Holden Astra

Hi, I just bought an old car and just recently it has some problems:
* Emission and TCS light always on
* Whenever speed back to 0 (red light, traffic), pressing gas takes long time to increase speed
* Engine has a weird noise

Can someone please help and let me know what's going on?

Thanks in advance.

serviced twice a year used for visiting relatives around the state excellent on fuel economy sum long like to sydney or larger regoinal citys liks dubbo or mudgee shopping trips to larger towns mostly over an hour away or doctors appoinments eye or heart specialist, vacation driving to the coast

Purchased a 2007 SRi Astra off the showroom floor from Von Bibra Robina. The car was impressive to start off with, but many issues have tainted my enthusiasm over Holden.
All the problems seem to be recurring, but no product recalls at any point!
First the aircon compressor packed up. Took it to 2 different technicians: "Usual issue with Atra." $550 to replace/repair compressor clutch coil thermal fuse.
Then, at about 120,000km the gearbox started whining in 6th gear. You guessed it! Two different gearbox specialists said it was a recurring problem with the Astra.
At around the same time, the metallic silver paint started fading. I reported it to the dealer, but they said that they'd never seen anything like it before. I took the vehicle in to them, but they just shrugged their shoulders and said I should speak to Holden Australia. When looking on car sale websites, I came across 12 vehicles with the exact same issue. The panel beaters I have taken it to say that it is a common problem with Holden. The clear coat has failed. The car now looks horrendous with large marks on the back bumper, bonnet and roof. Holden Australia say that it is "normal deterioration" and weren't prepared to do anything about it.
The gearlever knob has disintegrated and the gearlever boot has lost all it's cover. The headlights have faded and the horn stopped working at about 50,000km.
When purchasing a vehicle new and looking after it, you'd expect better quality and durability than what Holden has delivered. I purchased a Toyota Corolla approximately 10 months after the Astra and have had no comparable issues whatsoever. It has had 2 recalls which the dealer took care of. Guess who I'll be buying my next car from! Definitely not Holden.

We chose the Astra RSV 1.6 turbo
Terrific car for our small family and recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable performer.
It’s fuel economy around town with Aircon on is about 7L/100km and is quite easy to drive with minimal road noise.
Holden have completed the first two services so far without anything extra needing to be fixed.

We purchased this Astra after having a TS hatch from new in 2005 and needed to update. After looking at the options, we decided to purchase the RSV with touring pack. This included the sun roof and the adaptive cruse control. (couldn't justify the expense for the innovations pack for LED headlights) The must have was the adaptive cruse control. This car is brilliant in features, performance and reliability, it is a real testament to the Opel brand and to the Holden team that tweaked it for the Australian conditions. I did research the vehicle on overseas forum sites before purchase and from what I was reading, the 1.6 L is the pick of the motors. The only thing I can say against this car is the paint is quite soft and chips easily. If I had know this when purchasing I would have got a clear wrap on the vehicle at delivery and then had nothing to complain about. After saying that I would not hesitate in re-investing in the same vehicle given the time over.

I have had my 2006 Holden Astra Station Wagon for 2.5 years. I purchased this particular vehicle because it is a small wagon with heaps of boot space.

Overall I enjoy driving this car. With the 5 speed, the gear between 2nd and 3rd is short meaning you need to get the revs up to around 2800rpm to drop it into 3rd at 2000rpm for the right speed. Mechanically the car is very fuel efficient. On 98 Octane, it will do city driving around 8.2L/100kms. On country driving I have got just under 7L numerous times.

In the wagon, the rear seats can be moved so you can completely fold the rear seat flat. It allows you to store a lot of stuff!!!

Being a German designed car, the handling is very very good along with the brakes. It's responsive in sharp turns and holds the road well on the standard tyres. It has saved me several times in avoiding cars suddenly coming out of driveways to veer off with no body roll. The engine has good torque but requires some additional push in traffic and on hills (perhaps due to the extra weight of the wagon vs the hatch). It isn't quick by any means.

The body quality and interior parts are pretty poor for a car built in 2006. The factory clear coat has completely peeled on the roof and is starting on the bonnet and right side of the car (both drivers and RHS passenger door, front bumper). The left side has no peel. I've seen the clear coat come off other silver wagons but also other AH Astra's in various places (wagon and hatch). It seems to be a problem with early AH models imported into Australia (2005 - 2006). Another common problem is the steering wheel material coming off. You can still use the steering wheel, it just looks like it is falling apart.

The ventilation control behind the heater wouldn't turn the heater flap soon after I purchased it. I figured out this was because of a loose electrical connection. I resoldered some wires and it fixed the problem. The power window button for the driver snapped and I also replaced this (part is about $15 for 5 buttons).

Lastly, turn on the headlights and beep the horn. If it doesn't work, an Body Control Unit may either be not functioning or the connections are loose. There is a fix where Holden / Opal put connectors to push the wires together. I had this done out of consideration as I purchased the car second hand.

You can understand how General Motors who owned Opal are going broke, just not enough attention to the car overall !!!

Would I still buy one? Considering I'd have to get a 4WD to supplement my needs (where this car will put to shame many 4WDs for storage space ) I'd say yes...but only if the paint and trim didn't fall apart!

this car is just enough for myself , small but is put down the back seat the room is big enough for any loading. I service the car once a year but never have problem , i can not believe this car allready been 11 years. never have any big issues,

There are not many convertible 4 seater cars in the market for the price of an Astra. convertible roofs are complex and prone to faults. Astra is not exception. but finding parts for this car is easy in Australia.
My car had these issues since owning it:
- roof stopped working. busted hydraulic pipe cost around 1k to fix
- leaking engine once from rocker gasket and once from oil pressure sensor
- wheel hub and screws and nuts needed replacements
- shock absorbents needed replacement

lots of issues for a car done just 130k. but still cheaper than trying to buy a let's say golf convertible.

Bought it when I was 16 as a learners car, it’s great on fuel economy (I get about 7L/100km Maximum km is 700km and minimum is 450ish km with spirited driving) and very cheap as well ( $50 for full tank depends on fuel price ) With one full tank I can go from Dunsborough to Perth and still have half a tank left! It handles and feels like a big car, the noise on freeway driving is little to none, interior is a bit plastic-ish but it doesn’t bother me, leg room both front and rear is amazing! I can fit 5 people easily, and when I need to haul stuff I just put the rear seats down. I live in the country/coastline and I do take her off-roading/soft-roading every time and she does the job! Very reliable if maintenanced regularly, only thing to look out for when buying is the timing belt/water pump, change it every 50xxxkms. I’ve had mine for nearly 2 years of doing Learners and 18 months of P-plates and did 47xxxkms before breaking down when water pump gave up spunning the timing belt, piston hits the valve. Other than that is great reliable car.

We brought our Astra in June. I’m super happy with it. We originally owned a Cruze and as much as I like it this car is better. The smoothness of it is what I love he most and it’s turbo. The features in it are great (apple car play) the old system was a bit slow but not any more I connect straight away. The boot is large which is great with a pram the back seats are roomy. Have had two adults and a car seat and everyone was fine. For what I paid and what I got I’m over the moon thanks Holden

I absolutely love this car! Great space in the boot as it’s a sedan, plus it also has all the extras you might need in your every day driving apart from an electric engine. Average fuel consumption is around 5.7-6.5l. Really comfortable, easy to use interface, huge screen and wheels which help you to focus more on the traffic rather than worrying about how to operate what.

Very impressed with this vehicle for under $20k, have compared with other vehicles, has day time driving lights, rain sensor wipers, stop start, Emergency Bracking, lane keeping assistance, auto lights, reverse camera and rear sensors, Apple car play, DAB radio, Seven inch touch screen, seventeen inch alloy wheels, leather steering, 1.4 litre turbo very fuel efficient, made in Europe. Great styling with piano finish. Seriously most expensive vehicles don't gave half the stuff. Also 7 year warranty with 3 year roadside (RACV)......

If your Astra overheats,
goes into limp mode,
or just plain and simple runs like crap, then call me in Western Australia to fix or perhaps improve the way it runs. My mobile is 0400501037. I have had two TS Astra sedans over the years and since I made this simple modification no limp mode or faults have come and both cars have been driven by learner drivers constantly stalling.....

Bought this car in 2014 for $7000 however, I had to spend another $4000 repairs
The car shakes/judders when driving at 60km or higher. The sports button makes the car undrivable. Another typical European Holden, nothing but problems.

Avoid at all costs especially L and P platers as we don't have that much money to spend.

I could have boght a new car with the money I've spent on it. Without fail every 6 months it cost between $800 and $2000 at dealership to fix. Dudded me an ignition barrel under warranty as they couldn't get it to fault until warranty ended that is. Electrical fault twice a year like clockwork UNTIL I STOPPED GOING TO DEALER.

Been great since taking it elsewhere, no fault liggts just regular servicing and maintenance. Coincidence???? Not likely!!!!

Previous review mentiined front tyre wear is excessive and I'd agree with that but I do like a softer ride and use a bridgestone rally tyre which never lasts the suggested kms but they drive well.

If I had my time over I would NOT buy an astra and definitely NOT take it to holden.

I always thought a holden would be the best car I could have as the family have had them for generations. WRONG.

My Astra Hatchback 2016 is one of a kind and I seriously rarely have seen another pass me. The sat nav is not great to use in a hurry. Twirling the dial back and forth and over and over for each letter is very tiresome. I end up using my Google Map app on my phone. Side vision is limited, but the electrics have not let me down more than once. Warranty covered that sad little affair. ( Whatever a broken front camera is, it stopped working)

Great all rounder car for cruising etc
Good on fuel consumption, Performance & handling on the road with the power when you need it Perfect.
If it rains while enjoying the roof down, going 50km or more you do NOT get wet. Back seat is roomy for all passengers.
Bertone interior looks stylish with sports seats that are so comfortable, even has heater in the seats for warmth in Winter

Had never considered an Astra but when my circumstances changed from driving 20kms return to work, to 170kms, I needed a small efficient and comfortable vehicle. 3 months and 13000kms later, couldn’t be happier. Quiet, comfortable and great on fuel (averaging 6.3l mixed city and HW). Fantastic stereo- sound connectivity and simplicity is amazing. aircon, heated seats and steering wheel all work great. Car feels solid and well made, soft touch materials and well fitted panels. Safety gear works well and not at all intrusive like a lot of other manufacturers offerings. Engine is sporty and has fantastic flexibility due to the torque in the lower revs and between 0-100kmph is very quick. Loses a little steam higher in the revs but only an issue when going very quickly. handling very good when needed but ride is still supple enough for day to day driving, heaps of room for 4 adults and boot is a reasonable size. Love the remote starting, never knew what I was missing until I had it! Start the car on the way out to the car and nice and cool when I get inside.

Negatives- factory tyres ordinary, and gearbox can be a little clumsy at low speeds. Leather seats although comfy and supportive, feel is a little plastic and cheap. Engine is great however can be harsh and noisy above 4500 revs. Due to the low down power is does torque steer when giving it the beans. All in all small issues but nothing is perfect!

In summary, if your after a well sorted small car with all the bells and whistles with plenty of grunt, without the pricetag of the other manufacturers top spec offerings, give the Holden a go. Great deals currently from holden, very underrated and highly recommended for a great all round commuting, family and surprisingly fun vehicle.

Great little car. We were looking for something that performed similarly to our VW Golf, but with improved reliability. (We spent more on repairs for the Golf than it was worth!).

The Holden Astra ticked all the boxes. It was affordable, small, but also provided a good driving experience.

1) Excellent handling and performance, low noise, nimble around corners, good acceleration (considering it is a 1.4L engine).
2) Simple, clean interior. Nothing too fancy, not 'gadgety'.
3) Economical. Costs $50 AUD to fill up.
4) Looks nice enough, considering it's a small car.

My car got written off and I bought a second hand Holden Astra and have never looked back! It feels so good to drive it’s so smooth, not too big on the outside but spacious five seater on the inside and best of all it’s very cheap on fuel! It’s honestly the best car I have ever owned!