[dec]

Howdy all

Just test drove a new 1.4 Astra today and IMO opinion the MKV is in trouble ! Just want to get my hands on a 1.7 100 BHP for a test drive. Apparently there's a 150BHP variant of the 1.7 on the way ! Might wait for that. Have to ring the sales guy back for confirmation and a price but if it's good it's bye bye Bora !

 

[Geeba]

Hmmm Vauxhal - VW? personal choice I guess.... bit like Vauxhal League and Premier League IMO...

 

[Russell]

I think there is also going to be a bi-turbo diesel at around 200bhp

 

[Royster]

Glad you liked it![]

 

[rob.gti]

Quote: posted by dec on 23/04/2004 13:37:52

Howdy all

Just test drove a new 1.4 Astra today and IMO opinion the MKV is in trouble ! Just want to get my hands on a 1.7 100 BHP for a test drive. Apparently there's a 150BHP variant of the 1.7 on the way ! Might wait for that. Have to ring the sales guy back for confirmation and a price but if it's good it's bye bye Bora !

Have you driven the MKV yet? If so how do you compare them?

Just remember, the Astra wont feel "THAT" good after a few miles on the clock, but the Golf will still feel like its brand new []

 

[Geeba]

Yup threw a bucket of water and a hoover over mine the other day along with a set of new mats... blew the heater through for a few mins for that new car smell again and whammo! chuffed! new car!

 

[PaulGT]

Was following a 2.2DTI New Astra the other day! looked pretty nice! Dunno what bhp it's pushing out, but must be a fair old bit!!

 

[Mikedav]

From a mass market perspective I think the Astra is going to do very, very well. Its so much better than anything Vauxhall have ever done before and looks almost special - it will appeal to a lot of people, who will also look at the £2k saving and see it as a clear winner.

To say people will see how tatty the Vauxhall gets so quickly and that that will put them off is not true - if everyone[/i] bothered about long run quality, they wouldn't buy Citroens, Rovers and Fords, but they do, because most people who buy a new car run it for three years max, expect it to get tatty, then buy another.

The Golf looks old already IMO - its just there, nothing special to it. Don't get me wrong, the Golf will always sell because it is an excellent car and, like the BMW mentality (Im sad to see the new 5 seems to be doing well), its still a Golf so people want it. It will also last longer and hold its value better, but to say its better than the Astra is a bit daft - it depends on what you want from your car. And for many, the Astra will suit them better than the VW.

I think Vauxhall deserves a lot of praise for what they have done and the car deserves to - and will - succeed.

 

[Stevoraith]

My mum just got an invite to the 'official launch' next week. Bit strange there are ones available for test drive already.

By the reviews it has been getting already I think the mkV is definitely in trouble. Interior quality is said to be better than the new Golf.

 

[rob.gti]

Mike, I have to agree with you on many of your points above. But i do think you should credit the public with a little more cred. I agree not everyone thinks "nice car, but what will its resale value be", but these days people are a lot more prudent with their hard earned.

IMO Astra buyers would never consider a Golf. But it would seem Golf drivers would consider and Astra. However, I would put money where my mouth is and say most people who "leave" the VW brand for another, almost certainly will make their way back.

I have to say, I have driven quite a few MKV's now (1.6FSI SE was my chosen wagon today) and I really like it. I have high hopes for the GTI and I think VW will deliver a car worthy of the badge. As for the Astra, I will book myself a test drive and let you know my thoughts, but in my eyes the only real competition for the new Golf,outside the VAG brand, is the new BMW 1 Series, and if they produce the BMW 2 Series Coupe featured in this weeks AutoExpress, I can see VW have a tough time from the fellow Germans.

 

[Mikedav]

Quote: posted by rob.gti on 23/04/2004 17:40:26

IMO Astra buyers would never consider a Golf. But it would seem Golf drivers would consider and Astra. However, I would put money where my mouth is and say most people who "leave" the VW brand for another, almost certainly will make their way back.

I think thats a very fair assesment - your average Astra customer having looked at Focus, 307, Corolla rather than Golf. Such a customer probably dismisses a Golf immediately for being 'too expensive' (when as you say, in the long run it probably is not).

So the Astra will probably steal sales from the Focus rather than the Golf

in my eyes the only real competition for the new Golf,outside the VAG brand, is the new BMW 1 Series, and if they produce the BMW 2 Series Coupe featured in this weeks AutoExpress, I can see VW have a tough time from the fellow Germans.

Ive got to agree here too. If the pictures are anything to go by, thats a new shape BMW I would buy - absolutely lovely and reasonably priced too, if its within £3k of the forthcoming GTI I think VW would have a problem. Otherwise, if you are after a 'GTI' VW will still offer the best of the bunch IMO.

 

[Wish]

Im sad to see the new 5 seems to be doing well

Errrr. [Cough] Bull5hit [/cough]

 

[Mikedav]

Oh good! I just seem to see a lot of them around. I just want to be able to say 'I told you so BMW'

[]

 

[jasew]

I feel VW have dropped the ball with the new Golf, there is no denying the cabin quality has suffered; and i'm still coming to terms with the 'evolutionary' styling. These reasons alone put VW in the firing line and it's their own fault if VW owners start to be tempted by the likes of BMW etc..

I haven't seen or test drove a new Astra yet, however that doesn't mean i'm going to slander it. If Vauxhall, Ford or any other manufacturer raise their game and produce better cars, then good on em. Vauhxall have learned a lesson from the last 2 Astra's that you can't be compaisant; I think VW have been; expecting loyal VW owners to stay on the band wagon.

I agree that more VW owners will probably look towards Audi/BMW rather than Vauxhall, badge stigma does play a large roll when it comes to buying power, but lets not all forget how the fortunes og Skoda have turned around, maybe Vauxhall are a bit of a dark horse...

All we can do is watch and see what happens over the coming year...

 

[rob.gti]

Skoda fortunes have turned round because early advertising used "Part of the Volkswagen Group" slogan on all media.

They dont have to now, because everyone knows []

Both SEAT and Skoda have been brought upto scratch with the help of VW and maybe VW lost sight of their own product while changing the fortunes of these other companies. Who knows?

 

[matt747]

It will be interesting to test drive the new Astra and Golf. Based on magazine reviews they seem very similar. I suspect alot of Golf sales will be lost to the new Astra and future Focus. The Golf appeals to a wide range of buyers and imo diffent models compete with different cars ie. Based on price/affordability the 1.4/1.6/1.9TDI generally compete against Astra/Focus/307/Mazda 3 category cars wheras the 2.0TDI/FSI/new GTI compete with A3/BMWs. When I bought my first MkIV, imo these were the advantages over the competition:

1. Much higher build/trim quality

2. Style/looks..timeless, easily recognisable as a Golf

3. Brand

4. Residuals.

The 4 reasons justfied the considerable extra cash outlay over similar models.(Focus etc) The MkV fails on points 1 & 2; quality advantage appears almost eliminated(based on new Astra and latest Fords) and as stated many times; the style of the car is too much like a 307 and not distinctive anymore. Residuals will always be good but when you're paying more you probably still lose the same amount of money in real terms.

 

[evo10]

after reading this thread i dont know why is expecting big things of the the new GTI, dont forget that vauxhall will be releasing the 240BHP VXR astra next year as well as the bi turbo diesel. at the end of the day vauxhall have been in VW shadow for a long time and is just starting to break free of it, the only thing i can say why dont we just wait for both the GTI and VXR to come out and then decide which car is best. but alot of people on here will be biased towards the VW badge as im sure people on the astra web sites will be biased. only time will tell which one people will buy

 

[spg]

The fast Astra Diesel is the 1.9 150bhp isnt it?

Its not out for a couple of months yet.

Havnt heard of a bi-turbo?

 

[Matty H]

lmfao, Golf drivers would not look at Astra's. What a load of rubbish. I love my Golf, it is a very good car but come on. Just because you don't like the Vauxhall badge, the build quality of Vauxhalls is as good as VW, fact, as I have just sold a Vauxhall to buy the VW, I know. The only reason people pay more for VW is because of this myth. I did not by the Golf as I thought it was worth more or built better, I bought it cos I liked the look of it and it was nice to drive. I didn't realise that Golf drivers were such snobs. I only thought BMW drivers thought they were better than everyone else.

 

[Irish]

Astra isn't that great looking though IMO.

As for the Golf, as long as you can buy an A3 for nearly the same price, they ain't gonna appeal to original MKIV owners - look at the amount of us here that loved our MKIVs but are driving A3s now!