# Astra GTC VXR



## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

While the weather was nice I took the opportunity to give the car a quick wash and rinse down with poor boys super slick and suds shampoo which was a pleasure to use. Shame you have to use a fair amount (30ml per 7-10L of water) then a quick dry off with the ever loved auto finesse Aqua deluxe which is my first drying towel and have no reason to swap as its lightweight and super absorbent. Everything you need from a drying towel!

Afterwards I used auto finesse ultra glaze which smells as good as it performs. Easy to use with great results!

At the end of every wash it's nice to treat the tyres to some love. My choice this week was meguiars endurance tire gel. First time using it and has a great smell (like parmaviolets!) gave good gloss from only one light coat and hoping it gives good endurance as the name of it!

Finally while it was nice and sunny I took the opportunity to polish the rear silencer underneath the car. It isn't visible (unless you're laid on your back!) but thought it could do with a tickle up. You guessed it, auto finesse again! Mercury metal polish which is easy to use and a lot goes a long way. I'll let the results speak for themselves!































Next photos from previous car cleaning days:


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Looks good. 

I've always said the VXR is one of the best looking hot hatches.


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Thanks, I had looked at all sorts of cars from GTI's to A6's but caved into the VXR


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## Tuddie (Aug 14, 2010)

Really nice in red them. Car looks mint buddy.


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Was the best choice for me as my last car was white. Even better when it's a free option whereas the other colours were £500-£550


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## squiretolley (Mar 10, 2014)

Very nice! Top job.


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## scoobyboy1 (Aug 28, 2006)

Looks super glossy, liking these new Astra VXR's, even the older shape still look good on the road!!!:thumb:

Same as VW regarding colour, ever colour was a extra £500-800 but you can have red for free, which in my eyes is the best colour!!


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## James2614 (Sep 17, 2014)

Never been a huge fan of the vxr range but these are lovely


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

scoobyboy1 said:


> Looks super glossy, liking these new Astra VXR's, even the older shape still look good on the road!!!:thumb:
> 
> Same as VW regarding colour, ever colour was a extra £500-800 but you can have red for free, which in my eyes is the best colour!!


It's strange isn't it, at one point no one wanted a white or black car but now you look and most of them are white or black! Red, white, blue, green or black(metallic) was the only choice and as they have stopped the Arden due to the paint problems red was the only way, matched the R too!


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## tonyy (Jul 26, 2008)

Looks great:thumb:


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## Olly RS (Dec 26, 2014)

Never really liked the vxr range as I always thought they were a bit chavvy, but Vauxhall have really pulled themselves together with this one with sexiness, subtlety and class. It looks like something you can turn up to a high class business meeting in and not look like a dick, unlike some other hot hatches out there. Beautiful car mate. Take care of it! I'm glad I'm not the ony one sad enough to clean the back box


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Olly RS said:


> Never really liked the vxr range as I always thought they were a bit chavvy, but Vauxhall have really pulled themselves together with this one with sexiness, subtlety and class. It looks like something you can turn up to a high class business meeting in and not look like a dick, unlike some other hot hatches out there. Beautiful car mate. Take care of it! I'm glad I'm not the ony one sad enough to clean the back box


Im glad I bought the car and have no regrets. When you read up on them on other forums people list endless faults with noises gear changes etc. none of that for me, I guess that what happens when you wait 2 years after a car is released the problems are ironed out. It had to be done, don't ask what I was doing on my back to see it needed a polish!


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## MadOnVaux! (Jun 2, 2008)

Can you re-arrange your pic links so they show vertically rather than horizontally please.


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

If I knew how to I would, prefer it this way rather than having to scroll down the whole page of pictures


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## bazz (May 15, 2007)

looking good fella


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Thank you!


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## MadOnVaux! (Jun 2, 2008)

matt-rudd said:


> If I knew how to I would, prefer it this way rather than having to scroll down the whole page of pictures


You paste a link, then press enter, leave a line, then paste the next link 

I presume as you prefer it the way you have posted them, you are on a tablet? it's not that good viewing them on a computer that way though.


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Ah I'm on my phone so just does them as little thumbnails rather than taking up my screen!


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## Rían P (Jun 2, 2014)

Tell you what, that is one lovely looking motor! 
As previously said, a great colour too! Health to enjoy it! 😃

Also , what's your opinion on Poorboy's shampoo. Apart from using a lot, is it any good eg smell? Suds?


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## Megs Lad (Nov 27, 2012)

Kerr said:


> Looks good.
> 
> I've always said the VXR is one of the best looking hot hatches.


Second that :thumb:


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## Olly RS (Dec 26, 2014)

matt-rudd said:


> Im glad I bought the car and have no regrets. When you read up on them on other forums people list endless faults with noises gear changes etc. none of that for me, I guess that what happens when you wait 2 years after a car is released the problems are ironed out. It had to be done, don't ask what I was doing on my back to see it needed a polish!


I don't think I have read one car review where someone hasn't listed complaints! I have a Mégane rs265 and you can imagine the faults people picked on that but mine has been perfect since day 1. As a mechanic, I do believe the car will treat you right if you treat it right. Screw it all day long and you will get dodgy gearboxes etc. It's a mechanical unit at the end of the day and it isn't indestructible, but you'll always get that one person thinking 'it can take it, that's what it is made for'. Give it the occasional whip and you'll enjoy it more when you do and not have to pay the price. 
Always best to wait for the model to be out for a while! I was one of the first in the country to buy a grande Punto sporting. God it was terrible. Had every problem under the sun including leaking brake lines in the first 6 months of ownership! Recall after recall!

Your car is a thing of beauty, a devil in disguise!


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Olly RS said:


> I don't think I have read one car review where someone hasn't listed complaints! I have a Mégane rs265 and you can imagine the faults people picked on that but mine has been perfect since day 1. As a mechanic, I do believe the car will treat you right if you treat it right. Screw it all day long and you will get dodgy gearboxes etc. It's a mechanical unit at the end of the day and it isn't indestructible, but you'll always get that one person thinking 'it can take it, that's what it is made for'. Give it the occasional whip and you'll enjoy it more when you do and not have to pay the price.
> 
> Always best to wait for the model to be out for a while! I was one of the first in the country to buy a grande Punto sporting. God it was terrible. Had every problem under the sun including leaking brake lines in the first 6 months of ownership! Recall after recall!
> 
> Your car is a thing of beauty, a devil in disguise!


Yeah it doesn't help that the car reviewing forums are full of a certain type of person! It helps that my dads a mechanic too especially for Vauxhall  had a couple of what you could say problems such as a mark on the prism on the xenon which has just been replaced under warranty (saves people flashing me!) all in all I enjoy the car and take it fairly steady to and from work (40 mile trip) and there's a stretch of a 2 mile dual carriage way where it gets its legs stretched


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Rían P said:


> Tell you what, that is one lovely looking motor!
> 
> As previously said, a great colour too! Health to enjoy it!
> 
> Also , what's your opinion on Poorboy's shampoo. Apart from using a lot, is it any good eg smell? Suds?


I can't remember any pungent smell but will have another sniff and come back to you on that one but from my memory It doesn't jump out at me! It gave a lot of lubrication and a fair amount of suds (not masses) but the suds for me typically all blow away from the bucket as I leave the house anyway :lol:


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

Stunning VXR fella and in the best colour IMO. 👍


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Thanks


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## gibbo555 (May 3, 2011)

Looks great Matt, nice and glossy


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Thanks Gibbo


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Little update of another photo from Monday morning, up with the sunrise.


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## Kirkyworld (Jan 12, 2014)

Looks ace, I wouldn't mind one of those myself.


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Do it Kirky, you won't regret it!


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## Starburst (Oct 10, 2014)

Stunning car Matt, it looks awesome.


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## CrispyL (Apr 30, 2011)

Sorry about that, can you say on here what you use on your tyres?


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

CrispyL said:


> Sorry about that, can you say on here what you use on your tyres?


No problem, my usual go to tyre dressing is autoglym rubber plus. People frown upon autoglym because of the name of it but rubber plus IMO is great stuff, long lasting with a good appearance. I've also got gyeon tire which is expensive at £12 for 400ml but worth it as it gives even better protection and makes water bead and sheet like mad off tyres. So for me Id use gyeon tire as a base and top it up with autoglym rubber plus for the durability and glossy appearance with no sling


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## CrispyL (Apr 30, 2011)

Great thanks, I'll look into those. I always struggle to find something natural that doesn't fling up the corrado.


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

I use an old sponge cut up into 4-6 pieces and use a spray bottle and apply it to the sponge and then gently apply it to the tyre, a lot of coverage with little waste and no fling which is a bonus


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Also worth noting that polished bliss are doing 3 for 2 on the gyeon range along with their free postage


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## CrispyL (Apr 30, 2011)

Thanks again, I'll check it out.

I'll keep an eye out for the vxr around too.


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Ah are you local?


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## CrispyL (Apr 30, 2011)

Yes, I live in Paull just outside hull


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Yeah just had a look at your corrado thread, looks good at hull motor show


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## CrispyL (Apr 30, 2011)

That's my old corrado, I have a storm now. It did look good though.


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

There is a bonus to going to work early


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## gibbo555 (May 3, 2011)

Great photos bud


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## AJW001 (Feb 5, 2015)

This picture really sets it off! where abouts was this and what camera did you use?


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

AJW001 said:


> This picture really sets it off! where abouts was this and what camera did you use?


It's the Humber Bridge and it's a Pentax K-X (I think) with a slow shutter speed


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## GNshaving (Feb 13, 2014)

Stunning that! Nice beading to


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Yet another boring photo of my car :lol:


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## illeagalhunter (Jun 17, 2007)

Very nice


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Gave wrapping a go for the first time, recently bought a spare set of mirror caps for the car to wrap in carbon fibre and this morning felt like a time where my patience was at its peak.
























I'll be giving them plenty of coats of clear lacquer so I'm able to polish and wax them preventing the build up of bugs but that will have to wait for a warmer day!


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## Scrim-1- (Oct 8, 2008)

You live in hull mate?


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

Work in Hull


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## ibiza55 (Feb 22, 2008)

Sadly my astra j isn't in your league sadly a 5 door se, but still its great to see another astra j owner on here, excellent work.


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## Starburst (Oct 10, 2014)

Nice to meet you yesterday Matt.  Your car looks even better in the flesh:thumb:

What a fantastic day out.


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## matt-rudd (Jan 4, 2015)

It was nice to meet you too! Your car was nice and hope to see it again soon! Cars in the park is on the 27th of September


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

What and where is Cars in the Park, Matt ?


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## Mark Evison (Aug 16, 2011)

Blueberry said:


> What and where is Cars in the Park, Matt ?


It's a show in Leeds mate. Matt is coming in my Vauxhall stand at the show


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