The Saturn Astra was a Quirky European Import Car (Opel Vauxhall Holden)
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- In this video I go over the some of the quirky aspects of my Saturn Astra, and explain how it was the imported European compact car that ended the Saturn Car Company.
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#Saturn #Astra #Opel #Vauxhall #Holden #AstraH
The red lines are the speed limits in the uk. 30mph on local roads and 70mph on the motorway/highway
The centre armrest was a US aftermarket accessory made by Boomerang in Longmont Colorado. They used to sell them in England and I fitted one to my Vauxhall Astra.
Our astra also has cup holders in the forward edge of the rear seat bottom, but we don't have an arm rest, but one proper cup holder at the rear of the counsel. Also heated seat switches either side the unlock and hazard switch with cloth seats.
Most mechanical parts are not bad to locate or price, but body items are quite difficult, (headlights, bumpers, ect)
If you think this is weird you should try a 2004-2010 Citroen C4, lol. The centre of the steering wheel doesn't move, the radio controls are on a stalk behind the steering wheel in French car style, and so forth. A lot of "because French" stuff! The bigger C5 ups the ante of Frenchness with the classic Citroen hydraulic suspension with spheres (the last mass market Citroen to ever have it, unfortunately).
On the speedo, the 30mph and 70mph are average speeds on american roads. Most city streets the speed limit is 30mph on average and most interstate hi ways average 70mph in the states. Also the Astra was marketed as more of a luxury sport hatchback and said to have a more upscale feel and features than all others in its class.
That is incorrect. As mentioned in the video Arcor the gas gauge, that's how they are marked in Europe. As with the speedo, it represents European markings as well. I would say that this cluster was used in the German, Canadian or Australian market. To your point, the markings represent 50 km/h speed limit in urban or city limits and 110 km/h speed limit in rural areas, at least in Germany that I know of because I've lived there for 8 years.
Its a UK speedo. we use mph here. europe and Austrailia use kmph. 30mph is generally the speed limit in built up areas and 70mph is generally the speed limit on motorways
@@Dark4estImagerythat cluster its used in uk,for the vauxhall astra 30 its the average milage in vilace and 70 for motorway
Thank you for this video! I just bought an 08 Astra and could not figure out the cruise lol
GM clearly couldn't be bothered tooling up for a US-spec speedometer so they just used the UK-spec one from the Vauxhall version with the two UK speed limits 30 urban and 70 motorways.
I got a 08 Saturn XR and I love this little car. 33 mpg, 1.8, 5 speed. Moon roof, heat seats. Door looks was not working but I just remove the battery cables and all come back. Hard to find the code to get new keys, the only big problem I had. So far a great car.
1 of my fave quirks of the astra is the fuel filler holder on the petrol cap if you notice a thin disc/plastic circle on the cap that can hang on the fuel flap most vauxhalls from 94 had them as standard if the disc is missing then its broke off with age :p
Cool this car was made about 50 miles away from where I live and ended up in the US. That factory has been shut down since 2010 though.. I must say as a European I've also never seen the sunglass holders up where the 'jesus handles' would be, that's extreme quirkyness and probably unique to the Astra and/or Saturn.
Vauxhall/Opel Corsas had sunglasses holders there back in the day,too
When I get the money I plan to buy a Saturn Astra and import it back to The Uk to meet its British counterpart
All German cars, if you hold unlock all windows goes down (and the top in a convertible) the opposite is true for lock. On some French cars holding lock is true, on my Peugeot 407 Coupe holding lock would close the sunroof and windows. Opels lock their fuel flaps with the doors (all generations I have had). Since 2014 we have had a similar Astra (2007 model) but the 1.8 automatic but it has steering audio controls. Fun fact - the Buick Verano is the Astra J sedan.
Like all Opels of the GM era, therefore from the beginning of the millennium to today, the design was curated by Mark Adams. In this case it was specifically designed for the Opel Astra H, to then be exported to America as well. I know that it hasn't sold much in the USA, but here in Europe several Astra have been sold, both in the 5-door version, the sporty GTC, but also, and above all, in the SW version.
That tapping was invented by GM, first car was the Opel Vectra (Saturn Aura)
It was criticized by motor journalists, but now it’s a standard on most cars.
Opel called it „comfort indicator“
Actually the version from South America, specially in Brazil, it's called Vectra instead of Astra. And it's under the name of Chevrolet, so it's a Chevy Vectra GTX. This version has an In-line 4 Cylinder, 2.0L, producing 140hp, in my opinion it's a beast tbh. But I can say that much, I own one, and I love it, might be biased lol. And I have to say it, but the version here in Brazil is prettier than the US version, it has a 17" rims, chrome with black accents on it, plus it has a more modern, robust and elegant bodywork design too
In europe Opel Vectra is a completely different model, confusing
@@victorpapillon1487 Too bad they got the style of the Opel Vectra C wrong, especially that of the SW. The restyling improved the front, making it look like the Astra H, but by now the damage was done. Few were sold compared to the previous two generations.
@@victorpapillon1487 Here in Brazil we had the Vectra A and B as in Europe, but GM don't think we would have purchasing power for the new technologies of the Vectra C and they brought the Astra H as a Vectra.
He lived with the Astra G until both were replaced by the Cruze.
Edit: I think technically the Astra G was replaced by the Chevrolet Cobalt (not related to the American Cobalt) but despite being the same size in the Sedan, the Astra was seen as upmarket.
@@FrancescoDoria114 Yep, how did they manage to go from one of the most beautiful cars of the period to a toaster ?
@@fmac6441 Zeca Pagodhino
In South America him is a Chevy Vectra Hatchback
13:09 I’ve seen similar fuel gauges in late 90s/early 00s Volkswagens
The indicator tapping is for lane changing for them to flash 3 times.. you hold it a bit longer to make it flash longer than 3 but not to stay on to do a proper turn onto a different street. I'm quite sure some newer US cars also do this. Been common in Europe for 30-40 years
Tapping the turn indicator is the passing mode. Same as my Audis.
I didn’t have one but a friend did. I heard they were the same as the Opel Astra which was popular in Europe. I had a friend with one but he was also from Eastern Europe. (Croatian) and appreciated what it was and loved it. It was known as an Opel Astra in Croatia. I didn’t understand why it didn’t take off in the US. I guess people didn’t understand what a unicorn it was. I liked it but was a boy mom and needed a big Tahoe lol.
The cruise control is not typically on the indicator stalks in Europe either,usually controlled with buttons on the steering wheel...so this behaviour on the Astra is quirky even over here!🤣🤣 Most cars here in Europe you can choose AM or PM or 24 hr clock....They just wanted to be cheap on some cars! 🤣🤣 we don't use ONLY 24 clocks in England...it's a mixture...however public transportation does typically use 24 hour clock
Owned several both three door and five doors automatics and manual .
All gave thousands and thousands of miles of reliable service.
The Astra is a Opel design.
Vauxhall is just a marketing division of Opel in the United Kingdom selling rebadged versions of equivalent Opel models.
Not quite - Vauxhall dates back to 1903 in the UK, taken over by Gm in the 30s it still made and designed it own cars and vans (Bedfords known all over the world except the US) until the 1980s when it came under control of Opel.
@@Efferpheasants holden astra cars are opel astra cars
@@hotpointbrownlover3365 Yes and..? Astras were made and exported all over the place including from the UK.They are still being made despite the exit by GM.
@@Efferpheasants chervloet astra is also an opel astra/holden barina is an opel corsa car
This gen of Astras,like most, were also made in Ellsmere Port,near Liverpool,England,as well as Belgium & earlier gens were made in Germany.... I do think England only made the right hand drive models for UK,Ireland,Malta,Cyprus,Austalia,New Zealand & South Africa.
Thanks for the interesting info! Just bought one. Strange quirks…good to know.
One interesting quirk is that has no temperature indicator just an idiot light but if you press the settings button and hold it till you hear a beep you enter into a test mode where aside from other information it give you the engine temp. I own a diesel one hear in Europe but mine is a station wagon
there is a temperature gauge its just a little fiddly to find it and it come up in the infotainment screen by pressing a certain series of buttons
In South America it was sold as Chevy GT and GT-X (2007 till 2011) with 2.0 and 2.4 engines. Nice compact hatchback!
I own a 08 XR 5 speed, with leather and the moonroof. My biggest complaint is the lack of a 6th gear. Highway cruising is noisy.
On the plus side, the car is wonderful on winding country roads. Handles like a sports car!
Though it is a bit elderly, it remains very reliable. It will need a clutch soon, though.
Too bad GM didnt develop this car. Great car, overall.
Excellent build quality.
These are Vauxhall astras made in Ellesmere Port England and in Germany .Opel Astra
GM never made a profit out of Vauxhall opel from 99 to when they sold to Peugeot hence why these cars got cheap parts and engines while tye earlier models got top parts and engines .
All about the money which is why gm sold up in England and Germany
I own one it’s my daily driver and it’s definitely quirky makes it annoying to find parts sometimes, I went to 8 stores last week looking for a hose clamp before I found out the width of the hose clamps we use in the US are typically different than in Europe……a hose clamp, it’s always weird things like that, looking up part number and German links pop up, I’ve found a side of the internet I didn’t know existed while working on this car
In Brazil it is Chevrolet Astra, all opels/vauxhall are Chevrolet. I wonder why US doesn’t have much opel models
Só a VW que é europeia e tem mercado grande nos EUA, acho q a Chevrolet não quis arriscar, mas tem muitos opels sim, vários carros da chevrolet, Buick e até Cadillac lançaram versões com plataforma da Opel, o Vectra C deu origem ao Malibu e Cadillac bls por exemplo
Hey man, have the opportunity to purchase one of these, 160,000 miles on it tho. Are the miles to high and should I avoid it? Thanks
The marks on 30mph and 70mph is because the speedo counts in even numbers so 30 and 70 won't be as obvious and the reason they have pointed 30 and 70 out is because most suburban/ urban roads and streets are 30mph and motorways are 70mph in the UK where our limits are in MPH.
when I have the money I plan to get the holden astra to compeat with the opel astra version
Those were the number one selling car in the UK in 2002 to about 2008, the only reason it didnt sell in the US was becase it was a saturn and the 2008 crash
Red 30 mph & 70 mph is because in England 30 mph is the speed limit in most urban & residential streets & 70 mph is the speed limit on our motorways(interstates/freeways) in The US. We use miles in the UK,so they just used the UK speedo for US market. Mainland Europe & Ireland use km like Canada &Mexico
where did you get this from this one was called the chervloet astra aswell
That’s a Vauxhall Astra made in Ellesmere Port🇬🇧 and Germany 🇩🇪
Great instruction video
I have a red 1990 corvette and i love it.
I had the XR trim as my first car and still miss it. I would disagree that it killed Saturn, I think it was most other crap that shadowed over it (let alone buying from a dead brand).
Just got one I’ll se it to you in a year
Somebody else said it; I'm elaborating. This car didn't kill Saturn, the deal to accept the bailout money did. Had Saturn had a few more years with the Opels or gotten to introduce them earlier, they may have survived the '08 "downtown". GM failed to manage and market the Saturn product line and let it get away from what made it unique when the brand was created. The Opels could have been a way to regain that uniqueness.
Instead of rebadging the S/CUVs, they could have left Saturn as a budget/small car brand and only marketed it near urban centers with large populations of 20-somethings...GM's college brand. They sort of dipped into those waters, but the rebadged cars and UVs diluted that. Saturn should have been GM's Scion and the should have started it earlier.
Now, if that meant there was an entire part of the country with no Saturn presence, that's fine. There are parts of the country where people have no idea what an International Harvester is, too.
Too much repetition (a lesson already learned after the 80s and supposedly alleviated in the 90s....BY SATURN) and overproduction killed Saturn along with Olds, Pontiac, Saab and a certain conspicuous consumption brand that will do un-named.
Can you do vxr type upgrades to these saturns?
if it is a vxr engine then yes if not the engine and just external you can do full vxr rep inside and out if its a 3 door but only front seats and bumper and skirts if a 5 door as the rear bumper and seat are slightly different between the 5 and 3 door versions
Is iPhone trying to catch up with Android finally... lol. Sorry low hanging 🍎 iCouldn't resist. 🎉
Would the cab be roomy enough for a 6 ft 2 brotha
That’s about how tall I am and I found it to be adequately roomy.
Yes the vauxhall astra is roomy I'm 6 foot 2
In Mexico that's a Chevy
У меня такая же , только купе
Mexican Chevrolet Astra
Its opel
Rubbish GM product.
its not rubbish its Opel German car :) read books
My sister drives one/still does and loves it so much! The only issue she has is when it gets over 60 miles per hour it gets super rattly and it's annoying but it's still quite a nice car and it's quite funny cause my family and I have to register cars our family members drive past 5:30 PM at our townhome complex and we told them it was a 2008 Saturn astra and they were like "what's a Saturn astra?!?"