1999 Vauxhall Astra Club review from UK and Ireland

A better question would be: "What hasn't gone wrong with the car?"

Problems have included: -

- Ignition barrel.

- Brake pipes corroded.

- Mayo in the oil filler cap (no sign of head gasket failure or broken rad)

- Main engine seal gone (now leaking oil)

- Leaking power steering fluid.

- Seal around the near side headlight has somehow broken, resulting in the headlight constantly displaying condensation.

- The rear wheel arches are stutting to bubble up with rust under the paint.

I don't think that I have driven anything as woeful as this.

For a car that is only 6 and a half yrs old, the reliability is shocking. I have owned Volvo's twice the age of this with no problems at all. Not even a hint of rust!

The steering and handling are awful. It's more secretive than a secret government agency. It tells you nothing about what is happening on the road.

The clutch is vague, and you only know that it is biting because the car starts to move forward. Again, where is the feeling?

The gear-change is notchy and you really have to work the engine hard to get anything from it. Forget about putting the A/C on, you'll get nowhere if trying to build up any speed. The 1.6 8V engine is far from adequate for a car of this size and weight. It lacks BHP and torque and lacks a decent exhaust note.

I also find the driving position to be odd. Not only are the seats like sitting at the desk of your local insurance company, but you seem to sit on the car rather than in it.

The dash layout could only have been worse if it was put in the back of the car. And why does the centre console face the passenger?

Unfortunately the good thing I can say about this car is that it is ideal for people that don't actually like driving.

To add to this, you would have to be bereft of emotion to even contemplate choosing this car. It lacks soul, driver satisfaction and is about as rewarding as an in-grown toe nail.