Opel Sintra (1996-1999): How to Remove the Bumpers

In the United Kingdom, the Opel Sintra was sold as the Vauxhall Sintra - standard practice for Opel models in the British market. However, unlike most "rebadged" vehicles from the brand, the Sintra wasn't entirely a European-developed model.

Model Description

The Opel/Vauxhall Sintra was a minivan produced from 1996 to 1999. It was developed through collaboration between General Motors (Opel's parent company) and an American consortium. Essentially, the Sintra was a "Europeanized" version of the Chevrolet Venture and Pontiac Trans Sport - typical American minivans of that era.

 

Design and Features

  • Styling: Clearly showed American roots with sloping lines, rounded shapes, and tall body

  • Interior: Three rows seating up to 7 - unusual for European MPVs at the time

  • Engines: 2.2L (115 hp) and 3.0L V6 (180 hp), both gasoline. No diesel option

  • Transmission: Only 4-speed automatic

  • Positioning: Family vehicle focused on comfort/space over dynamics

Front Bumper Removal

  1. Open the hood

  2. Remove screws, release fasteners, and detach turn signals

  3. Under turn signals, remove clips securing the top of the front bumper

  4. On the underside, remove six screws and four clips inserted from bottom to top

  5. Turn steering wheel to full lock and remove two screws per wheel arch to release fender liners

  6. Behind fender liners, remove one screw per side securing bumper corners to fenders

  7. With an assistant, pull bumper forward while disconnecting electronic component plugs

Opel Sintra (1996-1999) front bumper mounting locations

Opel Sintra Front Bumper Mounting Diagram (1996-1999)

Rear Bumper Removal

⇒Useful tips on how to remove the bumper and not break anything.⇐

  1. Open trunk lid

  2. Remove seven screws securing top of bumper in trunk opening

  3. Remove five bottom-to-top inserted clips on underside

  4. In wheel arches, remove two screws per side and release fender liners

  5. Behind liners, remove one nut per side securing bumper corners inside wheel wells

  6. With assistant, pull bumper rearward while disconnecting any electronic components

Opel Sintra rear bumper mounting locations (1996-1999)

rear bumper mounting diagram Opel Sintra (1996-1999)

Why the Sintra Failed

Despite good capacity, it had major flaws:

  • Poor build quality: American GM plants weren't known for precision

  • Bad handling: High center of gravity and soft suspension made it unstable

  • Competition: Renault Espace, Ford Galaxy and VW Sharan were better suited
    Production ended in 1999 - one of Opel's shortest model lifecycles

 

Interesting Facts

  • "Not quite an Opel": Developed in USA rather than Germany

  • Short lifespan: Only ~50,000 sold in Europe
    Today extremely rare: Most were scrapped due to reliability issues

 

Conclusion: A Minivan That Didn't Catch On

The Opel Sintra demonstrates how adapting an American vehicle for Europe failed. It was too big, unwieldy and unreliable for European preferences favoring compact, practical MPVs.