Astra VXR impulse buy

[GaryVaux]

Finally managed to get time to put a project diary up..

I had always really liked astra vxr's, and if i ever got one it would have to be red with the 19" wheels, but at the moment they were too expensive for me.

In feb, i was on my break at work one night at 3am, and spotted this:







56 plate vxr that ticked all the boxes! It was a Cat C "repaired" (ill explain that later) 35k miles, 2 owners, and was within my price range (well my savings for a flat deposit, woops!)

Phoned the seller in the morning, and everything sounded spot on! (kerbed wheels seemed to be the only drawback)
The car had a minor incident in the snow in dec 2010, resulting in a new front bumper, bonnet, grill, passenger headlight. All bolt on parts, and he even sent me photos of the car in its damaged state (and it was as described)

So, collection.... The car was in swansea, a 1300 mile round trip for me. NOBODY could come due to work or other commitments, i was starting to panic a bit as by now i had my heart set on the car.
My good mate scotty GSI on here stepped in, and used his last day holiday

We set off for swansea at 9.30pm wed night, arrived 7.30am thursday morning (tried to sleep in the van, but it wasnt happening) Met the seller at 9am.
Good look round the car, test drive etc and the deal was done.

After a LONG time on hold and being passed about, managed to swap insurance cover.
The car had been VIC testes and mot'd but no tax... So went to the dvla office a few miles away and taxed it.
Left swansea at 12, feeling gradually worse on the 650 mile trip home. Got home late that night, then scotty was up for a full days work, and a few hours at night in tesco - hero!

[Joker]

650miles thats one hell of a roadtrip fella! worth it though if you've wanted one for ages lol.

Think i'd rather have the flat though lol.

[GaryVaux]

How the car looked after the trip home:


Dirty engine bay (no leaks or anything nasty though)


The pics dont show it too bad, but the interior was generally just really grubby, with make up on the controls, sticky marks here and there.


leather looking grubby and unloved


Under the back seat - YUCK!


So i spent about 5hours on the interior alone, scrubbing and cleaning everything in sight! Then cleaned and fed the leather.
Looking alot better (the driver seat was wipd with a damp cloth, hence the dark patch)

[Kev_G]

how long have you had this and your just putting it up - disappointment Gary.

Car number errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm 4 for you then lmao

[GaryVaux]

Next was the bodywork, It wasnt bad, but for my standards was in need of a good polish.

So G3, G10, hand polished, then waxed:



Debadged the tailgate - looks sooo much better. And fitted obligatory mig stickers.

[GaryVaux]

A few pics outside:

[steve(sri150)]

lovely lookin car m8 spot on

well worth the road trip huh

under that back seat
any future plans or mods for it ?

[GaryVaux]

Next was onto finishing the "repairs" The trader who fixed the car and sold it to me didnt quite have the same idea of "repaired" as me:

The passenger plastic arch liner hadnt been replaced
Passenger mirror glass and casing were cracked.

New arch liner:


Pass mirror:


So bought a brand new mirror including glass and fitted:


The gromit for the tailgate bumpstop was ripped, so a new one was fitted:

[GaryVaux]

Also fitted a magnetax tax disk holder (fed up with cheap plastic ones that dont stuck, or over complicated aluminium ones you need allen keys to open)


As i do with most of my cars, this was given a full service, so a phone to autovaux sorted this out:


Coolant
Engine oil
Oil filter
Air filter
Pollen filter
Spark plugs
Gearbox oil
New wiper blades

Also fitted new number plate to freshen it up (rear was de-laminating at the screw holes, and front was a different style)

Also did a fantastic wee mod ive done to both my sri and mk4 van - insignia washer jets (gives an even fan shaped spray onto the windscreen)



Another wash:

Autoglym HD wax in action:

[rc]

very nice mate

[GaryVaux]

Now the rest of the car was looking good again, the wheels were making it look terrible!!

Note the painted disk bells:



I had been quoted about £360 for all 4 wheels blasted, and re-powdercoated in a high power silver finnish.
BUT ive re-furbed plenty of wheels in my time and led myself to believe "ahh ill just do it myself and save £200"

So tyres removed, wheel weights off, and 3 hours cleaning..


Another 3+ hours sanding just the faces:


My mate mickygsi on here said i could paint them in the booth at his work, so i headed down to his on sat morning (100 miles away)
Spent most of sat sanding the wheels in prep for primer. But the audi that was getting parts painted in the booth the same time as my wheels wasnt ready, his boss wanted to close early, and micky was getting hastle from the mrs... So we called it a day, and i went home.

Monday, back down to mickys work, finnished preping. And back mashed to give the faces a coat of high build primer. (as you can see 90% of the marks were only as deep as the powdercoat and sanded out)

[GaryVaux]

Micky was priming the audi parts, so went on and primed my wheels while i was helping the other boys in the bodyshop:


Another few hours flatting the primer, and the wheels saw paint! Star silver (inside and out) And the faces painted in a high power silver/chrome paint (giving the factory finnish they come with):


BUT there were a few tiny reactions when the chrome paint was applied (and with the chrome paint being largely made of thinners, it kept eating into the reactions) Anybody else would have just left it, but the fact i had spent DAYS on them i wasnt happy.

My phone could hardly pick them up (top of the pic, between spokes):


I went visited a good mate gordonlivseys, and stayed at his save me going 100 miles home.

Tuesday - the reactions were flatted out, and faces painted again

[GaryVaux]

Left them a week or so, and got the tyres back on. The camera phone pics dont really show the finnish off too well. Need to get some decent pics.
The wheels were labled, so this is the exact same wheel

Before:

After:


Before:

After:


You get the idea - 100% improvement!

[MurrayM_]

VXR looks the part, anymore plans for it? how long untill the inner arches are red lmao
have you still got the mk4 sri?

[GaryVaux]

650miles thats one hell of a roadtrip fella! worth it though if you've wanted one for ages lol.

Think i'd rather have the flat though lol.

Yeah, 650 each way, and in 24hours - NEVER AGAIN!lmao

how long have you had this and your just putting it up - disappointment Gary.

Car number errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm 4 for you then lmao

I know, i know, ive been too busy with other peoples projects. But its all good fun
Something will be getting sold soon, need to decide what

lovely lookin car m8 spot on

well worth the road trip huh

under that back seat
any future plans or mods for it ?

Only plans are an exhaust system and DapR lowering springs.

very nice mate

Cheers

VXR looks the part, anymore plans for it? how long untill the inner arches are red lmao
have you still got the mk4 sri?

Ha ha, had thought about it lmao Yeah still got the sri (currently garaged), was all set to sell it, but i just couldnt bring myself to do it, i dont think id be able to find a cleaner more original one these days

I love the vxr, its efortless power, nice and smooth handles well (despite what the critics say) and just does everything it shoud!

If the right money came along (or a swap for a cdti150, meaning i could sell the diesel van) id put the funds to another nova project (must be a big ned/chav at heart) lmao

[Astra Dan]

Looks lovely! No cruise or fuel computer?

[Kev_G]

i think its a good buy and you need a whiteline ARB but id sell it and get a astra 888 mk5 quick as a vxr basically and diesel so epic mpg you know i love them. IF need be ill have a word with my best mate as he will be at billing in his 888 as usual

[dopey]

nice car, top work on the wheels

[GaryVaux]

Looks lovely! No cruise or fuel computer?

Has the fuel computer, cruise control was an option until 2007 (you can buy the stalk for £30 new, plug it in, and get it enabled on tech2, and 30mins labour or free at a friendly vaux garage. yet im sure its a £500 option new lmao)

i think its a good buy and you need a whiteline ARB but id sell it and get a astra 888 mk5 quick as a vxr basically and diesel so epic mpg you know i love them. IF need be ill have a word with my best mate as he will be at billing in his 888 as usual

888cdti are STUPID money! even the cdti150 sri's are almost vxr money

nice car, top work on the wheels

Cheers mate, need to get some decent pics, cam phone pics make them look kinda matt silver (its a lovely finnish in the flesh, really bright and deep)

[Dave Dempsey]

Not bad me ole treacle.

[Ted_2311]

Really Nice. Top work getting it looking it's best again aswel. Does seem like the road trip was worth it.

[Th0m45]

very nice another project of yours ill have to keep my eye on

[Kev_G]

the 888 is well worth it tho Gary believe me

[Benn]

Dude what a awesome buy. First thing i always do is clean the insides out too. Hate sitting in other peoples filth.

Fantastic job on the wheels. Cant believe the state they where in.

Really nice project.

[Nemesis]

Good stuff boss, cracking job on the rims