Moving from Astra to Grandland X

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FiestaRed
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Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:27 am

Post by FiestaRed »

Has anyone made the move from an Astra to a Grandland X?

Just wanted to hear any views about changing. I'd hate to go ahead and swop to a Grandland X and then find the driving position a whole lot different. I did contact Vauxhall explaining that I'd been in Astras for the last ten years and was concerned about making the change. The best they could come up with was the usual ten minute test drive up the road and back to the garage. Not really helpful.

GRANDLANDX68
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Post by GRANDLANDX68 »

Hi, I had a Mokka X before and then went to the Grandland X. I like the Higher up Driving position and this was the main change from a smaller car before the Mokka X. I would try asking the dealership if they have any test drives where you can keep the car for a couple of days. If they want a sale they should be able to help you out.
Vauxhall Grandland X 2018 68 1.2 Elite Nav in Moonstone Grey with Intelligrip Adaptive Traction System
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FiestaRed
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:27 am

Post by FiestaRed »

GRANDLANDX68 wrote: Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:59 am Hi, I had a Mokka X before and then went to the Grandland X. I like the Higher up Driving position and this was the main change from a smaller car before the Mokka X. I would try asking the dealership if they have any test drives where you can keep the car for a couple of days. If they want a sale they should be able to help you out.
Thanks for the reply, really appreciated. It is the higher driving position of the Grandland that concerns me most. I remember once trying a Ford Galaxy when they first came out and feeling a bit "seasick" for ages afterwards.

As I mentioned, my local dealership say they can only offer the usual test drive and this is after letting them know that the Ford garage a few hundred yards away had offered a 48 hour loan of the new Kuga. Probably a route I would go down if I couldn't get a decent test in the Grandland model.
GRANDLANDX68
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Post by GRANDLANDX68 »

Maybe see if you have another Vauxhall dealership nearby ? If not speak to the Sales manager and explain you may have to go elsewhere if they can offer a longer test drive hopefully they wont want to lose a potential sale. Only other option would be to see if you have a local rental company that has one and could rent it for a few days see how you feel with one.
Vauxhall Grandland X 2018 68 1.2 Elite Nav in Moonstone Grey with Intelligrip Adaptive Traction System
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Midinotes
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:25 pm

Post by Midinotes »

Hi. I had an Astra GTC and in the last couple of years I have suffered with sciatica and pains in my right leg. I have been commuting some 90 miles a day (motorway) to work for probably 7 years in my Astra and whilst it was a comfortable car, I wasn't aware that over time it wasn't great for my spine or cocyx. I changed to the Grandland and not only is it far easier for me to get in and out of the car, the seat has been a tremendous improvement on my posture and in relieving pressure on my spine. In addition my shoulders and arms have felt better, the steering in the Grandland is lighter and more comfortable overall. Initially I did miss the cosseting feel of the Astra GTC as now instead of sitting 'in the car' and leaning back, it's a lot easier to sit correctly. My only grumble with the Grandland (mine is manual) has been the clutch. Compared to every Vauxhall I've owned, I still don't feel a natural position with the clutch. The bite point is quite high and I think the pedal it a bit higher, as I find I need to sit back slightly more than I'm used to. Coming off the clutch also has taken some practice, and sometimes I feel like a learner driver again. Needless to say if I go with Grandland again, I will be considering an automatic.
Otherwise technically it is far superior to my old Astra GTC. The sound system that comes as standard is very good as has been the case with all Vauxhalls I've owned, although I would say the sound isn't as close and surrounding as it was in the Astra. The midrange of the Grandland sound system can be a tad brittle sometimes although you have 3 band control of the tone to help tame it. Love the Carplay feature, the big screen and sat nav plus I am amazed at the economy and performance. My Astra was a 1.4 turbo petrol, I think about 140bhp... given how much bigger the Grandland is and the fact it only has a 1.2 3 cylinder engine, I am getting better fuel economy than from my Astra, it feels more pokey and very responsive. Overall the experience has been great... apart from the clutch! :-)

Simon
FiestaRed
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Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:27 am

Post by FiestaRed »

Simon, what a great reply, exactly what I was looking for.

Never even gave the Astra seating a second thought but I have suffered with a bad back in recent years. Just put that down to me being a lazy sod and not walking any where near as far as I really ought to. Pleased to hear you sound quite at home with the Grandland X, made me feel even more determined to get a decent test drive before I make my mind up.

Thanks again for all the help, really appreciated.
Midinotes
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:25 pm

Post by Midinotes »

I am glad to be of help and happy to answer any questions. Also my Grandland is a mid 2018 model Sport so I don't have the newer improved seats that are now standard in most models. I like that the seat cushioning isn't too soft but at the same time not too hard - just right. Of course 7 years of driving my Astra and clocking up 100K miles probably did soften the seat cushions somewhat. I found the electronic parking brake easy to get used to, loving the hill start assist particularly because of the clutch and of course mine being an early sport model, I got the keyless entry and start plus the power tailgate and 240V socket in the back as standard. The only issues so far (which to be fair were present when I bought it used) are that the petrol cap doesn't properly tighten with a click - apparently the main fuel line from the filler flap to the tank needs replacing! And the other thing was a bit of knocking underneath on poor road surfaces which turned out to be the drop links (whatever they are) - both however should be replaced under warranty. Tyres have lasted well as the original Michelins are still on the front and have done over 25K (getting them all replaced tomorrow). Backs seem to last a bit longer. It's a very quiet car also, a bit of wind noise from the big wing mirrors on the motorway and a slight thrum from the 3 pot but otherwise a great cruiser. I only discovered that I can link the sat nav to my phone's 3G connection the other day (thanks to this forum) which means I now get Tom Tom traffic included until the warranty expires. I guess after that I have to pay to keep it. I did replace the halogen headlamp bulbs with some extra white philips extreme vision which has improved the colour rendition and night beams, plus I replaced the rather dim interior boot lamp with a bright LED version. Also fitted a dashcam wiring kit direct to the fusebox, and speaking of the fusebox... it takes up most of the glovebox so don't expect to store much in there!
FiestaRed
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:27 am

Post by FiestaRed »

Thanks again for all the help Simon, really appreciated.
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