Astra 1.7 TD Test Drive/ Review

I had a Mk3 Astra 1.7 TDS LS with a Isuzu, bullet proof. Had it for a few years. This video took me back.

I still have my late father's 1.7 td estate. Only done 80k. After seeing this I'll dag it out of retirement and feel proud of it.

My favourite era of Astra. I really liked the shape and i remember those engines having a great reputation. A radio cassette player with 6 speakers and a high up display seemed quite classy back in the day too for a run of the mill family wagon. Get your Ace of Base cranked up Also the sort of car you could imagine would just stop outside a chip shop whether you wanted it to or not.

This takes me back to when I was in the police, I drove them everyday for several years. They were solid and reliable and they certainly got plenty of abuse, I even had the wrestler Big Daddy in mine once.

Good strong engines these and I remember the Nova 1.5TD being quite the little rocket.

I really miss this era of cars, reliable, cheap and easy to fix, actual buttons and knobs for the ventilation instead of a stupid i pad on the dash.

I owned a K plate Cavalier 1.7 TD from 1996 -2001 sold it with 168000 miles never had any problems with it but the rear arches were starting to bubble, it was still around for another few years.

Just passed one of these in Uppermill, looked in good nick too. They are still out there.

We used to use these as courier vans. They would clock up about 200k in 4 years, and with 5k oil changes rarely gave problems.

A good starter classic for one of those young people!

We had a 2002 Astra LS Estate with that engine. I hated it at the time. We had it for years after the Rover 75. My Dad did miles for work and family in it! 175k when we sold it and still perfect. Quite like to have it back now! Nostelgia is a strange thing! 😅

I have a soft spot for these cars, the vans and estates are the best looking and most useful versions. Rusty rear arches, dog legs and sill ends came as standard after a few years of exposure to road salt so every after market panel supplier offered the repair section at very reasonable prices. I rebuilt a worn out 1.4 petrol van that served me well for a couple of years and later on had a 2.0 Belmont that was stolen from outside my home and used as a get away car in a post office robbery. The GSI was the top of the tree and so the bodykit and bonnets from these flagship models found their way onto 1.2 and 1.4 merit versions for young and “enthusiastic” drivers.

I remember these in non turbo form often had a stiff throttle pedal, reluctant to do much but would go on forever.

I have wanted another one of these for years !!

Excellent review thank u

Always thought the MK3 Astra had a slight resemblance to the Maestro with the shape of its large glasshouse.

My mum had a J plate 1.4 8v, it gained momentum instead of accelerated, I had an N plate 1.6 16v estate in red, quite nippy for what it was. It was such a good car and had little extras like body coloured bumpers and fog lights, it was my third car and of my favourite cars, I wish I never parted with. Had an Astra G later on in life and liked that. Can’t stand my other half’s new Astra, it’s a barge that’s just cost £1500 for a new turbo.

Had several of these in estate form with same engine, every one had head gasket failure at some point. Good family car though, good review!

Had a number of Corsa 1.5 TD Isuzu engined cars in the past. So frugal and reliable. Great, cheap family motoring but not the most dynamic vehicle I ever drove.

That engine it’s a beast. My friend have an Astra G Caravan from 2002 with 1.7 Isuzu engine, the simple DTI not newer CDTI. Him bought the car with 200.000 km and scrapped with over 800.000 km and most probably like all cars imported in Romania from Germany, the initial kilometres most probably wasn’t the real number. Him only changed one EGR valve. 😅 Later edit: it was used as a taxi.