The Saturn Astra was one of those subcompacts that graced our shores far too briefly, as the unrest in the automotive world took Saturn away from us suddenly, leaving us without a GM division on these shores to absorb these captive imports. While the Astra was quite popular in Europe, they didn’t sell rapidly in the US, mainly due to the fact that dealers weren’t sure how to market them and the buying public unaware how much of a quantum leap this vehicle was over the horrendous and heinous Saturn Ion.
Here we have what is claimed to be the first Saturn Astra in the US switched back to Opel livery:
The seller states:
You are bidding on a customized 2008 Saturn / Opel Astra with 30,700 miles and a 5-speed manual transmission. This was the first Astra in the US to be converted to full Opel parts. Vehicle was bought new in 2008, and I’m the only owner.
A lot of time / love / parts importing went into this car, and the condition reflects that. I’ve never had any problems with the car, and it turns heads everywhere it goes. Average mileage over the past two and half years has been around 27-28 mpg. I have all the service / upgrade receipts as well, so as to keep track of the car’s history. Only reason I’m selling is I’m starting another project car, and I’d like to find a new home for this one to free up the monthly payments.
Vehicle still retains the original 60,000-mile / 5-year factory warranty, and has a dealer-installed MOGO tracking device in case of theft (helps lower insurance costs as well). The car has never been beaten on, as I’m respectful of vehicle maintenance; has only seen a few spirited canyon runs, and daily driving. AmsOil oil always used in oil changes. Interior and exterior has always been rigorously maintained using Einszett products.
If this car didn’t have the heavily modified sound system, I’d be a lot more enthusiastic about it. Still, it makes a compelling alternative to your typical Volkswagen GTI.
-Paul