Opel Home

Useful information about this German/French brand

The birth of Opel

The company was founded by Adam Opel on 21 January 1862 in Rüsselsheim, Hesse, Germany. At first, Opel produced sewing machines. In 1888, production was moved from a cow shed to a more spacious building in Rüsselsheim. Opel launched a new product in 1886: he started selling bicycles with high wheels, also known as penny-farthings. Opel's two sons participated in high-wheeled cycling, promoting this means of transport. The production of high-wheeled bicycles soon surpassed that of sewing machines. At the time of Opel's death in 1895, he was the leader in both markets.

The first cars were designed in 1898 after Opel's widow Sophie and their two eldest sons entered into a partnership with Friedrich Lutzmann, a locksmith at the court in Dessau in Saxony-Anhalt, who had been involved in car design for some time. The first Opel Patent Car was built in Rüsselsheim in early 1899, although these cars were not very successful (a total of 65 cars were delivered. As a result, the partnership was dissolved after two years, after which Opel signed a licence agreement with the French automobile Darracq France in 1901 to produce vehicles under the Opel Darracq brand name. These cars consisted of Opel bodies mounted on Darracq chassis, powered by two-cylinder engines.

In March 2017, Groupe PSA agreed to buy Opel, its UK sister brand Vauxhall and their European car loan business from General Motors for $2.2 billion. In return, General Motors will pay PSA $3.2 billion for future European pension liabilities and continue to manage $9.8 billion worth of plans for existing retirees. In addition, GM is responsible for paying about US $ 400 million a year for 15 years to fund Britain and Germany's existing pension plans. it seems PSA has made a good deal. And meanwhile, Opel is profitable again.

Opel database

The overviews below contain many useful service intervals and tips on the most recent Opel models. The intervals and guidelines are only an indication, there may be circumstances in which a workshop gives a different recommendation.

When to replace a Vauxhall timing belt

The timing belt or chain is essential for (almost) any combustion engine, without it there can be no combustion. This is because the timing belt ensures that the camshaft, the crankshaft and the valves are driven by this belt or chain. Many Opels have a timing belt that has to be replaced periodically. Below are the intervals for each model that we know about:

Opel tyre pressure

Your Vauxhall's tyre pressure should be checked monthly so that you can enjoy optimal performance. In addition, incorrect tyre pressure can cause high fuel consumption and the tyres may wear out faster or irregularly. On the following pages you will find an overview of tyre pressures for your Vauxhall:

Opel car lamps

Want to replace the bulbs on your Vauxhall but don't know which type of car bulb you need? On this Opel car bulbs page, we have collected a list containing all lamps.

Opel Bulbs Overview

Which engine oil Opel

Changing engine oil on time is crucial for the condition of your engine. In addition, it is important to know which engine oil you need. The service booklet generally always lists the appropriate engine oil. Do you want to know which engine oil your Peugeot needs? Then click here on your model for an overview: