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Hatchbacks Saturn Astra Saturn Astra
97 messages, Last post on Jul 13, 2009 at 9:58 PM
You are in the Saturn Astra Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Took an Astra XE 5-door hatchback automatic for a test drive today. Most impressed with the seats. The drivers seat was firm but not uncomfortable at all. Good lateral support and bolstering holds you firmly in place. This car would be good for smaller folk with its' better than average visibility all around. Doors and hatch lid closed with a solid ka-chunk. Assembly quality looked good and the vehicle felt very solid. Didn't notice any squeaks or rattles. Unusual feature...sunglasses compartments above both front doors. I would have liked assist handles instead. The car has many comfort and convenience features not usually found on vehicles in this price range. Only one cupholder? A button to unlock all four doors is found near the radio controls. A good idea. The speedometer is slightly offset to the right of the dashboard and would take some getting used to for me. The tachometer is offset slightly to the left and could be confusing at first. Driving impression was only OK. With an automatic transmission it shifts into neutral when you are stopped for a traffic light or in stop/go traffic. When starting from a stop there is a slight pause before the transmission engages and a slight flat spot before the engine begins to pull. Acceleration from a stop is modest. IMHO there is a definite similarity to driving a golf cart. Engine is slightly noisy on acceleration but smooths out and is fairly quiet when cruising at freeway speeds. The test drive was in heavy city traffic with a short distance traveled on the freeway. Here in Phoenix, that means the Indy 500 is yours to enjoy whenever you like. The overall driving experience with the automatic was far different from what I expected. It definitely is a European vehicle in operation and handling. The handling is good and it corners solidly and feels safe with no mushiness noted. With the many features it has as standard, the pricing is about where it should be. Believe it or not there is already a $750.00 rebate in effect. My opinion is that the car may not be as popular here as it is in other markets. For my money, there are other choices that I would make at this price point. |
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OK, here's my brief take on the Astra, I came......................I saw.................I will keep BOTH of my ION's! |
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Replying to: socalbmmr (Aug 30, 2007 12:43 pm) Here is my personal problem with it. I tried to buy one. GM put every hurdle in the the way they could. I'll be buying something else. First, I am exactly the kind of person Saturn, and the Astra in particular, exists to capture supposedly. I drive an import. I have good credit. I have a GM Platinum card. I just got out of college. Well, although there is $750 conquest cash on the Astra to lure people to become GM owners and ostensibly to get them out of imports, my 1998 VW is one year too old to qualify, since the cash is only good for 99 and up owners. Now, you don't have to trade anything in, you just have to OWN a 99 or newer non-GM. Well, I have a 1998 non-GM, and they said too bad, you are not, then, a conquest. Also, most car companies have recent grad rebates. Saturn does, but only if you live in certain states. What?! I live in Missouri. Iowa, a hundred miles north of me, they get the rebate. Illinois, directly east of me, they get it. Missouri, nope. So my degree is apparently from the wrong side of the tracks. $500 lost. GM card points. I've been a loyal GM cardholder for years. I have 1600 some odd points racked up. Oh, wait. Saturn is excluded. Now, you would think that at least some small portion of the points could be used, just to make GM card owners feel better. Nope. Zippo. You have to have a slightly different GM card than my platinum card, the extended family card. The Saturn store tells me, no problem, just call and have your card changed to this style. Ok, I think, I just did that the other day with my Discover card, they transferred it to the open road version with no loss in points. So I call the GM card folks. Nope, can't do it. We can transfer your card to an extended family card, but you lose all your points. Nice. Funny how Discover could do it without batting an eye. So, I lose my points, the college grad cash, and the conquest cash. If you live 100 miles from me, and have a VW that is a year newer, you count, and you get $1150 toward an Astra. I guess GM is doing SO well that they can afford to slough off the exact person they should be selling an Astra to. A little effort or flexibility would have been nice. I guess it will be more worth their while when I buy a Toyota. I sure won't shed too many tears over the seemingly neverending negative news coming out of Detroit any more, that's for sure. Nobody at GM was willing to lift a finger to try to get my business. |
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Replying to: bricknord (Feb 21, 2008 12:15 pm) Can't blame Saturn for limiting the conquest cash. However, you deserved the college grad rebate and the GM points, absolutely. Is anyone actually buying this car??? Plenty of lookers, no takers. I've seen the Astra. Like all Saturns, the seats are again too small. The 1.8L Ecotec is too small too. (Why didn't they just use the 2.2L?) And no temp gauge! Made in Eastern Europe--but Saturn has always trumpeted its U.S. roots. I don't "get" this car.....and no one else is getting it either. Sorry, but I'll take a Cobalt with the 2.2L and save $3k to boot....
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Replying to: walterquint (Feb 21, 2008 9:31 pm) |
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Replying to: saturn_comm (Feb 07, 2008 10:12 am) Aren't new cars fun?! It's good to see them at last! |
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Replying to: bearcrkrd (Feb 10, 2008 7:44 am) 
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Replying to: walterquint (Feb 21, 2008 9:31 pm) Maybe it'll be a good change. The Vue is already a better-looking car than it was before. |
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Astra Armrest No armrest=No Sale There is now available an acessory armrest that will be available thru Saturn dealers and will be covered by 3 year warranty when installed by dealer. It looks to be a quality unit. |
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Replying to: irismg (Feb 26, 2008 10:08 pm) |
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