[punitkakri]

Corsa is just like a mini Astra.The major issues you will face will only be related to maintainence. Also 37K for a 2003 car seems less. The ride quality is good and it`s a german car after all. Also 22.5 K isn`t huge money. Test drive the car and let us know the feedback.

[Jimmy_u]

Dear punitkakri,

I test drove the car.

Suspension is good
ac is fantastic but takes a bit to cool
sterring is heavy ( my cousins open corsa also has its steering a bit heavy)
clutch is a bit heavy ( my cousins open corsa also has its clutch a bit heavy)
pickup is decent
interiours are decent
exterior has some scratches but thats ok

anything i missed ??

[jayanth_yk]

One of my friends had an Astra Club with Sun/Moon roof, he sold it for 75k (after struggling to find a buyer). Remember that Astra club was initially sold at apprx. 12 lacs. He told me that he used to spend abt 25k on service. Be very carefull when you're making a decision to buy such automobiles. I understand you may get it for cheap, but you should not end up spending tons of money on maintanance. If you have made up your mind to go ahead with the purchase, All the best

[Jimmy_u]

Dear jayanth_yk,

Thanks for the feedback and concern.

my impression is based on my cousins feedback who has 1 corsa for the past year and has bought one more recently for my uncle.

Regards.

[Viraat13]

Well I have a Corsa Swing since June '03.
If you use the car more on the highway then it is worth buying. The 92 HP engine has good acceleration for those long drives.
But if you're buying it for the city then you must consider some facts. The comfort is great, it absorbs all those bumps and you can fly over speed breakers if you like. But in heavily crowded areas its a pain to drive. The gear box and clutch are not the most easy to use, it feels sticky and inaccurate. The gearing is short, you have to shift out of 1st gear very quick. If you like to get some FE from your car like I do (this is important because otherwise you will get an average of 7) then you end up changing gears at 2500 RPM and in the corsa 1st gear reaches 2500 RPM at about 20 KMPH (But if you stomp on the accelerator then you can reach 60 in about 7 seconds and 100 in 11). So driving in traffic and going between 1st and 2nd is very annoying. It also has a tendency to over heat in summers in heavy traffic. Never while moving, mind you. The car is happy to cruise no matter what the temperature is. Otherwise maintenance wise its more or less alright, parts are never a problem, maximum waiting time is 2 or 3 days for some uncommon things. One thing you ALWAYS have to keep in mind is that the fuel that you use HAS to be of good quality. If you get fuel with impurities ('milawat') in it, the car will stutter and jerk when you accelerate.
So, that was all about how the car behaves in a crowded city now for the highway and uncrowded places.
One word, great. The highway and long journeys is what the car was built for. It really shows its true colors. 4th and 5th gear slot in beautifully. It feels very steady on the highway no matter what! Unexpected turns, swerves and bumps are all dealt with no fuss. Overtaking trucks, buses, and pretty much everything else is never an issue. If something or someone is acting particularly stubborn in not giving way then all you have to do is switch off the compressor for roughly 30 seconds, slam into 4th gear and FLOOR the accelerator, and make the other person eat your dust. If you are on a particularly poorly tarmac-ed highway the car will stay steady till a 120. The steering, I feel helps a lot by staying stiff and staying dead straight. The car stays steady and feels safe even on high speeds. It tops out at a 180 and still hugs the road tight and good. And remember all this is being done with 2 passengers weighing close to 200 kilos in total and another 150 kilos of luggage.

Also one last thing, after a long drive in the city or the highway, just remember to go and open your fuel tank as there is an inherent problem of pressure building inside and fumes of petrol coming into the cabin. There is no solution to this problem, not even a small hole in the cap did anything. But I don't mind, I like the smell of fuel!

I hope my review helps you in making the correct choice.

[Jimmy_u]

Note from Mod : Please avoid typing with excessive dots......like......this........Thanks

Dear Viraat13,

Thanks for the excellent and frank feedback.

This is what i was looking for a good review from someone who ones a corsa.

As you said the car i have stutters and jerks when i accelerate.i belive the fuel quality was bad which the mechanic had put hence i have filled in fuel worth 1000rs but still the issue persists.any suggestions .......

About the ride quality i agree to what you have said.

The overheating issue i faced when driving in city with no ac on in traffic
once i put on the ac the temp got back to normal.

also the fuel and temp guage seems to have a mind of its own.
i am not able to get the correct reading for both as them seems to come on and go off with a mood of their own......

i am contemplating a full service which should help any suggestions

[NevGin]

Hello Jimmy,

My first car was a used Opel Cors Sail 1.4. Driven about 26K Kms and in very good condition. In the 2 years I had it let me list down my thoughts and experiences:

- Enough said already on the ride quality. It is A+

- Fuel efficiency: I used to drive 50 kms every day. Got ~10.4 km/lt

- Replacing parts: My radio aerial was stolen. I paid Rs 2200 at that time. For a person who had just about started working it pinched my pocket a big deal

- The Mumbai floods: You want to read this. As was everyone, I was stuck at the office. At 3 AM I take a call that the rain has eased off and that the water logging in the city would have eased. So a colleague and I leave. Biggest mistake we ever made as soon as we turned on to the highway, I found that there was a landslide and water was gushing so fast and with red mud that other cars had either stopped or then had drifted sideways. There was a pileup of cars as no one was willing to pass that patch. I took the good name of Ahura-Mazda and drove diagonal into the flow so that by the time the force got me down I'd pass the patch. The SAIL is a low car and water was right up-to my driver side glass. I pushed through and made it across. In all this, NOT ONE DROP of water in the Opel. Such a lovely car she was bone dry inside, did not stutter and we were off on the dry part of the highway until we reached Santa Cruz airport and I spent the remainder of the night in the car. But I always say that had it been any other car I would not have been as lucky getting across that flood. Bad decision on my part at that time but this was my experience.

- I had parked the car at an elevated location close to Santa Cruz airport and walked home at say about 7 AM. I came back about 8 hours later as things had cleared and drove the SAIL home. The next day while parked outside my house, one young kid just returned after studying in the US without a driving license and not knowing how to drive a manual car, reversed into my SAIL when trying to get into my building gate in some one else car. It seems he thought the reverse was the first gear. My complete front end damaged, the car had to be towed and fixed. What a bill I had. 74K! I was so shocked! With the cars piling up at workshops because of the floods the guy refused to take any form of payment except cash. Finally things got fixed and I paid nothing out of my pocket but the hole it can burn in your pocket if the car is damaged of parts need to be replaced is huge. So beware there.

- Performance: Well its not the best car for performance. Sluggish and would refuse to give it a shot even if pushed! As already said, short first gear. But the car cruises really well on long distances.

I hope this helps you in making your decision.

[jigbarai]

Originally Posted by Jimmy_u

Dear punitkakri,

I test drove the car.

Suspension is good
ac is fantastic but takes a bit to cool
sterring is heavy ( my cousins open corsa also has its steering a bit heavy)
clutch is a bit heavy ( my cousins open corsa also has its clutch a bit heavy)
pickup is decent
interiours are decent
exterior has some scratches but thats ok

anything i missed ??

Frankly, you havent checked much.
Steering may feel heavy if it is a hydraulic.
Clutch may feel heavy if it is towards the end of its life.

You need to do far more checks under the bonnet and under the body. Look for leaks, parts not working, rusting etc. Which is where a competant mechanic is really required. A normal person may not be able to spot these things quickly.

[Jimmy_u]

Dear NevGin,

Thanks for this update.

It was really nice to understand the dynamics of the car.

This will go a long way in influencing my decision.

Regards.

[Jimmy_u]

Dear jigbarai

You are correct.

a checkup with a competant mechanic is on the cards.

Regards.

[buz]

Hi Jimmy,

Most of what I wanted to write has already been mentioned over here by Viraat and NevGin. I have a 2004 Jan model Corsa 1.6 GLS. Drove it in Gurgaon for 4 years and have been driving it in Mumbai for the past 2 years. FE in Gurgaon was 11-12 kmpl and in Mumbai it hovers around 6.5 - 8 kmpl. Have always used "premium" fuel for the vehicle as was instructed and have experience enhance engine noise when done otherwise. The car has a solid outer structure. Been hit from the back many times thanks to the many drivers who feel they can pass through walls. The front and back benders are just an example of how strong the car outers are. Not a single bump in the shape.

Ride quality has been adequately explained by Viraat. Totally agree with him. One more thing I will like to highlight. Long driving hours in this car can be a pain in the city due to the hard steering and clutch, but on the highway - the comfort of the bucket seats is unparalleled. I am a victim of slip disc syndrome in the lower back. The only reason I can drive around comfortably is due to the seats in this car. This obviously speaks volumes about the comfort it can give you on long drives. Have traversed Delhi-Amritsar-Delhi (return trip being a constant 10 hr drive with loo breaks only), Delhi - Udaipur - Ahmedabad - Mumbai, Mumbai - Goa - Mumbai and innumerable Delhi - Jaipur, Delhi - Chandigarh and Mumbai - Pune trips. The only reason I am not selling this car is for the awesome comfort it provides on highway drives. Typical highway FE is 12.5 - 13 kmpl. Spares can be an issue but it is not too concerning. There is one catch though - spares for the corsa can be much more expensive than those for even the cruze! This is primarily due to the low production level and implicit direction from GM for people to stop using the corsa. Another thing - although NevGin's description of driving through the Mumbai floods was quite heartening, I have been a victim of water flowing in even at puddle level. The car has a low ground clearance so one needs to be extra careful during the rains. I had to get a half engine changed due to a rain puddle mishap in 2008. Since then, I have been most careful about driving on high rev - low speed - 2nd gear even in 6 inches of rain!

If your horizon is 3-4 years and you don't have another option, I will suggest that you go for the buy. Negotiate hard though.

[Jimmy_u]

Dear buz

I agree , feedback from Viraat and NevGin has given me confidence and now ou have added the cheey to the cake .

Yes my target is 3-4 years and i don't have another option.

The only issue at this time concerning is that the car coughs a little possibly due to bad fuel. i have put in 1000 rs petrol from a reputed pump but i dont see any improvement , any suggestion would be helpful.

a full service would cost how much can any of you guys tell me.

Following are the things i am planning to do if u pickup the car

1.oil change
2.engine flush
3.fuel filter
4.oil filter
5.air filter
6.ac filter
7.coolant topup
8.head lamp upgrade to philips 120 rally with cereamic holders
9.suspension greasing
10.anything else that comes along.


also the fuel and temp guage seems to have a mind of its own.
i am not able to get the correct reading for both as them seems to come on and go off with a mood of their own......

[manavdotcom]

Have owned Corsa for 4 years. Amazing vehicle, Real German Engineering. Would buy one again if GM launches in market.Have driven through floods, once headlights also got went inside water. Nothing Happened.Amazing ride quality.No cabin noise.Floats on highways. One back seat passenger shifted form OHC to Corsa on Long drive and commented that in OHC you feel you are in a car driving at high speeds. in Corsa you don't even feel you are being driven at such speeds ! And NO other vehicle can be safer than Corsa.It's built like a Tank

[Viraat13]

Originally Posted by Jimmy_u

Note from Mod : Please avoid typing with excessive dots......like......this........Thanks

Dear Viraat13,

Thanks for the excellent and frank feedback.

This is what i was looking for a good review from someone who ones a corsa.

As you said the car i have stutters and jerks when i accelerate.i belive the fuel quality was bad which the mechanic had put hence i have filled in fuel worth 1000rs but still the issue persists.any suggestions .......

About the ride quality i agree to what you have said.

The overheating issue i faced when driving in city with no ac on in traffic
once i put on the ac the temp got back to normal.

also the fuel and temp guage seems to have a mind of its own.
i am not able to get the correct reading for both as them seems to come on and go off with a mood of their own......

i am contemplating a full service which should help any suggestions

You are welcome. That was one of the longest posts I have ever written! I wonder if I can post it for the ownership experience section of this web-site. (Mods, Please advice)

Also one thing I forgot to mention about the car is that it is very low. IE poor ground clearance. One simple way to avoid getting scraped on high speed bumps is go slowly and if the road is empty then try going diagonally over it (but for rumble strips, never slow down, it brings a grin to your face when you realize how easily the car handles them). I used this technique on my Contessa Classic which was just as low and I never scrapped the ground. But even if you do scrape the ground NOT to worry. There is a beautiful engine protection plate under the car that will make a loud noise and absorb the impact. If you suddenly start to get vibrations/noise after the protection plate has taken a hit. It is touching something its not supposed to. So we then take a trip to the service station and make them bend the plate back to where it belongs.

You will have to get the injectors of the car cleaned. They get deposits which do not allow the car to get sufficient fuel when you accelerate hard (if it happening even when you do it gently, DO NOT WORRY, the car has just been getting bad fuel on a regular basis and just needs a nice service). Start using System G - It is a fuel additive that cleans impurities from the fuel. If you have a trusted petrol pump then stick to them. And if you do not mind paying for higher octane fuel then do it. But only after all the impurities are removed from the system.

The overheating issue that you are mentioning is not normal. In my experience and knowledge the AC is a leech on the engine and it only ADDS to the temperature. It does NOT reduce the engine temperature.

Regarding the gauges, there could be something wrong with the electronics or one of the fuses. Okay. Now my alarm bells are ringing. Please get the car's electronics checked out. Because in my car the AC's circuit was spoilt and the fuse just sat there melting away & refusing to blow! The entire cars electronics got ruined because of this. Thankfully my car was covered under the extended warranty and I saved myself a bill of about 15,000 but you won't be able to fall back on the warranty. PLEASE do get it checked from a proper mechanic who understands the technology behind modern cars.

Also here is another short post I wrote about the Corsa - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post1872665
(Mods: I do not know if linking to other posts on TBHP is allowed or not. If not I apologize)

[Viraat13]

Originally Posted by buz

Hi Jimmy,

Most of what I wanted to write has already been mentioned over here by Viraat and NevGin.

Thanks for appreciating.

Originally Posted by buz

Have always used "premium" fuel for the vehicle as was instructed and have experience enhance engine noise when done otherwise.

Have you tried using System G with regular fuel from a reputed fuel pump?
I do this for my normal usage. For highway trips I sometimes fill 97 Octane which makes the car FLY or Speed/Extra Premium/Power. But even with all these I add a small amount of System G. (I guess this is because of my old habit of opening the boot every time I re-fuel, My contessa's fuel tank lid had to be opened with a lever inside which is why even today I open the boot without realizing!)

Originally Posted by buz

Ride quality has been adequately explained by Viraat. Totally agree with him. One more thing I will like to highlight. Long driving hours in this car can be a pain in the city due to the hard steering and clutch, but on the highway - the comfort of the bucket seats is unparalleled. I am a victim of slip disc syndrome in the lower back. The only reason I can drive around comfortably is due to the seats in this car. This obviously speaks volumes about the comfort it can give you on long drives. Have traversed Delhi-Amritsar-Delhi (return trip being a constant 10 hr drive with loo breaks only), Delhi - Udaipur - Ahmedabad - Mumbai, Mumbai - Goa - Mumbai and innumerable Delhi - Jaipur, Delhi - Chandigarh and Mumbai - Pune trips. The only reason I am not selling this car is for the awesome comfort it provides on highway drives.

One trick that I use while driving in the city is stick to one lane when in heavy traffic. I don't bother holding the steering then cause it stays straight on its own! I know what you mean about the hard clutch. Its not exactly hard but it never has felt quite right. The car is let down by its poor clutch and gear shift.
As a fellow victim of lower back pain I completely agree and understand what you mean by great comfort while driving or being in the passenger seat for that matter. I too have used the car a lot on the highway (25,000 KMS out of 50,000 KMS).

Originally Posted by buz

If your horizon is 3-4 years and you don't have another option, I will suggest that you go for the buy. Negotiate hard though.

Valid point. The car will last 5 or 6 more years without any major hassle. My friend had a Corsa for about 11 years without much trouble.