08 astra and never serviced, to buy or not to buy.

behan29

i am looking at an 08 opel astra with 38000km on the clock, it has never being serviced since being bought, what work is likely to be required to be done to this car and what can go wrong, and also when is timing belt due for changing. they are looking for 10000 euro. thanks

hi_im_fil

Stay away from it imo. It has never been cared for if the previous owner never serviced it. The oil will be in some state.

barney 20v

38000 on the clock .. no service and your considering buying ? seriously?
I would not even bother looking at that car. walk away and find another example with a full service history.
Loads of well maintained cars especially 08's.. my car is 10 yrs old with 68,000 miles and a full service history from new.
history is everything... no history from new is very very strange.. indicates a seriously uninterested or stupid previous owner!

Mr Benevolent

You might as well burn your money now if you have €10k to chuck away on a car that hasn't been cared for. Leave it alone and use your money more sensibly. Lots of good cars you can get with €10k, an unserviced Astra isn't one of them. Are you only looking to buy because it's an '08?

behan29

i have driven the car and its grand, however i am mindful that it will need a good look at, i was only going to offer about 8500euro, i am extremy mindful that it has never being serviced, its a neighbours car and it only does aboy 40 km a day and on very good roads, they have said i can have the car for 9000, but i would still class this as steep, they are also leaving the country and hence desperate to sell,there is no body damage etc and it is very clean.

vectra

behan29 wrote: »

they are also leaving the country and hence desperate to sell,.

Financed ??? :rolleyes:

kildarelad

Take a chance on it these cars retail for somewhere between 18000 and 21000 so its a very good price for a 08. It should be just approaching its third service now .But if you got it give it an oil and filter change and plugs if its a petrol it should be fine .I think those astras are timing chain i stand for correction though.If its timing belt it wont be due until 50000kms or once every five years.In my opinion buy it before a dealer does and sells it on for a much higher price

hi_im_fil

The engine is what I would be worried about if it hasn't been serviced, not the suspension or body. Old oil is what kills an engine.

behan29

the father said the same, i was meant to go for another look yesterday, but id rather walk the dog!!

hi_im_fil

kildarelad wrote: »

Take a chance on it these cars retail for somewhere between 18000 and 21000 so its a very good price for a 08. It should be just approaching its third service now .But if you got it give it an oil and filter change and plugs if its a petrol it should be fine .I think those astras are timing chain i stand for correction though.If its timing belt it wont be due until 50000kms or once every five years.In my opinion buy it before a dealer does and sells it on for a much higher price

They are not going for that money at all, a friend bought a 07 one a year ago for around €15000. And that was from a main dealer, could have gotten one cheaper in a private sale.

Plus here are 3 08 astras going for 10k, so there is no need to buy one that hasn't ever been serviced.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1134455
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1131867
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1025545

TheAceFace

These cars retail for 11,000 - 16,000.

Have a look on carzone, there are better examples for sale from dealers that have been serviced, with less miles and a warranty.

38,000km is not low mileage for a 2008, for it not to have been serviced is bizzarre, they obviously do not car about the car.

There's a timing belt on the petrol engines & a chain on the diesels.

I'd stay well away. There's plenty of good 2nd hand cars out there for €8,500 - €10,000

behan29

i have seen one where i live and its a little over 12000 and has low milage, am thinking of going for that one instead, thanks for the tips, its much appreciated, the car is for my partner and she would prefer a 207.

BrianD3

Car might be on a 2 year/20,000 mile or flexible service schedule. With long service intervals on modern cars, 38k kms without a service may not be a huge deal on this car, especially if it has had an easy life (eg lots of 40 km journeys on open roads)

For its first few services my Renault was serviced every 30k kms as per the schedule using cheap semi synthetic oil. Doesn't seem to have done it any harm as it now has over 220k miles up.

kildarelad

They are not going for that money at all, a friend bought a 07 one a year ago for around €15000. And that was from a main dealer, could have gotten one cheaper in a private sale.

Plus here are 3 08 astras going for 10k, so there is no need to buy one that hasn't ever been serviced.

I was talking about when they were brand new obviously not now.Thats what im saying a 8000 to 11000 price difference in two years is some drop.

stimpson

behan29 wrote: »

i have seen one where i live and its a little over 12000 and has low milage, am thinking of going for that one instead, thanks for the tips, its much appreciated, the car is for my partner and she would prefer a 207.

I've driven both and the Astra is head and shoulders over the Peugeot. Pug drivers seat used to leave me crippled after a long drive. Slightly flakey electrics too. 3 door Astra has sports suspension and comfortable seats. Well screwed together. The SRi came with a few toys too (can't remember if they were standard though). 1.4 is pretty gutless though. Get her to drive both and see what she thinks.

behan29

she has also driven both and to be honest she doesnt notice any difference!! once its shiny and black, thats the criteria for her car, narrows it done really!!! i think the astra is by far a nicer drive and car, the father has a 207 and i dont think much of it.

hi_im_fil

kildarelad wrote: »

I was talking about when they were brand new obviously not now.Thats what im saying a 8000 to 11000 price difference in two years is some drop.

Sorry, I thought you meant they were going for the price you mentioned secondhand

mickdw

kildarelad wrote: »

I was talking about when they were brand new obviously not now.Thats what im saying a 8000 to 11000 price difference in two years is some drop.

There has been big changes in those 2 years in the car business. that price drop is about as good as it gets tbh.

kildarelad

There has been big changes in those 2 years in the car business. that price drop is about as good as it gets tbh.

Exactly its very good value for money and the owners are being honest they could just have easily said it had been serviced all the way up

mickdw

kildarelad wrote: »

Exactly its very good value for money and the owners are being honest they could just have easily said it had been serviced all the way up

I meant it the other way around. That price drop is the least you would expect with the changes in car prices over the last 2 years. My Audi is down 22 to 25k since april 08.
I would keep looking

-Corkie-

Its to dear for a start youll pick up a repo at merlin auctions for 8k or thereabouts, probabaly not serviced either but cheaper.

j4vier

i wouldnt touch it tbh
i have a 08 corsa, 20k km on it..i was told to get it serviced either once a year or every 12k km i think whichever is sooner so i presume the astra would be something similar
i d rather spend a bit more for something that i know it has been looked after..
as an alternative, why dont u let a mechanic take a look at it for u?

R.O.R

j4vier wrote: »

i wouldnt touch it tbh
i have a 08 corsa, 20k km on it..i was told to get it serviced either once a year or every 12k km i think whichever is sooner so i presume the astra would be something similar
i d rather spend a bit more for something that i know it has been looked after..
as an alternative, why dont u let a mechanic take a look at it for u?

Did the dealer tell you to get it serviced at those intervals? I wonder why?

All the VW's and Audi's we buy have a sticker on the door saying service due at 15,000km, but 1st service isn't due until 30,000km according to manufacturer's specifications.

Not sure what engine is in the car the OP is looking at, but most of the newer Opel's are set up for long life servicing every 30,000km. Need to keep an eye on the oil level, but 8,000km over service isn't the end of the world (done worse myself )

We just had an 07 Focus 1.4 back last week. 36,000km and never had any maintenance in it's life. Was a customers pool car so probably spent all it's time doing short journeys between their 3 sites. Still running perfectly - going for service this week before heading for a new home.

We did have an Avensis that finally blew up at 56,000km after never having a service (intervals of 16,000km on that). Rather large bill for the customer on that one. Could have been worse though as it let go on the outside lane of the M1 at 120km/h.

langdang

R.O.R wrote: »

All the VW's and Audi's we buy have a sticker on the door saying service due at 15,000km, but 1st service isn't due until 30,000km according to manufacturer's specifications.

Never having owned a new car - is there supposed to be an oil change very very soon after the first period of driving, just to clear out any stuff from the initial wear in of the engine parts, or is that a relic of years gone by?

R.O.R

langdang wrote: »

Never having owned a new car - is there supposed to be an oil change very very soon after the first period of driving, just to clear out any stuff from the initial wear in of the engine parts, or is that a relic of years gone by?

I think the "running in" period went out with carburettors, chokes and drum brakes on the front

Drummerboy08

R.O.R wrote: »

Did the dealer tell you to get it serviced at those intervals? I wonder why?

All the VW's and Audi's we buy have a sticker on the door saying service due at 15,000km, but 1st service isn't due until 30,000km according to manufacturer's specifications.

Not sure what engine is in the car the OP is looking at, but most of the newer Opel's are set up for long life servicing every 30,000km. Need to keep an eye on the oil level, but 8,000km over service isn't the end of the world (done worse myself )

We just had an 07 Focus 1.4 back last week. 36,000km and never had any maintenance in it's life. Was a customers pool car so probably spent all it's time doing short journeys between their 3 sites. Still running perfectly - going for service this week before heading for a new home.

We did have an Avensis that finally blew up at 56,000km after never having a service (intervals of 16,000km on that). Rather large bill for the customer on that one. Could have been worse though as it let go on the outside lane of the M1 at 120km/h.

I think the main problem is that it would have been due a service after 12 months if the 30k wasnt reached. So it should have had at least one service in its lifetime.

However, like you, I've had cars go 10/20/30k over their intervals and there hasnt been a problem. In saying that, we have a RR Sport that went 4k over its interval a few weeks ago, and now it needs €€€ to get back running again.

Pays yer money and takes yer chances I suppose.

Gurgle

R.O.R wrote: »

I think the "running in" period went out with carburettors, chokes and drum brakes on the front

Isn't running in more to do with piston rings in the barrels?

R.O.R

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

I think the main problem is that it would have been due a service after 12 months if the 30k wasnt reached. So it should have had at least one service in its lifetime.

Pretty sure it's 30k or 2 years, but can't be arsed finding a service book to prove you wrong

j4vier

R.O.R wrote: »

Did the dealer tell you to get it serviced at those intervals? I wonder why?

All the VW's and Audi's we buy have a sticker on the door saying service due at 15,000km, but 1st service isn't due until 30,000km according to manufacturer's specifications.

Not sure what engine is in the car the OP is looking at, but most of the newer Opel's are set up for long life servicing every 30,000km. Need to keep an eye on the oil level, but 8,000km over service isn't the end of the world (done worse myself )

We just had an 07 Focus 1.4 back last week. 36,000km and never had any maintenance in it's life. Was a customers pool car so probably spent all it's time doing short journeys between their 3 sites. Still running perfectly - going for service this week before heading for a new home.

We did have an Avensis that finally blew up at 56,000km after never having a service (intervals of 16,000km on that). Rather large bill for the customer on that one. Could have been worse though as it let go on the outside lane of the M1 at 120km/h.

ye the dealer told me originally ( he is closed down now btw!) and there was a sticker on the front window saying to get it serviced then

Drummerboy08

R.O.R wrote: »

Pretty sure it's 30k or 2 years, but can't be arsed finding a service book to prove you wrong

Had to go back to find this thread to prove you wrong! Its clearly 30k or 12 months (according to my Autodata bible anyhow)

The VAG stuff is 30k or 24 months AFAIK....

GTE

The owners dont deserve the money from the sale to be honest. You will be in a world of problems at some point down the line with that car because of the owners lack of care.