RossG Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Many of you may remember me stating that I was down on a list for test driving this car when they became available. Well, the dealer that I was registered with now seems to have dissapeared. There dosen't seem to be a single dealer in the Glasgow area with an Astra VXR available. I have spoken to 3, all of whom state that there will be no cars in the system till at least the end of November. Now dosent this just strike you as crazy - and typical of VX. They make all this noise about the VXR brand and how it will be a halo for VX overall, and that the Astra is the main driver for this. They then run an ad campaign, and get all the press cars out there - and fail to actually get any cars to any dealers or customers. Bonkers... Says to me that they don't really give a stuff about the VXR brand. As one salesman said to me - its not as if it will be a big seller - so we aren't really that fussed. I really like this car and really want to drive one - before perhaps deciding to buy one. But I am afraid that at the moment, VX are simply making it not worth the effort. Anyone else finding this - or is no one else enough of a chav to be considering an Astra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activa Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 I think the point main point here is that if the dealers are gonna be so unobliging(whether it be their fault or not)when you simply want a test drive,what are they gonna be like if you eventually buy one and have to deal with them on a regular basis. Will it be the same attitude,well it's not a big seller so we don't really give a s**t if the guy's got problems with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMeanBob Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 If it takes that long to get a testdrive...how long does it take to get the bloody car? b0b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChadW Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Like the new Astras, especially the Sporthatch but not necessarily the VXR, think the middle exhaust is a bit 'too chav' IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Latest evo magazine shows a fine example of just how completely and utterly feckin incompetent Vauxhall dealers are. Their long term Monaro went in for a service, one or two minor things required, including a sensor to be ordered in, they had phoned two weeks prior to ensure it would be there. Comes to picking the car up from service and none of the requested bits had been looked at, and the sensor hadn't even been ordered never mind arrived & fitted. Even after they'd lost patience and told the dealership who they were, they still fecked it up - still waiting for the sensor and a call to book it back in. Minor things in terms of the car's reliability, but really poor in terms of dealer service. (Must admit, if I had a Monaro I wouldn't let the clueless teenage grease monkeys VX employ anywhere feckin near it.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chins Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Ive got one on order to replace my Golf MKV GTI. Dealers are crap, but so are a lot of VW dealer. How many know their stuff re the R32 - not many. Look plusher, but staffed by the same monkeys - most have probably come from a Vauxhall dealer anyway The VXR has suffered a delay due to body part problems. Seems Vauxhall have dumped the original supplier and need the new one to come on line. No VXR's until mid to late November and the first lot will be to satisfy customer orders, so dont expect lots of demos soon. Vauxhall have just given all people with orders a free climate and cruise upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossG Posted October 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Ive got one on order [/ QUOTE ] What colour? I really like the look of the car and quite fancy one - just need to recover from the financial shock of buying a house Glad to hear that VX are keeping in touch and compensating customers for their trouble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malagus Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 LOVE the car, sadly VX dealers are often really inept. 2nd hand or new, they are useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Ive got one on order to replace my Golf MKV GTI. [/ QUOTE ] Why, oh why, oh why? VXR may have more hp, but is a torque steer, under steer, heading-for-a-ditch-near-you on a wet road type car. Granted VW dealers aren't much better but the VXR will lose much more in terms of ££s than the GTi. An odd route to go... VW GTi to Astra VXR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossG Posted October 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Why, oh why, oh why? VXR may have more hp, but is a torque steer, under steer, heading-for-a-ditch-near-you on a wet road type car. Granted VW dealers aren't much better but the VXR will lose much more in terms of ££s than the GTi. An odd route to go... VW GTi to Astra VXR [/ QUOTE ] Sorry Brett, I think I would take the VXR over the GTI too! I haven't driven either - and would like to reserve judgment but I feel that the GTI just looks a bit to understated for a 'hot hatch'. Unfortunately you may be right about the VX depreciation though. The previous Astra SRI / GSI with the 200bhp turbo wasn't a bad car - but have you seen how cheap they are now?? Same with the Focus ST though - a year old for £11k -wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Why, oh why, oh why? VXR may have more hp, but is a torque steer, under steer, heading-for-a-ditch-near-you on a wet road type car. Granted VW dealers aren't much better but the VXR will lose much more in terms of ££s than the GTi. An odd route to go... VW GTi to Astra VXR [/ QUOTE ] Sorry Brett, I think I would take the VXR over the GTI too! I haven't driven either - and would like to reserve judgment but I feel that the GTI just looks a bit to understated for a 'hot hatch'. Unfortunately you may be right about the VX depreciation though. The previous Astra SRI / GSI with the 200bhp turbo wasn't a bad car - but have you seen how cheap they are now?? Same with the Focus ST though - a year old for £11k -wow! [/ QUOTE ] Don't get me wrong its a good looking car and froma 'sporty' perspective it knocks the socks off the GTi, but having seen the Stig drive it and loath the way it handled and put the 240hp down onto the tarmac, I think that a few VXRs will see the bottom of ditchs, embankments, etc. I feel that 240hp and front wheel drive just isn't right. It takes a very good engineer to make a drivable / controllable FWD car with 240hp, and VX haven't quite got there - think Focus RS, but not as good!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chins Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Why, oh why, oh why? VXR may have more hp, but is a torque steer, under steer, heading-for-a-ditch-near-you on a wet road type car. Granted VW dealers aren't much better but the VXR will lose much more in terms of ££s than the GTi. An odd route to go... VW GTi to Astra VXR [/ QUOTE ] Sorry Brett, I think I would take the VXR over the GTI too! I haven't driven either - and would like to reserve judgment but I feel that the GTI just looks a bit to understated for a 'hot hatch'. Unfortunately you may be right about the VX depreciation though. The previous Astra SRI / GSI with the 200bhp turbo wasn't a bad car - but have you seen how cheap they are now?? Same with the Focus ST though - a year old for £11k -wow! [/ QUOTE ] Don't get me wrong its a good looking car and froma 'sporty' perspective it knocks the socks off the GTi, but having seen the Stig drive it and loath the way it handled and put the 240hp down onto the tarmac, I think that a few VXRs will see the bottom of ditchs, embankments, etc. I feel that 240hp and front wheel drive just isn't right. It takes a very good engineer to make a drivable / controllable FWD car with 240hp, and VX haven't quite got there - think Focus RS, but not as good!! [/ QUOTE ] A few responses. Depreciation - I dont really think these will depreciate in the way people think. The numbers are fairly small and without a doubt it is the best looking Vauxhall for a while. The Zafira GSI will suffer now due to the new model, but did very well for the first 2-3 years of its life. I think the VXR will easily match the desirability of the LCR and at 3 years you cant get them for under £10k in a normal colour. Mine in red would cost under 17k with 18" wheels, climate, cruise etc. So I dont see this being bad on depreciation - looking at how much MKV GTI's are losing, it cant be worse. 240 and FWD? Well lots of people on here will try and chip their GTI to a higher number. I have to agree that Vauxhall made a cluster on Top Gear - the car was apparently not on the VXR suspension set up, but the SRI one. Vauxhall complained, but in their bid for a good article, the BBC ignored it. I guess in the end I didnt once get a smile from my GTI. Its looks were good for access to the Polo club and it went well, but I never once went for a blast for the sheer hell of it. I was looking for something a little bit rawer, something that was a bit more of a handfull etc. You can be too clinical IMHO. I think VW have lost the plot here with the last R32 (owned one, nice exhaust though) and now the GTI, also concerned that the new R32 will be the same. Think VW made the Reps car of choice though. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Trust me, its VX, its going to be limited in supply and even more so in demand..... it will do what all 'Limited' VXs do and that is depreciate, and fast!! VX Signum anyone!! Thats a shame really cos it will be one of the best cars that VX have produced, but I think that they over did it by giving it 240bhp, just to be better than VW et al. maybe 200hp and better gearing / handling would've been a better choice. Only time will tell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geo_nr1 Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Ross, you have confirmed what I expected in Glasgow...no one is getting one in for ages yet, I have been to 2 dealers. I really like the VXR, and think that it is certainly the best looking Hot hatch out there.....no black bumper bits! Although sitting in an SRI, the rear window vie is terrible, despite that, it is one mean looking car, IMO. As for depreciation, yes it might depreciat more than a GTI...but I am not paying out 2-3k more! MkV GTI -v- VXR.....I want the VXR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A3Floyd Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 I dont think the VXR will depreciate as badly as you are saying 6Degs. I was seriously looking for a Zafira GSI 6 months ago and I couldn't get one for less than 12k so they held their value very well indeed... for a vauxhall that is. Ironically, I was waiting for a demo car to become available in July - dealer promised to call me once it was available but alas, no phone call so no sale. I decided to stick with Audi cos, for all of their faults, at least you know where you stand with them. If VX couldn't be bothered in the sales side then i dread to think how bothered they'll be post-sale. So... VXR is a nice motor and much more sporty imo than the Golf but I do think the Golf will hold its value slightly better overall and of course the post-sale support should be a little better with VW too. Given the choice, i'd still go for the VXR over the Golf. Heart ruling head and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 I'd consider the Vx over the Golf anyday - I have had I think 8 Vauxhalls and 10 Vws something like that and had fewere faults with the Vx brand having covered more miles and in my expereince the few faults I had were fixed first time, not something I could say about VW. For me - I think the VXR looks better (Vauxhall decided to paint the while car for a start), i like the drive of the new generation of Vauxhalls - the new Zafira is pretty good for a van, and having seen a mate just buy a new Golf Gti for £11k i cant see the Vx residuals being any worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Had a couple of very minor niggles with my Astra but all sorted without any problems. Overall as an ownership experience, Vauxhall have so far impressed me, a previous total VW diehard fan. Just seems well made, easy to live with and well made. It has NO rattles (the R32 had a few) and genuinely gets quite a few glances and even the off comment (I think the blacked out rear windows, lowered suspension and big alloys help). I had a flat the other day - The Vauxhall jack and spare wheel set is streets ahead of any VW one and they just seemed to have really thought about the car - Everything works, everything fits (folding down an R32 seat was a total ar5e) and it's a well sorted chassis so easy and fun to drive. Same torque as a VXR too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chins Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 My VXR has cost 17k or 18k with Leather. Thats £4k less than my Golf cost, so if the VXR is worth 10k in three years (my guess), it will only have lost 8k. A MKV GTI with Leather will sell at 3 years for approx 13K (max) so a 9k loss. Therefore from a financial perspective there will be little in it IMHO. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 I got £3k off list (just over £19k) for mine. That was after some kick ar5e haggling between four dealers. Any other good looking, very well made, tidy handling, fast compact TDI, 150bhp estates you can get for under £16k? Nope. I wonder when Audi/VW owners will stop using the tired old deprecition game as an excuse to shell out far too much for their cars? I lost a friking fortune on the R32 after just a year and the mk3 GTi 16V before that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRISSAW1 Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 £11k- Must be a typeing error!- may loose a bit of money but vw ain't offering 9k discounts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 £21K methinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Nope - I was right first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Had it been crashed?!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 no - it was a nice red GTi with no options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRISSAW1 Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 At £11k I'll have 10- Room for a 6-7k mark up when selling on. People keep going on about GTI's loosing money, my dealer has just sold a poorly specked 54 plate red GTI last week for £20500.00, they offered to buy mine back (05 plate, Red 18's) for £18k, don't think thats bad depreciation at all, but gonna keep it, it would cost a lot more to get a better over all package Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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