Holden Astra (page 5 of 7)

Very basic cars, I owned one for 6 years
Problems include
-60,000km intervals for timing belts. In addition you should be replacing water pump and the kit
-Brakes have to be changed every 25,000km
-Thermostat sensor brakes, leading to overheating, costing $250
-Air Compressor failure
-Trip Computer replacement
-Fan breakdown

Sold it with 130,000km on the clock

My wife brought her 2007 Sri brand new. My wife is a conservative driver never crashed, i often get mad while driving with her because she is like a grandma. To begin this car goes through a new set of front tyres every year which is crazy. Even if you get them alligned, balanced and get decent tyres they still wear unbeliveably fast.
The car was regularly serviced but not at holden dealership. At 23000 kms a gasket leaked and pumped water into transmission. We took back to Holden an they said it is because we didn't get it serviced by them,

I have the 2005 AH wagon and 2008 60th Anniversary Wagon. Both automatics.

Both a reliable, zippy and plenty of room with the wagon.

All I have had done is the battery at 60,000kms, timing belt on the 2005 at 100,000kms. Yes, you only need to do this at 100,000kms. It's the same engine as in the UK and their handbook states 100,000. That was $800. I have never had a problem with the electrics.

I buy my air and pollen filters online from the UK and save heaps. I've even bought the sparkies from there.

I'm looking to upgrade the 200

Bought the 2004 AH Astra CD new and have done 145,000km now and still going well, It replaced the big Falcons we had previously and gave fantastic fuel consumption and great on road feel, it drove on the highways like a big car. It has a good quality finish and feels like a European car inside.

It has towed a Camping trailer all over Eastern Australia. Towed trailer loads of sand, sheep and hay brilliant. It travelled 25k a year for the first few while still taking kids around to sport. Have serviced it at Holden’s the whole time (15k s

I have had the Astra for about 4 years now, it has been a great all round car for the family,surfboards,sleeping and moving .The only problem was a air conditioner coil that was replaced, apparently a standard astra problem over the years. It has a bit of style and space for a very affordable price, go out and buy one today.
Reliable, inexpensive

Fairly good car. I bought it with 126,000 kms on the clock 2 years ago and now I have done just over 150,000 kms over this period with a glitch. I have had it checked at two different mechanics and they can't find any issues with it. Might need to change the brake pads soon though. Also I am bit worried with the ECU failing having heard few horror stories from other owner.
Efficient, reliable (so far)
No bells and whistle. Very simple car

Was a great car when i first purchased the cdx 2dr astra coupe 2007 model, second hand 30000km. Then the problems commenced. In four years I have had two batteries, two water pumps, no horn function, coolant sensor fault, looses idle (auto), failed to start on many occasions (starter motor/alternator/key barrell). All i get told at the mechanics is I bought an astra!
quick, compact car - suited me when i first got my licence
Electronics, or motor!

I have a 2005 model Astra, automatic. The first 5 years were great, only problem was the back window jamming once. But this year alone I've had problems with the thermostat, indicator and an intermittent leak. But I love my Astra, I enjoy driving it. However, thinking of replacing it soon as I'm worried more things are going to go wrong with it!
Easy to drive, good looking.
Needs better cup holders!! Had problems with electronic windows jamming, left indicator goes haywire every so often.

Having owned this car for 3 weeks I bought it second hand, big mistake .changed the battery in the remote control, As only 1 key worked .now .car turns over but wont start have had auto eletrician here for 4 days on and off trying to reprogram the car, biggest piece of rubbish Ive owned since the 1998 Landrover freelander .both cars designers should have there engineers strung up and whipped.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The stupid computers designed to make people money, unworkable,

I bought the car with 70000 on the clock and i have had it now for four years and i still really like the car. It handles very well and has never let me down., as long has you get all the services done i would recommend this car to anyone wanting a small hatch back.
handles very well and great on fuel

I have had a 2008 hard top. They are very heavy however my biggest disappointment is my roo stopped working. Holden can't fix it! I have taken it to one place who spent five hours on it they can't work it out. Then they said to go to another dealer, how hard can it be?

I bought mine brand new in 2005 so I have to say after 7 years and 120,000 km I've gotten my money's worth. The best thing about this car is that you can buy accessories and gadgets for it from the UK or Europe off ebay. You can then watch a youtube video on how to install accessories or service the car because these cars are very common overseas. Cheap and easy to fix for example the blower resistor on the A/C which cost less than $20 AUD one month ago to fix and simply involved watching a youtube video. You can also buy the cruise control s

We bought the Astra before my son was born and I wanted a car that fit a pram and dog in the back. It has more boot room that most cars on the market, including most 4WDs that are designed for kids and all the stuff that comes with them! It has great safety features, is very quiet inside and is a very stylish, well put together car. About the only thing I could even complain about is that the interior light is at the front which makes it a bit hard to see to get kids out of car seats. We also bought the 60th anniversary which had heaps of extras thrown in for free, including cool tyres.
Love it. Quiet, roomy, gorgeous car.

It's a great car and a great head turner, especially with the top down. only dissapointment-engine is starting to get a bit noisy after only 13K.
looks great and drives well, handles corners sensationally.
Indicators are hard to turn on and keep on.

A great car that we hired for a day to do a trip down the highway. The car handles well for a front wheel drive, steering is responsive and brakes. The back seats have enough room for 2 adults and we even had our son in his child seat (forward facing) with plenty of room. The roof is quick and easy to take off/on with the flick of the switch although with the roof off we couldn't fit anything in the boot so had the roof on for most of the time so we could fit a bag and a pram in. The car had enough power to get us up hills which we were impress

I could not wait to buy a convertible but have learned from this car that they're just a bad idea. The roof seals leak during heavy rain which broke my heart, I've taken it back to Holden a few times under warranty (luckily) for an incessant squeak from back windows, flaps that spin out when roof is let down needed oiling two times in 6 months, shade that needs to be pulled out in order for roof to come down snapped back halfway during converting which caused my boot latch to snap - I had to drive around with a boot half way open (backwards!).

Had one for 11years an SXi in metallic silver never had a problem not as much as a light run out it 1.6 16v engine gets us around quickly even when driving smoothly I would recommend this car to anyone it's brilliant and so is Holden I had a vauxhall in England another Astra same story there
Reliable, quick, safe
Heavy car

I think these are a good vehicle, but be careful when buying. Brakes wear, and factory rotor replacements are expensive. I don't think I would purchase the automatic versions, as the 4-speed Aisin transmission is way off the pace in a modern car. The 2.2 litre motor is actually a lotus design used in the Vauxhall VX-220 in Europe. It is an all alloy design, a nice performer, but with a renown appetite for oil, and noisy timing chains. The turbo version offer great performance, but beware of the timing belt interval changes.
Equipment levels, It

I brought an Astra as my first car, it's a 2001 model with 150000km on the clock. It drives smooth and it's powerful for its size however after two weeks of owning it, the engine has just cut out leaving me broken down in the middle of an intersection. Twice. I believe this is a common problem with Astras. The mechanic told me that it is the ECU which needs replacing by a Holden dealer. I wouldn't recommend that anyone buy one as they are unreliable. A bit disappointed because I loved it so much in the first two weeks!
It's good on fuel, very zippy and drives smooth
Malfunctioning ECU

Considering a few things have gone wrong with the engine, i totally put it past how great the car actually is. I have the 2001 model with 140ks on it and bought it when it had 100 last year. I dont think the previous owner took care of it as well as they should have. I've owned a few cars and the astra has so far been the best buy i have ever made. But, as i said, make sure if you buy one second hand (which is the only way to get one now.. ) make sure you get a warranty that covers alot of things with at least a $2000 bill cover cost and you wi

Have had this serviced at Motorama SpringwoodQueensland since purchase so it is maintained as per warranty and manufacturer recommendations.

At 10 months batery dies, not covered by warranty, who cares about warranty on consumabkes but a battery should last more than 10 months!

At 18,000 kms had to replace all the tyres, this was recommended by both Bob Jane TMart and Jax independently, had them looked at as I suspected tread looked awfully thin... Went with Pirelli from JAX, never looked back since but that's another review. New tyres on

This was my first Holden car. I will never buy an Astra or Holden again due to this LEMON. I highly recommend others consider these words.

I sold the car the day after the warranty expired due to the engine troubles. The local dealer like us because it gave their service department work. The 5 unsheduled visits plus the 3 sheduled visits meant we saw the service people 8 times in the first 3 years.
Good handling, suspension. Steering very intuitive for effortless drving. Like all small cars it has a small front end which makes it easier tha

I wouldnt buy a Holden again, I think they have too many problems. I sold the car soon after the extended warranty expired (six years).
Good solid car when comparing to athor small cars, good handling, suspension. Excellent braking and handling. Makes for nice easy drving. It's a good size car for city parking and can pack a fair bit in the boot.
Had afew things wrong with it: Had to replace the fuel injectors and key barrel. It took afew visits to the service department to repair the problem with starting up the engine as it would turn over about 15 to 20 times before it would start up. It needed the extra three year warrantee I took up after the problems started.

DO NOT BUY THIS CAR. Has regular problems. Expensive to fix. Also, my experience with Hunter Holden was poor. They over-charge for as little work as possible. They try and over-charge by trying to up-sell the service and accessories.
Its got 4 wheels. Not much else
Where do i start ? Gear box is some cheap belgium crap. It seized up 1 week after purchase. Hunter Holden didn't replace it, but said they bled air out of it, and changed the computer configuration to discharge power slowly in first gear. Should have replaced the gear box. But Holden

This car would have been a great car if it not for all the plague of problems. i dont think ill ever buy another holden again. i might have to settle for a Jap car as they are more reliable and better built than most holdens.
handling, power,interior is very ergonomic,you can hardly hear the road noise, good sound system,
Gee . . . lets see where do i start... (In order)*first to go was my back right suspension $230 for the part and $120 for labour.*4 months later the left suspension went had to fork out another $350*Exhaust started to rattle

I strongly suggest not buying one unless you feel like burning a hole in you pocket! simply putting it they are the worst cars ever to be made.
looks stylish.
I got my astra without realizing that it was coming up to its 120.000 km service. First Big blow. almost 1000 dollars later for all timing belt and driving chain and general servicing. Since then and only 10 thousands Kilometers later, a warning light came on and it was chugging and backfiring really bad. Took it to mechanic.. 700 dollars later apparently coil pack went and needed to be r

All looked good up until the 7yr old mark and generally am concerned about any more costly repairs required, in particular in view of the negative reports/reviews I am reading/hearing about these Astra vehicles........am considering trading in
I bought my wife an Astra City hatch new in 2002, looks great,drives and handles well, good performance,fuel consumption OK, solid feel....generally we have been happy with the car
All OK with reliability up until about last June at the 50000klms mark -(she does'nt go very far) ....timing belt/water pump/alternator changed.Air conditioning packed in December 2009, new compressor required, am now advised that engine mounts are broken and need replacing.

I got my Astra in 2005, and it is a 2004 model. I had very few problems with it mechanically for the first 3 years, however there has been a constant rattle in the dash which despite several attempts to fix has never gone away! After the warranty period (3 years) expired I've had nothing but problems with it - not major safety things but the car has just needed constant repairs and new parts. The timing belt was the first thing that needed replacing - at the 65000km mark -an expense I was not expecting! Then the thermostat broke, and the engine

The first thing I did was to find out how much Holden charged for servicing, I then went to a local mechanic. My local bloke charges 50% tp 70% lower than that of Holden. My 60K service (major) was $460 at Holden they wanted $780, a mate's parents in a capital City paid $1400. In other words you need to look around, AND DON'T USE HOLDEN SERVICING.
The car is great, heaps of power, strong chassis and body. The doors are one piece not like the Ford or Mazda where the door is made of two pieces. Disc brakes all round.
The only problem I h

Overall, I can't complain about my 2003 Holden Astra City. It is very reliable, very smooth to drive and is a good size for living in the 'burbs and near the city.

The only major issue I've had is the air con blowing - I don't know anything about cars so that could be normal. It cost almost a grand to fix which wasn't fun.
- Reasonably cheap to run.- Not too many issues in 7 years.- Very smooth to drive.
- The air con blew after 5 years (no idea if that is unreasonable).- Cds sometimes get stuck in the player.

I brought a MY08.5 CDX manual astra. Has been a great car. Only issue was a temperature sensor that was replaced under warranty. I have had the car serviced every 7500km and I believe this has made the difference. I would not hesitate in buying another one--except of course-they are not sold here now. Like the Cruze--but will give it a few more years --so they iron the "bugs" out of the system
solid, safe handles well
heavy on petrol in the city

I have an 05 Astra CD. Loved my Astra at first but then stupid stuff started breaking and going wrong, stuff that shouldnt happen to a 4-5 yr old car!
Will prob be trading it in soon as Im worried more stuff will go wrong with it.
Cheap on petrol, quite roomy inside, good size boot for a hatchback, smooth drive
Where do I start.. air con died when the car was only 3 yrs old, then it was the coil pack needing replacing which cost in excess of $600 to be replaced (both the air con and coil packs are common Astra problems), then it was the brake rotors that needed replacing, and the Astra brake rotors are very expensive. I was quoted from $600 to $1000 to get these replaced.

I would not recommend this car to anyone! I bought my Astra second hand about 3 years ago (2005 model) and for the first year it was great, nice and roomy and cheap on petrol. For the last 2 years i have been constantly handing out money for repairs and parts. Firstly parts for this car are ridiculously expensive! A new battery set me back $200, the brakes have screwed up twice in the last 9 months costing me a fortune, the rear passenger side window broke recently another $250, the front of the car is basically made out of plastic and seriousl

The astra is a perfect car for any season..... Its fun yet reliable .. I have a 2003 model and i love it more then my boyfriend.
Fun, safe, reliable and inexpensive if kept well
Makes others green with envy

I really love my Astra Convertible, all I think bad about it is the boot space. I love everything else . So I guess it's bye for now.
I purchased my 2004 Astra Convertible two years ago and the whole reason I like it is because of the amazing acceleration and ride comfort.
There is only one con in my Astra Convertible, it is that there is hardly any boot space with the top up or down.

Up until last week I would have said the Astra was a good litle car, however on a drive to Newcastle this week, the car stalled on the highway. What had happened was that the water pump failed and this lead to the timing belt malfunctioning causing damage to the engine head and head gaskets.

The timing belt/ water pump was due to be changed in 2,000km's. On speaking to my mechanic, he said that he has had 4 such failures with the Holden Astra this year. He says there are very few manufacturers that change the timing belt and associated equip

I bought new 2004 Astra CD auto and really can't complain. I do my own service except time belt change. Even battery is original after 8 years plus. Only problem was direction indicator failed and flusher unit had to be replaced at $ 160.00. Drives well and is economical on fuel. Poor performance on E10, better on regular and best using super petrol. No rust, solidly built to compete with WV Golf. Seats attract lint and had to cover front and back seats for easier cleaning. 60K timing belt change unusual. So far I have been happy with Astra, done 90K mainly country driving.
Zippy engine, suspension, practicality of it, economical to run.
new flesher unit had to be replaced at 65K

I have had my 2001 Astra CD Manual Hatch since new and its now tipping the 120,000km mark and what a fantastic car. Treat this car well and it'll treat you back well. This car is comfortable, quick, stylish and great on fuel. I have also done some visual modifications to it (lowering, new rims (turbo model), coloured calipers, exhaust) and it looks fantastic. Despite having to replace the a/c compressor at 110,000kms im extremely happy with this car. For people expressing their disgust about this car should perhaps take more care in general mai

I purchased this vehichle at 60,000 kms. It seemed to have been well maintained by the previous owner and as such I did not think that I would have too much to worry about.... And I was right until I got to 120,000kms and was informed by the Holden dealership that this vehichle didn't seem to have had the timing belt replaced at the 60,000km service.. And I was lucky it had made it to 121,000kms (double its life expectancy) Of course I was shocked, because the dealership had assured me that everything on the handbook service had been completed.

Good for me to zip around in however really small, and my Key is currently stuck in the ignition and i have to disconnect my battery to turn my car fully off and get my key out, if anyone has had the same problem please tell me what you did or where you went to get this fixed!
the sound system is great!
Lack of cup holders, and tends to lack power when going up hills, lots of problems with the electrics too!