By EWAN KENNEDY
18 September 2006

Holden Astra, from September 1996, is designed and built by Opel, Holden's German partner. Prior to then it was based on a Nissan design and was similar to the Pulsar. Let's look at the Euro Astra this week as it’s a proven performer on the used-car market.

Though it falls well and truly into the family-car class in Europe, Astra in Australia is generally seen as being more suited for singles or couples. However, in 1998-onwards format it is significantly wider than the old models and can be used by four adults if they aren't overly large. Those considering trading down in size from a Commodore should look seriously at the Astra.

It comes as no surprise that the Astra has the sort of handling and road feel that appeal to those who really enjoy their motoring. They are delightful cars to drive on your favourite stretch of road and even when you are forced back to commuting you will get a lot of pleasure from the way the small-medium car steers and responds.

Body types were five-door hatch and four-door sedan with the original TR series Astra, the range being expanded to include a three-door with the TS Astra. However, the three-door was only sold in the high-performance SRi until early 2003, when a lower cost three-door was finally introduced. Unusually for a sports hatch, the Astra GSi was sold as a five-door. When the latest, AH series, Astra arrived in Australia in November 2004 the three-door again disappeared from the options choice, before making a welcome return in July 2005.

A handy station wagon was launched at the same time as that latter three-door. Unlike some small Euro wagons, the Holden has a decent load area that’s easy to use and can cope with reasonably bulky items.

Engines are all four-cylinder units. In the TR series Astra the lower-cost models got a 1.6-litre, the upmarket one a 1.8 and the GSi a big 2.0-litre unit. With the 1998 TS Astra, only the 1.8 was offered in the standard cars, with the SRi and convertible getting a 2.2-litre.

The AH series cars got a similar 1.8-litre engine to the outgoing TS series, but the extra weight of the new model took a bit of the edge off the performance.

The top of the line is the Astra SRi Turbo. It had a stop-start career in its early days, being launched in the middle of 2003 but then withdrawn only a little over 12 months later. It made a welcome return in 2006. Though the latter cars are still scarce on the used scene it may be worth the trouble of trying to hunt one down if you are into fast Euro coupes.

Five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions are offered in all versions with the exception of the sporting GSi and SRi Turbo. The former only had a five-speed manual, the latter used a five-speed in its initial iteration and has a six-speed close-ratio box in its current format.

Holden's Astra doesn’t always have the high build quality of a Japanese car competing with it in this class. The Europeans have improved their game in this respect in recent years, but there can still be quality niggles so make sure to have a professional look over the car before reaching your final decision.

Underbonnet accessibility is generally good and the car is relatively easy to work on. As always, some parts should not be repaired by a home mechanic.

Spare parts prices are about average, perhaps slightly lower than average in some cases. There are Holden dealers in just about every corner of Australia, some of those in more remote areas may not carry all parts for the Astra so if your luck runs out you may have to wait a day or so for parts to be delivered.

Insurance rates are pretty reasonable when you consider that the Astra is a fully-imported European car, but make specific inquiries about the sporting variants, particularly the Turbo as insurance costs can be substantially higher.

Interestingly, Holden chose to hold onto two models in the TS series when the AH was launched in November 2004. The first was the lowest cost model, renamed the Astra Classic, it sold at an exceptionally good price until being replaced by the Holden Viva at the end of 2005.

The other carryover Astra was the upmarket convertible. Final imports didn’t take place until midway through 2006 and it yet to be replaced by an AH based open-top car.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Start the engine, preferably when it’s completely cold, and watch that the oil-pressure light goes out promptly. At the same time listen for any rattling and feel for unevenness in the engine’s behaviour.

Accelerate the car hard as soon as the engine is moderately warm and feel for any hesitation under acceleration, also look for a puff of smoke from the exhaust.

If you suspect a turbocharged engine has been driven hard have a professional do a thorough inspection.

Look for crash damage and body repairs that are obviously substandard – checking the finish of the paint is often the best way to start. If there's the slightest doubt, call in an expert.

Check that the seats, door trim and carpets haven’t been knocked around; and don’t forget to check the boot area at the same time, a lazy seller may not go to the trouble of rectifying any problems there.

When braking hard the car shouldn’t pull to one side or the other and no one wheel should lock before the others. ABS, if fitted, will cause a vibration through the pedal as it operates.

Check for any tyres with uneven wear, particularly those at the front as they do the bulk of the work.

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