2009 Astra Pricing Changes

[emg77]

Here are the pricing changes for the Astra for 2009 according to Edmunds.com. All prices are MSRP (US dollars)

2009 5 door XE
Base price increases from $15875 to $17045 – This is an increase of $1170
Oil Pan Heater is now a $75 option
No options change in price

2009 5 door XR
Base price increases from $17425 to $18595 – This is an increase of $1170
Advanced Audio Package increases from $595 to $695 – This is an increase of $100.
Oil Pan Heater is now a $75 option
No other options change in price

2009 3 door XR
Base price increases from $18375 to $19545 – This is an increase of $1170
Advanced Audio Package increases from $595 to $695 – This is an increase of $100.
Oil Pan Heater is now a $75 option
No other options change in price

According to GM Media, the changes for 2009 are:
-New tan cloth seat and door inserts available on all models
-Advanced audio package available on five-door XE model
-Oil pan heater available on all models
-Date on information screen organized by month/day/year vs. day/month/year
-Twelve-hour clock replaces 24-hour clock
-Saturn badge moves from rear bright bar onto upper painted surface
-Revised 16-inch wheel cover design on five-door XE model (interim change)
-Polar White replaces Olympic White and Quicksilver replaces Star Silver (interim change)

From the photos on GM media, the Saturn badge isn't moving, but the ASTRA and XR or XE are moving off the bright bar and onto the painted area above on the back of the car. See this photo.
http://gm.wieck.com/forms/gm/previewpage?047065

There are no photos of the interior that I can find yet.

[bryanm326]

Originally Posted by emg77

Here are the pricing changes for the Astra for 2009 according to Edmunds.com. All prices are MSRP (US dollars)

2009 5 door XE
Base price increases from $15875 to $17045 – This is an increase of $1170
Oil Pan Heater is now a $75 option
No options change in price

2009 5 door XR
Base price increases from $17425 to $18595 – This is an increase of $1170
Advanced Audio Package increases from $595 to $695 – This is an increase of $100.
Oil Pan Heater is now a $75 option
No other options change in price

2009 3 door XR
Base price increases from $18375 to $19545 – This is an increase of $1170
Advanced Audio Package increases from $595 to $695 – This is an increase of $100.
Oil Pan Heater is now a $75 option
No other options change in price

According to GM Media, the changes for 2009 are:
-New tan cloth seat and door inserts available on all models
-Advanced audio package available on five-door XE model
-Oil pan heater available on all models
-Date on information screen organized by month/day/year vs. day/month/year
-Twelve-hour clock replaces 24-hour clock
-Saturn badge moves from rear bright bar onto upper painted surface
-Revised 16-inch wheel cover design on five-door XE model (interim change)
-Polar White replaces Olympic White and Quicksilver replaces Star Silver (interim change)

From the photos on GM media, the Saturn badge isn't moving, but the ASTRA and XR or XE are moving off the bright bar and onto the painted area above on the back of the car. See this photo.
http://gm.wieck.com/forms/gm/previewpage?047065

There are no photos of the interior that I can find yet.

Wonderful- prices going up on an overpriced vehicle- what'll they think of next!

[emg77]

Yep - I'm glad I bought an 08 and turned in my lease early rather than waiting to order a 09 the way I wanted it. I didn't get the premium seating or the color I wanted, but I'm still very happy with the car. The most important thing to me was getting a manual transmission.

[onefunkar]

biggest problem with the astra is the price, its one car that cannont take that kind of increase. they wont sell now without big discounts. saturn greatly misses the i0n that you could sell for 13 or 14k.

[nababbo]

Bad move, but perhaps inevitable. On the other side, how worse could the sales be? Nothing to lose.

[OPEL Blitz]

-Date on information screen organized by month/day/year vs. day/month/year

Weird

-Twelve-hour clock replaces 24-hour clock

Strange

-Saturn badge moves from rear bright bar onto upper painted surface

Stupid

[K-1]

Steel costs have been through the roof. Everyone's prices either are or will be going up.

[SaturnRaycer]

Even though the exchange rate isn't as bad now as it was earlier, I suspect these increases are to keep pace with higher costs across the board.

FWIW as of today. It takes 1.35 to buy one Euro.
http://www.x-rates.com/

[bryanm326]

Originally Posted by OPEL Blitz

Weird
Strange
Stupid

Call it weird, strange and or stupid, but most people in the US can't read the calendar any other way, or tell time any other way than am/pm. It's bad enough we import cars from Europe and sell tham as American cars, but why do we have "Go Euro"?

[BobbyP]

The Opel experiment is just as successful now as it was when Buick sold them in the 70's.

It's a niche vehicle and sales will not be any better than Saab's.

The scary fact is if they do build the next gen in Mexico, and the US doesn't buy them, what will GM do then?

[OPEL Blitz]

Originally Posted by bryanm326

Call it weird, strange and or stupid, but most people in the US can't read the calendar any other way, or tell time any other way than am/pm. It's bad enough we import cars from Europe and sell tham as American cars, but why do we have "Go Euro"?

You can have your weird formats but why on earth move the badges?

[LotusLord]

I agree on the badge moving, but the other time and date formats are just how we do it in the US. Month/Day/Year, I personally have no problem with the time being in 24 hour, but it should be an option to have it 12 hr and now it is.

[spencerb]

I don't know what the hype about the calendar is. The only time I remember seeing it is when you first start the car, and I thought it was month/day/year.

As for the badges, they moved them on the Aura as well. The name of the car is now more visible. People are always asking "what kind of car is that?" so maybe that will help. I don't care either way. What drives me nuts is when a car is repaired after an accident and they put the badges back in the wrong place (or crooked).

[newastra]

Originally Posted by emg77

-Saturn badge moves from rear bright bar onto upper painted surface.

How does that differ from the 2008?

[bdshaffer]

Originally Posted by newastra

How does that differ from the 2008?

They actually moved the ASTRA and XE/XR badges up above the bright bar.

[skydrive]

GM is acting irrationally desperate by raising prices so significantly. Almost all GM products are up far too much for 2009. It's absurd. GM's competitive advantage, in the absence of brand cache, has to be value. GM's vehicles are now priced significantly above the competition. They are pricing themselves out of consideration. Who "manages" this company??

[zsi]

Originally Posted by skydrive

GM is acting irrationally desperate by raising prices so significantly. Almost all GM products are up far too much for 2009. It's absurd.

In Germany an Astra comparable to XR 5d would cost about 18000 euros without local taxes. Converted to US$:s that is about $24300. So basically 5d XR's price tag should really read more like $24000 if Saturn wants to make any profit by selling Astras in the US with the current $-€ exchange rate. $18595 is still a bargain price for that car.

[spencerb]

I bet GM figures that most people who buy the Astra are doing so because of the car, and not the price. They must figure that even with the price increase they won't lose too many sales.

[nababbo]

Originally Posted by zsi

In Germany an Astra comparable to XR 5d would cost about 18000 euros without local taxes. Converted to US$:s that is about $24300. So basically 5d XR's price tag should really read more like $24000 if Saturn wants to make any profit by selling Astras in the US with the current $-€ exchange rate. $18595 is still a bargain price for that car.

Well, too bad in the US prices are different, not just for GM....well I guess it's good for us.

[emg77]

Originally Posted by spencerb

I bet GM figures that most people who buy the Astra are doing so because of the car, and not the price. They must figure that even with the price increase they won't lose too many sales.

My guess (and hope) is that they just raised the price so that they can include it in the rebate and financing deals. Perhaps they raised the price of the car so they can throw $1000 rebate on the hood and make someone feel like they are getting a great deal. Americans never want to pay "full price" for anything. We have to feel like we are getting a deal.