VXOC Astra-J/GTC

Recently we bought one of these:



It quickly became apparent that the Vectra-C hatchback and the Yaris hatchback where not cutting the mustard for this beast.

Therefore I decided that we needed to buy one of these:



On going to view a Passat estate, I spotted this well priced Astra Sports Tourer and quickly decided, this is the car for us.

So this is what we bought, in its completely no-mod state:








This car was bought for its function to transport a dog better, it was function over features and style but still really happy to have had parking sensors, auto lights, wipers and so on, unlike the Passat which was considerably more expensive & a  sluggish 1.6tdi

Reading posts here, I started to wonder all of what I had missed out, when I spotted some ambient lighting showing in a picture.

Whilst test driving, tried to find out if bluetooth was fitted. pressing "phone" just muted it, pressing config I did find an option for "BT AUDIO" in the menu but I dont think i was paying attention to the level-up display and following a proper pairing process. Either way, it was purchased with the thoughts that this was a car without factory fitted bluetooth and fitting one of the semi-crap android aftermarket units.

I have a significantly long list of adaptations I want to make to this car, from de-badging (including the griffin, which will be replaced with a fictional conglomerate badge instead (Our business is life itself) to getting decked out in a blue & green LED theme. dammit that rhymed!!

I love the half-leather trim, feels great whilst the cloth gives a familiar comfort that I prefer.

I already have a fitted boot mat on order, along with a bumper sill guard - I felt it was essential. Might not look great, but it will look better than dog paw scratches (the lazy git is a scrambler.) I am also picking up some genuine VX Astra J rubber mats tomorrow for the winter months, as I will have mucky wellies getting in and out.

A white SMD LED interior kit is on its way too, covering:

Front dome
Front reading x2
Rear dome x2
Glovebox
Boot light
sun visor x4

I know this goes against the blue & green theme I mention earlier, but these are function lights. IPC, switches, ambient, puddle lights etc. will all be going down the green/blue route.

The other progress threads here have made my head spin on some things, so a spreadsheet has been opened up, not least to track the various SMD LEDs I need to purchase as I would prefer to just spend the £30 in one go!

More to come 

Welcome mate. Looking forward to seeing what you do.

(8:th-Oct-2017, 12:19:47)Steveb19111978 Wrote: [ -> ]Welcome mate. Looking forward to seeing what you do.

Thanks Steveb19111978.

Looks like I will need to do further editing of the first post, been round the houses with hosting photos etc. Had really hoped to host them on my own drive space as I see so many broken by photobuckets premium service etc. but finally found one that seems to be working, however it has a very poor interface for uploading & posting.

I'm looking at aftermarket dash panels, having trouble deciding between the forums favourite, the M072, or one that I dont think anyone has done, which is a 10.4" vertical slab, replaces the entire CD400. really cleans up the dash removing a butt load of those buttons.

Would like to see the 10.4 slab before i decide witch head unit i will buy

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Well I have some company shares I'm selling as well as selling the old motor for spares & repairs, think I will just stump up for the big slab and see how it goes. Hardware wise (CPU, ram, onboard etc.) Is very similar to the M072 so I don't see it being too sluggish etc. however researching the hardware getting a better ROM will be much harder. It's a PX3 and there isn't much on XDA for them. I don't fancy building and compiling my own ROM, do not have the time for that.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

(10:th-Oct-2017, 03:01:38)Mspencer Wrote: [ -> ]Would like to see the 10.4 slab before i decide witch head unit i will buy  

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Something I have noticed whilst carefully looking at what images are available is the buttons for traction control & eco that I have.

The 10.4 head unit looks to have new buttons, for the lock/unlock, hazards, TC & boot
Its easy enough to put the switches into these positions, but i am not liking having the eco button under a boot sign. Silly I know, but its enough to put me off it.

So with that, I am back to a 7" unit that sits above the cd400.

First changes made today. Tiny small changes... You'd think.

Interior bulbs changed to LED:
Front done
2x front reading
2x rear reading
Glove box (repaired this, it wasn't working)
Boot (repaired this, poor connection wasn't working)
4x sun visor vanity lights

DRL changed to PIAA bulbs (the dipped already appeared to have decent white lights installed, the yellow was more than a tad annoying!)

This is where it went from simple stuff to the bulbs are not PIAA but PITA.

Yup, bulb on reinserting popped into headlight. Took me and hour to remove bumper, remove light cluster, remove bulb and reverse as I have never done that before on a car I did not want to damage.

So anyway, jobs done for today!

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Got the rubber foot mats today, happy muddy foot dog walking ahead!





With the car, I received 1 flip key & one "stab you where it hurts when you sit" key.

I bought a blank flip key off eBay for £3 and proceeded to swap the electronics from one key to the other.

This is where I wish I had done a how-2 for anyone else with this but I was too far gone before thinking about it. New rule: photos all the time just in case!

The internal PCB was larger than the flip key fob allowed for, along with having the contacts for the CR2032 being on the wrong side for the fob case.

So it was with a lot of bravery, I fetched some side snips, needle nose pliers & sand paper.

I didn't care about the new flip key case: if I botched it, it was £3. But I destroyed the original key getting the PCB out without damaging the PCB (such irony for what I was then to do to it.)

First, I spotted the bottom of the PCB was sharp cornered, but taking up about 2mm extra space. So I sanded these down, which moved the PCB into position for the switches. The immobilizer RFID however was still obstructed by a bit of the case plastic, but I was able to snip some out to make way.

However, a giant lug of PCB was still poking out into the swivel part of the key fob. On closer inspection, I could only see a single "+" marked contact but nothing else on the PCB. So using the side snips I carefully cut off a section of the PCB, a little under a square cm in size.

Quick pressing with the battery & I confirmed, it still worked!

Onwards and upwards. I had to trim a little more casing to move the battery +ve connection to the other side and bend it a little, but £10 for a key cutting later and viola, two flip-keys.

Please note, this involved significant risk to the PCB board. Replacing & programming these are not cheap, do any of this at your own risk!

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Today was both a happy and a sad day: the postman arrived with goodies.

0805, 1206, 4040, PLCC2, PLCC4 and so on. I'm sure many of you understand this already.

Basically, about 200 tiny LED SMD components arrived. Why 200?

Simply put, this is a blue & green mix and whilst I have some idea how I want this to work, I cannot say I have all the right placements. Rather than faffing around I bought enough of everything for everything.

I would LOVE to start of with something simple: a door switch for example. However, this weekend is one of very few I am going to have the sweet sweet time to remove the instrument panel, do the change and put it back before the wife 1) notices 2) complains 3) tries to drive the car with no speedometer and no sense of speed.

So this weekend, it is coming out and it's in at the deep end.

Anyone recommend a particular iron tip? I usually use a flat edge, but these things are TINY.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

To remove LED's I use hot air station (find it much easier than an iron) but you need to be very careful on the IPC around the fuel & temp gauge and the needles, I do tend to use a soldering iron on them LED's just a smallish tip.

Be very careful too much heat and you could end up pulling a solder pad up.

After all LED's are removed I clean up the board with some Desoldering Wire & PCB Cleaner.

putting new leds on for the 0805 led's I use the hot air apply the solder to the board and then place in the 0805. Plcc2 I just use a soldering iron.

Note sure why you got PLCC4 tho there is no PLCC4 Led's Only LED's 0805, PLCC2 & PLCC2 Right Angle (although I just turn PLCC2 on their side.

Tyvm for the tips Rusty.

I got some side view from farnell @ 22p each so much better than the 99p ea I was getting on eBay.

Will provide links once done if they are worth the little bit of money.

As for the plcc4, I am having troubles finish which how 2 it was, but it noted a single plcc4 on the PCB separate to the how 2, so got some anyway

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Welcome.

Yes I brought side view from them too but found some better PLCC-2 on ebay much brighter.

White http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50x-XENON-WHIT...1438.l2649

Blue http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50x-BLUE-3528-...1438.l2649

They did do green but they aren't listed.

My other supplier is http://bright-components.co.uk/

Thank you.

The majority I got from bright components (use them a lot, I'm an electronics tinkerer) and I think I'll pick some of these other ones up anyway for other projects



Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Hmmm while reading this I know what my next job will be.
On my old car (H) i changed all the yellow/orange leds to white red combination.
Now when I have new astra, this red lights are bothering me and looking like in VW-s.
So, I will change it soon.
Many leds I still have left.
BTW
The best leds for me were Osram leds.
Yes they are super expensive, but I believe they worth it

Sent from my LG G5 SE using Tapatalk

I have those same mats, great kit.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Today I began in a little more earnest.

I started with removal of the drivers cubby/glove box as mines doesn't spring clip back into a locked position which is annoying as it likes to pop open when driving.

I have decided it will become my USB torch charging station and I am also putting in a 24 SMD UV led panel. Basically, my dog is often walked in the dark now, so I have two usb rechargeable Cree tactical torches, a rechargeable collar for the dog and finally, glow in the dark balls.

For the latter part, I'd like to pop the ball into this pocket and as I'm driving, have the UV panel make it nice and bright for the walk.

Onwards with the spring return: I was expecting some obvious marks showing where some clips should be, but nothing! A couple of the kids loom bands and some ingenuity and it's not factory, it's not even great, but it's better than it was for now.

Out popped the window switches and back into the house for some soldering.

I had some great amusement here. Could only find my spade tip & something the size of a bollard plus no braid. I could have packed up and waited, but hell I was eager so I paid maplin prices!

Anyway, photos of the window switch driver and one of the rear.




I also changed the overhead led lights. One of the rear lights is a purplish colour. Might daughter got all excited with the blues and greens and adores purple. And like most females, I have trouble saying no to her. I've stopped short with the footwells though, her side is going green there too.




Lastly, I am replacing the front & rear 12V sockets with dedicated 2x 2.1A usb sockets instead and intended to move a 12v socket to the boot. I only just noticed today, one is already there



So that's me for today. Tomorrow, overhead switches are getting the treatment, maybe the headlights too, I am saving the IPC for Monday when I head to my local maker space for access to some better tools.

I also discovered it is really hard to do some colours justice with a mobile phone camera!

Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.

Looking good.

Thanks Rusty. Been looking at the tailgate lights constantly, looking for potentially suitable LED units, taking off some trim and having a gander at the space available etc.

At first I was looking at buying a pair/quad of 18W light bars, potentially upping it to two single 36W bars, but never quite finding flush fit with suitable heatsinking for the space available.

Last night, I found these

The other night I was backing up in the park after taking the dog out and realised I couldn't see jack.

Decided that the parking sensors are coming out when the camera goes in, therefore hooking these up to the reverse light signal. They will also be able to be switched on by an internal switch + door open.

Lastly, I can place some in the trim of the tailgate itself quite nicely for down lighting around the emergency kit space, as well as in the underside for projected light. Lastly some will be red, with AUX power supply for when I'm up the hills with the telescope at night, got to keep that red light vision. So looks like I have a plan at last!


Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.

They are good bright units got a few myself of a project I was working on (never got to doing it yet tho).

Some more light updates.

First, did the roof. Converted the ambient light to green, the switches to blue.



The motion sensor button was also changed, with the switch being blue to match and the indicator green (matching the rear window lockout)



@Rusty2009 pretty sure the LEDs here were plcc4, however plcc2 will fit just nicely anyway.

Lastly, the headlights.

Owing to my 0603 sized brain, my head said "the front fogs are green, the rear red already, leave it like that" forgetting that is the DASH that shows that!

But a look at it all anyway and I have decided to alter the height adjustment wheel to green to match the dim switch, then sort out the front & rear fog switches. D'oh.




Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.

No deffo PLCC-2 mate.

I did my fog buttons green and orange to match the dash.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry, you are right (of course you are, doing it long enough) they are deffo plcc2.

I did consider the green/orange look to match the dash, but decided against it tonight and go double green to offset against the dial labelling + roller labels.

Tomorrow's visit to maker space has been side swiped by a uni lecture for the missus, which is a shame.

Ordered a bunch of the individual spot lights & some COB strips for puddle lights, which are currently going as white. Footwell lights arrived today as well (poor couriers working today!) I'm dithering on a matching panel for the daughters footwell.

Also scouted places to add some 12v led into the rear doors to light up the pockets.

[style size="10px"]Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.[/style]

More items arriving in the post than I can cope with a the moment

More things to do than time to do it!

Today's quick change was to installed dual USB ports in the rear 12v socket, both ports delivering 2.1A (total 4.2A output) which should keep the kids quiet.

Front one to go next.




||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

(26:th-Oct-2017, 18:54:37)umognog Wrote: [ -> ]More items arriving in the post than I can cope with a the moment

More things to do than time to do it!

Today's quick change was to installed dual USB ports in the rear 12v socket, both ports delivering 2.1A (total 4.2A output) which should keep the kids quiet.

Front one to go next.




||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

This is a good little thing. plug and play?

@Sanj424

Mostly. The old socket pulls out, the pops in, retaining nut added. Has two spade connectors. I simple cut the connector block off as Indo not intend to resell this vehicle and crimped some onto it. All in all, less than 5 minutes.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

Clean usb port. The lightning is handy in the backseats because it's usually dark there

Thankfully this car has rear reading lights, although it doesn't properly resolve the boot & footwell.

So I have some footwell panels going in and I'm tempted to purchase some LED number plate style units to install in the headlining of the tourer for the interior of the boot. I did consider getting a rear reading lights to fit, but the dog will switch them on all the time with his nuggin.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

(27:th-Oct-2017, 10:52:35)umognog Wrote: [ -> ]Thankfully this car has rear reading lights, although it doesn't properly resolve the boot & footwell.

So I have some footwell panels going in and I'm tempted to purchase some LED number plate style units to install in the headlining of the tourer for the interior of the boot. I did consider getting a rear reading lights to fit, but the dog will switch them on all the time with his nuggin.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

That USB socket looks superb, way better than the one I fitted!!! Do you have a link for it and do the have other colours??

(29:th-Oct-2017, 16:43:47)sparkyscfc74 Wrote: [ -> ]That USB socket looks superb, way better than the one I fitted!!! Do you have a link for it and do the have other colours??

Here you go:


https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=...2780355870

Red & Blue also available, took about 2 weeks to arrive.

I have still to plug in two high current devices and test if the full claimed 4.2A draw is available and not 2.1A shared, but so far so good.


||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

---

Update something something.

First, updated the headlights switch.

Made the height adjustment green, altered the fog lights:



Then, onwards with the centre console.

Sorry for the orientation, this seems to be happening alot.



Bottom up, I updated the front 12V to also have dual 5V 2.1A USB ports



The heater panel got the makeover next.




Then the CD400 got the treatment.





10 points for spotting the bad solders/LED's that gave up the ghost very quickly... Probably due to bad solders.

The theme that has been following the car a lot has been blue for icons, green for indicators so far. This followed here, with the knobs also going green backlit but I experimented with the volume knob being visually separate. Not sure if I like this and I make change it when fixing the duds.

Here is the main centre without the GID in full:



Onto the GID

I didn't notice this in any how-2 (probably as everyone has gone android) but as I will be post magic man delivers expensive toys time, I decided to change it now.

The GID here has 16x PLCC-2 side view LEDs.

I did one half blue, the other green to find out what vomit inducing result it would give.

It's really hard to get it to show in photos. For me, impossible. It's not too bad - not quite half n half, the blue is definitely stronger, but the effect isn't too bad. I still think will make this all blue and mkae the IPC green though. We'll see.



Last up, the gear surround ambient light went blue.



The roof ambient is green, can be seen reflecting here. The doors will also go blue as the footwells are going green.

Finally, we get to non LED changes.

First up, I debadged the ASTRA, 2.0CDTI & SE off the car.

No photos of this, primarily as the car still needs the full wash and polish post debadging and I ran out of time. These are to follow.

In addition, the new branding has started to appear.

Old valves:



New valves:



I'm debating on replacing the Griffin, as the only badges I can get from Umbrella is 80mm which is a good bit smaller, but on the sports tourer I may get away with it. New wheel centre caps arrived and these will be getting swapped out soon.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

Update on the GID:

Wife got in the car today, instantly said she didn't like it so it's going a single colour (which I was already swaying towards anyway).

Votes for all blue or all green?

Also, anyone have an unused number 1 button for the cd400? Mines has a terribly annoying scratch on it that I would like to rectify.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

I’d go green mate


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lmao, that was fast!

It's probably a good choice, I over ordered the green from farnell because it was £4 handling fee or £4 more to avoid the handling fee. I hadn't included any change to the GID into my LED orders and loath to spend another £20 or pay £4 handling.

For anyone looking to get the side views, farnell has them between 22p and 35p each, Vs 99p each on eBay! Just have to order quite a few of them.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

just think green is probably less common than blue. I’d have perhaps said purple but I don’t know how different from the blue it would look


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well there is the purple colour already going for the daughter, but purple plcc2 side view... Not sure how easy it will be to get them.

Could always go standard plcc2 and solder them on their side.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

I’d love to be able to do stuff like that myself but I’m a welder not a solderer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have loads of green's for the GID they are coming out my ears.

All looking great so far.

Thanks Rusty. Im overall quite pleased with the results for the blue/green mix, kind of started a bit here or there but I naturally found a theme to decide what goes what colour.

As you know, for the IPC i am wanting to go green for the needles (basically they are telltell) and blue for the dials, but I am considering swapping that round for the heat & tank dials, to mix it up just a little bit.

LEDS for the tailgate, puddle lights, door pockets (rear) all arrived, the really destructive work is about to begin: time to get out the drill.

For the reverse camera, I was going to use the number plate one but decided I like the led number plate lights too much and want to use them.

So it's a simple hole saw mount camera I have. I am debating on cutting into the bumper (easier to replace if I hate it) or to cut into the tailgate itself so that the camera gets a partial sight of the bumper when reversing. Can't decide.

As it's a tourer for a dog, I should never be parking that tight up to anything anyway, but you just never now & having sight of the bumper just gives a little more info. But replacing the tailgate if I change it...

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

First update: the car received its first wash since purchase. Just a quick job and I started to notice a number of marks on it.

Originally I intended to get a touch up pen and touch up a number of chips on the front bumper/bonnet, but now I'm wondering what's cheaper: a full respray or a divorce.

Anyway, here is a photo of the rear debadge:



Onwards with the LED conversion.

Fixed the duff solders/LEDs in the cd400, changed the blue volume ring to green.



Alter the GID to full green.



And I got the IPC done too.

Blue dials, green needles.

I also altered the low petrol light to green and the initial cruise control was changed from white to blue. Apart from that I left the rest of the IPC tell-tales as factory.

And the mid-level was changed to green too.

All in, love the new look, especially when you first turn on and everything pings about.



I failed to get a photo of it, but I also did the steering wheel buttons. Quite disappointed by the phone answer/hang up light bleed.

Photo of that to come.

So really, apart from the EPB and the door card ambient lights, I'm almost done with the factory changes, time to move onto the harder ones: the factory adds.

Received all the lights I need for puddle, footwells, rear ambient, rear viewing, cargo flood and so on so busy, cold nights ahead!

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

Coming along nicely there.

I know full well what you mean about the phone buttons I tried to use red/green here but wouldn't work.

Loving the green/blue theme I’ve got my LED foot well lights to do today


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Rusty - super chuffed with the green/blue combo. If you can check out the cost of an up-level display & activation I'd be much obliged although with a trip to Lapland at the start of December I may be asking you to hold onto it for an extra month if you have it?

Also, I keep doing that with your: I am certain I read your post with that, but only remembered it vaguely after switching the car on in the dark last night. Might have a look at what I can do to the switch, maybe some black hot glue & a straw will help.

Whilst I have half the trim already off, the standard version DPF light is getting done today (although I have realised I bought blue and to fit in with the accidental layout theme, should really be green! Will swap it out later.)

That and the centre console is coming out, EPB getting done & I think I will get the footwells wired if not installed in the time I have. Really want to do the front doors ambients as well as that will be the last of the orangy red.

@Sparkyscfc74 - look at what I will hopefully be doing today!!

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

---

Can I just say, neighbours can be so ungrateful. Just because they aren't used to living on 4 hours sleep a day, why should I be stopped from making noise doing stuff I at least waited until 8 as it is Sunday!

I need to move to the countryside with no neighbours.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

I can look into this for you can you PM your REG or VIN (if on a private plate) & I'll check your spec out.

Yes I was thinking of using something but TBH I forgot all about it till reading your post 

Yes some neighbours can be having major issue's with one of mine.

I used to have a major issue with one of mines. Then I broke my heel bone in an argument with them and they moved out.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

(5:th-Nov-2017, 09:40:19)umognog Wrote: [ -> ]I used to have a major issue with one of mines. Then I broke my heel bone in an argument with them and they moved out.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

That's one way to get rid of them.

I would not recommend it. 6 weeks in a cast, 5 months on a walking stick & I now have arthritis in my foot where I broke it - I'm 36, not 86.

The funniest part was in A&E where they kept asking me how I broke it. They would believe me it was self-inflicted - apparently the injury is more common with people running from the police and leaping over something that is a short height one side, and a big drop the other.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

---

Slight change of plans, rev counter needle is about 500 rpm out all of a sudden.

IPC off again, fix that before anything else :(



||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

(5:th-Nov-2017, 11:17:28)umognog Wrote: [ -> ]I would not recommend it. 6 weeks in a cast, 5 months on a walking stick & I now have arthritis in my foot where I broke it - I'm 36, not 86.

The funniest part was in A&E where they kept asking me how I broke it. They would believe me it was self-inflicted - apparently the injury is more common with people running from the police and leaping over something that is a short height one side, and a big drop the other.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

---

Slight change of plans, rev counter needle is about 500 rpm out all of a sudden.

IPC off again, fix that before anything else :(



||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

love the colour scheme :-)

Get siggy clocks and you won't have that issue

You know, I was testing this astra Vs a more expensive 1.6 TDI Passat. I preferred the IPC on the VW when I was looking but the care for function over style. But now, they have grown on me soo much.

Hooked it all up, switched on, adjusted, put back together whilst all still switched on. Off & on again test, all is good.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

I’ve just fitted my foot well lights, but between soldering the drivers side and starting the passenger side I’ve touched the wires together and none of my interior lights are working!!! Have I read somewhere on here that they trip out and come back after a certain amount of time or have I blown a fuse?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I recall seeing someone trip the lights out too.

Apparently F19 in the glove box is interior lights, I'd check it.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||