I've an astra 99, basic model (GL XE I think). steel wheels, only electric front windows, tape player etc.
9k seems high to me for what is a 5-year old car. I spent 9400 three years ago with 36k on the clock (i.e. equivalent to paying 9400 on an 02 model now).
Astra "Sport" - does this just mean that its got alloys? 1.4 engine in mine is grand as long as you're not looking to take it out in Mondello. Mind you, its underpowered when there's a load in the car, if you'd be doing a lot of driving with others in the car, you'd be better off with a bigger engine. Forget about the 1.2s (there are a very few of them out there, they are dangerously underpowered apparently).
If you're buying this car, make sure it has electric heated side mirrors, you can't see a thing through them in the wet, and they are impossible to wipe clear.
Timing belt has to be done at 35-40k. Water pump (connected to timing belt) has to be done at 50k. You can see what happens, timing belt is done at 35 k, water pump is not done, you reach 50k, forget about the water pump and it goes before the next timing belt change is due. Tensioner was squeaking on mine about a year ago, and I got it changed out of safe-keeping.
Reliability is OK. The head gasket started leaking on mine, partly due to a design flaw (very thin section of gasket always the first to go). It only let me down once, flooded engine, tow-start got it going again.
Started first turn after being left in -5 deg in Belfast for a week (took me 45 mins to break 3 ins of compacted ice off the windows).
Luckily, there are many other sheep out there who bought an astra (at the mart presumably). This means that the parts are relatively cheap, and you can get them at the scrapyards also. I'd prefer it that way than having to pay full original manufacturers price for a part which won't be here for 6 weeks anyway because it has to be brought in from Germany or something to that effect.
Got it through the NCT recently no problem, just drove it straight there, despite it being due a service. Was only refused last NCT because I didn't bother checking that the lights were all working ...
Very good on tires. I bought it at 36 k and put new tires on it. I have 68k on it now, and the tires only need to be changed in the next few months. Mainly city and 40-zone driving though, not really on winding backroads so much. No ABS on 99 models (!), it wasn't standard, you should check if the car has ABS or not. Also no traction control (only available on hot-hatch versions I think), front wheels will spin quite easily in the wet (this would be less of a problem with the alloys which are wider than the steel ones I have).
Other things that have gone wrong : windscreen wiper motor acting funny recently, won't return to proper stop position. Condensation builds up under the interior light, but only when the car is parked facing down a steep hill (!).
Various bits of the interior are broken over the years - shelf in glovebox, glovebox drop-arm, plastic base bit of passenger seat, but these are only minor things as far as I'm concerned...