Team-BHP - View Single Post - Seeking opinion abt Opel Astra Club (Diesel) 2001 model

filcord · 18th October 2006, 10:04

If you are going to use the car only once a week, you do not need diesel.
But first let me tell you my personal experience.
I bought an used Ford Escort diesel for the same reasons as you, luxury looks and cheap. The car was great to ride in, it looked flashy, and my kids still remember it fondly, as they could wallow in it's comfort.
The car was a slug to drive, and maintenance slowly started bugging me with it's cost. In these old legacy cars, most spares are imported, and cost a bomb. I bought the car in 2001 at 50k km for 3.2 lakhs, used it till 2005 and sold it at 115k km for 1.3 lakhs. I sold it finally since the car was no fun to drive, and the repeated trips to the garage were getting to me.
I switched to petrol, and believe me, it's a world of difference from the old diesel.
For your 82k Astra, I figure you would need suspension overhaul (30K), new tyres (12K), and new belts for the engine (3K), at the very least. I assume the engine is otherwise sound and you do not have to look at the fuel injection pump etc. Regular maintenace on a diesel Astra would cost you abt 3k average every three months. That Astra should still not be worth more than 2 lakh.

Again, for your limited usage, go for a good used OHC or Baleno Vxi. Maintenance is cheap and you'll have a blast driving these cars.

18th October 2006, 10:04	#14 (permalink)
filcord BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: goa Posts: 502	If you are going to use the car only once a week, you do not need diesel. But first let me tell you my personal experience. I bought an used Ford Escort diesel for the same reasons as you, luxury looks and cheap. The car was great to ride in, it looked flashy, and my kids still remember it fondly, as they could wallow in it's comfort. The car was a slug to drive, and maintenance slowly started bugging me with it's cost. In these old legacy cars, most spares are imported, and cost a bomb. I bought the car in 2001 at 50k km for 3.2 lakhs, used it till 2005 and sold it at 115k km for 1.3 lakhs. I sold it finally since the car was no fun to drive, and the repeated trips to the garage were getting to me. I switched to petrol, and believe me, it's a world of difference from the old diesel. For your 82k Astra, I figure you would need suspension overhaul (30K), new tyres (12K), and new belts for the engine (3K), at the very least. I assume the engine is otherwise sound and you do not have to look at the fuel injection pump etc. Regular maintenace on a diesel Astra would cost you abt 3k average every three months. That Astra should still not be worth more than 2 lakh. Again, for your limited usage, go for a good used OHC or Baleno Vxi. Maintenance is cheap and you'll have a blast driving these cars. __________________ Hyundai Getz 05 Baleno Vxi 05 Last edited by filcord : 18th October 2006 at 10:06.