Vauxhall Astra 1.3CDTI Ecoflex Sports Tourer
Discussion
Hi all some advice please,
Looking at a car today , astra estate 1.3 cdti sports tourer. Recently got a new job that’s a 28 mile journey each way, not motorway , mainly normal roads.
So it’s a 56/57 mile round trip journey.
Will this car be up to it or is the engine too small? I currently have a hatchback Astra , 1.4 petrol.
Also will the fuel costs be lower overall? Main concern is the engine being powerful enough to cope with the mileage ( approximately 15 k per year).
Looking at a car today , astra estate 1.3 cdti sports tourer. Recently got a new job that’s a 28 mile journey each way, not motorway , mainly normal roads.
So it’s a 56/57 mile round trip journey.
Will this car be up to it or is the engine too small? I currently have a hatchback Astra , 1.4 petrol.
Also will the fuel costs be lower overall? Main concern is the engine being powerful enough to cope with the mileage ( approximately 15 k per year).
Mrs TWSD had one for a few years. Pretty gutless, as expected, but surprisingly good at motorway speeds. Very frugal on fuel as it only seemed to sip diesel. ULEZ did for it in the end, as it isnt EURO6. It did throw up a couple of spicy bills in ownership. One was a failed injector, which couldnt be removed, as it was stuck in the head. The other was the gearbox needed replacing.
The 1.3cdti can throw some pretty impressive bills your way, and probably will when it requires replacement injectors, surely your petrol 1.4 will get over 50mpg on motorway journeys?
We had the same engine in a Corsa and it felt lacklustre and underpowered in that, an Astra is significantly heavier.
We had the same engine in a Corsa and it felt lacklustre and underpowered in that, an Astra is significantly heavier.
Edited by Jazoli on Saturday 11th May 10:18
I wouldn't change from am old car you know to a different old car you don't with a more complex engine just to get better fuel economy.
You'd probably get close to 60mpg out of the diesel on the motorway but the petrol will do about 45mpg on the same journey. With diesel costing more than petrol, the savings won't be that huge compared to the risk of buying a car that someone else may have moved on because it was problematic or had a big bill coming up.
Underpowered diesels like this 1.3 and also the 1.2 diesel in various VWs are actually OK for motorway use. Its on country roads when you really find their limitations.
If your current car needs replacing this would be a satisfactory car for that use, but not without a few reliability risks. The GM diesels of that era (actually Fiat engines I think) don't have the best reputation for reliability. The earlier Isusu 1.7DTI and 1.9DTI were the most robust diesel engines in Vauxhalls, but they were very agricultural and not used for the best part of 20 years now.
You'd probably get close to 60mpg out of the diesel on the motorway but the petrol will do about 45mpg on the same journey. With diesel costing more than petrol, the savings won't be that huge compared to the risk of buying a car that someone else may have moved on because it was problematic or had a big bill coming up.
Underpowered diesels like this 1.3 and also the 1.2 diesel in various VWs are actually OK for motorway use. Its on country roads when you really find their limitations.
If your current car needs replacing this would be a satisfactory car for that use, but not without a few reliability risks. The GM diesels of that era (actually Fiat engines I think) don't have the best reputation for reliability. The earlier Isusu 1.7DTI and 1.9DTI were the most robust diesel engines in Vauxhalls, but they were very agricultural and not used for the best part of 20 years now.
At just 28 miles each way I would stick with what you have, a diesel will take almost half that distance on normal roads to get to normal running temp where it will return a decent mpg, before that it wll be no better than an economic petrol car especially as there is no motorway driving involved
Your current 1.4 Astra is probably the better engine, definitely more simpler anyway and dare I say it more reliable on paper....
With petrol prices favouring unleaded at the moment, there isn't much in it economy wise these days, I do nearly 20k a year in an old 1.8 petrol Vauxhall, often think to change to diesel but it makes no economic sense what so ever, so I am keeping hold of the simpler unit for now and sucking up the loss of overtaking torque on the motorway.
With petrol prices favouring unleaded at the moment, there isn't much in it economy wise these days, I do nearly 20k a year in an old 1.8 petrol Vauxhall, often think to change to diesel but it makes no economic sense what so ever, so I am keeping hold of the simpler unit for now and sucking up the loss of overtaking torque on the motorway.
I used to drive the 1.3 and 1.7 CDTi Astra H's at work. The 1.7 was alright, the 1.3 was absolute crap. The biggest issue was the reliability, as they invariably tended to suffer with failing alternators, cracked exhaust manifolds and injector issues. The gearboxes must have been very weak as they all started to suffer with a rumbling bearing noise as the miles wore on. The 1.7 Isuzu engine, running through a five speed gearbox, was far more robust.
Just keep what you have.
Just keep what you have.
Thanks for your replies. Appreciate the advice. Just to throw a spanner into the works , I’ve seen today a Vauxhall Astra estate , 17 reg 1.6 Diesel.
It’s priced at just under 5k from an independent garage. Mileage just over 100k.
Should I be suspicious that an independent dealer is selling a 17 plate Astra, rather than a main delaer ?
Could there be problems ahead? The independent dealer told me all their cars come with 3 months warranty as standard, with the option of paying to extend the warranty for up to 12 months.
It’s priced at just under 5k from an independent garage. Mileage just over 100k.
Should I be suspicious that an independent dealer is selling a 17 plate Astra, rather than a main delaer ?
Could there be problems ahead? The independent dealer told me all their cars come with 3 months warranty as standard, with the option of paying to extend the warranty for up to 12 months.
We have a 2012 astra j 1.7cdti (ok it's a Chevrolet cruze but it's the same car)
100k ISH miles
£1800 for a dmf and clutch (Mr clutch)
£60 for glow plugs (DIY)
£60 and 3 hours faff - gluing a plastic plastic cog into the throttle body after the old one stripped itself
Now sat on sorn whilst I decide what to do about a fuel pressure sensor gremlin that switches the engine off - not very helpful on a smart motorway.
Wish I had got the petrol one, but the cdti is punchy enough to drive (for a generic car).
100k ISH miles
£1800 for a dmf and clutch (Mr clutch)
£60 for glow plugs (DIY)
£60 and 3 hours faff - gluing a plastic plastic cog into the throttle body after the old one stripped itself
Now sat on sorn whilst I decide what to do about a fuel pressure sensor gremlin that switches the engine off - not very helpful on a smart motorway.
Wish I had got the petrol one, but the cdti is punchy enough to drive (for a generic car).
Rogerout said:
Thanks for your replies. Appreciate the advice. Just to throw a spanner into the works , I’ve seen today a Vauxhall Astra estate , 17 reg 1.6 Diesel.
It’s priced at just under 5k from an independent garage. Mileage just over 100k.
Should I be suspicious that an independent dealer is selling a 17 plate Astra, rather than a main delaer ?
Could there be problems ahead? The independent dealer told me all their cars come with 3 months warranty as standard, with the option of paying to extend the warranty for up to 12 months.
A couple of guys at work had a 1.6 17 plate diesel Astra and had clutch issues.It’s priced at just under 5k from an independent garage. Mileage just over 100k.
Should I be suspicious that an independent dealer is selling a 17 plate Astra, rather than a main delaer ?
Could there be problems ahead? The independent dealer told me all their cars come with 3 months warranty as standard, with the option of paying to extend the warranty for up to 12 months.
One car the peddle would go to the floor occasionally.
Other car had flywheel and cam chain issues so lease company took it off him and sold it through auction.
I wouldn’t touch that era Astra.
Rogerout said:
Thanks for your replies. Appreciate the advice. Just to throw a spanner into the works , I’ve seen today a Vauxhall Astra estate , 17 reg 1.6 Diesel.
It’s priced at just under 5k from an independent garage. Mileage just over 100k.
Should I be suspicious that an independent dealer is selling a 17 plate Astra, rather than a main delaer ?
Could there be problems ahead? The independent dealer told me all their cars come with 3 months warranty as standard, with the option of paying to extend the warranty for up to 12 months.
No main dealer would sell a 7 year old 100k+ astra so no you shouldn't worry about that but if you want cheap to run reliable transport I wouldn't be looking at astras.It’s priced at just under 5k from an independent garage. Mileage just over 100k.
Should I be suspicious that an independent dealer is selling a 17 plate Astra, rather than a main delaer ?
Could there be problems ahead? The independent dealer told me all their cars come with 3 months warranty as standard, with the option of paying to extend the warranty for up to 12 months.
blue_haddock said:
No main dealer would sell a 7 year old 100k+ astra so no you shouldn't worry about that but if you want cheap to run reliable transport I wouldn't be looking at astras.
Not wrong with the petrol N/A Astra's, pretty much cockroach cars by all accounts, not sure on the newer petrol turbo ones, maybe not the diesel ones either but probably no different to any other cars, seems to be plenty about cracking on.7 5 7 said:
Not wrong with the petrol N/A Astra's, pretty much cockroach cars by all accounts, not sure on the newer petrol turbo ones, maybe not the diesel ones either but probably no different to any other cars, seems to be plenty about cracking on.
My missus has a 2010 astra 1.4 petrol and it's crap, it needed a head gasket, head skim and timing chain not too long after she got it and from a bit of research it's pretty common.Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff