mozzaITA

I used to own one before a drink driver ploughed into it, i really liked the car, the looks (mine had twin headlight conversion) straight line speed (mine was a proper one no ecotec bollox) the trip computer was wikkid everything was good apart from the handling which was crap, predictable but crap, ive got a corrado now and it would drive rings around it!!

anybody else had one? they must be good value for money nowadays!?

Rich D

iTrader: (12)

Yup, I like the GSi, always have, always will!

Don't see that many around now.

Nearly bought on too...

FreeT

No never had one, but always wanted one. They make the new astra look shabby, a instantly recognisable car.

Never got one cos i wasn't happy with the history of the ones i went to look at, ended up with a 306.

mozzaITA

i miss mine, they came with traction control, which wasnt that usfull but when i first got the car i used it alot but then when i got to grips with the car used to switch it off, it robbed the power too much!! dont miss the handling though, the tyres used to be peeling off the rimms every time the car encounted a slight bend in the road, fun though!!!!

CrofterR

I had one , and I thought that they were sh_t.

M8TT J

My mate has a Mint red R plate for sale with 17" Wheels, Koni adjustables...low milage and FVSH...mail me and if interested and I will pass on your details

mozzaITA

nah thanks thinking of getting an evo or m3, crofter why didnt u like yours?

CrofterR

Sorry to contradict the post above but I did not think that the handleing was predictable at all , It certainly didn't inspire a lot of confidence on a back road . For instance I had a AX GT before the GSI and you could commit 100% and attack every corner however in the GSI it never felt as if you could give 90%.

It was as well the worst bad weather drive I ever owned as well with snow being down right dangerous.

Straight line speed the MK2 is the faster however they are even worst on a back road than the Mk3.

A wise man once said that opinon's are like ar_seholes - everyones got one , but for what its worth I would say a VTEC honda civic would be a better buy , perhaps round about a N reg.

There is a a 1.6 that runs around my area on a N plate that leaves GSI's for dead, it doesnt look that great but if it is a fast cheap front wheeler someones looking for then it would get my vote.

GP

you need a few mods, and an iron sphincter, to drive the mk2 or 3 quickly - the mk2 16v in particular was derived for rallies, and it showed in the road car - most people mistook this for 'crap handling', which is fair comment probably, but stems in actuality more from being misunderstood.

the early mk3 GSIs were the worst, noted for being a bit crap really unless you were going straight

like anything though, can be fixed - all depends on how much you want to..

mozzaITA

i have to agree with u that the handling was sh it, i just got used to the way the car went/tryed to go around corners, i know sum1 whos got h & r springs and shocks on his gsi and it goes round corners excellently, al depends on how much u wanna spend, but i did luv mine even though my G60 handles better i miss my gsi!

CrofterR

I understand what your saying mate and believe me I did , Koni adjustables on Eibach spings only made the break away more severe and bonce over the slightest of imperfections mid corner.

There are many positive aspects of the GSI however in hendsight if you where to jump out of one into a standard Ford Focus you would quickly see the limitations of the Astra chassis.

Alternativly if anyone has a choice between a Astra Gsi and a Seat Ibiza Cupra 16v I dont believe that there is any department except for space that the Ibiza would loose out on.

GP

got a good (one of the best) aspirated engine... um.. the aquaduct, safe to walk the streets at night ?

Olly

The Astra GSi Mk3 was by all accounts a pretty poor road car, but a very effective rally weapon, at least in the Group N under 2 litre class, mainly due to THAT engine.

I rallied 2 very different cars in the mid nineties. My first was a pretty normal Group N car with no trick bits. As the road car had traction control, an LSD was allowed. On the road, this meant that the car had a mind of its own, but in the forests it was a joy. Pity it ended up wrapped around a tree in Kielder.

The second was another Group N car, but with 90% LSD, Proflex suspension, and MBE engine management pushing out around 180bhp. This was probably the most difficult car I have ever driven on tarmac: the kickback from the LSD was unbelievable, but the traction was amazing, and the car flew. However, you had to pretend that the accelerator was made of glass: driveshafts snapped like carrots, and two or three replacements on events was not uncommon.

The Astras more or less mopped up in the class. Nothing could get near them. There's no substitute for power.

Only ever drove one GSi road car very briefly. Without the mods, it handled awful. I ended up in a field within 4 miles.

CrofterR

lol @ Ollie

Cosworth developed engine I think , however I could be wrong its happened before

GP

there you go - from the horses mouth, as it were..

the mk2s also cleaned up in BTCC, for same reasons..

the entire 20XE range did indeed have a Cosworth designed head, very easy to get power out of, mostly for that reason - it's also a perfectly square engine, which helps.

such a shame it never found it's way into a factory standard vaux which could handle it - if Peugeot or Renault had that engine think what they could've made..