# Anyone bought the Opel Astra with electric Handbrake?



## gm88 (5 Feb 2012)

Just been looking at the new Opel Astra.  The ones on sale do not have a traditional handbrake, but an electric button instead.  Salesman did mention that Opel tried this out, but have returned to the traditional handbrake.  

None of the cars for sale at the moment have a handbrake though.

Just wondering how other motorists have fared with this?


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## AlbacoreA (6 Feb 2012)

What happens if the battery goes flat. Can you release the handbrake to move the car, to get access to another car with jump leads etc.


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## Tired Paul (6 Feb 2012)

We have a similar handbrake on our Renualt Scenic. There's a little "paddel" on the RHS of the steering wheel and you pull this paddle out to apply handbrake. Once power is applied to the accelarator, the brake deactivates. Took a a while to get used. It's called a semi-auto hand brake in the manual.
Re query on when the battery goes, this does the affect the handbrake but there is an override button which allows the brake to be turned off. Also, there is an override cable (for emergancy use only) in the boot which needs to be replaced by Renualt service if used.
Overall, once used to it, works well. Wife drives the car all the time and loves it.


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## Billo (6 Feb 2012)

Tired Paul said:


> Overall, once used to it, works well. Wife drives the car all the time and loves it.



Must be simple to use so.


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## Gulliver (6 Feb 2012)

I have this on a Citren C4 Picasso.  Great.  When I get into my wife's car which has a traditional handbrake, I find it a nuisance


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## AlbacoreA (6 Feb 2012)

I test drove on in a Renault scenic and though it was nice to use from a driving point of view. I'd just be concerned would it cause trouble over time. I have no experience of them. Maybe they are trouble free. Look at Parkers reviews or similar to get some idea. 

Also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_brake#New_system:_electric_parking_brake


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## Purple (6 Feb 2012)

gm88 said:


> Just been looking at the new Opel Astra.



That on it's own is a bad idea.


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## AlbacoreA (6 Feb 2012)

Why?


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## gm88 (6 Feb 2012)

Tired Paul said:


> We have a similar handbrake on our Renualt Scenic. There's a little "paddel" on the RHS of the steering wheel".


 
That would confuse me even more! At least this button is where the handbrake should be, so I'll be reaching in the correct direction!

Test drove it today, love the car, but I have to admit this electric brake will take some getting used to.

With 4 years warrenty, I would hope that would cover any potential problems with it.


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## ang1170 (6 Feb 2012)

gm88 said:


> That would confuse me even more! At least this button is where the handbrake should be, so I'll be reaching in the correct direction!
> 
> Test drove it today, love the car, but I have to admit this electric brake will take some getting used to.
> 
> With 4 years warrenty, I would hope that would cover any potential problems with it.


 
I wouldn't worry. I have it on a Scenic (not the most reliable of cars) and it's very easy to get used to, better than a traditional one once you do, and it's never gone wrong (if only the rest of the car was the same!).


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## Westgolf (7 Feb 2012)

*astra electric handbrake*



gm88 said:


> Just been looking at the new Opel Astra.  The ones on sale do not have a traditional handbrake, but an electric button instead.  Salesman did mention that Opel tried this out, but have returned to the traditional handbrake.
> 
> None of the cars for sale at the moment have a handbrake though.
> 
> Just wondering how other motorists have fared with this?



VW Passats have had this for some years now, positioned on the dashboard usually, not where the pull up handbrake would be, try a google search of this to see how they are rated in general.There wont be too many replys for opel in google if its a new feature

Westgolf


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## gm88 (7 Feb 2012)

Thanks for all replies.  I guess I'll just have to get used to it!  Good to know that it's been around a while on other cars so it's not a new concept.


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## Purple (9 Feb 2012)

AlbacoreA said:


> Why?



Because Open make rubbish cars (relative to their competition).
VW, Ford, Toyota, Honda are all better.


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## AlbacoreA (9 Feb 2012)

Considering the insane amount of expensive bills from a litany of failures of modern VW's ABS, Turbo's, I don't think you can include VW in that list anymore. Most reviews Opel of late get decent reviews and you don't hear of more problems with them than other Brands. Could you be more specific than "rubbish"?


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## Purple (10 Feb 2012)

AlbacoreA said:


> Considering the insane amount of expensive bills from a litany of failures of modern VW's ABS, Turbo's, I don't think you can include VW in that list anymore. Most reviews Opel of late get decent reviews and you don't hear of more problems with them than other Brands. Could you be more specific than "rubbish"?




I’ve no link with any of them but I drive quite a lot and I drive hire cars quite a lot and given the choice of a Insignia V Mondeo, Astra V Focus, Corsa V Fiesta, I’d pick the Ford every time.
I’d probably take Ford over the VW equivalent as well but for me Opel stand out as a bad driving experience relative to the direct competition.  
The fact that their engineering and technology is behind Ford and VW doesn't help either.


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## AlbacoreA (10 Feb 2012)

Thrashing a hire car, is a little different to saying its rubbish. All the reviews reliability ratings, put it up there with the Golf and Focus even its not better than either of them. Its far from rubbish however.


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## sean.c (10 Feb 2012)

I recently bought an Opel Meriva (b).  I personally think the electronic handbrake is great.  It automatically comes off when you apply a bit of accelerator (even with the clutch, so you can take it off at lights without moving).  Or you push the button to de-activate it.  There's something in the user manual about 1 activation being 'normal' braking, and pulling it a second time to activate 'hard' braking, for parking on hills or whatever.
You can also activate it when the ignition is turned off - something I hadn't realised at first.  I've developed the habit of "stop-ignition off-key out-handbrake up-foot off brake" so I kept re-starting the car to turn on the handbrake until I re-read the manual 
Also in the Meriva you can get the electronic windows to wind down from outside by holding the unlock button on the remote key for a few seconds.  might be handy if we ever get a summer again.


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## ang1170 (12 Feb 2012)

On the Scenic, the handbrake comes on automatically when you switch off. I'm still not sure if this is a good idea: brilliant in that you never forget to put it on, but less so if you drive other cars too, as you can get out of the habit and are hance more likely to forget when driving those.....


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## Westgolf (13 Feb 2012)

sean.c said:


> Also in the Meriva you can get the electronic windows to wind down from outside by holding the unlock button on the remote key for a few seconds.  might be handy if we ever get a summer again.



True enough, handy if we get a summer, VW passats have the same feature. Not so handy if you have fob key in pocket, sit down without realising you are putting pressure on key, start reading newspaper, look out, see rain, other half walks in about an hour later.." do you know all the windows in your car are open..."

and yes folks it is the voice of experience

Westgolf


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