Just picked up a 1999 Astra G 1.6i from a local indie with a top class reputation for £1075. That's two hundred over book price for the car in good condition according to Wisebuyer. Am I mad?
Well, let's do the maths. The car is a one owner with 62k on the clock, I can't find a mark on the bodywork, full main dealer service history with all the receipts from new, MoT till July with no advisories and a new cambelt last year at 59k. Every bill itemised, quality oil used, four Dunlops with plenty of tread as opposed to the WhoFlungDungs generally found on a motor of this age, original unused spare still in the boot, both keys and all the original manuals as supplied. I had a good look underneath and not a spot of rust anywhere. Needless to say it runs sweet as a nut, quiet, smooth and no rattles or squeaks.
Now I may well be crying in a few weeks time after something expensive decides it's had enough, but that's a risk you take with any second hand car, though the guy's given me a three month full warranty. Unless I'm unlucky I should get three years out of it at least, and I can live with £360 per annum depreciation bearing in mind the last new car I bought dropped in value by about two grand as I drove off the dealers forecourt. Plenty of similar models going for £300 and up on ebay and Auto Trader, but I've viewed so much crap with dubious history and ignorant or lying owners in the past month I've really had enough.
I dare say there are plenty of you who'll say I should have walked away and I'd have found something just as good for less, but I'm happy.
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We paid top dollar plus for our 52 plate Jazz. VERY low verifiable mileage and 99% unmarked.
So far, so good. XX fingers.
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You have paid a bit extra for a car in excellent condition by the sound of it.I think your gut feeling won't be wrong and you've got a good car for the price.
Good Luck.
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Nope, not mad at all. Given that sadly, a grand is loose change nowadays in car buying terms, it sounds like you have bagged yourself a very good, well maintained car which as you say should be an excellent medium and possibly even long term prospect by not agonising over a couple of hundred quid here or there.
Having gone with a very mainstream brand, even if it does have a problem or two in the future it shouldn't be a king's ransom to put it right.
All in all, it sounds very much like a good plan. Enjoy !
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Its worth 150 quid weighed in. So it has in effect only cost you £925.
There are lots of those type of Astras still toddling around, its a pretty well built machine longevity wise.
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Our local indie garage has an X reg one of those as a courtesy car. I borrowed it a couple of times when my old Mondeo was in for a service. Went well enough, didn't seem overly thirsty and was comfortable. Surprisingly big loadspace too with the seats folded. Decent little car I'd have thought.
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Not sure what they are like but I think you're right. I know someone that had one as a large fleet 10 years ago. They must have clocked up hundreds of thousands of miles between them. Across all the cars they had 2 trips back to the main dealer that he could remember.
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>> there are plenty of you who'll say I should have walked away and I'd have found something just as good for less
You should have walked away, you'd have found something just as good, for less.
:o)
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>>......... but I've viewed so much crap with dubious history and ignorant or lying owners in the past month I've really had enough.
>>
Your perseverance seems to have paid off, I hope it turns out to be a good 'un.
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>> >>......... but I've viewed so much crap with dubious history and ignorant or lying owners
>> in the past month I've really had enough.
>> >>
>>
>> Your perseverance seems to have paid off, I hope it turns out to be a
>> good 'un.
>>
The only trouble buying, as I do, at this end of the market is that if the car gets written off then you're unlikely to have the condition reflected in the payout and you've got to start trying to find the diamonds in the dirt again. Just been through this with SWMBO's Zafira. Year ago paid 1750 for one with full MDSH and 75K on it, just had to pay 2K for a replacement with patchy history and 100K on it :-(
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>> Just picked up a 1999 Astra G 1.6i from a local indie with a top class reputation for £1075. That's two hundred over book price for the car in good condition according to Wisebuyer. Am I mad?
A car like that, is worth what the buyer is willing to pay...
From what you have written about it, it is BETTER than 'good condition' and as such, you could easily get one in 'good condition' and after spending over £200 on it, still not have one as nice as you have!
Good luck with it - but I'm sure luck won't be needed!
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We had a very nice Mondeo Ghia estate which my wife ran around in and we'd owned from new (it had been my company car for its first year). When she bought her Jazz, the most the (apologetic) salesman could offer was £1000.
We gave the Mondeo to a friend who was going through a rough patch. Eight years on, and its still giving good reliable service.
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Condition is everything. You can pay that sort of money for one that's only fit for the scrapper.
The four proper tyres are worth the extra £200, the rest is clear upside. I'd have snapped that up.
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I paid top dollar plus - £725 was it? Part of the deal was my knackered 30,000-mile Dyane - to Godfrey Davis for my very fine Hunter-bodied Singer Vogue estate, which survived two stints of South London minicabbing in the days when you could drive like a maniac and get away with it, and several years of private use in my brutal, very heavy-footed hands (so to speak). The only thing wrong with it was that it needed an overdrive gearbox to compensate for the low-ratio back axle. The resulting constant driving at or near the red line did for the piston rings in the end, bad news because that particular engine had chromed bores... Damn good motor, good-looking too in navy blue.
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>>The four proper tyres are worth the extra £200
They're Dunlops. I'll never fit another new Dunlop to any of my cars. I believe I'm not the only one here of that opinion.
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Nice bargain by the sound. I used to have one of those, an estate, an in many ways I still miss its simplicity and straightforward design. I've always had a soft spot for Astra estates, very comfortable and practical things. I'm put off later ones by reports of woeful reliability. Never had any real bother with any of ours. If cambelt's been done properly it should have years of life in it, they're galvanised and cheap to keep going with loads in the breakers and parts everywhere.
A grand is nothing for a year or two's motoring. 3 months lease of a new Audi!
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A guy who works for us has only just recently binned a W reg Astra van which he bought new and which had nigh on 500,000 miles on it. He replaced it with a new Astra van. Quite a smart thing, I think it's called a "Sportline". Alloy wheels and so on. Apparently Vauxhall have stopped or are about to stop making them so he decided to update it while he could. He hopes to run this new one for many years to come.
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Good cars these. Had a couple as hire cars over the years. Drive nicely and very well screwed together.
A grand for a low mileage, well cared for car with a good reputation for reliability and longevity, and that you can buy parts for, or get serviced very cheaply and just about anywhere is a cracking deal if you ask me.
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Thanks all, one can never be sure if a decision over a motor is the right one but so far I'm pleased. Nice to see something that a previous owner has cherished, it has spurred me on to deciding to keep up the good work.
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I would have considered it a bargain.
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>>one can never be sure if a decision over a motor is the right one
Seems pretty unanimous that it was. Unless you're now going to break the news that it's pink or something?
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Nothing wrong with pink cars. It's pink fluffy toys that are really disgusting. I thought you were a man of taste Humph.
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>> Nothing wrong with pink cars. It's pink fluffy toys that are really disgusting. I thought
>> you were a man of taste Humph.
>>
It's pink fluffy dice which are the real pits!
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>>It's pink fluffy dice which are the real pits!>>
There is a lady nearly as old as me who drives a FIAT 500 fitted with these around my area,
www.carlashes.com/
At least the car is white.
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>> >>It's pink fluffy dice which are the real pits!>>
>>
>> There is a lady nearly as old as me who drives a FIAT 500 fitted
>> with these around my area,
>>
>> www.carlashes.com/
>>
>> At least the car is white.
>>
Jesus wept!
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>>Jesus wept!
That's right, twice actually - and both times he was looking on man's misery.
(*_*)
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>> >>Jesus wept!
>>
>> That's right, twice actually - and both times he was looking on man's misery.
>>
>> (*_*)
>>
Allegedly ;-)
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>>
>> Seems pretty unanimous that it was. Unless you're now going to break the news that
>> it's pink or something?
>>
Heaven forbid. It's a sort of bluey greyish type colour, depending which light you look at it in.
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Disappears into the twilight nicely, then :-)
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I agree - good move, Robin. What you paid for was knowledge of where the Astra has been - rare for a car of that age. Its one owner no doubt drove it considerately as well as looking after it meticulously. You can imagine the patriotic type, choosing Dunlop tyres because they're British.
And we should compliment Tigger (above) for a lovely gesture, which seems to have worked out well. Let's hope the friend got back on his/her feet successfully.
Last edited by: Avant on Sat 30 Nov 13 at 22:00
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>>Just picked up a 1999 Astra G 1.6i....
In the absence of GB, if it's still on steel brake pipes, then it's worth putting some waxoyl around the brake pipes as they emerge from the engine bay and curve under the front chassis legs, and also at the rar of the car as the brake pipes go round the fuel tank, and one crosses the car just ahead of the fuel tank. The routing of these pipes, especially that to the off side front wheel is perverse; an almost French level of perversity in fact!. Also, some waxoyl around the seams on the front chassis legs and the rear panel under the rear bumper would also be a good idea.
We've found our Astra G with the 8 valve engine has an appetite for coolant thermostats - they stick open - the symptom being that the gauge does not go up as high as it should. The only bind being that you have to remove the cambelt to get to the thermostat.
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>>
>> We've found our Astra G with the 8 valve engine has an appetite for coolant
>> thermostats - they stick open - the symptom being that the gauge does not go
>> up as high as it should. The only bind being that you have to remove
>> the cambelt to get to the thermostat.
>>
>>
>>
Thanks for those tips, NC.
The thermostat in my old Astra F did the opposite - stuck closed one day.
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Holy thread revival, Batman!
Well, after three and a half happy years the Astra went today, running ok ish but with it's already large appetite for oil increasing and an MoT and timing belt due plus the dreaded rust beginning to rear it's ugly head I thought I'd better jump before I was pushed. Same dealer as before, picked up an 02 plate Almera for £650 plus mine (He didn't really want mine but took it anyway). 64k on the clock, clean looking motor with a full years ticket and no advisories, both keys, extensive history and complete with handbook, plus three months warranty. The guy has a good reputation for looking after his customers. Drives well and the timing chain is quiet so with a bit of luck I should get at least two years out of it, by which time it will owe me nothing as was the case with the Vauxhall.
Then again it might blow up before the summer is out, but the same could happen with something five times the price, so we'll see. Collective fingers crossed please.
Last edited by: Robin O'Reliant on Sat 15 Apr 17 at 14:43
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Aren't they the ones where you're supposed to leap onto and slide across the bonnet when you get out of them? Not sure I could be doing with that.
;-)
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>> rust beginning to rear it's ugly head
Its ugly head.
>>the timing chain is quiet
Cold start first thing in the morning will be the decider.
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>> Cold start first thing in the morning will be the decider.
Stone cold when I drove it this morning, no rattles.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sun 16 Apr 17 at 02:27
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I had an Almera for nine years and liked it. Mine had ally wheels and I reckon the best handling car I ever had. Certainly better than the Focus it replaced and the Yaris I've got now. I couldn't find a 1.8 petrol at the time - they really motor.
They've a small sump capacity, less than three litres IIRC. I was aware of their alleged cam chain problems so used to change the oil and filter every 5K miles.
I believe there was also a problem of gearbox failures due to being under filled from new. Could well be worth changing the gearbox oil.
I've a CD workshop manual knocking around somewhere. If you want it get the mods to send me your address and I'll post it (if I can find it).
I've also a windscreen wiper assembly. I changed it and the fault turned out to be in the control module.
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>
>> I've a CD workshop manual knocking around somewhere. If you want it get the mods
>> to send me your address and I'll post it (if I can find it).
>>
>>
Thanks Tom, I'll do that.
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Mine was a 2005 1.8SE. I'd read somewhere about the timing chain issues and that was when I first discovered the man with the hat.
I asked him about the chains and he replied that as long as you change the oil twice a year you'll be okay.
I could hear a bit of chain rattle first thing in the morning but it never got any worse over the years.
Part exed it for a Lancer Estate :o(
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When the Almera was first out I thought it was a smart looking car and preferred it to the Rover 25s, Astras, late Escorts or early Focuses that everyone else seemed to really like.
My father in law got a second hand one and gave him several years of trouble free motoring before he passed away. At the time I was quite jealous.
They remain one of the few cars from that don't seem to have rusted to bits or become so unreliable that they are no longer on the road. I still see one or two early ones around here regularly.
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Check the front cross member under the radiator. This is known to rust out and replacement cost would be more than the car's worth. Mine started to show signs of corrosion, so at every oil change, while I was under there, I'd give it a blast of waxoyl, inside and out.
There's a useful owner's club forum.
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>> Check the front cross member under the radiator. This is known to rust out and
>> replacement cost would be more than the car's worth. Mine started to show signs of
>> corrosion, so at every oil change, while I was under there, I'd give it a
>> blast of waxoyl, inside and out.
>>
>>
>>
Cheers Tom. Read that, went out and had a look underneath, sound as a pound.
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>sound as a pound.
So a bit unpredictable and not as good as it used to be?
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>>
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>> So a bit unpredictable and not as good as it used to be?
>>
He he!
A bit battered, but still worth more than the Chilean gumbo bead, or whatever it is you have rattling round in your pocket ;-)
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Ha ha ha. Made me laugh.
And its a Peso.
And a peso is very roughly worth about the same as 1/8th of a penny. And about the size of a farthing but made of the lightest alloy ever so it rattles in much the same way as a smartie.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 17 Apr 17 at 19:21
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Paying Top Dollar Plus - Roger.
