed - Victorbox

I love Vauxhalls but I'd steer clear of anything with easytronic in the spec. When they go wrong repair bills seems to be more than the value of the vehicle!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 19 Mar 2010 22:49
Vauxhall astra Sporthatch 1.6 easytronic, 57/2008 - Vehicle condition buying advice needed - Marc

I wouldn't worry about the brake discs. However, the general scruffy condition sounds worrying and like previous posters I wouldn't touch the easytonic. If you want an auto seek out a normal torque converter version.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 20 Mar 2010 10:46
Vauxhall astra Sporthatch 1.6 easytronic, 57/2008 - Vehicle condition buying advice needed - Lygonos

"Minor stone chipping" may mean a few dozen pin-head sized chips on the surface of the pain - almost inevitable if the car has lived on busy a/M roads.

Pictures or seeing for yourself would be necessary - if it's a dark colour then they may be more obvious, if silver/light probably only noticeable if you look closer for them.

Some paint finishes seem more prone to suffer little flakes to chip off which look more ugly - again, you need to see it.

The aa reports tend to show up anything that doesn't look brand new - these cosmetic features may well be things the average person wouldn't even notice.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 20 Mar 2010 13:20
Vauxhall astra Sporthatch 1.6 easytronic, 57/2008 - Vehicle condition buying advice needed - piston power

When I got the report from the aa the main thing that really made my heart sink was the minor stone chipping and light scratching. Considering it's 2 years old, I wasn't sure if this was normal on all 4 areas (bonnet, both wings and bumper) for a car having done this much mileage/age and if it is, is it easy to get sorted as usually these paint problems seem to cost a lot (re-spraying panels, Vauxhall dealer quoted around £1000) or don't look that great

I have the same car bought brand new first one and probably only one parked outside my house bad storm of 2007 a piece of slate dropped off my roof landed on the roof and just for the pleasure of it bouced onto the bonnet (found slate on both).

Got several scratches on bumper at rear due to supermarket trolleys i guess so the moral of the story even a very low mileage car can expect some paint damage it's second hand weather you can get them to do the paint repairs for you with one of these mobile firms.

as for exhaust mine is same at 27k still strong for at least 80k i hope, brakes will rust go look at a brand new car with small mileage on a forecourt, after a short drive applying brakes it will disapear.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link