My very first car was a Renault Clio and after a crash on Valentines Day 2005 (which completely wrote it off (oops) and I couldn't believe I had to pay £50 to get them to scrap my little baby! (grr)
Because I needed a car to get to work, the search began almost instantly to find another car. I had driven an Astra before and really liked them, I thought they were quite compact but big enough to fit people in without being packed in like sardines.
I know I didn't want the bog standard Astra, so I went on the Vauxhall website and started to look at what they had to offer.
I'm not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to cars and engines etc and was a bit lost as to what spec I wanted and what kind of engine, so was only really bothered about how it looked (typical girl?)
This is where the Astra SXi wins hands down; it's a pretty good looking car, the exterior spec as follows:
~ Exterior ~
Dark-style headlights and taillights - this basically means they looks tinted, which against silver looks really nice and also in black is very sxiii
Body-colour bumpers,
door mirrors and door handles - everything on the Astra SXi is colour coded which really makes a difference, it makes it look a lot smarter, than the black plastic bumpers.
16-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels - alloys are much nicer looking, but also prone to getting scratched, the good thing about the standard wheels with the plastic hub caps is that you can replace these if they get badly curbed or damaged, with alloys however once they are curbed you would have to spend around £50 per tyre to get this refurbished (so be careful when parking)
~ Colour ~
Now on the forecourt of the Vauxhall garage in Benson (Oxford), were all silver, but the Astra SXi came in the following colours:
Solid: Flame Red Two-coat metallic: Star silver (the lightest of the silvers), Silver lightning and Prestige blue Two-coat pearlescent: Black
~ Interior ~
Now the interior is nice, it matches with the exterior colour and styling and has been given a sportier look, here is the spec:
- Twin internally adjustable door mirrors - Aluminium-effect centre console -Aluminium-effect gear knob -Chrome handbrake button -Courtesy light operated by rear door switches -Rear reading light -Air conditioning -Rear passenger compartment heating ducts -Sports front seats -Drivers seat height adjuster -Front passenger seat height adjuster -Rear seat fold-down centre armrest with load-through facility -White sports instruments with aluminium edging -Steering column adjustable for reach and rake -Leather-covered three spoke steering wheel -CDR 500 stereo radio/compact disc player -Steering wheel mounted audio controls -Locking wheel bolts for alloy wheels -Sports suspension
This all sounds a bit silvery but it really is nice inside, it's a sporty look without paying major money.
~ Safety features ~
Now (touch wood) I haven't had an accident in my Astra, I've had a few bumps with lamppost and walls, but nothing major! But it's always handy to see what the car has got to protect you if you ever shall need it:
Anti-lock braking system (ABS) Drivers and passenger airbags Front seatbelt force limiters Three lap and diagonal rear seatbelts Remote control central deadlocking - this is a nice feature, if you press your remote control key once, it locks the car, press it again and the car deadlocks. Electronic engine deadlock immobiliser Locking wheel bolts - (don't lose the key for these as you need it when you get your tyres changed!)
~ Engine ~
Now this is the complicated part!
I have 1.6i 16v ECOTEC-4 twinport petrol (1598cc), which means:
Max power: 103PS (76 KW) @ 6000 rpm Max torque: 147Nm (108 lb. ft) @ 3600 rpm Emissions: Euro 4 emission compliant
Max speed: 117 mph (which of course I've never done….) 0.60 mph in 10.5 seconds
~ The ride ~
The Astra is extremely comfortable the seats have lumber support and the headrest is adjustable so when you are sat in traffic (bored) there is somewhere to rest you head! The steering wheel is a nice size not too skinny and not too big, the horn is on both sides of the wheel for easy access. (In my Clio the horn was on the indicator stick, which was a phaff to get to.) Because there is sport suspension, it's really smooth to drive and you don't feel all the bumps and cracks in the road, which is nice. The Astra is also really nice to park, its quite nippy and can get in quite small spaces.
~ Space ~
I rarely sit in the back, (as I rarely let anyone else drive) but on the occasion that I have it is really comfortable in the back, because I have a five door as well, its more "family friendly" so when I take out my nieces or friends etc, getting in and out of the back is not a problem or hassle.
The boot has masses of space, to fit, shopping, pushchairs, TVs and dogs! The boot shelf is really simple to take out and put back in as well.
~ Problems ~
I haven't had any major problems with mine, the headlight switch wasn't working properly but this was fixed under my warranty, so wasn't costly. I do a lot of miles (60 per day) and it copes really well with this, in heavy traffic as well. I've had regular services and no problems have come up from them, recently had my cambelt done as it's over 40,000 miles now (Recommend you get this done as soon as its due as if this goes then could cost up to £1000 in engine repairs).
~ Fuel Consumption ~
Now i do alot of miles and a full tank lasts me about a week, going to and from work, which is a 60 mile round trip. As petrol prices are quite high at the moment, this works out at £45 per week at £1.01 per litre. Which works out around 30 mpg.
~ Insurance ~
Insurance Group 5, pretty reasonable if you keep it standard, the Astra is a popular car to add expense too.
~ Price ~
I purchased my 5 door, silver Sxi 1.6 16v Twinport (with 17,500 miles on clock) for £6500) in 2005.
~ Conclusion ~
Overall I really love my Astra SXi, it's a really popular car and there are a lot of them about, so it has sometimes been critised for being too common, but surely that's a good thing, must be a good car!
Nowadays you can pick up a good quality Astra SXi for under £5000, because there are so popular they are readily available and there is always the Mark IV version available, which means when you come to sell, you are more likely to get interest.
I haven't done a lot to mine since I brought it (I did put a spoiler on it a few weeks after). I pretty much like it how it is, once it's had a good wash it looks brand new!
Overall I have no complaints about the Astra SXi it really is a fun car to drive, gets up to speed quickly and is nippy on round abouts. It's safe and comfortable and very reliable. Apparently Lotus had a hand in the chassis development so that can't be bad!
The new Astra is also very yummy, so I have a feeling I might be sticking with Vauxhalls for a bit, until I make my millions!!
~ Websites ~
Vauxhalls main website, gives you the low-down on the new models, but if you search Vauxhall then where you live, there should always be a local Vauxhall dealer near you, where you can see what they have on there forecourt at present
http://www.astraownersclub.com/
This website is a forum, which you can register with to get into contact with Vauxhall enthusiasts. Not just for the Astra Sxi but for different specs.
This is also great to go onto if you are looking to modify your car, it has great tips and user guides on how to do the basics, there are also a lot of experienced modifiers on there who are happy to give advice and answer any questions.
I haven't been on there for a while, but the site has been updated and is really easy to navigate.
~ Thanks for reading ~
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