2002 Vauxhall Astra SXi 1.8 16v from UK and Ireland
Summary:
An excellent performer apart from the rear brakes.
Faults:
Front passenger seat trim missing from around seat belt anchorage. The dealership could not understand how the car passed pre-delivery inspection. This trim was ordered and fitted 7 days later- free of charge.
Rear disc brakes are making a low frequency rubbing noise when driving forward and cornering at low to moderate speeds without application of the brakes. The sound also appears to be louder when reversing. Firstly at a mileage of 155 the dealer adjusted the hand brake cable and stated that the handbrake return springs need replacing, as this was a fix available from the manufacturer. Only problem is that the springs are not available yet. This noise was still apparent and at 205 miles I took the car back to the dealer. They placed the car on the ramps inspected the rear brakes, then removed the disk pads to groove and feather them. This cured the noise temporarily, but it returned 50 miles later. The car was returned to dealer at 439 miles and they stated that new return springs were on order. The car has now completed 900 miles and the noise is still there, I am still waiting to have the new springs fitted.
General Comments:
The car is an excellent runner with high performance and low insurance.
The road handling is excellent, and the Michelin tyres on the 16inch alloys give it a very crisp and responsive feel. It is very sure-footed even on wet roads.
The interior is very comfortable and fairly appealing to the eye.
Does any body else have brake problems with the rear disc brakes? is there a permanent fix yet!.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 12th August, 2002
31st Aug 2002, 03:52
I have just taken ownership of my new SXI. It is only a 1.6 16V, but I think it is a fantastic car. I have driven a wide number of cars in this are including the Vectra, Focus, Civic etc and I still think the Astra is one of the most enjoyable drives yet.
While it may not be a Mercedes Benz inside I still think that it has an appealing interior which is very comfortable. I find that the support from the drivers seat is fantastic and with the audio controls being so close at hand it just adds to my driving enjoyment.
As for the breaking noise from the rear disc's, I am not sure about this one. I have disc's front and drums rear. This, if anything, is the only disappointing part of the whole car to me.
I have also recently upgraded my stereo, as the standard tape unit is not the best. It is worth considering what type of head unit you are going to buy if you want to do this. I purchased a SONY head unit, which has a remote feed. I special wiring cable (additional purchase) has now allowed me to use the steering wheel remotes through the head unit.
Overall, I think that the ASTRA M4 is a great car and one that you would be hard pushed to beat on value for money and driver satisfaction.