Take it for a good long run. the usual problems with this engine is the EGR valve sticking. The symptoms are usually stalling or kangarooing when driving. Its not expensive to fix and takes about 15 minutes if you have some tools and are handy with a spanner. Make sure no lights are on the instrument panel when driving. Check for clutch slippage. Get it in top gear and drive it from 1500rpm to over 4k. watch for any erratic movement in the rev counter needle. It should pull smootly with no issues. Check for any damp carpets in the front. This may indicate a leak in the matrix/leaky in the bulkhead/front screen. Check the coolant levels and oil levels. These engines use upto 1.2lt per 1000 mile so dont be to shocked if its using oil if you do buy it.

Take it for a drive and let the car idle for 5 minute and give it a good hard rev watching for blue smoke from the back. The front lights on astras tend to go yellow. Its a issue with them all im afraid. You can usually polish then up with t-cut and some elbo grease. Make sure the cambelt/waterpumps has been changed or allow £300 for this. Check all the buttons/dials work inside the car. Obviously check for any sign or rust or leaks. Check for exhaust leaks by covering the tail pipe while its running and listening for blows. Alot of these checks are just general checks you should do when buying any car.

 

This is great, thanks for taking the time to write all this out. The vendor said that the cambelt and water pump was changed on its last service in April 2011 when it was at 74k, it is now on 92k, so I'm guessing it is something I will have to allow for soon enough, I believe Vauxhall advise to change them every 4 years/40k whatever's first. Anyway, I'm going to have a test drive in the next few days and will report back with my findings. cheers

 

The cambelt was every 40k/4 years upto 2003 then every 60k/6 years from 2003 onwards. I would do it every 40k just to be on the safe side. Depending on what engine is fitted. If its a twinport engine (z16xep) then the cambelt doesnt run the waterpump. If its a singleport (z16xe) then you must change waterpump when doing cambelt as its driven from the cambelt.

 

Chris,
Check for clutch judder too, especially from cold. Check when cambelt was last changed. If your not sure when it was last changed, I'd have it changed along with the water pump. Take the spare wheel out & check the wheel well is not full of water.
Check coolant level, oil level on dipstick. Check there's no cutting out issue's on test drive. As prev stated. Check engine sounds quite on tick over.
Check condition of tyres. Check that there's no finance attached to car, the cheap hpi checkers. Only cover if the car has been in a write off or stolen, does not cover if any outstanding finance was linked to the car.

 

Its probly also worth taking it over some speed bumps and listening for any rattles or knocking noises. The drop links wear out pretty quickly if its been going over speedbump/potholes. They are only cheap but a bargaining tool. Clutch judder is quite common on alot of VX cars. Ours judders like a pig sometimes. I think its a issue with the flywheel that causes it. Ours has had a new complete clutch and its exactly the same. Ours has been like that since we bought it. again a good bargaining tool if your not too bothered about it. Just basically find as much as you can and then go for the kill if your happy with the car and make him a offer.

 

All this input is great thanks. I've set my sights on an Astra so now its just fingers crossed and hopefully find a good one. I went to look at an Sri the other day, looked good, until I started it up and immediately smoke started coming out of the head :-/ now I'm no mechanic but that's not good, I laughed in fact as the garage knew nothing about it lol