vauxhall Astra MK1 GTE Review

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vauxhall Astra MK1 GTE
★★★★★
4.7
87.0% of users recommend this
  • Performance

  • Practicality

  • Reliability

  • Value For Money

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nobbybarnes's review of vauxhall Astra MK1 GTE

“You realy do have to drive a vauxhall Astra mk1 GTE to...”

★★★★★

written by nobbybarnes on 05/04/2004

Good Points
It just all works together so well.
Engine power, willingness to rev, acuracy of handling, looks..
A 'drivers' car!

Bad Points
A pig in the wet..
Eats tyres if you drive it properly (push it hard)

General Comments
You realy do have to drive a vauxhall Astra mk1 GTE to understand, but get it on the open road, drop a gear and floor it!! Then stop and wait for your stomach to catch up.!! Try throwing it through some tight country lanes.. Go back and try harder.. The car just gives and gives..

Yes you do have to maintain it if you do push it hard. The front tyres wear out super fast, the anti-roll bushes wear, the gas shocks need looking after. But the finess of the exact steering, the responsiveness of the engine, the tight grip of the Ricaro seats.. It blows you out...!! and this was a 1984 production car!!..

If you swap out the standard radiator grille for the Vauxhall replacement with the headlight spots you don't have the blankling/cover that's in the standard grille that is in front of the air intake; At about 85 [on an Autobahn] the preassure at the front seems to supercharge the air inlet system. Boy what a power boost.

And this is the only production car with 'go faster' skirts that I know of that actually develops the 'suction'. At about 95 (obviously on a race track..) the car 'sits down' and gets glued to the road..

And yes I second that claim.. I've had 145 out of my standard production version on a German Autobahn.. It takes a while to get there as 5th gear is so high, there is little torque, but with the right conditions it does get there and stay there..!!!

  • 1984

    Year Manufactured

  • 18 years

    Length of ownership

  • Performance

  • Practicality

  • Reliability

  • Value For Money

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