I fitted a new head unit into a female friends Astra coupe turbo today. box standard car she let me take it for a drive, I know I never rated these things to begin with but after driving one i think considering it has 197 bhp etc I found in the wet my st170 was actually better in all aspects, the astra just wheelspan the second it came on boost, was crap round corners, felt like it had alot of body roll. torque steer was the biggest issue though, even on a dry road it felt like it just wanted to put me in a hedge everytime i touched the throttle. I very nearly considered a mk4 astra gsi back last year but after seeing how crap the suspension etc is i would not touch one if i was paid, when i got from hers to then drive home in my st170 i felt alot safer and mine did not actually feel any slower because of the focus's better suspension set up, my opinion obviously, she did ask me wether hers would beat a civic type r but to be honest i think the civic would piss on the astra again due tot he fact that the astra just does not pull away very well.

anyone else had any experience with these. also she wants me to fit a dump valve on it for her, I have never personally fitted one , is it a simple job
thanks tom

 

Dump valve isn't a good idea, will dump metered air; best leave the recirc as it is.

 

driven loads of these!not to bad but as you say they do suffer from torque steer!you should feel it on a astra vxr

 

no probs will tell her.

the real annoying thing is she is a typical girly racer, took her so she could buy her new head unit and some spreakers, sub woofer thingy and amp. wired it all in went to put the main live feed from the battery to the boot and discovered there is knowhere in the bulk head to run the cable through so gave up in the end, think i am gonna have to drill a hole to run the cable in.

 

I drove an astra vxr last year but took it easy, then again i took it easy in this coupe and yes i know it was wet but what a load of crap in the wet, if you even pull away even slightly quick it just torque steers and wheel spins. I definatly prefer my st170, it may have less power but so much more driveable

 

there is a gap as wiring has to go through the bulk head i just cant remember where it goes through!

 

there is a plastic box with the loom going through to the ecu but i could not get it off as the abs pump is about 2mm from it

 

Beat a type r in a astra coupe turbo?

I would say the civic would beat the astra in all aspects, straight line speed, top end and cornering

 

thats got some fuses/relays in it as i remember?think it has 3 nuts that hold it to the inner wing

 

Thats what i wa shtinking i know they both have 197 bhp but the satra just does not feel as quick as the type r to me

i am sure the astra is 7.0 seconds to 60 where as the civic is 6.8 iirc, considering the astra is turbocharged i am shocked it is so slouchy.

am i right in thinking a vxr turbo will bolt stright on and give a noticeable increase in power...
sorry for all the questions , i have never been a fan of vauxhalls so never looked into specs or mods etc and she has asked me what is possible and cheap to get a increase in power. also, i am guessing the astra does not have an lsd

 

this plastic box is just like a water cover which is actually attached to the fire wall with a inch thinck loom leading through it into the car.

is there any safe way of taking a live feed from inside the car or does it have to be straight from the battery

 

for the amp straight from the battery fella as the amp will pull a good few amps