The German owner of a 2002 Opel Zafira that has covered 500,000 kilometers (310,686 miles) was congratulated by Opel Group CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann in person.
At the exact moment when Andreas Schild from Frankfurt and his 2002 Zafira reached the forecourt of an Opel dealership, the odometer turned over to 500,000 kilometers. The model, a 2.2-liter DTi with 125PS (123hp) in Selection Executive trim, has had very few parts changed over the years apart from the usual wear parts such as brake disks or brake pads.
The owner only had to change the rear muffler, two suspension struts (without the shock absorbers) and the power steering pump. All other parts are still the originals. “Apart from being used as business vehicle on a daily basis, the flexible van is also frequently seen on trips to southern Europe to buy wines and Mediterranean delicacies. Once I loaded 495 wine bottles and I never had the feeling that I was asking too much of the car,” Schild said.
The owner of a Frankfurt-based event agency, Andreas Schild has always been an Opel fan. His first car was a 1965 Rekord 1900 L bought for him by his uncle after he passed his driving test in 1978. He also had a Kadett, an Omega and a further Zafira.
“The idea behind the excellent Flex7 seating system swung my decision when I bought the car. This system is a real piece of engineering ingenuity,” added Schild, who says his friends and family are amazed the car is still working.
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