Holden Astra Problems

 The odometer reading is on the high side of average, which would affect the value. It was also depend on the condition of the car. As a private sale you would probably get $3000-$3500, as a trade-in $1500-$1800.

It’s recommended that you use 95-octane Premium unleaded in the RS, and that’s what I would use. You could damage the engine using 91.

The transmission in the Astra is a conventional torque convertor unit, the one that gave the trouble in the Cruze was dual-clutch manual/auto, a different ’box altogether.

No, there is no warranty or cooling-off period that goes along with a private sale. It’s a case of buyer beware. If they were concerned they should have had it checked before buying it. It seems to me that they have changed their mind about the car and want to get out of it.

If it’s a regular model it will have a 1.8-litre engine, but if it’s a SRi it will have s 2.2-litre.

The recommended fuel is 91-octane unleaded petrol.

Holden reduced the service interval on the cam timing belt change to 60,000 km to get over the problems they were having with the belt breaking and causing major engine damage before the original service point was reached. They later changed it again to 90,000 km. A 2004 model should have already had a belt change, if not on the basis of kilometres done, then certainly on the basis of time. If in doubt have it changed.

It is 90,000km. The service interval was reduced from 100,000km to 60,000km in the preceding TS model after a number of serious engine failures caused by broken or loose belts caused by a problem with the belt tensioner. In AH the service interval was increased to 90,000km. When it's replaced mechanics usually find that the water pump is leaking, and they replace it, which adds to the cost of the job.