13th Feb 2011, 05:40
We bought our fully optioned 2003 Astra about 12 months ago, and have had similar problems as all of the above writers. I so totally agree with the last few informed owners though, research your vehicle and pay a fraction of the cost to repair some of these issues and don't leave it till it breaks. Our mechanic replaced known issues before they happened. We fixed the ignition with silicon spray, fixed the window regulators with $50 after market ones, fixed the throttle body with a second hand one that I cleaned for $100, and just replaced the air flow meter with an E bay one for $50. It doesn't need to be expensive, just hunt around.
We've now given the car to our daughter for Uni, and she couldn't be happier.
11th Mar 2011, 22:07
Opel Astra year 2000.
This is the 2 litre auto in boring blue.
Had to replace front rotors and pads, they were quite new, but some muppet DIY guy fitted the wrong pads and it knackered them. Rear rotors need doing and pads... the car groans when the handbrake is applied/released.
Aircon failed, rear windows regulators failed, strange metallic jangling from the rear of the car when going over bumps.
Stalls at lights for no reason, water pump failed, drive belt tensioner failed.
The car sounds like a tank, and just wish we'd bought something else... anything else actually.
14th Mar 2011, 01:19
Hi there,
I just bought a 2000 model and it's got 210000 kms on the clock.
Other than giving it a good service, I replaced the boots for the back wheels, and the roof lining, she runs perfect.
I get 850kms to the tank on highway and around 600kms around town.
So I guess not all Astras are lemons. Great car I think.
John.
28th Mar 2011, 05:52
I own a Holden Astra 2000 TS CD, and would not recommend them.
My brother in law is a mechanic, so it has its regular service, but still managed to deal with a lot of issues.
- Air conditioning broke - we replaced it with a coil, which was about $200 - quick fix - stopped working again after 6 months and was told the whole compressor could be replaced, which is $800, or it could be a gas leak, meaning the whole thing needs to be replaced, which would be over $1000.
- Car lags when you accelerate every now and again - sometimes worse than others.
- Ignition key barrel stops working every now and again.
- Had to replace the starter motor.
- Had to replace the radiator.
- Paint of roof has faded.
Sounds as though they all have the same sort of problems, trading in you're lucky to get $3500 - $4000, which is pretty sad, but selling it is hard as there are so many out there for sale.
Ah, good luck to everyone, some people have Astras that are perfect, but it sounds as though there are a few dodgy ones out there.
29th Mar 2011, 06:45
Hi,
I like your positive comments and hopefully others will learn. I just bought a 2000 model I have done my servicing but one thing I have noticed from day one while driving is that the engine light stays on, but everything seems OK.
Can you give me an advise please?
Thanks.
Regards,
Mario.
1st Apr 2011, 04:17
As far as comfort and style, I love my 2003 Astra CDX that I bought 2nd hand in 2007.
So far I have replaced the timing kit and water pump, another water pump, air conditioning, brakes and now the emissions light is always on and it continually goes into 'limp mode'. Had it at a Holden dealer today, who charged me $200 to clear the codes and reprogram the ECM... driving home from work, it went into limp mode again... HELP, I really cannot afford to be ripped off here...
27th Apr 2011, 22:26
I had the same problem with the engine's computer being wiped, then it did the same thing a few days later.
Turns out I had to get a new engine computer, $900 or thereabouts because it burnt out some coils or something as it died.
27th Apr 2011, 22:30
Thank you to everyone for all the helpful information! I have been looking for a good source of relevant info regarding my car for a long time.
Everything that everyone has mentioned in previous posts has happened to my car. I think I got a big, juicy lemon.
I love it, I think it's a great car, but I am pouring SO much money into it. I think all this info will at least save me some time and money.
Cheers guys.
29th May 2011, 08:25
Hi guys & girls. Well I was beginning to wonder if I was the only poor sucker that bought one of these imported lemons. I bought a brand new 2004 TS CD hatch for my wife, & we also have had pretty much the same problems as all of you.
We have all log book servicing done, & had timing belt done at 60,000ks as recommended by Holden.
Then at about 70,000ks, the engine warning light & traction control light came on, & the car was misfiring & running like rubbish. $1800 dollars later, after Holden changed the ECU, it was good again till yesterday, when you guessed it, the engine warning light & traction control warning light have come on again, & the car is misfiring & running like rubbish. Have had the ignition problems & bulb replacement problems also, & the starter motor is making a horrible noise when started.
The car only has 120,000 on the clock now, & I wish I had bought her something else after we replaced the first ECU. What a piece of ******* crap.
29th May 2011, 09:44
Hey, your car sound exactly like mine; it's a 2000, 167,000km, sounds like a tank, and makes a rattling metallic noise when I go around corners.
I have had timing belt done, air con compressor done twice in a row, left wheel hub... coil pack, all big $$$.
I don't think anybody can say they're good cars. You may as well burn your hard earned money.
I'm just getting it ready to sell, and all of a sudden it's taking a good 3 turns to get it started. That lasted for 2 days, and then today, lights, radio and ignition turns on, but it won't turn over. Sounds like the battery is dead, but it keeps chugging, just not starting up. Finally I jump started it and drove it, and it was fine, but whether it will be tomorrow, I don't know. I just have to pray it is, so I can take my daughter to school.
The amount of people with these same problems; we should all write a petition to the manufacturing company and demand we all get the money we paid for it. I bought it for 5700 almost two years ago, and I have spent almost 3 grand fixing things, and it's still a pile of crap. I could have a fantastic car for what I have spent; a solid Ford or Holden, not this European crap. No car should cost and have as many problems as the Holden Astra. I've never heard so many complaints in my life... It's terrible.
Today I got in, turned the key, the radio blasts every time it does this, then I turned the heater up, and as I did that, my radio turned up at the same time...
I have just fixed my remote central locking after it was not working for months. I've read pages and pages on how cheaply made these cars are, and while Holden made good money off selling the Astra's, we're all losing out on so much money fixing problems, taking time from work to get things fixed, and worst of all, when I sell it, I'm gonna have to drop the price so low to get rid of it, because everybody else is trying hard to get rid of theirs, so there are dozens of them in the paper... I think Holden has some explaining to do, no matter how old the car!
3rd Feb 2011, 17:44
My Mrs just had her timing belt go whilst she was driving, cost ME $2800 to get it fixed for her!! Valves were screwed; had to be sent off and machined... that plus a dodgy mechanic equals big bucks... Spose that's what happens when she knows she needs a new timing belt, but doesn't get one!!
Fuel pump went after a couple of weeks of getting it back.
Air conditioning didn't work when she got the car, was told it was the compressor, was looking at $800 I think it was to replace, took it to another air conditioning mob who quoted her 300 odd bucks to fix it - wasn't the compressor, just another crap mechanic.
Also, when she drives, the car has a rattle, mechanic couldn't find what it was.
I think it's a good car, but I don't recommend a European car to anyone that doesn't have big pockets, or doesn't know much about car repair and maintenance!!
My Mrs hates the car, and wishes she never bought it. I've almost talked her into getting a Commodore ;)