Just makes you wonder.....

[daves87rs]

and you see something that just blows your mind?

I got the chance to take a 5 door Astra XE for a test drive today. (And it was quite fun to drive, I must say)

First off, they had to put the ugliest wheel covers on the XE.....like ever.

And they charge 960 bucks for A/C, 1300 bucks for a auto trans....

Then I look at an XR, only to find-for like 500 bucks more, you get a bunch more (alm wheels, a/c, better radio, steeing wheel controls..)

What the heck? What is the point of the XE? Unless you don't want A/C.........

Crazy stuff I tell you....

[enzl]

and you see something that just blows your mind?

I got the chance to take a 5 door Astra XE for a test drive today. (And it was quite fun to drive, I must say)

First off, they had to put the ugliest wheel covers on the XE.....like ever.

And they charge 960 bucks for A/C, 1300 bucks for a auto trans....

Then I look at an XR, only to find-for like 500 bucks more, you get a bunch more (alm wheels, a/c, better radio, steeing wheel controls..)

What the heck? What is the point of the XE? Unless you don't want A/C.........

Crazy stuff I tell you....

You need the XE's low, low 'base' price (try and find that mythical no-A/C Astra) as an ad tease.

They've got to be losing $1,000 minimum/car sale, regardless. That's what blows my mind.

A great product that will get lost in the shuffle, unfortunately. W or W/O A/C!

[regfootball]

too bad the astra don't have about 20hp more

[Blake Noble]

That is what really kills the Astra for a lot of buyers in my opinion, the price tag. You can justify not buying one by saying "Well, this car that I like a lot better that offers a lot more of what I like is not that much more." The next-generation Astra for North America had better not "thin the heard" as much, figuratively speaking. :AH-HA_wink:

Edited April 4, 2008 by YellowJacket894

[vonVeezelsnider]

Up here a loaded Astra is only like 1000$ more than a loaded Cobalt. If the Astra had more intuitive controls, I'd get a 5-Dr. XR in a heartbeat.

[pow]

It's like the MINI... automatic A/C is only $300, fog lights are $150, heated front seats are $270, sport seats are $300, auto dimming rear mirror is $200, and pretty soon you've got $10K in options. Get Comfort Bluetooth with iPod, and then the configurator makes a "recommendation" to "get $1,750 worth of equipment (Homelink, rain sensor, auto headlights, auto dimming, center armrest, Comfort Access, leather multifunction wheel) for only $500!"

Pretty tempting...

[2005 EquinoxLS]

Who the heck would want a car without A/C? The dealer here had a couple of Aveos equipted this way. Took them forever to sell them. Sounds like a weird pricing scheme to me.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Hey my aunt bought a 1996 Corolla without AC, brand new. The part where she regretted it but never complained because she didn't want to get pounced on was completely irrelevant. So was the part where it eats a full quart of oil every 58Kms...

[daves87rs]

You need the XE's low, low 'base' price (try and find that mythical no-A/C Astra) as an ad tease.

They've got to be losing $1,000 minimum/car sale, regardless. That's what blows my mind.

A great product that will get lost in the shuffle, unfortunately. W or W/O A/C!

Believe it or not, the dealership's lot had two-and one was being sold while I was there...

The part that worried me was that there was quite a few on the lot...

[daves87rs]

Who the heck would want a car without A/C? The dealer here had a couple of Aveos equipted this way. Took them forever to sell them. Sounds like a weird pricing scheme to me.

A couple of people maybe...

maybe if they lived in Maine?

[Camino LS6]

I know I've pounced on people for thinking of things like NAV as "must haves", but in no way would I buy a new car without A/C.

I hate hot, humid, summer weather so much that I even want any classics I drive to have working A/C. I would make an exception for the right car, but it is always a letdown when I see "no A/C" in the description.

[regfootball]

now let's talk about why the focus sales are booming.

they eschewed bringing in the glorious euro model to sell for high astra prices......instead they sell the reskin at real out the door prices averaging probably about 15-16 grand, and the car comes with sync on most of them. And ford probably isn't losing money on them like GM is with Astra and it will sell 3 times the volume of astra.

the astra is a better car, but it needs a price drop, some tech features, and some hp.

but its a great first step at establishing model cred for the next astra when the new delta comes out in a couple years.

[daves87rs]

now let's talk about why the focus sales are booming.

they eschewed bringing in the glorious euro model to sell for high astra prices......instead they sell the reskin at real out the door prices averaging probably about 15-16 grand, and the car comes with sync on most of them. And ford probably isn't losing money on them like GM is with Astra and it will sell 3 times the volume of astra.

the astra is a better car, but it needs a price drop, some tech features, and some hp.

but its a great first step at establishing model cred for the next astra when the new delta comes out in a couple years.

I think the Astra will get some rebates...not so much that it is not a good car, so much that people are looking at Aveos and base Cobalts because that's pretty much all you can afford...

[caddycruiser]

too bad the astra don't have about 20hp more

Doesn't need it. Realistically, the 1.8L does great as is. Yes, it needs to be wound out at times, but it has just the right amount of zing for the car while sipping gas. There may still be RL models, etc., but I'm glad it came out with what it did, and hasn't yet become part of the horsepower race everything is in...especially not with gas prices, CAFE, etc.

It's fine. Also, as said here, the XE vs. XR is a bit odd...but the main reason for the no A/C XE is of course that low price worth putting in commercials. Same with a lot of cars with base trims that they talk about the price of, but few people buy. All in all, this is a car that feels and drives to a level much more than it's pricetag. Well, actually, in Europe and elsewhere this is what small cars ARE like just as necessity...but in the US, it's sort of a revelation to have one so good.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Who the heck would want a car without A/C? The dealer here had a couple of Aveos equipted this way. Took them forever to sell them. Sounds like a weird pricing scheme to me.

My mother-in-law!

[caddycruiser]

My mother-in-law!

Why? Is she frigid enough on her own

It is a good question, though, but as someone who drove a car through a Delaware summer without A/C before...it can be done, and I never even used to sweat much. 15-20 minute ride each way and just don't think about it. Well, that, and after being in an office where it's sub-arctic cold everyday, I'd only have just thawed out by the time I got back home :AH-HA_wink:

[ZL-1]

Well, actually, in Europe and elsewhere this is what small cars ARE like just as necessity...but in the US, it's sort of a revelation to have one so good.

I agree, and the explanation is quite simple: It's because cars like the Astra are mainstream cars in Europe but never were in the US, where the prevailing mentality is (no value judgement intended) bigger-is-better.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Why? Is she frigid enough on her own

That woman is colder than if you kissed a witch's tit! :AH-HA_wink:

[2005 EquinoxLS]

I know I've pounced on people for thinking of things like NAV as "must haves", but in no way would I buy a new car without A/C.

I hate hot, humid, summer weather so much that I even want any classics I drive to have working A/C. I would make an exception for the right car, but it is always a letdown when I see "no A/C" in the description.

I am the same way Camino. And it does get warm in Wisconsin. I will have the A/C working in the 2 old ones by the time the hot weather hits. I wont buy a car without it. If it has it but it doesnt work we can talk. But if it doesnt have it at all then forget it.

[caddycruiser]

I agree, and the explanation is quite simple: It's because cars like the Astra are mainstream cars in Europe but never were in the US, where the prevailing mentality is (no value judgement intended) bigger-is-better.

Yes. Cars of that caliber over there are our Camrys, Accords, etc. and larger here, in the land of size being the main concern. I'm all for smaller, more efficient loaded with quality & refinement vs. just blowing things up and those factors going down. Oh well.

[Drew Dowdell]

Who the heck would want a car without A/C? The dealer here had a couple of Aveos equipted this way. Took them forever to sell them. Sounds like a weird pricing scheme to me.

The Germans.

[Satty]

I've gone through 3 summers without AC. My '87 Dakota had AC but it didn't work, nobody could figure out why, that was 1 full summer and another half a summer. The AC in the Sebring went out at 45,000 miles (comp died) and didn't get fixed, that was one summer, even with a convertible, AC can come in handy, especially when its 80 and raining. My L200 had a metal hose blow off the comp towards the end of summer, which really sucked since it had black leather.

When I was looking at IONs a few years ago, the salesman I was talking to said they never stocked cars without AC, but they would order one so equipped if someone wanted.

[capriceman]

what is the sticker on the Astra?

[daves87rs]

what is the sticker on the Astra?

I wouldn't quote my on it..but-

The 5 door XE I drove (w/ auto, air) was stickered around 18.2....

The 5 door XR I looked at (w/ auto) was stickered at around 18.8....

I think if you got a 5sp Astra 5 door with A/C, it would be closer to 16...the auto trans was like 1325.00....

Not too bad with everything it comes with....

And I noticed it had a Saab key fob too....

[daves87rs]

I've gone through 3 summers without AC. My '87 Dakota had AC but it didn't work, nobody could figure out why, that was 1 full summer and another half a summer. The AC in the Sebring went out at 45,000 miles (comp died) and didn't get fixed, that was one summer, even with a convertible, AC can come in handy, especially when its 80 and raining. My L200 had a metal hose blow off the comp towards the end of summer, which really sucked since it had black leather.

When I was looking at IONs a few years ago, the salesman I was talking to said they never stocked cars without AC, but they would order one so equipped if someone wanted.

I've never seem an ION without AC.....

[Blake Noble]

what is the sticker on the Astra?

The black three-door I looked at not too long ago stickered at just a few hundred short of twenty-grand.