What is your Opel to You?

[joe mader]

I may be soon getting an opel, and i was wondering who just restores and drives it on the weekends or who uses their GT as their primary transportation?

[jeff denton]

Mine is a blast on Saturday nights only. I drive it very carefully, never get road rage, and about half the time come out without a scratch. It gets its oil changed every 100 miles. New trans and diff lube every fifty miles. And new tires on the right side every other weekend. Toe in gets adjusted every Saturday afternoon, and nearly every nut and bolt gets checked weekly. It gets weighed and measured at least once on Saturday. Valve lash is checked after every other drive.
Yes, I work on it a lot more than drive it! After each cruise I look like this

[RallyBob]

My Opels are money pits, pure and simple. I never work on them, I only work on other people's cars, all I do is buy parts for mine...but never drive them. The last time I drove one of my own registered, legal Opels on the road was 1998. Sad but true...

[kent]

I'd have to say mine is somewhere in between. I'm restoring it to drive . I plan to drive it all year as long as its not snowing and maybe next year with better tires I will drive it then as well .

[namba209 (R.I.P.)]

Well, the plan for Willit? is to be a daily driver after it proves to be reliable. That being said, I will not drive it if it's raining. I park the monza if it's raining too, it becomes a handful on wet roads here in SoCal, akin to driving on an ice skating rink. After Willit? is reliable, and the monza gets it's restoration, I will take weekly turns at driving each one. At least that's the plan. Also Willit? will be towed behind the big rig when we go to dog shows, just in case we get to be tourists after ring time.

[opelnut10]

These cars to me are a throw-back to my younger days, when with a few tools and a little common sense you had a car that you could use without worrying about where you would find a scanner to tell you which code it was throwing. I have owned over a dozen, from imported to gray-market and I still enjoy being able to put my hands on it and tell what I'm doing. I presently have 3 that cover the gammit from modified to bone stock and each one has it's own personality. I guess they keep things from going crazy by being able to go back in time to happier days in a happier world. But it still help to learn to cuss in german, because sometimes when your trying to get a 35 year old bolt loose you need those skills

[BQS4]

I have been driving Opels EVERYDAY since the mid 70's. They're my main means of transportation. I'm currently on my 3rd GT, but, have driven a Manta Luxus, and currently one of 3 Sportwagons.

[wrangler]

Mine doesnt quite fit into either catagory also. Though I drive it almost daily, usually just short trips, my truck gets more mileage as I use it for work. Also, one of the requirements for my cheap insurance through Haggerty is limited mileage (not that it has ever been checked, though I am sure it would be an issue if a claim was ever made). I'd like to take it on longer road trips, but am always worried about rock chips Right now the paint is about a 9.9 and not a rock chip in it. Guess it's always that first one that is the most feared..lol

[heimue]

I can't vote either/or. I have a Manta daily driver, and restoring a Kadett that will be somewhere between a weekend cruiser and a daily driver.

Dieter

[kndlindsey]

My opel to me is a new hobby! I gardened for years and now am moving on to something else. They are also a family project. My husband and oldest son have wanted me to get into cars for a long time and now they are so excited. Also a big learning experience as i have never done anything like this before.

I only plan on driving mine in the summer to car shows, on weekends and for quick trips around town.

[Willy_g77]

i drive a 73 manta as a everyday driver
and my 71 gt is my baby. only on nice days!!! and shows....

[layed521]

As soon as I get it put back together (gauges & mickey-moused wiring) I plan ot the GT being a daily driver for a while so I can work on my other project ('71 Datsun 521 p/u). They willl both used for both of those options though. I don't see much point in having a vehicle that is capable of driving just sit in the garage.

[baz]

as of today my 97 (vectra) is my daily driver and this summer should see my 70 gt become my fun car

the vectra has been a surprise i have been out up in the hills around where i live and its pulled well up hills to 2000 ft and done 110 mile on 2 gal of diesel

[hallgeir]

My daily driver is my Omega 2,5 V6 CD. The GT will be just for spring/summer/autumn, and only in dry weather at weekends and nice evenings.

[MikeyOne]

My sportwagon is my daily driver. I drive it to work and back, on errands, and on a daily morning surf hunt. On saturday and sunday it goes beach hopping from LA to anywhere between Santa Cruz and Baja California. Ive even camped in it. I do have another car - a one ton van that I use to haul Opel Parts.

My wifes GT is also her daily driver and she can really stuff it full. Some of her friends call it a clown car - not because its silly looking, but because she will pull up and somehow extract massive amounts of groceries, music equipment, and even landscaping supplies out of it. Ive see her unload three trees in 5 gallon pots from it. She also gets a giggle out of leaving a camaro at a light!

[benncojr]

as of today my 97 (vectra) is my daily driver and this summer should see my 70 gt become my fun car

the vectra has been a surprise i have been out up in the hills around where i live and its pulled well up hills to 2000 ft and done 110 mile on 2 gal of diesel

Baz,
That is great to hear!! Do you have any photos of the status??

[maglinjosvinn]

my life style, my girlfriend replacement, pride, joy and sense of accomplishment.

i work. i come home. i opel. i spend almost every dime i make on it. i barely afford gas for the other car and the insurance.

i lost my girlfriend to it. i was under it changing out the tranny when she wanted attention. i was busy. she left. that was that.

*shrugs*

i'd hate to have to do without.

and yes. i'm addicted. i'll bite you if you try to take my opel away from me or me away from my opel. try me. hehehe

[GoinManta]

My sons black car will be a "Nice day driver" once the brakes are fixed.

It will be his daily driver once he turns 16.

The other manta is a similar project

The Blue Max will be a trailer queen.

With my GTO in the stable hard to deal with the nuiances of daily driving a Manta on anything but a few days of the year when its nice out.

Charles

[GTJIM]

My GT is a long term restoration project that soaks up any spare money and time.

Daily driver is a 1991 Opel Senator which I bought as a parts car but found that it was so beautiful to drive that I fixed its ignition system and its cooling problems so that it became reliable. There is a second Senator which gets used on special ocassions - much lower milage and far better looking but does not drive as well as the resurrected parts car - go figure......

My fun car is a 1.1 litre 1967 Kadett Rallye - might just become my daily driver if gas prices continue to climb. At about 40 mpg it is both fun and economical!

Hidden away in a dusty corner of the garage are an Opel Monza plus a parts car twin and a 1987 Ascona which deserve a better fate.

Not quite an all Opel family as my Best Lady drives a 1984 Isuzu Piazza which I bought because it had a limited slip diff for use in the GT - but it is so nice to drive that I had to go and find another Piazza with the same type of diff!

[CopperCan]

As a kid, I've always had a passion for the Opel GT since I first saw Don Adams driving it on Get Smart. Eight years ago I had the chance to buy one in Wheaton, Illinios. I had it on the road within 2 days. I was astonished at the attention it brought forth. I drive it whenever I get the chance. My son and I hope to take all 3 GT's we own on a special cruise with friends this summer before we sell the '72. Some lucky person reading this may someday be driving it. Save your pennies! Pictures of our cars will be posted soon in my Opel Garage.