1.3 Astra diesel

Skuxx

Alright lads, a mate of mine is looking at changing his car and is looking at the 1.3 astra diesel. Think he is hoping to get a 06/07 one depending on price. Anyone know anything about these? Good to drive? Troublesome?
How would you rate them compared to a golf or focus diesel?

unkel

The 1.3 diesel engine is a FIAT engine, which is a good thing. Make sure the timing belt has been changed on time.

EPM

A friend if mine has one. Bought it a year old and something like 22k km. It's got about 100k km on it now and he has never serviced it, just keeps topping up the oil. Madness I know but it's still going fine!

When its on boost it's a good car to go but useless when not. Even at 120kph in sixth it can lose momentum and the very slightest of inclines which is frustrating.

2 stroke

First impressions, without passengers/weight, seems very lively for engine size/diesel. Throw 5 adults into it and take it up the hills and you'll be working that gearbox. Drove 1 for 1 week, no problem except annoying vibration somewhere couldn't be tracked down. Will be interesting how time treats this car.

Squall19

90bhp and 200nm is pretty good for a 1.3 diesel, how much is he looking at paying?

unkel

EPM wrote: »

Even at 120kph in sixth it can lose momentum and the very slightest of inclines which is frustrating.

That doesn't make sense, surely at 120km/h in sixth it will do more than enough rpms to be near max torque?

Remember it is only a small 90BHP 1.3l turbo diesel engine, but it should have more torque than say a 1.8l 120BHP normally breathing petrol engine at that kinda rpm. The latter would lose momentum much quicker in top gear up a hill, needing a downshift.

Skuxx

Squall19 wrote: »

how much is he looking at paying?

Not sure what his max is but he sent me a link to this one which is about 9k so I'm thinking around that!
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Opel/Astra/GTC-SXI-/201043200036564/advert?channel=CARS

lifer_sean

unkel wrote: »

The 1.3 diesel engine is a FIAT engine, which is a good thing. Make sure the timing belt has been changed on time.

Doesn't have a timing belt, it's chain driven.

Yes it's a Fiat engine. You wouldn't believe it's only a 1248cc diesel when you drive it.

unkel

lifer_sean wrote: »

Doesn't have a timing belt, it's chain driven.

Ah cool. I was presuming it had a belt like its 1.9 sister. I was wrong so

EPM

unkel wrote: »

That doesn't make sense, surely at 120km/h in sixth it will do more than enough rpms to be near max torque?

Remember it is only a small 90BHP 1.3l turbo diesel engine, but it should have more torque than say a 1.8l 120BHP normally breathing petrol engine at that kinda rpm. The latter would lose momentum much quicker in top gear up a hill, needing a downshift.

It's off boost at that speed. Seems silly I know. If you don't use the gears properly there's awful lag. Pulls well in 5th at that speed.

Saying that I think it's pretty impressive for it's capacity

For Forks Sake

Had one of those for 2 years as a company car, hated every mile of it.

It was (very) noisy, (very) slow and very troublesome. Gearbox had to be changed after 25k. Numerous stupid electrical faults. MPG doing 120km/h motorway driving was crap. Not that you'd notice as you'd be more concerned about having gone deaf from the noise. The interior of the Astra is an unpleasant place to be if you're putting up high miles (crappy plastic all over the place, most of it badly put together). Handling is atrocious compared to a Focus, really rolls in the corners (5-dr)

Probably the one car of all the ones I've driven down the years that had no redeeming qualities whatsoever and I was genuinely glad to see the back of.

unkel

EPM wrote: »

It's off boost at that speed. Seems silly I know.

It produces max torque at 1750rpm (had to look that up ). Surely at 120km/h in 6th gear it is doing at least that (probably 1000rpm more)? The torque curve for most modern diesels is nearly flat from the max torque level of rpms???

bazz26

Had a loan of an ex Royal Mail Vauxhall Combo van recently with this little engine in it. It had a coolant leak somewhere in it meaning I regularly had to top it up with coolant/water. During the very cold weather with temperatures of -15c, the van started first time and kept me mobile, a great little engine. Granted it was a light van but it was nippy enough and good on fuel too.

An uncle has the same engine in his 05 Corsa with no issues and another uncle recently bought a 10 reg Astra with the same engine. I think they only gained a 6th gear in the last 12 months or so.

lifer_sean

The Astra 1.3CDTi definitely had 6-speed box in 2007, if not right from when they came out (2006 I think).

EPM

Some of them had a 5 speed box, possibly later models after the facelift. Remember reading something about a 5 speed box in them ages ago.

Unkel, I'll try get a spin in the buddies one again but it loses speed on inclines. The gearing is pretty long on them. I thought a six speed box was pointless but I suppose if the lower ratios are more closely stacked it would help. Possibly around the 2k Mark from memory at that speed. You'd need to be doing an indicated 140 for sixth to be of any use on a cruise.

unkel

EPM wrote: »

Unkel, I'll try get a spin in the buddies one again

Please do

2k rpm seems very low, my 735 V8 did just under 2k at 120km/h. But even at 2k it should have all the torque it ever gets.

lifer_sean

EPM wrote: »

Some of them had a 5 speed box, possibly later models after the facelift.

When did the Astra H get a facelift ? Isn't it the same from introduction in 2004 until the new one came out last year ?

Only the Astra H had the 1.3 CDTi. In 04-06 the Astra diesel had the 1.7 Isuzu engine, firstly in 80bhp form (Z17DTL) and then as 100bhp (Z17DTH). Very common in UK, not so common here. I think the Astra got the 1.3 diesel in 06, with some 1.7s still around to 2007 if not 2008.

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

The 1.3 astra always had a 6 speed gear box while some other versions like the 1.7 had a 5 speed gear box.
currently have a 1.3, great car but you would notice a lack of poke when carrying adults

eric hoone

alan1990 wrote: »

Alright lads, a mate of mine is looking at changing his car and is looking at the 1.3 astra diesel. Think he is hoping to get a 06/07 one depending on price. Anyone know anything about these? Good to drive? Troublesome?
How would you rate them compared to a golf or focus diesel?

I drive the focus 1.6tdci. It's in the lowest tax band and i get 50mpg so it's cheap to run. Comfortable on the open road, bit of a chore in traffic as most diesels are(unless automatic). Can't complain.

EPM

lifer_sean wrote: »

When did the Astra H get a facelift ? Isn't it the same from introduction in 2004 until the new one came out last year ?

Only the Astra H had the 1.3 CDTi. In 04-06 the Astra diesel had the 1.7 Isuzu engine, firstly in 80bhp form (Z17DTL) and then as 100bhp (Z17DTH). Very common in UK, not so common here. I think the Astra got the 1.3 diesel in 06, with some 1.7s still around to 2007 if not 2008.

Well facelift might be stretching it they made VERY slight changes to specs/grills/lights/wheels from MY08 on I think. Buddy's is a late 06 Astra H.

Was there some kind of Eco model in UK possibly with a five speed box? On mobile so can't really check

EPM

unkel wrote: »

Please do

2k rpm seems very low, my 735 V8 did just under 2k at 120km/h. But even at 2k it should have all the torque it ever gets.

Gearing is quite long. But it is a six speed box in a lower revving diesel though.

bazz26

Pre facelifted Astra H:


Facelifted Astra H:

lifer_sean

Thanks bazz.

That's a really impressive bit of redesign work by Adam, isn't it ?

Why did they bother ????