What’s it like to live with?
My first car was an inherited Astra and in a freak mechanical failure it nearly killed me. Even though I have a lot of emotional attachment to the mark I thought I had moved on from my Astra days. It turns out they have moved on from me.
From the moment you close the door on a current-shape Astra you realise the game has moved on. The door clunks shut with a German authority. The seats (in the test car, they were sport seats) are firm and strong. The steering wheel and gearshift feel just right and almost all the controls are pleasant to use. The Satellite navigation is intuitive and easy to grasp. The radio and CD player likewise.
With the roof that comes down at the touch of a button this is a desirable and satisfying car to own.
Which one to buy
Because they are perceived to be noisey and smelly people don’t really buy diesel cabriolets. Which is why there are lots of petrol Astra Twin-Tops to choose from on the used market but few diesels.
The Vauxhall diesels are actually quiet, clean and because Vauxhall build quality is so good now, hardly noticeable when you drive. But, crucially, the diesel engines in the cabriolets on 3 and 4 year old cars are around 10,000 miles less on average than in the Astra hatchbacks and offer 47 mpg – 7 mpg better than a 1.6 petrol and 10 mpg better than the 1.8 petrol.
How much to pay
Prices can be up to £1,000 more for the diesels over petrol, but its not often that you get a diesel with mileage as low as petrol for such a small premium. Plus, if you haggle you can get that £1,000 premium knocked off. So that’s our pick if you don’t want performance.
If you do see yourself heading briskly down country-lanes, then you need the 1.8 petrol. In which case you are looking at prices between £9,500 and £11,500 for cars with mileage of 15,000 on average. Diesls will be 10,000 miles more, but that’s still 10,000 less than in hatchbacks and estates.
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What to check:
1. EGR Valves
During the test-drive check that the car runs smoothly, without hesitation. If the car is suffering from poor running, the EGR valves are often the problem. Have a garage investigate the problem. The car usually needs a software upgrade. Budget £50+.
2. Clutch
Ensure the car has not been used recently, so it is ‘cold.’ As you let the clutch out, feel for judder. If the car judders as you pull away, the clutch probably needs replacing. This was a ‘known issue’ on early models and is sometimes covered by warranty.