Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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Evening Gents (and ladies?)
After a few years away from anything performance related I am looking to return to have a quick petrol on the driveway. I was looking for a VX220 (Speedster over here) but there are only two for sale and based on the current Irish car market they are over priced.
The next on the list is a 07 or 08 Astra OPC.
I am looking for something to do a few track days a year, nothing mental, I am coming from using my Corsa, (project thread here) so anyting I get doesnt have to be earth shattering fast.
But I am just wondering in standard form how reliable are they for maybe 4 or 5 track days a year??
Cheers
J
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Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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or how would they compare to a 2003 Cupra R?
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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I was contemplating cars of a similar nature for a similar requirement. Ended up going for a Megane R26 mainly due to the fact they have better seats (for my requirements), they have a diff and four pot brembos. In the scheme of things I imagine anything in the same market (ST/VXR) are as easily tuneable but the Megane had better kit to start.
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Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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The likes of an R26 is not a runner here, never sold in numbers of here, so none available.
The Astra ticks a few boxes for me.
Firstly, I always wanted one, nearly bought one new
They sold in reasonable numbers so dont have a rare factor to them
The value of 2l turbo petrol cars in Ireland is awful, everyone wants diesel
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Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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But then I saw that Cupra too, nearly half the price of an Astra... but prob 4yrs older too.
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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Is importing one from over here an issue?
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Ben J
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Registered: 31st Jan 05
Location: Cheshire
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Corsa VXR. properly set up more fun than the Astra.
The Burgs are weapons on track.
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Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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quote:
Originally posted by Toby
Is importing one from over here an issue?
Yeah, a god awful tax called VRT.... most european countries pay maybe a few hundred quid at most to register a new car and get a reg plate number.... The Irish government in all their glory charge around 30% of the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price).
So lets say a decent Megane is around £7k, I would pay probably as much another £2k in tax to register it. But you cant be sure because the web site that you can use for estimating doesnt cover a lot of "performance cars" such as VX220's, lotus, porcshe or any perfomance megane except for a "sport tropy 265bhp" and thats nearly £1k to register. But you cant get an exact price till after you have bought the car and declared to customs that you have imported it. If you dont like the VRT cost and decide not to pay it you have 30 days to get the car out of the country... or they take.
Plus, the market is so depressed over here that I can find a few Astra OPC's for example for around €6000, thats only around £5k
quote:
Originally posted by Ben J
Corsa VXR. properly set up more fun than the Astra.
The Burgs are weapons on track.
There is pretty much the only OPC (VXR) corsa advertised in Ireland at the moment. CORSA OPC £6500.
It would cost me £1200 to register a 2008 VXR Corsa from the UK, and thats not even the Burg edition which they may very well charge more for.
[Edited on 30-04-2014 by Gsi_Ire]
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Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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Any opinions on the Cupra I posted as an occasional track car?
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/seat-leon-cupra-r/6486613
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Mieran
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Registered: 28th Jan 08
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
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I would say you'll need some better suspension and a rear ARB as a bare minimum for an Astra, but they are good cars once you start playing with them. You see more and more of them on track now.
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taylorboosh
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Registered: 3rd Apr 07
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Id wait and get a vx220
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Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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quote:
Originally posted by taylorboosh
Id wait and get a vx220
A vx220 wont happen because I just have no idea what VRT tax I would be charged. As its not for sale in Ireland they will look to the UK, and using UK prices I expect they would set a tax cost of upwards of €3000 
As for a speedster, like my Corsa GSi, there were very few ever sold. It would defo go with my liking for rare Opels, but also means they are never up for sale. 1 of the 2 I found in the past 3 months is not even officially for sale!!
Over night I have just been thinking more and more of messing about with the corsa a bit more. I have 1 particular go faster part here (Mantzel) that I can fit. I will make a desicion over the long weekend. Probably wouldnt have it together for my next track day though
[Edited on 01-05-2014 by Gsi_Ire]
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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Do you still pay tax even if the car is registered in your name for over 12 months?
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Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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quote:
Originally posted by Toby
Do you still pay tax even if the car is registered in your name for over 12 months?
Well if you mean in owning the car in Ireland then no, your actually required to register it within 30 days or they start building up significant fines. When you declare the car you have to show proof of purchase etc. And if your caught on the road after 30 days the revenue have the right to take your car. Althought there has been some interesting court cases over this recently.
There are only two exceptions that I know of.
1. If I lived and worked outside the state (in the UK for example) for over 6 months and where I owned a car there for at least 6 months. But you have to show a lot of documentation, proof of address, proof of paying tax outside the state etc. Its not friggin easy
2. The car is modified for someone with special needs or special requirements (ie all hand controls etc).
The irish government have made it an art form getting money out of us over things like this.
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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I meant if you owned the car and had it registered in your name in the UK for 12 months before importing it do you pay the import tax? From your answer I would assume not and that you would need to be a resident in the UK too.
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baza31
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Registered: 19th Apr 03
Location: yorkshire
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Can't you try but one from England on Irish plates?
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Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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quote:
Originally posted by baza31
Can't you try but one from England on Irish plates?
Cant imagine there are many cars on Irish plates for sale in the UK?
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JordyCarter
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Registered: 14th Mar 10
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quote:
Originally posted by baza31
Can't you try but one from England on Irish plates?
Wishful thinking that 
You find the right car in Ireland somewhere. Dont stick to vxr could you not find any cheaper cars to rag about on the track? clio 182 for example the older shape.
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Gsi_Ire
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Registered: 9th Aug 04
Location: Republic of Ireland
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Well its not to rag around track, thats the point.
Its just needs to do a few track days too. If I just wanted a car to rag around the track I would just tidy up the Corsa a bit so it doesnt fall any further into disrepair till I feel like doing the full restore on it.
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JordyCarter
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Registered: 14th Mar 10
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I see I got the impression the car was going to sit there and be used for track days a few times a year 
[Edited on 02-05-2014 by JordyCarter]
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taylorboosh
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Registered: 3rd Apr 07
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Id still get a vx220/speedster
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craig8
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Registered: 31st Dec 04
Location: Glasgow
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For the astra as a everyday car it benefits a lot from up rated springs, I had eibach sportlines on mine. As with any car the tyres will make a massive difference, previous owner had put cheap tyres on and it would spin up in 4th, new tyres on and the feeling of the car completely changed.
The brakes are ok for road use but for occasional track use would be better with the usual mods, better pads, disks, fluid and hoses.
Handling wise so long as your not trying to plant your foot going round corners you should do okay although they will benefit from an updates rarb and even more so from a lsd although you can still enjoy it without them.
A smooth progressive remap will make it a much nicer car to drive also.
E36 328
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big eck
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Registered: 20th Apr 03
Location: Tullibody. Drives - Audi B8 S4 & Fiesta Zetec-S
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I've owned both the vxr and mk1 cupra R and IMO the Leon is a much more reliable car. I liked mine that much that I bought it back a few years later and it still drove like they day I bought it first time round with 30k miles. I sold it with just under 100k.
Tuning wise the Astra is a touch quicker but you need spend more money on the vxr than you would on the Cupra to get it to the same level of power.
Handling wise the Leon is the better car out the box. I fitted wietec ultra shocks and springs and an S3 upper brace onto mine and it made a big difference but it really needed ARBs to make the most out of them. The vxr had eibach springs and the whiteline RARB and I have to say it was very sure footed, even more so than the Cupra.
The brakes on the Leon are much better as well due to the 323mm discs and 4 pot brembos as standard.
They're both great looking cars, the Astra is a bit sportier which I liked but I found it to be pretty fragile, over £3k worth of repairs in just 6 months. The car was only on 32k miles as well and just over 4yrs old.
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