Adios Optra!

[paul8488]

Just last night I handed over the keys of my 2004 Chevrolet Optra5 to a happy young family. Had to sell the car, as I'm moving shortly and, while small, it's still too big to fit in an overhead bin. Thought I'd share a few thoughts on my ride.

I bought the car brand new, and as it had sat for almost a year on the lot it was discounted like crazy and was a great deal. I only had it 9 months, but managed to accrue 26,000 kms. It was a great mix of city, highway, and long-distance travelling, so it gave me a great opportunity to test the range of the car. To sum it up? I loved it.

I certainly have simple tastes in cars, and it doesn't take much to please me. That said, I have little patience for problems, especially in a basic commuter car I have no huge emotional attachment to (I forgave the Fiero's engine exploding because the car was so darn loveable, but I'd have been much less forgiving if that had happend with the Optra). Turns out there were no problems within those 26,000 kms. Not a one. It was recalled once for a new rear seatback, though I don't really have a clue why. There wasn't a rattle or buzz to speak of. I knew I was buying an underpowered car so I can't consider the lack of power a real issue. The 5-speed stick made it quite liveable, actually, and as far as basic cars go the power was adequate.

The shifter itself wasn't very refined, but I don't care at all. It was easy to get into gear, and actually felt fairly sturdy. The first to second shift took a bit of learning, as you had to hesitate a split second... but I chalk that up to each car requiring a little 'getting to know you' time. I like a car with some 'character'... I'd have no interest in a super-slick Civic with a stick. No charm or personality. Utterly forgettable.

The handling was probably one of the weaker points of the car. I can live without lots of power but find a drive much more enjoyable if you can keep your speed up through corners and bends. The Optra is no corner-carver, and while not noticeably worse than an Elantra, for example, I'd sure have appreciated a little less roll.

Otherwise no complaints. The interior is very impressive for the class. I ask you again to go look at one (or the Reno) and see for yourself. It looks clean, simple, and sharp, and doesn't suffer from the sea-o-gray of many (GM) cars. The stereo in particular was very impressive for an entry-level car, with a great looking face and MP3 capability. The speakers were just fine (thought I never crank my music), but the 4 tweeters (one in each door) could get buzzy on occasion. An audiophile would certainly want to upgrade those.

Fuel economy was as-expected, which is to say good, not great. It certainly got the posted mileage when driven reasonably, though I tended to drive a tad faster than suggested. Still, the combination of good gas mileage and great price made it a very affordable car to own. The price of entry into my previous car (the Vibe) more than cancelled out the resultant extra few MPG savings.

I think zero problems (oh wait... BOTH headlights burnt out hours after I got it safety checked this week... very suspicious... but they replaced them under warranty) in 26,000 kms is darn fine. Can't beat it. I went in knowing what I was buying, so my expectations were reasonable, and this car hit them. I liked the Vibe, for the most part, but would honestly reccomend the Optra5 over it.

I'm a reconfirmed GM fan, and my next new car purchase will be a GM. In fact, I'll very strongly consider a diesel Lacetti (the European version of the Optra5) when it comes out next year. I'd consider almost any GM (and GMDAT vehicles in particular) because of my great experience with this one.