SRi 1.9 CDTi 16v (150ps) 5dr Hatchback

Fantastic car to drive and reliable 9yrs & 65.000m

Update Dec 21: I have now owned this car for over 10years now, still just as reliable and covered 122.000 miles now, only replaced battery with a heavy duty Varta, a noisy front bearing so replaced both sides, this is the only cost in the last 40,000 miles! Still looks new see updated photo from the summer.

I really like this car, it has the XP pack so it has all the spoilers and reflective silver alloys so looks great, car has been very reliable to date, the only problem is the gear box but I knew about this when I bought the car, you must catch the problem if you have a whine or any flick on the gear stick or it will destroy itself, mine cost £350 to replace all the bearings and is as good as new (70.000) now 100.000miles and still perfect, egr’s are now cheap so just replace it if it goes wrong most cars do anyway not just VX, mine is still the original, swirl bar £10 fix if it falls off, I found the Sri has soppy suspension so changed it for Eibach pro springs years ago much better stability and handling, I would only recommend buying one if it has been well looked after and serviced every 10.000miles or you will get huge repair bills.
Power brakes are insane, fantastic grip, tuned to 220bhp and wow it is fast, returns 49mpg
They drive very well and handle just as well, the interior – seats are some of the best I have sat in very comfortable and with lumber great on the back, better to sit in than the Astra J seats, nothing feels cheap in the cabin all is well made and feels that way, except the lighter cover….why? The spring fails and it flaps about now, no major issue but annoying.
Annoying things Vauxhall missed:
Side skirts fill with water no drain holes drill the corners to drain the water, they will freeze causing the plastic to split, rust under the wing mirrors from rubbing? Same on the side skirts if they are not firmly stuck grit gets into the join, switch in the boot lock causes boot light to flicker, never have found and fixed the problem.
Vauxhall well known problems they chose to ignore:
Condenser rad rots away at bottom , changed mine at 18months old @36.000miles really!
M32 Gearbox issue with bearings failure, they will all fail no if or buts one of the biggest cockups in motoring history and they still use the M32 gearbox now!!! Catch early not a problem but leave it and disaster……….
M32 fitted to all Astra 1.9 , 1.7 diesel, 2.0 petrol, 1.6T, 1.4, 1.3 petrol/Astra J 1.6 and Turbo, 1.4 and Turbo / D Corsa 1.6T, 1.3, E1.4T, 1.6T, some Vectra C but most had the F40, Insignia 1.4T, 1.8, 1.6T, Meriva, Mokka, Zafira, Fiat Punto/Brava/Mito 1.4T, 1.6D, 1.9D, Fiat 500 Arbath 1.4T, Alfa 147, 159, Brera and Lotus Europa.
All Astra J/Insignia 2.0D and 2.0 Turbo are fitted with the F40, one thing they got right.

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