Hello, new member!
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 3:11 pm
Hi all, finally got around to it. Got my Gen 3 April 30 this year, 44700 miles on the clock, from a Hyundai Dealer (ALM Macclesfeild, about 40 miles from me). VERY pleased with it, having been a Vauxhall man before (since 1990 anyway, was a Ford man before that)
My car history:
1976-78 - Commer Imp van (all I could afford!)
78-79 - Ford Escort Mk 1 1300 Super
79-80 - Ford Cortina Mk 3 1600 XL (Life on Mars!) Only kept it 7 months, such awful handling, and 3 of those months were spent looking for:
80-82 - Ford Escort Mk 1 1300L
82-84 - Ford Escort Mk 2 1300 GL
84-87 - Ford Sierra 1.6L
87-90 - Ford Sierra 2.0 Laser
90 - 2000 - Vauxahll Nova 1.3 SR (Best car I've ever owned, apart from routine service items, total repairs were: Length of petrol hose from pump to carb, 2 parcel shelf lift straps, 2 rear wheel bearings!)
2000 - 09 - Vauxhall Astra Mk 3 2.0 CD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKb9sRTGQGE
Written off by an american tourist who didn't know what a roundabout was!!!!
09- 12 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SXi - Don't buy a Mk 4 Astra! We made the mistake of buying 2! (My wife had one also - it was WORSE!)
Thus it came to pass that I did research other cars on honestjohn.co.uk, an excellent site. Thinking of buying a Mk 5 Golf? mid noughties BMW 3 series? Mid noughties Merc E class? Read the "What's bad" sections on 'em first! You'll soon change your mind. I knew someone who'd had a Gen 3 2.0 for 5 years, so I had a word with him. Sure enough, he was very pleased. Usual problems, Clutch at 45k, handbrake cables, but otherwise all OK.
After 7 months, I'd agree. The clutch had almost undetectably started to slip when I got it (I was looking for it!) so seller sgreed to change it at cost) and the Cruise kept cutting out, which I tracked down to the brake pedal return spring not being attached. Easy fix and never a problem since. Late August saw us go to Cornwall in it, at which point it showed us how capable, relaxed and comfortable it was, 1000 hard miles in a week and no problems or back pain! And nice to have 7 months without a management light coming on, something the Astra could never manage!
Ian
My car history:
1976-78 - Commer Imp van (all I could afford!)
78-79 - Ford Escort Mk 1 1300 Super
79-80 - Ford Cortina Mk 3 1600 XL (Life on Mars!) Only kept it 7 months, such awful handling, and 3 of those months were spent looking for:
80-82 - Ford Escort Mk 1 1300L
82-84 - Ford Escort Mk 2 1300 GL
84-87 - Ford Sierra 1.6L
87-90 - Ford Sierra 2.0 Laser
90 - 2000 - Vauxahll Nova 1.3 SR (Best car I've ever owned, apart from routine service items, total repairs were: Length of petrol hose from pump to carb, 2 parcel shelf lift straps, 2 rear wheel bearings!)
2000 - 09 - Vauxhall Astra Mk 3 2.0 CD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKb9sRTGQGE
Written off by an american tourist who didn't know what a roundabout was!!!!
09- 12 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SXi - Don't buy a Mk 4 Astra! We made the mistake of buying 2! (My wife had one also - it was WORSE!)
Thus it came to pass that I did research other cars on honestjohn.co.uk, an excellent site. Thinking of buying a Mk 5 Golf? mid noughties BMW 3 series? Mid noughties Merc E class? Read the "What's bad" sections on 'em first! You'll soon change your mind. I knew someone who'd had a Gen 3 2.0 for 5 years, so I had a word with him. Sure enough, he was very pleased. Usual problems, Clutch at 45k, handbrake cables, but otherwise all OK.
After 7 months, I'd agree. The clutch had almost undetectably started to slip when I got it (I was looking for it!) so seller sgreed to change it at cost) and the Cruise kept cutting out, which I tracked down to the brake pedal return spring not being attached. Easy fix and never a problem since. Late August saw us go to Cornwall in it, at which point it showed us how capable, relaxed and comfortable it was, 1000 hard miles in a week and no problems or back pain! And nice to have 7 months without a management light coming on, something the Astra could never manage!
Ian
