Conference terri::cars_uk

    
    I had a late GTE 16v (with Cat) for a year or so on the scheme.
    Admittedly not quite the same but some mechanical things are probably
    worth a comment.
    
    I found fuel consumption varied wildly depending on driving style, 
    top speed etc.
    For example, holidaying in Ireland, 40+mpg was easily achieved,
    whereas blasting down the German autobahn (120/130mph) I'd get about
    17/18mpg at best. Driven enthusiastically in the UK - where possible -
    I used to reckon to get at least 30mpg and around 35mpg on a decent run.
    
    Engine management system was unreliable. It was replaced twice but
    would occaisionally rev for no reason or worse the engine might die
    when you put your foot on the throttle.
    
    It was also a 'cat' eater and I think new ones were about �500 a time.
    Something worth thinking about (and topical!) if you're buying
    privately.
    
    Richard.
    
    

I recently gave up my fave Escort 1.8i Ghia for an Astra 2.0i
CDsomethingorother (due to being priced out of getting a non-Valuxhall
leasemobile).  Comparing it with the Escort, I find:
    

LIKES
-----

Air Conditioning

Electric windows open/close on single push of button. (Probably dangerous for
kids, but dead cool).

Rear Fog Lights have a warning light in the dash (similar to main-beam) so I
don't leave them on for three days.

Exterior temperature readout.

Intermittent rear wiper.


DISLIKES
--------

Cr*p Radio/Cassette. No auto-reverse; No track-skip. No separate tone/balance.
No dolby. Rear speakers tinny and totally pointless unless you have kids. This
was the free down-grade from the CD player. I can't believe they put such a
crummy radio in the top-of-the-range Astra.

No heated windscreen.

Heated rear screen stays on. (On Escort, it was on a timer, and also went off
automatically when you switched off the ignition so I didn't leave it on for
three days).

Can't unlock passenger door or boot if drivers door is dead-locked, irritating
when your hands are full, it is raining and you want to dump something in the
car in a hurry.

Headlights stay on when ignition off. (Escort used to switch h/l off but leave
side lights on).

4-wipe auto-smear-when-washer-bottle-frozen-or-empty feature on windscreen
wipers.

Intermittent wipe is not variable.

Nice cup holder in glove box door spoiled by 1000-watt bulb in the glove box
which means you can't leave the door open whilst driving at night.

Smaller boot.

Generally a lot less storage space for tapes and other junk I carry around,
although I concede this may be due to passenger air-bag.

    >Cr*p Radio/Cassette. No auto-reverse...
    
    I've noticed this in some of the cars I've test driven lately. I just
    cannot believe the backward step Vauxhall have taken with their
    stereos.
    
    A couple of features I really like is cassette autoreverse and CPS
    which are no longer standard on lower spec Vauxhall models. Its
    features like this that in a small way aid road safety as you spend
    less time frigging around with the cassette unit which is 
    quite difficult when doing 85mph and chatting on a mobile phone at the
    same time (OK just kidding about the last part).
    
    Royston

I guess the new radios could be an anti-theft device, ie. they're so crap 
nobody will even want to nick them.

Chris.

    Sadly it is also difficult to upgrade the radio yourself (as I have
    done on some other of my leasemobiles) because of the wierdo in-dash
    display.
    
    Even my Walkman has auto-reverse and track-skip. Think I'll get one of
    those play-your-portable-CD-through-a-dummy-cassette things and play my
    walkman through it  :-)