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Ady's van diary

Won't be going just yet lol, I will MOT it in December and see how that goes. had no idea it was their, the under seal hid it well and was holding it together, I've cut out the rot and it ain't much bigger, I've made a template so will pick up some steel tomorrow, I'm welding a new plate in place not patching over.

I've already decided though it will be a combo next
 
ady347 said:
I've already decided though it will be a combo next
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I'm the same I think, although if a Mk3 Astra van is available at the time I might be swayed that way.

What age and engine Combo are you thinking of?
 
Yeah I've dismissed the 1.3, its pointless in a van (in the UK at least) as its the same tax as the 1.7.

I'm also aiming around 2005, but twin rear doors rather than a tailgate, as I've whacked my head on enough of them over the years! Also don't need more than 2 seats now, so non-crewcab for me.

I believe there are 2 or 3 different 1.7 engines, I've yet to look into them properly.

Out of interest, what's made you decide on a Combo? Loadspace height?
 
My brother has had a few of them and he rates them, my mechanic mate also said their good but get the 1.7, they seem cheap and plenty about, 5 seater would be handy for nipping out with the kids. On our drive we have to park behind each other so every time we want to nip out I have to move the van to get the family car out.
It's going to be hard to put a value on the van, id probably eBay it, I was always going to just keep it as can't see it being worth a lot, put it in a barn for a few years lol
It mite go up in value in 10 years haha

It's on 94,000 now so mileage still low.
 
You don't see a tidy mk3 astra van very often any more ade, it would be well worth hanging on to if you can afford to keep it
 
anything I got for it wouldn't go far nowadays, I have garage space for it so storage is an option I might consider, I'm running it till December when mot due Anyways.
 
ady347 said:
anything I got for it wouldn't go far nowadays, I have garage space for it so storage is an option I might consider, I'm running it till December when mot due Anyways.
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I reckon you would get more for it than you think. But if you've got space to keep it then I definitely would as they will only get rarer. There is none for sale at the moment that I can find. Most of these vans were used and abused and it rare that a tidy one comes up for sale
 
I've got a 2002 combo 1.7 di and it's the best van I ever had. I Get about 40-50 miles to gallon and is super reliable and cheap to run. The only problem with the di is the high tax bracket at £225 a year. The later ones come with the 1.7 cdti and if it's anything like are astra 1.7 cdti engine your be replacing turbo's,alternators and dual mass flywheels every five minutes.
 
Tom I was talking to a guy at a car sales in Shrewsbury , he has a n reg 1.7 slow blow same as mine, it's got 17" penta's on it, colour coded bumpers, no other mods, it isn't lowered. It's pretty tidy, straight and original, not a rust bucket, starting to go a little pink in places. I stopped their the other day as I drive past their daily and it's been their as long as I can remember. I had a chat with him, looked at each other's vans. He said it was once his pride and joy but he may part with it in the future, told him theirs an owners club.
It rarely seems to go anywhere, It's signwritten with their garage name on, Mileage is 65-75k maybe, don't quote me on that but it was Deffo a lot lower than mine and I'm on 93 or 94k it's identical van.
Really Clean interior, don't know what they use it for its not a mechanics van and he doesn't seem to go home in it I don't think, as it seems to be their day and night, or whenever I pass it's their. It must get used as it does move around the forecourt.

Maybe worth calling their, have a look and see if you waved some reddies in his face.

The penta's only went on it 6 months ago so not sure how he feels about the van, but feeling I got was maybe time to change or just sell it
 
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It doesn't help when your Facebook cover photo is this, reminding me it is quite a nice van lol,
Someone here took the pic, best pic I have of the old girl.

 
TK Photography is Todd, aka Todd100 on here. He takes some stunning photos.

I think its really nice to see such a good looking Mk3 van like yours still being used.

Tatty white plasterers Mk3s aren't unusual, but yours really looks good.

Is it just the rust making you think about a different van, or do you find the Astra restrictive?

If you're after a crew cab as the next one, have you thought about fitting rear seats to the Astra? It was all the rage back in the day.

It would mean the tank sits further back, but you'll get that with a crew cab Combo anyway.
 
That was my picture :) glad you liked it van looked really tidy at billing, I quite like mk3s on mk4 sxi wheels
 
A crew cab with side door ideally as my boys are only little and strapping them into my van with rear seats would be too awkward.
The Astra does the job fine, it's reliable as anything and never lets me down, it looks tidy and gets lots of attention and I've enjoyed modifying it.

I was only going to run the Astra as a work horse for another year, I didn't want the signwriting to eventually get removed after being on their ages and still see it (even after trying to polish it out)
I've removed some of the signwriting I didn't like that was on it for a year and I didn't even have to polish it, their was no trace of it.

The inner arch rust hole has made me think (maybe she is not as solid as I presumed) the van has had an easy life.
I love the van but it's a work horse foremost not just my toy, I don't want to have to do jobs like this welding often, but also she is doing a lot of miles now, and as I've spent a bit on it, I don't want it clocking up the miles and being run into the ground.

Hope that makes sense. I always intended to just lock it away in a garage when I got another van, but how long before the damp and that sets in, sitting their not being used probably won't do it much good.

I can afford not to sell it, or the hassle of eBay idiots picking faults and kicking tyres haha

In 9 years she will be 30 years old, will it be worth anything? It's not a desirable motor like a gsi, gte etc.... So maybe just sell it and use that money to modify the next van
 
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I'd say the value won't be much more in 9 years, BUT, I said the same when I sold my Mk1 Nova Saloon for scrap price a few years back.

I think a decent van will stand a better chance of holding value than a 5-door hatch, mainly because there aren't many vans left now, let alone in 10 years time.

But with that said, you're looking at welding tasks now, even if you lay it up undercover what will it be like in years to come?

If it were me, I'd use it and enjoy it, and when you want to move on to pastures greener, sell it. But again, I cocked up with that Nova...
 
funny isn't it, back in my day I went to look at a low mileage nova for sale that was in the paper and thought screw that it was a saloon my mates would take the ****
 
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