2000 Vauxhall Astra Coupe review from UK and Ireland

Alarm has needed two power sounders fitting. The last power sounder was fitted 18 months after the previous one.

ABS sensor failure. Expensive part, and fitting is expensive.

Timing chain needed replacing after 44k miles. Vauxhall admit there's a problem with timing chains on certain 2.2 engines manufactured before March 2002 (used in several Vauxhall models), but only a admit in a small batch of these engines are faulty.

Rear suspension needed replacing after 50k miles.

Grinding noise coming from speedo.

Car stalls when cold. Dealership cannot find a reason for the fault.

Radio (CCR600) only tunes into radio stations with odd frequencies, e.g. 98.7, 101.1. Radio stations with even numbers 102.6 cannot be tuned into.

On long motorway drives in the summer, the fuel gauge goes up!

The timing chain experience has left a bitter taste regarding Vauxhall cars. I expect I'm not alone having timing chain issues and Vauxhall refusing to admit the extent of the affected cars.

The good points:

The heated leather seats are of a high quality.

The car is really good for motorway runs.

Car comfortably seats four adults.

The boot is really large for a car of this class.