Test drive Opel Astra Sedan 1998 - 2008 Sedan

Opel Astra N-Joy 1.8

Astra is a car that time is not powerful. He was, and remained Olesham. Semi -annual editorial trials showed that there is nothing wrong with this, no matter how much the witty practices
This report about Opel Astra is the last. The car must be given to the owners. It's a pity. For six months and 14,350 km, Astra honestly responded to the formula of the village and went.
Astra’s operating experience is interesting because this machine is one of the most popular on our inilers. In a decent configuration, Astra costs in the range of $ 15,000 and is a direct competitor to the Russian Ford Focus, which, in turn, poses a threat to top models of the Russian automotive industry. But let all the flowers bloom: from this they become only cheaper.
The last month before parting with Astra, November, made it possible to try the car in real winter conditions. Astra did not disappoint here.
So, the final features to the portrait of Opel Astra N-Joy.
+/- In advance, two weeks before snow fell in commodity, we changed the rubber: we put Gislaved NordFrost II on the service. Dry asphalt did not deliver much pleasure. The rubber is noisy, and the trunk of the wheels, with full pressing on the gas pedal, occurred even at a speed of 60 km/h - at the second, however, transmission. The superiority of others managed to feel when snowfall collapsed to Moscow and the region. On the suburban tracks, the cars were dragged by a goose, one after another, for tens of kilometers, and here the standard ABS function for the N-Joy is useful: when braking, the car did not seek to stand across the road. In the city from the traffic light, Astra made almost everyone, including much more powerful and prestigious rear -wheel drive German sedans. And with most front -wheel drive rivals, Astra dealt thanks to toothy rubber (it is really good in ice and snow) and the powerful one - relative to its own weight of the car - 1.8 liter motor. By the way, with this Astra engine, Traction Control is equipped with a traction control system. She tracks - with a delay in the limits of a second - slipping of the front wheels. Before the snow fell, the system did not make itself felt. It interferes with the control process only in severe cases: it brakes the masking wheel and strangles the engine - no matter how much you trample the gas pedal, the motor, unwinding to 2500 rpm. Will increase the speeds exactly as much as the electronics allows. Unfortunately, it is difficult to unequivocally answer whether the traction control is always useful: the electronic assistant works constantly - it cannot be turned off. This is at least strange, given that most modern cars are disconnected even by ESP (a course of course stabilization), despite the fact that it seriously changes the behavior of the car on the road.
- The season flying from under the wheels of dirt revealed another minor drawback: the contents of the washer tank, which contains only 2.3 liters of liquid, goes very quickly. The use of the washer of the fifth door, of course, only increases the consumption. A large tank-4.5-liter-is put only on cars with the washer of the headlights, and, by the evil will of the designer, the washer washer is paired with heated front seats. Rather, together with heating you will receive a headlight washer. Together, this is called a winter package and costs $ 410.
+ Astra is good in that, being one of the relatively inexpensive cars, it can be made under your order. Here is the price of some options that are not included in the basic configuration of N-Joy. Passenger airbag-$ 185, climate control-$ 450 (there is a default air conditioner in N-Joy), rear windows-$ 255, alarm with a factory installation-$ 275, ESP system (only for 1.8 l engines)--- - $ 500, an electric hatch - $ 795, xenon headlights - $ 800. The order is executed within 80 days after making a 30 percent prepayment.
+/- This is not particularly advertised, but Astra 2003 of the model year has risen in price. Consider yourself. The recommended dealer price of our car was $ 14,710. Today it costs $ 14,990. The difference is $ 280. But that's not all. In this fall, the color of metallic is considered an additional option, now they take $ 250 for it, and given that only two metallics for Astra, only white and blue, and they almost do not come from the factory, we can assume that our Astra has risen in price to all $ 530. A trifle, but unpleasant. It is partly pleasing that Astra with the sedan is now standing like a hatchback, while before it was $ 400 more expensive. It turns out that the sedans rose minimally. There is a special meaning to the sedan: after all, his trunk is significantly larger (460 liters against 370 l), and the car itself is 14 cm longer. It only upsets that the sedan does not have a janitor on the rear window-in winter it is great Helps improve the review. You get used to good.
And finally about the price. During the model year, Opel corrects prices, and there is hope that the successes of the main competitor Astra - the Russian Ford Focus - will force General Motors to move in money.
+/- Astra N-Joy in 2003 has its own distinctive features: slightly darkened headlights and rear lights, a chrome ring on a lever of a mechanical gearbox and stained in the color of the door of the door handle. The practicality of the last solution is doubtful: any part painted in the color of the body is additional costs in repair.
- In winter, it becomes closer in parking lots, you have to climb on the sidewalk. At the congress from the curb, one of the details of the Russian specification - the rear plastic mudguards makes itself felt, they are crushed with a characteristic sound. There is nothing wrong with this, but I wonder how long they can withstand? In any case, mudguards are inexpensive - $ 15.7 per pair, complete with fasteners.
+/- bad is forgotten over time, good remains. The general sensations from Astra were good. There are two more or less significant shortcomings. The first is a limited reversing review (a distinctive feature of many modern machines), the second is a low location of the pedals, but this deficiency irritates only on the long journey and only owners of large shoes.
Repair of the car was required twice. Once to eliminate the creak of the fifth door-it was only necessary to adjust the rubber pillows; And the second - to replace the candles, they were finished off by domestic gasoline. Everybody.
With a frightening declared oil consumption - up to 600 grams per 1000 kilometers - the real one turned out to be simply invisible. As much as it was, so many oils remained. The BMW and Audi editorial test for the same mileage managed to get hooked on a fat.
+ We cannot, relying on our own experience, say what impressions Opel Astra leaves for three years of ownership. However, six months later, to the question: do you recommend such a car? - We will honestly answer: yes.
Text and photo Sergey Sherestnikov

Costs (May 28 - November 11)
Annual insurance (including G) $ 860
A set of rugs $ 21
Auto -signaling $ 275
PHILIPS $ 199
Set of candles with a replacement of $ 32
Gislaved rubber set $ 357
Tire admontent work $ 20
Moika $ 135
Washing liquid $ 15
Total $ 2499

 

A source: "Autopilot"