JJ'S Astra Progress thread

[Jj0063]

Hi guys,

New to the forum, been looking for a dedicated J forum & finally found one!

I sold my Vectra, had an Astra J for a short time and then got a BMW which I had for almost a year.. Kinda missed the Astra from day one but stuck with it.

With service and MOT time looming I decided it was time for a change.


I managed to find a garage with the right spec car and managed to get a straight swap for my 2009 BMW 320D for this 2010 Astra SRI CDTI. My BMW was worth a fraction more but I'm more than happy as I really wanted to be back in a Vauxhall.


It's a 60 plate Astra 1.7 SRI CDTI, 1 owner, full history, full MOT, 12 months warranty.


Couple of optional extras which were a bonus:
Sat Nav
Bluetooth
Voice recognition
Spare wheel kit rather than Goo/Pump.


Plans:

PIAA White DRL bulbs already done
Gloss black front grill, may even plastidip it.
19" Vauxhall wheels found on some high spec J's (Poss)
If not, a wheel refurb as these are kerbed
Tinted rear windows
Fit private reg & get some new pressed plates as mine are Chipped.

Any recommended mods for these? Cheaper the better!

Hope you like!














Cheers


Jordan

[Rusty2009]

Welcome to VXOC, nice looking car you have there.

There are lots of mods you can do have a look though members progress threads for ideas.

[tucpal]

Welcome to VXOC, nice looking car you have there.

There are lots of mods you can do have a look though members progress threads for ideas.

welcome to vxoc 

[WhelanUK]

Hello and welcome!

[grahamfromoldham]

Greetings from Winsford!

[sheppy1]

Welcome to the forums! As others have said, there are lots of tutorials on here which will help you carry out some of the mods you're looking to undertake and also some which you may not know you want to undertake yet

Lots of helpful people on here too who are more than happy to help out however possible! Enjoy your time on the forums

[Jj0063]

Cheers guys! I'm doing lots of reading in the background

Window tints will be next I think. Along with plastidipping the grill & rear griffin.

[Gilmore]

The debadged grill is a nice looking mod on the black car, see the Facebook page for a pic of mine or I'm sure someone will post a pic on here for u, plasti dipping / painting chrome is meant to b a pain

[Lewis6317]

Nice, so want navi unit !


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[Jj0063]

So I painted my rear griffin black during the week and today refitted it with new tape, don't like it. Think I'm just gonna get a new chrome one.




I also found some scraps of gloss black wrap so did my grill.. I need to do it again as its about a million pieces as I had to jigsaw my scraps together.. Looks ok from a distance!

[sheppy1]

Yeah think it looked better as it was or maybe in white...too much black there, no defining features. Least you tried thoigh and know now that it's not for you . Would have looked good on a red car though

[Jj0063]

How about 'Storm Grey'

That was before black, so if I did it again now it'd come out slightly darker.. Might try that?

[tucpal]

front grill looks much better mate
but no on the black rear griffin

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do you want me to move this thread over to the progress thread section for you lol

[Jj0063]

front grill looks much better mate
but no on the black rear griffin

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do you want me to move this thread over to the progress thread section for you lol

Thanks!

Yes please mate can do! Could you rename it 'JJ's Astra' please 

Cheers
Jordan

[tucpal]

ALL DONE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

[sheppy1]

Looks good mate! Like night rider hehe

[Jj0063]

Hi,

So today when I got home from work the sun was shining so I decided to spend a couple of hours on the car. I really need to invest in a DA as now I've seen it in decent light, it's covered in swirls. I did go over the bonnet with a Halfords electric 'buffer' I had from years back with some SRP & then coated with G3 wax but it wasn't worth doing the whole car, it really needs some proper DA & a day on it.

I managed today:

2BM with AG shampoo and lambswool mitt, noodle mitt for wheels and arches
Rinsed
G3 Clay mitt with PB QD+
Towel dried with PB QD+
AG SRP to test on bonnet topped with G3 Superwax
AG Clean glass
Rain X'd windows
Megs tyre gel
AG trim gel
AS Highstyle for sill trims/kick plates

I don't have much spare money so my products are budget but I try my best.

It really is far from perfect & if anyone in Norfolk with a DA fancies earning a few quid.. Get in touch please!
















The roof came out much better with a few sweeps of the G3 clay mitt.




Any comments or criticism certainly welcomed

Jordan

[Tonto]

Car looks lovely mate, I need to use a proper polish and buffer for mine! I'm also on budget so have got some low end products myself..

[dutton84]

You fancy doing mine? Ha. Looks good. Mine is full of tiny little scratches black shows up everything!


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[tucpal]

spotless well done nothing better than a good waxing

[Jj0063]

Fitted this tonight..



thoughts?

[Rusty2009]

I prefer the VX badge over the Opel badge.

[Tonto]

I agree with Rusty I prefer the VX badge to, however I have been looking at possibly getting a completely different badge or one custom made for mine


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[sheppy1]

I like it mate! And I actually prefer the Opel badge over the vauxhall badge ha. Does anyone know why they are opels in parts of Europe but vauxhall here in the UK?

[dutton84]

Yeah VX badge for me.

GM motors own them don't they and they bought Vauxhall out years ago as well as Opel. Think Opel is German


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[sheppy1]

Yeah knew they owned them, didn't know why the name was different that's all...But if GM bought them out then that would explain it...probably just didn't wanna lose the opel brands reputation by renaming them in EU

[dutton84]

Yeah then you've got Holden too in Australia. Weird. Vauxhall sounds better I think. But if I was German or Spanish or whatever I'd probably think Opel sounded better and I'd probably prefer the badge. Ha.


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What does the Holden badge Look like?


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[tucpal]

i like the blitz opel badge very nice

[DE5IRED]

Vaux badge for me also but either way well done good to be different sometimes personally I'll  be sticking with the vauxhall but if I did change would have to be the Holden @dutton84 here's a pic below of the Holden badge baz recently fitted them




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[dutton84]

Oh right. Yeah that's nice.


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[Jj0063]

Thanks guys

Next question, does anyone know the name for these wheels? Can't find them for sale anywhere but often see them on J's.

[sheppy1]

Not sure about the name of them but this URL has all the info listed for those and for every alloy VX offer:

https://www.opel-accessories.com/en-DE/A...h/13259254

[Jj0063]

Perfick, thanks mate!

[sheppy1]

You're welcome you can use the drop downs at the top of the page to specify sizes, models etc. Took me forever to find a site like that but it's really useful!

[Jj0063]

Just managed to bad a replacement complete boot handle with vauxhall badge for £22.50 posted from ebay, win.

Not sure what to do with it though as I kind of like the Opel badge but if I remove it from this handle I've ruined the sticky pad, and I don't really want to remove the vauxhall badge from the new boot handle and risk ruining the paint again lol.

Might just stick with the Vauxhall badge and keep the Opel one and try and do something with the paint on the handle.

[dutton84]

The Opel site sells more stuff than the Vauxhall site. Also the Opel site doesn't list the prices, you have to take down the order number and take it to the dealer. Can you take an Opel order number into Vauxhall?


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[Jj0063]

Ordered a Gates timing belt kit & a circoli water pump tonight.

[tucpal]

the alloys are the Pre face lift SRI alloys and come in 17 inch and 19 inch
i have the 19 and i still love the look

[dutton84]

I think they're really smart too. I'd of kept mine if they'd of been 19'' and not 17"


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[Jj0063]

Thanks, I have them in 17" then now, didn't realise lol.

Couple of better pics with it opelised..

[tucpal]

i do prefer that badge
but the vxline front badge i have is about £45
and bigger than the standard one

[Jj0063]

I've today replaced the whole badge as I completely messed the original up removing the other badge & it looked terrible.




Anyone want the old one before I bin it? Will need sanding, filling etc but someone might want it for a project.. It's free lol. The Matt mark on the left is a weird finger print that was on it when I got the car.. It won't polish out.

[tucpal]

very good idea just swapping the whole thing over

[Jj0063]

Nothing too crazy going on but today I went to my local Vauxhall dealer and got a set of mats. They are the best ones Vauxhall do (There are 3 types of carpet mat) these were £53 but with my £20 Masterfit voucher and trade discount I paid £28.60 which I'm happy with! I sealed them with fabric sealant then fitted them tonight. Much better than the ones the car came with which were worn & a weird colour.

[tucpal]

nothing wrong with new mats they keep the interior looking very good

[Rusty2009]

I prefer to see a mat in a car looks tidy lol.

[Tonto]

Very nice mate

[dutton84]

Nice. I'm going to get the proper Astra mates next time. Got mine from halfords £35.

Are they the velour matts? can get them on eBay for £32.99


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[SI SRI]

Mate do you still have the spare boot handle? If you have mate and still getting rid i will have it off you. Got a little project for myself.

[Jj0063]

Mate do you still have the spare boot handle? If you have mate and still getting rid i will have it off you. Got a little project for myself.

I have, drop me a PM & we can sort it. Cheers

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Nice. I'm going to get the proper Astra mates next time. Got mine from halfords £35.

Are they the velour matts? can get them on eBay for £32.99


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They are different. The £32.99 ones are vauxhalls mid ones which I was offered for £16 odd. The ones I have are £42 on eBay & I paid £28.60.