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Holden Astra 1998 Problems

Are you having problems with your 1998 Holden Astra? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest 1998 Holden Astra issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the 1998 Holden Astra in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

The car alarm system in my 1998 Holden Astra hatch activates for no reason, what could be the problem?

Holden Astras of this vintage have been known to suffer false alarms from the security system, and it seems as though a re-flash or replacement of the ECU (on-board computer) is the ultimate fix. In many other cases, false alarms are the result of faulty switches and sensors, but the Astra’s track record suggests the computer will be the culprit. At which point you have a decision to make which may involve disabling the alarm system altogether (make sure you advise your insurance company if you go down this road).

This model Astra was also infamous for a radio that could turn itself on (independent of the ignition system) and flatten the battery.

Used Holden Astra review: 1996-1998

After several less than successful attempts to market small cars from other carmakers rebadged as its own, Holden turned to its European cousins at Opel for the German-designed Astra.

Before the arrival of the European TR Astra in 1996, Holden used the Astra badge on rebadged Nissan Pulsars, produced under an arrangement with the Japanese brand's factory in Clayton, Victoria.

After Nissan, Holden turned to Toyota and sold rebadged Corollas as Holden Novas.

Both deals were struck in times of trouble, when Holden was struggling to stay afloat in an increasingly competitive local market.

The switch to the European Astra helped revitalise the company's fortunes in the small car market.

Second only to the VW Golf in Europe, the front-wheel drive Astra was a success before it launched here.

The range was made up of two body styles, a four-door sedan and a five-door hatch, and three models, which were enough to most needs.

The entry-level model was the City, which had a 1.6-litre engine, a choice of manual gearbox or automatic transmission, and was available in both body styles.

Typical of the time it only had the bare basics, which were central locking, power steering, intermittent windscreen wipers, and a radio/cassette plater with six speakers to distribute the sound.

Importantly it did have an airbag for the driver, but if you wanted an airbag for the front passenger you had to visit the options list and pay extra for it.

If you wanted air conditioning, it too was an option.

For more, there was the GL, which was available as a sedan or hatch, had a 1.8-litre engine, and the option of a manual gearbox or automatic transmission.

Being the mid-ranger it was better equipped than the lowly City, although it's list of standard features was nothing to write home about.

Over and above the City's meagre features list the GL gave you an engine immobiliser, front fog lamps, power mirrors, a tachometer, and body coloured bumpers.

Like the City it had a standard driver's airbag, but a passenger's airbag was optional, as was air conditioning.

For a more sporty drive Holden offered the GSi, a hot hatch with a 2.0-litre engine and a manual gearbox.

It boasted a number of features the others didn't have, like dual front airbags, an alarm, alloy wheels, sports front seats, and sports suspension tuning.

Like the City and GL air conditioning was optional.

All came with a full-sized spare wheel, but none had the option of a sunroof.

Being a product of the '90s the TR lacked features like Bluetooth, so it wasn't possible to sync an iPhone or Android device.

There wasn't a touch screen, the air conditioning wasn't automatic climate control, and there were no parking aids like a reversing camera, parking sensors, or a park assist system.

Inside, the TR Astra was roomy, with plenty of space for four adults and luggage.

Rear seat room was particularly praised, as was its luggage capacity, which was boosted by a 60/40 split-fold seat.

Power came from a range of four-cylinder petrol engines, all tuned to local conditions by Holden engineers, and featuring multi-point fuel injection.

The base engine in the City was a 1.6-litre single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine that produced 74 kW at 5800 rpm and 135 Nm at 3400 rpm at its respective power and torque peaks, delivering a blend of performance and economy.

A 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine powered the GL. This was produced by Holden in Australia and had twin overhead camshafts with four valves per cylinder. Peak power was 85kW at 5400rpm and maximum torque was 165Nm at 4000rpm.

The sporty GSi packed the biggest punch. With twin cams and 16 valves, it put out 100kW (135 horsepower) at 5600rpm and 188Nm at 3200rpm.

When pushed to the limit the GSi would account for the 0-100km/h sprint in a very creditable time of 8.4 seconds.

City and GL buyers could choose between a five-speed manual gearbox and an optional four-speed electronic automatic transmission.

But the only choice for those signing up for the hot GSi was the five-speed manual gearbox.

Under the skin was a well-proven platform; the front suspension was made up of MacPherson struts complete with a stabiliser bar and gas-filled shocks at the front, while the rear suspension consisted of a compound torsion beam axle with progressive-rate coil springs and gas shocks.

Holden engineers optimised spring rates, shock settings and the diameter of the stabiliser bar for each model.

Power steering was standard across the range, with the GSi getting a faster rack to give it a sharper, sportier feel.

Brakes were a combination of front discs and rear drums on the City, but the GL and GSi had four wheel discs, and the GSi had the added benefit of standard ABS.

The ride and handling were praised, as was the steering, which was direct and well modulated.

Road noise was a regular criticism of owners who complained that it was too high.

Safety wasn't yet cemented in mainstream thinking when the TR was launched, so the safety features were minimal by today's standards.

All models had a driver's airbag as standard, but a passenger's was only available as an option on the City and GL. The GSi was blessed with both as standard.

The only model with ABS braking, a given today, was the GSi.

'How Safe Is Your Car' rates the TR Astra as 'Good' based on real life crashes.

Lap/sash seat belts allowed for the fitment of a baby car seat, but the TR came long before the advent of ISOFIX mounting points.

Reports from the trade suggest the Astra is robust and reliable, with few engine or transmission problems.

The one issue that affects the Astra is breaking cam timing belts. A broken belt can lead to serious, if not terminal, internal engine damage.

The service interval was 100,000km, but that was reduced to 60,000km after a number of owners experienced problems with broken belts.

It's crucial that the belt be changed as recommended; ignoring the change could be expensive.

Heavy brake wear is also an issue, so be prepared to replace the brakes more frequently than would normally be expected.

Other than those words of caution the TR Astra's reliability is quite sound, providing it has been regularly serviced.

Check for a service record that shows regular maintenance, and don't buy a car that appears to have been neglected.

Oil to be used is 10W-40.

Capped price servicing didn't apply to the TR, but service costs are not excessive.

When new the TR carried a three-year/100,000 km warranty, but that has long expired and no longer applies.

MORE: If anything crops up, you'll probably find it on our Holden Astra problems page.

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Used Holden Astra review: 1998-2004

It’s not so long ago that small cars like the Astra meant little to Holden as Australians eagerly swooped on every full-sized car the company could produce.

Holden’s main game was selling big cars, smaller ones were simply a handy sideline.

Boy, how things changed when the bottom fell out of the big car market. Holden was ultimately forced to quit local production and get into the imported small car caper.

The stylish European-sourced front-wheel drive Astra was a rip-roaring success for the ‘General’, none more so than the TS introduced in 1998.

The TS arrived here in 1998 when it replaced the TR, which was an old model when it arrived here two years earlier.

It was an all-new model available as a three or five-door hatch, a four-door sedan and a convertible.

With contemporary European style it was not only attractive but also stood out from the mostly Asian crowd.

The City was at the entry-point of the range, but there was plenty on offer for anyone who wanted more. They were catered for with the CD, while anyone looking for a sporty drive had the SRi or the Turbo.

Although it was the entry model, the City wasn’t a bare bones offering. It was quite well equipped with a radio-cassette sound system with six speakers, the steering column was adjustable for tilt and reach, there was remote keyless central locking, variable intermittent wipers, an immobiliser, and remote releases for the boot/hatch and fuel filler.

Anyone cashed up enough could have dipped into the options list for air conditioning or metallic paint.

For more of the things that made life on the road more pleasant there was the CD grade.

In addition to the City’s features the CD also came with CD sound, cruise control, a multi-function leather steering wheel, power mirrors, power windows, velour trim, and 15-inch alloy wheels.

If that wasn’t enough, the options list offered 16-inch alloy wheels, metallic paint, air conditioning, and a rear spoiler.

The list of standard features for the sporty SRi three-door was considerably longer than those of the City and CD.

It came with the added standard features of 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, fog lamps, white-faced gauges, sports suspension, sports seats, and front and rear spoilers.

The options list was correspondingly shorter, with metallic paint the only extra offered.

A number of special City and CD models were released in 2000 to celebrate the Sydney Olympics held that year.

An update in 2001 witnessed the arrival of the limited edition Equipe with standard cruise, air-conditioning, fog lamps, alloy wheels, remote keyless central locking, as well as power windows and mirrors.

Fresh air fiends had cause for celebration in 2002 when Holden released a convertible Astra.

In addition to the power folding roof it had all the bells and whistles with 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, CD sound with six speakers, remote keyless central locking, adjustable headlights, leather seats, leather steering wheel, power windows and mirrors, sports seats and suspension, trip computer and a wind deflector.

The same year also saw the entry of the CDX, which came with a host of standard features, like climate control air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, heated seats, leather seats and steering wheel, speed dependent sound volume, woodgrain trim elements, and a multi-function control screen.

In 2003 Holden added the sizzling Turbo version of the SRi to the range.

The TS preceded the digital era that saw cars being fitted with Bluetooth, there was facility for connecting an iPhone or Android device, and no sat-nav to find your way around, or a touch screen to keep you informed.

And you won’t find a reversing camera, parking sensors, or park assist.

The Astra’s cabin was typically European, functional and well laid-out with all controls readily falling to hand.

The seats, front buckets and rear split-bench were firm, but comfortable, and offered decent support.

Like all European cars the ride was on the firm side, but that was the compromise for handling.

There was good room given its small size, and most found it comfortable. The only exception was the centre rear seat passenger, which would have found it a tad squeezy.

Cupholders were fitted.

All but the convertible, SRi and Turbo models had a 1.8-litre double-overhead camshaft four-cylinder petrol engine.

At its launch it boasted power and torque peaks of 85kW and 165Nm, but in 2001 peak horsepower was boosted to 90kW for a little extra zip.

In addition to double overhead camshafts, the 1.8-litre engine had four valves per cylinder, variable intake manifolding, and sequential fuel injection.

It ran on 91-octane regular unleaded petrol, but if you ran it on the more expensive PULP you could have a couple of kilowatts more.

The convertible and SRi had a 2.2-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine with power and torque peaks of 108kW and 203Nm respectively.

When it arrived in 2003 the Turbo came with a turbocharged double overhead camshaft 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that put out 147kW and 250Nm at its respective power and torque peaks.

The TS was front-wheel drive, and a five-speed manual gearbox was standard across all models. It wasn’t the best shifting manual around; it was easy enough to use, but imprecise and rubbery in feel.

A four-speed electronic automatic transmission was optional and the best choice for a pleasant drive.

When pressed the 1.8-litre models would do the 0-100 km/h dash in just under 10 seconds from rest; performance of the 2.2-litre cars was better and they would do it in under seven seconds.

The Astra was a revelation after most small cars that had been served up to Australians. Being European it was a good driving car, agile, responsive, and fun.

It went where it was pointed, held on well, and was balanced.

The base 1.8-litre engine was quite peppy with a blend of acceleration and speed. It was zippy in city traffic and held its own on the highway.

On top of all that it was quite refined for a small car. Its ride, while firm, was comfortable, and there was little wind or road noise to speak of.

While safety was a key issue in 1998, small cars like the Astra lagged behind their bigger, more expensive cousins when it came to safety features.

Buyers of the TS City had to hope seat belt pretensioners and dual front airbags would be enough to protect them in a crash.

Anyone who bought a CD was in a similar situation, but they had the option to buy ABS braking for a little extra crash avoidance. It was a similar story for SRi buyers.

Those who bought a CDX, however, were treated to the protection of dual front airbags, side front airbags, and ABS braking.

The Astra was given a two-star rating in the latest used car safety survey.

Built before their advent the TS doesn’t have ISOFIX child seat restraints.

Lap/sash seat rear seat belts facilitate the fitment of a baby car seat.

The good news for anyone contemplating buying a used TS Astra now is that the solid design and build quality that went into them in the first place is now standing them in good stead as they approach the end of their useful life on the road.

After 20 years on the road the reliability of the TS Astra is quite commendable.

With odometers reaching 300,000-plus they are still solid and often rattle-free, as long as they haven’t been thrashed or crashed.

Having been on the road for so long, and often in the hands of young and inexperienced drivers you should expect that they have been involved in a panel bender or two.

They should be approached as if they have indeed been crashed, and carefully inspected for collision damage.

With its zinc-galvanised body it’s rare to find rust in a TS Astra; if you do, be very wary about it having been crashed.

Fading and peeling paint on the upper surfaces most exposed to the sun is, however, common. Short of repainting affected panels there’s not much you can do about it.

The most serious issue affecting the TS is its propensity to break cam timing belts on the 1.8-litre engine. It was a widespread problem when new, so much so that Holden cut the service interval from 120,000 km to 60,000 km while they worked out how to overcome the problem.

Once it was solved the interval was pushed out to 90,000 km.

The problem for today’s buyer is that uncaring owners, or those short of cash, can ignore the belt change. But they do at their own peril, as a broken belt almost always means serious internal damage to the engine.

It’s critical that the belt be changed as recommended to avoid the expense of replacing an engine.

Servicing is at 10,000km and there was no capped price servicing on the TS.

But service costs are not excessive, and any experienced mechanic can do it.

When new the TS carried a warranty of three years/100,000km.

Check for a service record that shows regular maintenance.

MORE: If anything crops up, you’ll probably find it on our Holden Astra problems page.

Kim Uden: I bought my Astra two years ago when I wanted a cheap car to run around in. It has done nearly 300,000 km and gets along nicely on the country roads where we live. It sits on the road well, is quiet for a small car, and hasn’t given me any trouble in the time I’ve owned it. My only complaint is the thump when I engage Drive or Reverse.

Sonya Makepeace: I have a 2005 Astra convertible. It has been very reliable in the years I’ve owned it. It has plenty of room, is quiet and handles well.

John Bone: I really love my 2003 SRi. The 2.2-litre engine is punchy and gets up to speed quickly, the gearbox is smooth, but the clutch is a little too sensitive. It’s well put together and hasn’t given any trouble. My only complaint is that the rear wing interferes with rear vision.

Natasha Billings: I got my 2002 City when I was a 16-year-old learner driver. I’ve now had it for five years and haven’t had any desire to buy another car. The boot is spacious, it’s nippy, starts first time every time, and I feel safe driving it. I’ve had to clean the throttle body, replace the ECU and a coil pack, but that’s it.

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Solid build, reasonable safety, and decent reliability make the TS Astra a worthy contender in the cheapie stakes.

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Used Holden Astra review: 1996-2010

Holden Astra is a small medium car that was popular in Australia for many years. Astras prior to 1996 were Australian-built and were closely related to Nissan Pulsars. From 1996 until 2010 Astra was imported from Europe where it was made by Opel, the German division of General Motors.

In this review we will only look at the German-made cars as the Aussie ones are getting long in the tooth and are possibly past their use-by date.

Holden Astras were discontinued in 2010, but the nameplate was revived in September 2012, this time with Opel badges instead of Holden ones. The idea was to give the Astra a more upmarket image and sell it for higher prices (other Opel models were also imported, but that’s getting off the subject). The marketing exercise was a disaster and Opel pulled out of the market less than a year later.

Opel-badged Astras won’t be covered here as it’s too early for a history to have been built up, but we don’t anticipate any problems and we will cover them down the track.

As you expect from a European car, Astras offer pleasing dynamic performance and are a delight to drive. Keen drivers looking for a small-medium family car love them.

Older Astra are relatively small, but from 1998 they are significantly wider and can be used as family cars. Body types are many and varied. Three-door coupes, five-door hatches and four-door sedans make up the bulk of the Astras on the used market. A five-door station wagon was launched in 2005. Unlike some small Euro wagons, the Holden has a spacious load area thanks to a square tail that can hold reasonably bulky items.

A Holden Astra convertible was imported from 2002 until the end of the line in 2010. Convertibles from March 2007 were an all-new design and were given the tag of TwinTop due to the way the roof folded in two sections to maximise the length of the cabin space.

The top of the line Astra SRi Turbo was launched in the middle of 2003, then withdrawn a year later, only to make a return in 2006.

Engines are all four-cylinder units with 1.6-litre or 1.8-litre in most cars. The high-performance Astra GSi has a 2.0-litre unit. With the 1998 TS Astra, only the 1.8 was offered in the standard cars, with the SRi and convertible getting a 2.2-litre.

An Astra turbo-diesel engine joined the lineup in June 2006. It wasn’t particularly successful as a new car but is worth considering if you do big miles. These days the European marques are growing great guns with turbo-diesel engines, so there might still be a chance to pick up an Astra diesel at a good price before people wake up to this relatively unknown Holden turbo-diesel.

Five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions are offered in all versions with the exception of the sporting GSi and SRi Turbo. The former only had a five-speed manual, the latter used a five-speed in its initial iteration and has a six-speed close-ratio box from late 2006.

Under-bonnet accessibility in Astras is generally good and the car is relatively easy to work on. As always, some parts should not be repaired by a home mechanic.

Holden chose to hold onto two models in the otherwise-superseded TS series when the AH series was introduced in November 2004. One was the lowest cost variant and was given the title of Astra Classic, it was replaced by the Korean-built Holden Viva at the end of 2005.

There are Holden dealers in just about every corner of Australia, but some in more remote areas may not carry all parts for the Astra, so you may have to wait a day or so for them to be delivered. Spare parts prices are about average for this class.

Insurance rates are pretty reasonable when you consider that the Astra is a fully-imported European car. Get quotes in advance for the sporting variants, particularly the Turbo, as insurance costs can be substantially higher.

There can be quality control niggles in the older cars, so have a professional look over the car to find out its exact condition.

Try to test the engine when it's cold after an overnight stop. Start it up and make sure the oil-pressure light goes out promptly. At the same time listen for any rattling and feel for unevenness in the engine’s idle.

Accelerate the car hard after the engine is warm and feel for any hesitation under acceleration. Look for a puff of smoke from the exhaust at the same time.

If you suspect a turbocharged engine has been driven hard get it looked over by an expert.

Check for crash damage and previous body repairs. Looking at the finish of the paint, as well as for over-spray on unpainted parts, is often the best way to start.

Look over the cabin for seats, dashboard, door trim and carpets to make sure the car hasn’t been mistreated. Check the boot as well.

When braking hard the car shouldn’t pull to one side or the other and no one wheel should lock before the others. ABS, if fitted, will cause a vibration through the pedal as it operates.

Check for any tyres with uneven wear, particularly those at the front as they do the bulk of the work.

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Used Holden Astra review: 1996-1998

After a number of unsuccessful attempts to market small cars drawn from other car makers Holden turned to its Euro cousins for what has become a rip-roaring success in the form of the German-designed Astra. The Astra badge was a part of the Holden range before the arrival of the European Astra in 1996, but they were rebadged Nissan Pulsars produced under an arrangement with the Japanese car maker who was the building the Pulsar locally.

Holden later turned to Toyota under the doomed joint venture between the two companies and sold rebadged Corollas as Holden Novas for a while, but that ended when the deal went sour.

Both deals were struck in times of trouble when Holden was in effect a one-car car company struggling to stay afloat in an increasingly competitive local market in the 1980s, but those days are a fast fading memory and Holden is forging ahead like never before in its history with a range of models that virtually covers the whole market.

The Astra was already successful before it arrived on these shores, being the second best selling small car in Europe behind the VW Golf at the time. Those early Astras, designed in Germany, were built in England by Vauxhall, which was sensible really given that the Brits drive on the same side of the road as we do.

At launch Holden offered two body styles, a four-door sedan and a five-door hatch, but there were three levels of trim and equipment which was enough to suit just about everyone’s needs.

The entry level model was the City 1.6, which was available in both body styles. The mid-range model was the GL 1.8, which was also available in both body styles, while the range-topping model was the sporty GSi 2.0 that was only available as a hatchback and came with a sexy Zender body kit.

Inside, the Astra was roomy with plenty of space for four adults and luggage. Rear seat room was particularly praised by road testers at the time of release, as was its luggage carrying capacity, which was boosted by a 60/40 split-fold rear seat.

Power for the Astra came from a range of four-cylinder engines, all adapted to local conditions by Holden’s engineers, and featuring multipoint fuel-injection.

The base engine in the City was a 1.6-litre single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine that produced 74 kW at 5800 rpm and 135 Nm at 3400 rpm, which delivered a blend of performance and economy.

A 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine powered the GL. This one was produced by Holden in Australia, and boasted twin overhead camshafts with four valves per cylinder. Peak power was 85 kW at 5400 rpm and maximum torque was 165 Nm at 4000 rpm.

The sporty GSi packed the biggest punch in the range. With twin cams, and 16-valves, it put out 100 kW at 5600 rpm and 188 Nm at 3200 rpm.

City and GL buyers could choose between a five-speed manual gearbox and four-speed electronic auto, which was a $1950 option, but the only choice for those signing up for the hot GSi was the five-speed manual.

Under the Euro skin lay a well proven suspension arrangement with MacPherson Struts complete with gas-filled shocks at the front, and compound torsion beam axle at the rear with progressive rate coil springs and gas shocks at the rear.

Spring rates, shock settings and the diameter of the stabiliser bar were optimised for each engine variant.

Power steering was standard across the range, with the GSi getting a faster rack for a sharper feel.

Brakes were a combination of front discs and rear drums on the City. The GL and GSi boasted four wheel discs, and the GSi had the added benefit of standard ABS.

Inside there was attractive fabric trim, a multifunction display, and a locally developed Eurovox six speaker sound system. The GSi also had sports seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and power front windows.

Standard equipment included a driver’s side airbag, an immobiliser, and central locking although it couldn’t be activated remotely. Missing from the features list was an adjustable steering column.

On top of those features the GSi also boasted a passenger’s side airbag as standard and a security alarm.

The options list included a passenger’s side airbag for the City and GL, and air-conditioning.

The Astra was criticised for its high level of noise and vibration, which reflected its lower refinement than was being offered by the benchmark Japanese cars at the time.

The manual trans gearshift was thought rubbery and imprecise, but the Astra’s overall ride and handling was praised, as was its steering, which was direct and well modulated.

Being three years old when it arrived here the Astra was trailing the competition a little when launched, but was still regarded as a good small car choice that offered good interior room with plenty of performance while still returning admirable economy.

Reports from the trade suggest the Astra is robust and reliable with few problems with the engine or transmission.

One complaint often heard is the rate of wear of the brakes. The Astra’s European origins should have alarm bells ringing if you’re concerned about frequently replacing brake linings and discs. Some owners report having to change disc pads at around 30,000 km and discs at 60,000 km.

It’s possible to extend brake life by fitting alternative pads and discs available on the aftermarket, but you might affect your car’s braking performance in the process. Before you change it’s best to check with your local brake specialist.

The Astra’s body and trim stand up well, but check carefully for signs of a crash. Check panel fit, body gaps, smooth opening of doors and hatch or boot, and paint matching. Particularly check bumpers for bumps and scrapes, taking care to check bumper mountings to make sure they are intact.

Check for a service record to verify odometer reading, which on average will be between 100,000 and 130,000.

• Smart European style

• Roomy interior and lots of luggage space

• Robust mechanical package

• Relatively high brake wear

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Rust territory

MANY Territory owners have responded to our call for information about their cars. It seems there could be a problem with rustproofing on the locally built crossover wagon. No doubt there will be questions about the effect of living near the sea when you approach Ford, so do your homework and be prepared to answer them.

What is the best medium sized car on the market?

Your need for a 1998 or later model for $10,000 makes things difficult. I would recommend you try a Nissan Pulsar N15 which was introduced in 1995 -- it's well built, reliable and has good resale value.

Used Holden Astra review: 1996-1998

After several less-than-successful attempts to market small cars drawn from other carmakers, Holden turned to its European cousins for the German-designed Astra.  Before the arrival of the European Astra TR in 1996, the Astra badge was a part of the Holden range in the '80s.  But they were rebadged Pulsars, produced under an arrangement with the Nissan factory in Clayton.

After Nissan, Holden turned to Toyota and sold rebadged Corollas as Holden Novas.  Both deals were struck in times of trouble, when Holden was in effect a one-car company struggling to stay afloat in an increasingly competitive local market.

Now those days are a fading memory and Holden is forging ahead with a range of models that virtually covers the whole market.  The European Astra was successful before it arrived here. It was the second-best-selling small car in Europe behind the VW Golf.

Those early Astras were built in England by Vauxhall. This was sensible, given that the Brits drive on the same side of the road as us.

At launch, Holden offered two body styles, a four-door sedan and a five-door hatch.  But there were three levels of trim and equipment, which was enough to suit just about everyone's needs.

The entry-level model was the City 1.6, which was available in both body styles.  The mid-range model was the GL 1.8, which was also available in both body styles.

The range-topping model was the sporty GSi 2.0, available only as a hatchback but with a sexy Zender body kit. Inside, the Astra was roomy, with plenty of space for four adults and luggage.

Rear-seat room was particularly praised by road testers, as was its luggage capacity, which was boosted by a 60/40 split-fold seat.  Power came from a range of four-cylinder engines, all adapted to local conditions by Holden engineers, and featuring multi-point fuel injection.

The base engine in the City was a 1.6-litre single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine that produced 74kW at 5800rpm and 135Nm at 3400rpm, delivering a blend of performance and economy.

A 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine powered the GL. This was produced by Holden in Australia and had twin overhead camshafts with four valves per cylinder. Peak power was 85kW at 5400rpm and maximum torque was 165Nm at 4000rpm.

The sporty GSi packed the biggest punch. With twin cams and 16 valves, it put out 100kW at 5600rpm and 188Nm at 3200rpm.  City and GL buyers could choose between a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed electronic auto, which was a $1950 option.

But the only choice for those signing up for the hot GSi was the five-speed manual.  Under the skin was a well-proven suspension with MacPherson struts complete with gas-filled shocks at the front; and a compound torsion beam axle at the rear with progressive-rate coil springs and gas shocks.

Spring rates, shock settings and the diameter of the stabiliser bar were optimised for each engine.  Power steering was standard across the range, with the GSi getting a faster rack to give it a sharper feel.

Brakes were a combination of front discs and rear drums on the City. The GL and GSi had four-wheel discs, and the GSi had the added benefit of standard ABS.

Inside were attractive fabric trim, multi-function display and Eurovox six-speaker sound system.  The GSi also had sports seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and power front windows.

Standard equipment included a driver-side airbag, an immobiliser, and central locking, though it couldn't be activated remotely.  Missing from the features list was an adjustable steering column.

On top of those features the GSi had a passenger-side airbag as standard and a security alarm.  The options list included a passenger-side airbag for the City and the GL and airconditioning.

The Astra was criticised for its high level of noise and vibration.  The manual trans gearshift was thought rubbery and imprecise.

But the ride and handling were praised, as was the steering, which was direct and well modulated.  Being three years old when it arrived here, the Astra was trailing the competition.

But it was regarded as a good small-car choice with interior room and plenty of performance while returning admirable economy.

Reports from the trade suggest the Astra is robust and reliable, with few engine or transmission problems.  One complaint often heard is the rate of wear of the brakes.

The Astra's European origins should have alarm bells ringing if you're concerned about replacing brake linings and discs often.  Some owners report having to change disc pads at 30,000km and discs at 60,000km.

It's possible to extend brake life by fitting alternative pads and discs available on the aftermarket.  But you might affect your car's braking performance in the process.  Before you change, it's best to check with a brake specialist.

The Astra's body and trim stand up well, but check carefully for signs of a crash.  Check panel fit, body gaps, smooth opening of doors and hatch or boot, and paint matching.

Particularly check bumpers for bumps and scrapes, taking care to check bumper mountings to make sure they are intact.  Check for a service record to verify the odometer reading, which will be 100,000 to 130,000 on average.

Smart European style

Roomy interior and lots of luggage space

Robust mechanical package

Relatively high brake wear

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Complete guide to Holden Astra 1998
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