Test drive Opel Astra Sedan 1998 - 2008 Sedan

Opel Astra N-Joy 1.8 /5800 km

Remember how caroturism was popular in Soviet times? Especially in summer. To sea. We repeated the typical route-Moscow-Yurmala-Moscow, but already in modern conditions: with the intersection of the state border, with compulsory civil liability insurance and in the German car. For eight days, three thousand kilometers increased on the counter. Two thousand are a distillation, a thousand are excursions in Latvia. All observations in one report cannot be presented. At least start.
+ The function of the cruise control-the base for cars with a 1.8 engine-seems completely useless on domestic roads. Grandfather, who dispersed his Muscovite more than 70 km/h, also only once when only once when he was late for the meeting of the new 1972, and the driver on the S-Klasse, who has estimated, less than 170 on the highway, the car simply does not go. In Latvia, differently. There the speed mode is observed. Autopilot correspondent, who did not immediately understand something, who jumped out from behind the bushes, explained that in the village the restriction-50 km/h, you were traveling 81 km/h, for which we should deprive you of rights or take a fine 30 Latov, in your opinion, is $ 50. And only out of love for the former compatriot the policeman took $ 20. Naturally, without a receipt. What can be done here? Firstly, recall that another 10 km/h can be added to the announced speed restriction. Secondly, having dispersed the car so that the speedometer hand almost reaches 60 km/h in the village or 100 km/h-outside it, press the cruise control button located in the end of the turn signal. Then it remains only to adjust the speed, clicking buttons. Or maybe you don’t have to do it either: the flow moves so evenly that sometimes it seems that autopilot in Latvia is installed even in few Lada.
 
+/- An interesting Opel details- inclusion of intra-saline. The problem arose in the dark, when it was necessary to study the card. There is no button on the ceiling lantern. Here are the times! It was not easy to find the necessary advice in the three-part instructions for Opel, where, among other things, how to remove the roof on the Astra Cabriolet was not easy. In addition, without light. As a temporary measure, I had to open the door. Funny. And everything turned out to be simple and convenient: to turn on the lighting in the cabin, you need to pull the handle of the central headlight switch. No wonder they write that the instructions must be studied before, and not during.
+/- Vice in Astra is an ambiguous thing. Large windshield.
 
You hardly not notice the lateral racks. Convenient external mirrors. Excellent visibility through the salon mirror. Everything is wonderful in motion along the road. With maneuvers in limited space, things are worse. The driver does not see the hood, in any case, if he configures the seat in height correctly (so that a fist passes between the crown and the ceiling, otherwise you can injure it on a bump or when overturned). When moving reversing is not easier. The trunk - a ledge on the back door the size of a bully tail - is also not visible, you need to park under the rear of the rear window plus 20 cm. And also to those who moved to the astra not from the gazelle or not with BMW with a tightly toned rear window, but therefore It’s not strong to take back the mirrors, probably massive and deaf rear racks will not like. On the Astrakh of the previous generation, windows were crashed in the racks.
- On the long run it becomes obvious: the pedals in the Astra are located too low. The right leg is especially tired, lying in an unnatural position on the gas pedal. Of course, you can make sure that the pedal site falls on the middle of the foot, but then it becomes inconvenient to throw the leg to the brake. This can be dangerous - if you are not by chance a master of sports, who has mastered the techniques of braking with the left limb.
 
Text and photo Sergey Sherestnikov

Costs June 21 - July 12
Mileage - highway/city 4300 km. Gasoline consumption - 390 liters
AI-95 gasoline $ 177 (of which $ 82-for 120 liters in Latvia)
Compulsory insurance for entry into Latvia $ 18
Elter's washer fluid $ 5
Moika $ 25
Only $ 225

 

Source: "Autopilot"