Still going...Astra Mk II 1.4 Merit (Vauxhall Astra Mk II (1984-93))

Member Name: ruclick

Product:	Vauxhall Astra Mk II (1984-93)
Date:	22/10/02 (327 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Reliability, Running costs

Disadvantages: Merit spec abysmally poor, A bit tedious over long distances

This was my first ever car - an Astra 1.4 Merit. I loved it, not because it was so brilliant, but because it was my first car. But it's still in the hands of the family, and it's still going strong...

Reliability and Quality
Never broke down, never saw the garage for things other than services.

Performance
I found the 1.4 engine perfectly adequate. After all, the Astra was not a big car, and since the Merit spec is the very basic one, the engine did not have any excess weight to propel.

Ease of driving
No power steering, but who needs it in a car this size. OK, a bit of work is required when parking, but there's nothing wrong with a bit of exercise every now and then, is there. Due to the low spec, there aren't many buttons to get confused about, so everything is pretty straightforward and easy to understand. The car has good and predictable road manners and is generally a good beginner's car.

Space
I was suprised to find that the Astra took more or less anything thrown into it, be it 4 people and luggage or a complete bathroom suite (including a full-size bath, toilet, cistern and wash basin!). The rear seats fold down and also split, so there is plenty flexibility. Why my current Chrysler Voyager can't do that is beyond me...

Comfort
Not sure why they came up with the name "Merit" for the basic version, since it doesn't have any merits in terms of spec. Even the clock had to be retro-fitted... Maybe they mean you get the steering wheel thrown in... Other than that, the Astra was reasonably comfortable (reasonably by 1984-93 standards, that is). Long journeys were rather tedious, though, due to noise and a ride that was a bit on the uncomfortable side.


Economy and value for money
The 1.4 was quite economical (sorry, cannot remember the exact mpg figure) and very cheap to run. Servicing was well below £80 in those days, and even
a new exhaust did not break the bank. Given the production volume, I would guess there is a buoyant parts and spares market out there, so you should be able to run on of these on not much more than a shoestring these days... Just watch out for the very rusty ones...

Summary
A reliable, cheap-to-run and surprisingly spacious car that is now a little past its former glory. Late models (H or J reg) should still be good for some time, provided there's not too much rust.

Summary: