New member!

[jon_e_quest]

Hello everyone.  New to this forum.  Have owned my car since September and have amassed 4200 miles so far.  I've added All-Weather mats, trunk liner, sport pedals, and homemade dead pedal.  I also added a German plate to the front, and a 'D' for Deutschland identifier on the back to give my ride a more European feel.

Although my car came with 17" alloys, I recently purchased XE steelies and wheel covers to go with a new set of performance winter tires.  Boy, what a difference when driving in the cold stuff!   

Anyway, I joined mostly to get away from the GM/Saturn bashing going on over at SaturnFans (I bought my car because it was an Opel.).  That, and the often complaining 'polymer' car owners who felt the need to chime in on things Astra, mostly to lament about no more polymer!  (And I always thought it was... well, just plastic. )

Hope to hear some good stories, get some good info, and maybe keep Astra alive and kicking here in North America...

[Mr. Clarkson]

I'd love to see some pictures the sport pedals and your dead pedal. I was thinking of getting the sport pedals as well 

[jon_e_quest]

I'd love to see some pictures the sport pedals and your dead pedal. I was thinking of getting the sport pedals as well 

I'll try to post photos over the weekend.  The dead pedal was made from the lid to a small fishing tackle storage container (approx 4" x 8").  I cut what would end up being the bottom to match the curve of the wheel well.  I then cut a matching piece of leftover rubber bedliner matting from a truck I once owned, and siliconed that inside of the lid.  Finally, I velcroed the new dead pedal to the carpeting.  It actually turned out nice and looks like it was always there.

[RjION]

Welcome to the USAstra .......... pass the word about the site.

[DraconianAC]

Welcome!

"I bought my car because it was an Opel."

You know, I must admit that I bought it for similar reasons. I never really paid much attention to Saturn until I heard they had the Astra. I hope it finds a home here in the States.

[j0n]

Welcome!

"I bought my car because it was an Opel."

You know, I must admit that I bought it for similar reasons. I never really paid much attention to Saturn until I heard they had the Astra. I hope it finds a home here in the States.

The "Sky" is simply a rebadged Opel too 

[jon_e_quest]

Welcome!

"I bought my car because it was an Opel."

You know, I must admit that I bought it for similar reasons. I never really paid much attention to Saturn until I heard they had the Astra. I hope it finds a home here in the States.

The "Sky" is simply a rebadged Opel too 

j0n: You winked at the notion of Sky being a re-badged Opel, so I'm hoping that means you're just messing with us!

[RjION]

Most all GM cars are rebadged something ..... how many U.S. based cars are sold all over the world are rebadged as something other. Simple all GM cars are GM cars badged as something.

When did GM buy Opel ........... 1929 or two years ago?

[RjION]

 Oh and just think of this the, ASTRA is on the DELTA platform designed in the U.S. by GM and first used on the SATURN ION. How many cars are now on the GM DELTA Platform?
 GM's Opel division has been given the task of designing the new DELTA II small car platform, but nothing with a Opel,Vauxhall, or Holden badge on it is being sold on that new GM platform.
 Now when you say you bought the car because it's an Opel, it's really a GM automobile. Opel is just a badge like Chevrolet.

[jon_e_quest]

Oh and just think of this the, ASTRA is on the DELTA platform designed in the U.S. by GM and first used on the SATURN ION. How many cars are now on the GM DELTA Platform?
 GM's Opel division has been given the task of designing the new DELTA II small car platform, but nothing with a Opel,Vauxhall, or Holden badge on it is being sold on that new GM platform.
 Now when you say you bought the car because it's an Opel, it's really a GM automobile. Opel is just a badge like Chevrolet.

Yes, there are many things about the car that I was very interested in.  Plus, the Opel was designed to run flat out, all day long on the Autobahn.  The Ion was meant to get you to work and back (no offense).

Besides the more obvious features, here are some not-so obvious Standard features designed into the German engineered Opel Astra 3-Door XR that pursuaded me (and despite those German engineers being employed by GM):

  1. Electrically adjustable headlights (up/down to accomodate load)  On the original, but sorry, not allowed by the DOT.
  2. Rear foglight.  Also not allowed by the DOT.
  3. Six air bags.
  4. Active front head rests.
  5. Stability control and Traction Control.
  6. 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS and Cornering Brake Control.
  7. Automatic Projector Beam Headlights.
  8. Foglamps.
  9. Pedal Release System.
10. Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
11. Driver Information System.
13. Turn Signal Indicator w/Lane-change Signaling Feature.
14. 17" Alloys.
15. Rain-sensing Wipers.
16. Heated Outside Mirrors.
17. Lowered Suspension.
18. Steering Wheel w/Audio And Driver Information Center Controls.
19. High-strength Steel Safety Cage.
20. Telescoping Steering Wheel w/Adjustable Rake.
21. And lastly, Instrument Guages Placed In Front Of The Driver (where they belong).

How many of these features are on the Ion's resume?

And dude, my Astra is my 4th Opel ('69 Kadett, '70 GT, and '74 Manta were the others).  You don't need to lecture me on Opel's connection to GM.  I'm all good.


 

[RjION]

So what Autobahn will you be running the car on, and I'll run away from your 1.8L with the 2.4L and get close to the same gas mileage. Oh and Dude I had a yellow (bought new) 72 Opel GT, it was not a good car by any stretch. The Opel connection to GM is just a name plate just as Pontiac.


 

[jon_e_quest]

Oh and just think of this the, ASTRA is on the DELTA platform designed in the U.S. by GM and first used on the SATURN ION. How many cars are now on the GM DELTA Platform?
 GM's Opel division has been given the task of designing the new DELTA II small car platform, but nothing with a Opel,Vauxhall, or Holden badge on it is being sold on that new GM platform.
 Now when you say you bought the car because it's an Opel, it's really a GM automobile. Opel is just a badge like Chevrolet.

You know, after thinking more about what you wrote, and then re-reading my response, I think my original reply was a bit sharp tongued.  Sorry.  I guess I'm tired of old school Saturn owner's passionately disrespecting the Opel brand.  Most really don't know what they're talking about. 

To more clearly understand your original point, allow me to put a different spin on what you said:  Two GM divisions were given the same platform (DELTA) on which to design and build a successful car.  One division's car was allowed to go out of production after five model years. The other division's car, which coincidentally replaced the first division's outgoing model, continues to be manufactured and sold worldwide.  GM was so impressed by their work that they invited this division to update the original platform's design with a new design (DELTA II) despite GM's intention to only use the new platform for cars made by it's other divisions.

Now Opel may be just another badge, but obviously, GM thinks it's a pretty good one.  And so, I bought the Astra.  It's technically superior, and has more advanced features than most other compact cars at it's pricepoint.  That it uses a version of the same platform adapted for the Ion is trivial.  That it's 1.8L engine is smaller than your 2.4L means what?  As you point out, I won't be driving down the Autobahn.
 

[jon_e_quest]

RjION, Question:  As an Ion owner, why are you here bashing Astras on an Astra-only forum?

[RjION]

I'm not bashing the ASTRA at all. I like the ASTRA, and think it's a great little car. The ASTRA is what it is and could be better yet. Like the ION and when it first came out I did not like the front end, and said so many times. I did not think it had enough torque and hp. The suspension was to soft. The ION got much better in 2005 and the 2006 and 2007 were and are great little cars when coupled with the Enhanced Performance Package that includes the 2.4L V.V.T. ABS and Traction Control that could be ordered on the ION-3 for $995.00. There are quirks with the ION many do not like, and there are quirks with the ASTRA many don't like.

[RjION]

jon-e-quest, Question:  As an ASTRA owner, show me where I have bashed the ASTRA on this ASTRA only-forum, or did you just make that up because you could not think of anything other to say?

"jon_e_quest
New Member

Location: Northwest Lower Michigan
Posts: 10



    Re: New member!
« Reply #12 on: Today at 05:34:55 PM »   

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RjION, Question:  As an Ion owner, why are you here bashing Astras on an Astra-only forum?
 
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2008 Black Astra XR
3DR, 5sp, heated cloth, 17's

1964 Black Corvair Spyder Coupe
2DR, 4sp, cold vinyl, Kelsey-Hayes wires"