USED Vauxhall Astra Hatchback (98 - 12)

My car

This car has one of the quickest 1.8-litre engines you'll find.

It is a quiet engine at low speeds but can be loud as you climb the revs. It has smooth handling, but the traction control can be irritating. It's also not too thirsty on petrol.

It has lots of equipment and toys, and the insurance is decent given the performance. It's a good looker in the right colour (this model comes with spoiler and alloys).

The only problem so far has been the head gasket, which blew at 70,000 miles, but besides that no problems at all. These engines are very reliable, as any owner will tell you. I would buy another Astra in a shot!

My car

I imported this car from Holland in 2001, where it was £4000 cheaper to buy. It also had a very high specification compared to the UK equivalent. This included ABS, computer and cruise control.

I have now done over 170,000 very tough miles in it. Its reliability has been 100%, it has never let me down and has had no problems whatsoever. It still has its original battery and exhaust system. The car will do well over 50mpg on a regular basis and is capable of doing as much as 72 mpg if driven carefully on a long run.

The service interval is 20,000 miles, which is a big advantage when you do as many miles as I do. It uses a couple of litres of oil between services but actually seems to use less now than it did when new.

The 2.0-litre diesel is a great engine, and is flexible and with lots of torque. It is very capable in the overtaking mode - just make sure you have the right gear selected. I also tow a glider trailer with it, without any problems at all.

What a great car it has been. Surely something must go wrong soon, but until it does, I shall continue to enjoy it.

My car

This Astra is a very good runner - it's good on motorways, and has good speed for a 1.6-litre engine. It also has a good level of equipment.

Vauxhall was great for my recent service, and I have had no problems with the car. However, the cambelt has been changed at 60,000 miles.

I would recemend it to anyone as a family car, it has got loads of space in the cabin and in the boot.

My car

The SRi isn't the worst car in the world to drive. Although the interior is bland, it has all the basics that you need.

The performance seems to be weather-related. Sometimes it's like you're towing a caravan, but if the temperature is just right, it goes like a rocket.

The handling could be better, even though this is the Lotus-tuned model. However, with that Lotus tuning, and the traction control, it's almost impossible to understeer.

I have had no major faults with the car. I get a bit of brake squeaking going round a corner, which has left Vauxhall stumped, but apart from that, it's been great.

Overall, if you are looking for a nippy little hatchback, you could do a lot worse.