2002 Holden Astra Coupe from Australia and New Zealand
Summary:
Good, but apparently easier to service a Toyota
Faults:
The car was maintained and faultless for 9 years. Eventual problem was, it was difficult for mechanics to find an electrical fault. The car would start, then unexpectedly, would shudder violently, lose power steering, had no power, seemed to affect the brakes, could not get up any speed at all. Extremely dangerous.
Called NRMA and had it taken to nearest approved mechanic. He diagnosed (on a diagnostic machine) 'clearly the alternator'. I told him I had been told by a Holden service centre that it was the computer going, but he was definite it was the alternator. After a repair of $680.00, I drove the car home. Next day, just on the freeway, the exact same thing happened. Rang him and he said, "Oh it was definitely the alternator" & didn't want to know me. Couldn't drive the car, didn't want to take it back to someone who couldn't fix it to last even for one day, so after approaching the mechanic who said he could fix it, but it would be another problem in addition to the original, I had no choice and sold it for next to nothing. I have been told the electrics are hard to diagnose. Why?
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 16th January, 2013
16th Jan 2013, 15:30
So all you did in this review was complain about one fault, which happened after 9 years and 140000km of trouble free motoring, and blamed the car for not being able to find the fault due to poor mechanics. Try and include details about the actual car itself, and how it drove, features, comfort, room etc.
16th Jan 2013, 15:34
Are you sure it wasn't an issue with the accessory (fan) belt, such as slippage? By the sounds of things like losing power steering, that could have been playing up
16th Jan 2013, 12:32
Try replacing something smaller - an engine control relay. I had that happen to an older car of mine, a 13-year old Audi, and it would start running as if it was gasping for fuel. The car electrician found a relay that had a hairpin crack in the solder. Electrical problems are notoriously difficult to track down in most cars - even Japanese cars can have tricky problems. Take your car to a car electrician - stop taking the car to a Holden dealer. Most people stop taking their cars to dealerships after warranty, which means when cars start giving problems with age, it's the independents who encounter them more than the franchised dealer.