OPEL CAR, RENTAL, 5 DOOR. INFORMATION ABOUT LUGGAGE SPACE REQUIRED.
 

I posted the following on the Europe forum today where it is sometimes difficult to get answers to questions. Especially one like this.

I got the brilliant idea of asking the well travelled people on the Australian forum in the hope someone has rented a 5-door Opel anywhere in Europe. I haven't been able to find a website on this.

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Can someone give a description of a 5-door Opel for me. This is the car we'll have in Portugal next week for three weeks, and suggests four-doors + a hatchback. Would this be correct? Or would it have a enclosed trunk?

There are three of us travelling with one suitcase each about 28x8x16 along with a second piece of luggage probably a duffle bag (sports type) on wheels, somewhat smaller than the above. There will also be some hand luggage.

Can anyone give me an idea of the storage in this car and does it sound like we'll all fit!

Thanks.

michi, do you know what model this car is? In the absence of other information I would guess that it's an Opel Astra, which appears to be a popular rental car in Europe. The Astra is Belgian-built, sold in Australia with a Holden badge and in the UK with a Vauxhall badge. It's a solidly built smallish car with a 1.8-litre engine, decent performance and excellent handling. If it's advertised as having 5 doors it must be a hatchback, i.e. no enclosed trunk, although the Astra is also made in sedan and convertible configurations. If you know what a Toyota Corolla or Mazda3 look like, it's about that size.

I've heard that car break-ins in southern Europe are not uncommon, so it would be a good idea to make sure that no valuables are visible from outside the car. However, the hatchback does have a sort of shelf suspended from the rear door, which drops into place when you close the door and shields stuff from view.

As said, it's by no means a large car, but I would think that it would hold 3 people plus the bags you've described without difficulty. I haven't tried this, but if you search the Web on Opel +Astra you should come up with a photo.

Of course, if it's not the Astra model ignore the above....

michi, after penning my first response I decided to do the obvious and measure the luggage compartment of my wife's Astra. Then I realised that I hadn't read your luggage details as carefully as I should have, and the result is that I think I've misled you. With all that luggage I very much doubt that a small car will be adequate.

If you don't mind me working in metrics, each of your 3 big bags is about 72 x 40 x 20 cm. The Astra's compartment is about 90W x 72D x 45H. So I guess you could get those 3 bags in (2 stacked flat, 1 upright), but I overlooked the fact that you have 3 sizable duffle bags as well as hand luggage. You MAY be able to squeeze everything in if you use half the rear seat, but I wouldn't care to travel like that over any distance.

My suggestion is to either upgrade to something bigger or pack lighter, or both. The Astra's big brother, the Vectra, may be suitable, but bear in mind that it's not really a big car either - in fact I doubt that any sedan would take all that luggage without it overflowing into the passenger compartment.

Sorry my first reply was overly optimistic.

-Neil

Hi Neil,

Stop measuring! Sorry for putting you to so much trouble. I just found out the exact car: an Opel Corsa Comfort 5-door, much smaller than anything you mentioned or I imagined. But it will take all the luggage as long as we're not in the car.

http://www.gate1travel.com/Destinati...opel_corsa.htm

This car takes four adults, one large and two small suitcases, no air, and manual (manual is not a problem for us). We either have to upgrade a few notches (very expensive) or toss out rice cooker, my folding stool and all my paraphenalia(?) for my arthritic condition (hands, knees and feet). I'm waiting for a knee replacement but actually doing well. (I may have "gone west, kicked the bucket" by the time my turn comes.)

I got carried away having a car this trip and staying in one place. We have never driven in countries where driving is on the left. Bill is used to driving in Portugal and all the hazards that go with it.

I'm thinking of taking one of those wonderful but garish plaid, plastic bags with a zipper that I bought in Australia (made in China)for $2. I used one to hold my extras on the way home from Australia and it held up remarkably well. On our trip to Florida last year, my daughter said if I travelled with that bag I would have to travel alone.

I can handle the luggage problem but how do I break the news to my sister?

Cheers Neil. You were right in the end even though my calculations should have been a little smaller than given. (The Opel Astra costs $445CD a week in low season at this company)