2002 Vauxhall Astra Van Sportive review from UK and Ireland
"The best small van I've ever had!!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Pops front headlamp bulbs like it's going out of fashion.
Air con broken.
General comments?
This is my 3rd Astra Van in succession.
My first one was the new 1998 shape Astravan with the Isuzu engine (1.7 td). This one was a good workhorse. I purchased it at auction, and it was very reliable, even though it had quite high miles (130k).
Second up was a lovely 2001 registered Astravan (LS MODEL IN SILVER - MINT) model I managed to steal from a guy for £3000 with a genuine low mileage of just 34,000 on the clock. It was in silver with the all new dti engine.
Sadly this one I had a turbo problem, and it gave up on me at 52k, and ended up costing me £1800 to put right, which hurt the wallet to say the least.
Which brings me to my latest van; the Astra Sportive...
I LOVE IT!!!
I managed to get it on eBay for £5000 02 plated, with just 52,000 on the clock. It boasts a full Irmsher kit all round, air conditioning, cruise control, alloy wheels, electric front windows, full alarm & immobiliser and tinted windows all round.
The performance from the dti 16v engine is not overly great; it's OK and does the job well, also giving excellent mpg, and on a run the debadged Recaro seats are just excellent, & really supportive on a run up the motorway.
The cabin is a bit dreary, and feels a bit cheap, but all of these model Astras feel this way, so it's not really that much of a downer. I really prefer it to the new Astra's silvery look dash.
The van's overall look is just one of sheer coolness; the bodykit really turns a pretty plain looking van into a tarmac terrorist, and it gets admiring glances from all walks of life on the road.
I hope some fellow Astravan drivers read this, as if you can invest in a upgraded van, I really would recommend buying a Astra Sportive.
The kitted ones are extremely hard to find, but if you find a good one, snap it up as quickly as you can, and I promise you'll never want to change it again!!
I will be keeping my one for as long as I can, I know that!!
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2002 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.7 dti diesel Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 3 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 52000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 60000 miles |
| Previous car | Vauxhall Astra |
| Date of Entry | 26th July, 2007 |