Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Opel shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Opel offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Opel at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Opel? Wrong! If the Opel is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Opel then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Opel? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Opel and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Opel wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Opel then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Opel site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Opel, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Opel, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox Company| company_name = Adam Opel GmbH| company_logo = | company_type = Private (subsidiary of
General Motors)], Germany| key_people =| industry = Automobile| products = Automobile| subsid =| slogan = Fresh Thinking, Better Cars| homepage = http://www.opel.com| footnotes =-->
Adam Opel [Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (commonly known as
Opel) is an
automobile manufacturer based in Rüsselsheim,
Germany. The company was founded on January 21,
1863, and began making automobiles in 1899. Opel was acquired by General Motors in 1929 and continues as a subsidiary. Opel is GM's largest European brand and with
Vauxhall Motors forms GM's core European business.
Early history
The company was founded on January 21, 1863 by Adam Opel, and at first made household goods, and was a major maker of
sewing machines. The founder died in 1895, with his company the leader in European sewing machines sales and producing over 2,000 bicycles yearly. They made their first cars in 1898 having bought the rights to the Lutzmann and sold them as Opel-Lutzmann. However, two years later, following the dissolution of the partnership, Opel's son signed a licensing agreement with
Automobiles Darracq S.A. of France to manufacture vehicles under the brand name "Opel-Darracq." The vehicles were Opel bodies mounted on a Darracq chassis, powered by a 2-cylinder engine.
In 1906 they started to make cars to their own design which they had first shown in 1902 at the Hamburg Motor Show and from 1907 stopped making the Opel-Darracqs.
In 1911 the factory was virtually destroyed by fire and a new one was built with more up to date machinery and the manufacture of sewing machines dropped. Production now consisted of bicycles, cars and motor cycles. By 1913 they were the largest car maker in Germany.
General Motors takeover
In March 1929 General Motors bought 80% of the company increasing this to 100% in 1931. The Opel family gained $33.3 million dollars from the transaction.
Events
- 1863 – Opel founded by Adam Opel
- 1902 – Designs first shown at the Hamburg Motor Show
- 1906 – Cars first made to their own designs
- 1907 – Opel-Darracq shuts down
- 1911 – The factory destroyed
- 1913 – Opel is the largest automobile company in Germany
- 1929 – General Motors buys 80% of the company in March
- 1931 – General Motors increases this to 100%
- 1971 – Opel launched in Asia
- 2005 – Started cooperation with Saturn Corporation
- 2006 – Opel Japan shuts down in December
Opel worldwide
Many cars sold by General Motors worldwide are Opel designs, including such models as the
Opel Corsa, Opel Astra,
Opel Vectra and Opel Omega. Opel models are also sold under other GM brand names, such as Vauxhall Motors in the
United Kingdom,
Holden in
Australasia, Saturn Corporation in
North America,in India and Chevrolet in
Latin America. Its Zafira people carrier was sold in
Japan badged as a Subaru Traviq, while the Omega was briefly sold in the
United States as the
Cadillac Catera. Other models sold in the U.S., but slightly modified, include the Saturn L-Series,
Chevrolet Malibu and
Chevrolet Cobalt. The majority of future Saturn models are expected to be either identical, like the
Saturn Astra and
Saturn Sky, or closely based, like the Saturn Aura and 2008 Saturn Vue, to European Opels. The
Pontiac LeMans (1989-1994), which was the first car produced by GM Daewoo in South Korea for export to North America, were based on the Opel Kadett (now Astra).
Opels appeared under their own name in the U.S. from 1958 to 1975, when they were sold through Buick dealers as captive imports. The best-selling Opel models in the US were the 1964-1972 Opel Kadett, the 1971-1975 Opel Manta, and the now-classic 1968-1973 Opel GT. Information on the history of these cars, and sources for parts and technical information for these US Opels is available at www.opelclub.com and www.opelgt.com.(The name "Opel" was also applied from 1976 to 1980 on vehicles manufactured by Isuzu (similar to the "Isuzu I-mark"), but mechanically those were entirely different cars).
Opel was long General Motors' strongest marque in Japan, with sales peaking at 38,000 in 1996. However, the brand has diminished in the decade since, and will reportedly be withdrawn by the end of 2006 with just 1,800 sales there in 2005.
Opel in Europe
Opel is the main GM brand name in Europe except in the United Kingdom, where GM's other European subsidiary, Vauxhall Motors, still uses its own brand name. Vauxhall's models were completely different designs from those of Opel, until the 1970s. The Opel name largely disappeared from the UK in 1981 after Vauxhall and Opel dealerships were merged, with only the Opel Manta and the Monza (the coupe version of the Senator) being sold as Opels, until they were discontinued in 1988 and 1987 respectively.
Vauxhall began adopting Opel's names for its models, with the exception of 'Kadett' which was replaced by Astra, already used by Vauxhall, in 1991. In other right hand drive markets in Europe like Republic of Ireland, Cyprus and Malta, the main GM brand name is now Opel, and for many years, Opel's Ireland brand sponsored the Republic's
soccer team, using the slogan 'Ireland's Number One Supporter'. However, many Vauxhall cars, grey import from the UK, are still sold in Ireland as a
parallel import.
Some have suggested that the Vauxhall name should be dropped in the UK in favour of Opel, thereby harmonising GM's marketing strategy across Europe. However, Vauxhall has rejected this, on the grounds that its brand is well known, and fleet buyers, who are its main customer base, insisted that Opel models be rebadged as Vauxhalls. Opel will also provide design and engineering to the American
Saturn Corporation marque, similar to the Vauxhall situation in the UK.
image:Bochum Opel.jpgThe company headquarters are located in Rüsselsheim, and it has plants in
Bochum and
Eisenach and
Kaiserslautern as well as in
Belgium, Spain and Poland. Opel cars are also made in
Vauxhall Motors's Ellesmere Port plant in the
United Kingdom.
In October 2004 employees went on
strike action for six days due to the threat of 12,000 job losses. The threat was due to the unprofitable European markets because of low customer demand. The strike had a major impact on production.
In 2005, the new Opel Astra Diesel hybrid vehicle appeared.
In 2006, the
Azambuja,
Portugal factory shut down and the production of the
Opel Combo transferred to Zaragoza, Spain. The move prompted a national boycott movement and caused the Portuguese Government to sue General Motors.
Highlights
- Safetec is a warp resistant passenger compartment. Constructs built into the front and back absorb the energy of low speed collisions. wikt:Sturdy metal doors complete the system.
Opel models
Gallery
Image:Opel 1,8-Liter Cabriolet 1931.jpg|Opel 1,8 Liter Serie 18 B Cabriolet 1931Image:Opel Model 18B 1,8-Liter Cabriolet 1931.jpg|Opel 1,8 Liter Serie 18 B Cabriolet 1931Image:Opel Model 18B 1,8-Liter 4-Door Sedan 1931 2.jpg|Opel 1,8 Liter Serie 18 B 4-Door Limousine 1931Image:Opel Model 18B 1,8-Liter 4-Door Sedan 1931b.jpg|Opel 1,8 Liter Serie 18 B 4-Door Limousine 1931Image:Opel Standard Special Coach 1935.jpg|Opel Standard Special Coach 1935Image:Opel 4-Door Sedan 193X.jpg|Opel 2 Liter 4-Door LimousineImage:Opel Regent 4-Door Sedan 1936.jpg|Opel 2 Liter 4-Door Limousine 1936Image:Opel Regent Pullman-Limousine 1936.jpg|Opel 2 Liter Pullman-Limousine 1936Image:Opel 2-Door Sedan 193X.jpg|Opel P4 LimousineImage:Opel P4 1937.jpg|Opel P4 Limousine 1937Image:Opel Kadett 1937.jpg|Opel Kadett Limousine 1937Image:Opel Olympia Cabriocoach 1937.jpg|Opel Olympia Cabrio-Limousine 1937Image:Opel Kadett 1938.jpg|Opel Kadett Limousine 1938Image:Opel Olympia De Luxe Coach 1939.jpg|Opel Olympia De Luxe 2-Door Limousine 1939Image:Opel Olympia De Luxe 1,5-Liter 4-Door Sedan 1939.jpg|Opel Olympia De Luxe 4-Door Limousine 1939Image:Opel Kapitan Cabriolet 1939.jpg|Opel Kapitän Cabriolet 1939Image:Opel Kapitan De Luxe 4-Door Sedan 1939.jpg|Opel Kapitän De Luxe 4-Door Limousine 1939Image:Opel Rekord Cabriocoach 1955.jpg|Opel Rekord Cabrio-Limousine 1955Image:Opel Kapitan R 1955.jpg|Opel Kapitän R 1955Image:Opel Bus.jpg|Opel BusImage:Opel Rekord 1958.jpg|Opel Rekord 2-Door Sedan 1958Image:Opel Kapitan P 1959.jpg|Opel Kapitän P 1959Image:Opel Rekord2.jpg|Opel Rekord 1700 2-Door Sedan 1961Image:Opel Rekord 1700 1962.jpg|Opel Rekord 1700 2-Dörrars Sedan 1962Image:Opel Rekord 2-Door Sedan 1966.jpg|Opel Rekord 2-Door Sedan 1966Image:Opel Rekord 3.jpg |Opel Rekord C, 1.7 L, 4-Door Sedan 1968Image:Opel Commodore Coupe 1969.jpg|Opel Commodore Coupé 1969
See also
{||- valign=top| width=210 align=left |
| width=210 align=left |
|}
References
External links
- Opel's Corporate Website
-
- Glossary of Opel Technology and Innovations.
- Opel
{{Infobox Company| company_name = Adam Opel GmbH| company_logo = | company_type = Private (subsidiary of General Motors)], Germany| key_people =| industry =
Automobile| products =
Automobile| subsid =| slogan = Fresh Thinking, Better Cars| homepage = http://www.opel.com| footnotes =-->
Adam Opel [Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (commonly known as
Opel) is an
automobile manufacturer based in Rüsselsheim,Germany. The company was founded on January 21, 1863, and began making automobiles in 1899. Opel was acquired by
General Motors in 1929 and continues as a subsidiary. Opel is GM's largest European brand and with Vauxhall Motors forms GM's core European business.
Early history
The company was founded on
January 21, 1863 by
Adam Opel, and at first made household goods, and was a major maker of
sewing machines. The founder died in 1895, with his company the leader in European sewing machines sales and producing over 2,000 bicycles yearly. They made their first cars in 1898 having bought the rights to the Lutzmann and sold them as Opel-Lutzmann. However, two years later, following the dissolution of the partnership, Opel's son signed a licensing agreement with Automobiles Darracq S.A. of France to manufacture vehicles under the brand name "Opel-Darracq." The vehicles were Opel bodies mounted on a Darracq chassis, powered by a 2-cylinder engine.
In 1906 they started to make cars to their own design which they had first shown in 1902 at the Hamburg Motor Show and from 1907 stopped making the Opel-Darracqs.
In 1911 the factory was virtually destroyed by fire and a new one was built with more up to date machinery and the manufacture of sewing machines dropped. Production now consisted of bicycles, cars and motor cycles. By 1913 they were the largest car maker in Germany.
General Motors takeover
In March 1929 General Motors bought 80% of the company increasing this to 100% in 1931. The Opel family gained $33.3 million dollars from the transaction.
Events
- 1863 – Opel founded by Adam Opel
- 1902 – Designs first shown at the Hamburg Motor Show
- 1906 – Cars first made to their own designs
- 1907 – Opel-Darracq shuts down
- 1911 – The factory destroyed
- 1913 – Opel is the largest automobile company in Germany
- 1929 – General Motors buys 80% of the company in March
- 1931 – General Motors increases this to 100%
- 1971 – Opel launched in Asia
- 2005 – Started cooperation with Saturn Corporation
- 2006 – Opel Japan shuts down in December
Opel worldwide
Many cars sold by General Motors worldwide are Opel designs, including such models as the Opel Corsa, Opel Astra,
Opel Vectra and Opel Omega. Opel models are also sold under other GM brand names, such as Vauxhall Motors in the United Kingdom,
Holden in
Australasia, Saturn Corporation in
North America,in India and Chevrolet in Latin America. Its Zafira people carrier was sold in
Japan badged as a
Subaru Traviq, while the Omega was briefly sold in the
United States as the
Cadillac Catera. Other models sold in the U.S., but slightly modified, include the Saturn L-Series,
Chevrolet Malibu and
Chevrolet Cobalt. The majority of future Saturn models are expected to be either identical, like the
Saturn Astra and
Saturn Sky, or closely based, like the
Saturn Aura and 2008 Saturn Vue, to European Opels. The Pontiac LeMans (1989-1994), which was the first car produced by GM Daewoo in South Korea for export to North America, were based on the
Opel Kadett (now Astra).
Opels appeared under their own name in the U.S. from 1958 to 1975, when they were sold through
Buick dealers as
captive imports. The best-selling Opel models in the US were the 1964-1972 Opel Kadett, the 1971-1975 Opel Manta, and the now-classic 1968-1973 Opel GT. Information on the history of these cars, and sources for parts and technical information for these US Opels is available at www.opelclub.com and www.opelgt.com.(The name "Opel" was also applied from 1976 to 1980 on vehicles manufactured by Isuzu (similar to the "Isuzu I-mark"), but mechanically those were entirely different cars).
Opel was long General Motors' strongest marque in Japan, with sales peaking at 38,000 in 1996. However, the brand has diminished in the decade since, and will reportedly be withdrawn by the end of 2006 with just 1,800 sales there in 2005.
Opel in Europe
Opel is the main GM brand name in Europe except in the
United Kingdom, where GM's other European subsidiary, Vauxhall Motors, still uses its own brand name. Vauxhall's models were completely different designs from those of Opel, until the 1970s. The Opel name largely disappeared from the UK in 1981 after Vauxhall and Opel dealerships were merged, with only the Opel Manta and the Monza (the coupe version of the Senator) being sold as Opels, until they were discontinued in
1988 and 1987 respectively.
Vauxhall began adopting Opel's names for its models, with the exception of 'Kadett' which was replaced by Astra, already used by Vauxhall, in 1991. In other right hand drive markets in
Europe like Republic of Ireland, Cyprus and Malta, the main GM brand name is now Opel, and for many years, Opel's Ireland brand sponsored the Republic's
soccer team, using the slogan 'Ireland's Number One Supporter'. However, many Vauxhall cars, grey import from the UK, are still sold in Ireland as a parallel import.
Some have suggested that the Vauxhall name should be dropped in the UK in favour of Opel, thereby harmonising GM's marketing strategy across Europe. However, Vauxhall has rejected this, on the grounds that its brand is well known, and fleet buyers, who are its main customer base, insisted that Opel models be rebadged as Vauxhalls. Opel will also provide design and engineering to the American Saturn Corporation marque, similar to the Vauxhall situation in the UK.
image:Bochum Opel.jpgThe company headquarters are located in Rüsselsheim, and it has plants in Bochum and Eisenach and Kaiserslautern as well as in Belgium,
Spain and
Poland. Opel cars are also made in Vauxhall Motors's
Ellesmere Port plant in the
United Kingdom.
In October 2004 employees went on
strike action for six days due to the threat of 12,000 job losses. The threat was due to the unprofitable European markets because of low customer demand. The strike had a major impact on production.
In 2005, the new Opel Astra Diesel
hybrid vehicle appeared.
In 2006, the Azambuja,
Portugal factory shut down and the production of the
Opel Combo transferred to Zaragoza, Spain. The move prompted a national boycott movement and caused the Portuguese Government to sue General Motors.
Highlights
- Safetec is a warp resistant passenger compartment. Constructs built into the front and back absorb the energy of low speed collisions. wikt:Sturdy metal doors complete the system.
Opel models
Gallery
Image:Opel 1,8-Liter Cabriolet 1931.jpg|Opel 1,8 Liter Serie 18 B Cabriolet 1931Image:Opel Model 18B 1,8-Liter Cabriolet 1931.jpg|Opel 1,8 Liter Serie 18 B Cabriolet 1931Image:Opel Model 18B 1,8-Liter 4-Door Sedan 1931 2.jpg|Opel 1,8 Liter Serie 18 B 4-Door Limousine 1931Image:Opel Model 18B 1,8-Liter 4-Door Sedan 1931b.jpg|Opel 1,8 Liter Serie 18 B 4-Door Limousine 1931Image:Opel Standard Special Coach 1935.jpg|Opel Standard Special Coach 1935Image:Opel 4-Door Sedan 193X.jpg|Opel 2 Liter 4-Door LimousineImage:Opel Regent 4-Door Sedan 1936.jpg|Opel 2 Liter 4-Door Limousine 1936Image:Opel Regent Pullman-Limousine 1936.jpg|Opel 2 Liter Pullman-Limousine 1936Image:Opel 2-Door Sedan 193X.jpg|Opel P4 LimousineImage:Opel P4 1937.jpg|Opel P4 Limousine 1937Image:Opel Kadett 1937.jpg|Opel Kadett Limousine 1937Image:Opel Olympia Cabriocoach 1937.jpg|Opel Olympia Cabrio-Limousine 1937Image:Opel Kadett 1938.jpg|Opel Kadett Limousine 1938Image:Opel Olympia De Luxe Coach 1939.jpg|Opel Olympia De Luxe 2-Door Limousine 1939Image:Opel Olympia De Luxe 1,5-Liter 4-Door Sedan 1939.jpg|Opel Olympia De Luxe 4-Door Limousine 1939Image:Opel Kapitan Cabriolet 1939.jpg|Opel Kapitän Cabriolet 1939Image:Opel Kapitan De Luxe 4-Door Sedan 1939.jpg|Opel Kapitän De Luxe 4-Door Limousine 1939Image:Opel Rekord Cabriocoach 1955.jpg|Opel Rekord Cabrio-Limousine 1955Image:Opel Kapitan R 1955.jpg|Opel Kapitän R 1955Image:Opel Bus.jpg|Opel BusImage:Opel Rekord 1958.jpg|Opel Rekord 2-Door Sedan 1958Image:Opel Kapitan P 1959.jpg|Opel Kapitän P 1959Image:Opel Rekord2.jpg|Opel Rekord 1700 2-Door Sedan 1961Image:Opel Rekord 1700 1962.jpg|Opel Rekord 1700 2-Dörrars Sedan 1962Image:Opel Rekord 2-Door Sedan 1966.jpg|Opel Rekord 2-Door Sedan 1966Image:Opel Rekord 3.jpg |Opel Rekord C, 1.7 L, 4-Door Sedan 1968Image:Opel Commodore Coupe 1969.jpg|Opel Commodore Coupé 1969
See also
{||- valign=top| width=210 align=left |
| width=210 align=left |
- Easytronic
- Electronic Climate Control (ECC)
- Electro Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS)
- Electronic Stability Program (ESP Plus)
- Flex7 Seating System
- FlexOrganizer System
- Follow-me-home Function
- Head Curtain Airbags
- Hill-Start-Assist (HSA)
- Interactive Driving System (IDS)
- Integrated Chassis Control (ICC)
- Muffin Tin Design
- Nivomat / Automatic Levelling System
- Open & Start, a keyless driving authorization system
- Opel GT
- Opel Speedster
- Parkpilot
- Pedal Release System (PRS)
- Safetec
|}
References
External links
- Opel's Corporate Website
-
- Glossary of Opel Technology and Innovations.
- Opel
