Many of you probably already have heard this, but Saturn is next on the GM chopping block after the proposed sale to Penske fell through. I guess this car brand was and always will be known as a failed experiment.
Saturn car company next to go
- Thread starter washabear
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I once rode as a passenger in a 90's Saturn about 150 miles. The seats were horrible. I was never so glad to get out of a car.
The sad thing is,
I remember the discussions we all had here a few years back, when those of us arguing that the poor quality and focus on bigger is better was a bad thing.
Not even the most concerned of us had a clue had bad things really were.
Saturn and Pontiac were two GM brands which actually stood for some innovative (if poorly realized) ideas. I stand by GM because of their support for gay rights and their standing up to the christianists, but this is very discouraging. I can't help but feel this is the gut reaction of a doddering, senile fool, not the reaction of a young, dynamic, profit-oriented brand new GM.
Sad.
And, yes, the few times I rode in a Saturn, I did get the impression that someone at Saturn had taken a good look at my '98 Malibu and asked: 'How can we turn all this pointless luxury into a cheaper car?'
I remember the discussions we all had here a few years back, when those of us arguing that the poor quality and focus on bigger is better was a bad thing.
Not even the most concerned of us had a clue had bad things really were.
Saturn and Pontiac were two GM brands which actually stood for some innovative (if poorly realized) ideas. I stand by GM because of their support for gay rights and their standing up to the christianists, but this is very discouraging. I can't help but feel this is the gut reaction of a doddering, senile fool, not the reaction of a young, dynamic, profit-oriented brand new GM.
Sad.
And, yes, the few times I rode in a Saturn, I did get the impression that someone at Saturn had taken a good look at my '98 Malibu and asked: 'How can we turn all this pointless luxury into a cheaper car?'
I Still Love My Saturn
I guess I'm the only defender of Saturn on the board at this time. I have owned three of them, and I loved them all. (Sorry, Sudsman). My dealer was always kind and never BS'd me, service was great (I seldom needed it) and the cars were top notch. Sure, I could have bought a Toyota or Honda, but I've never been one to follow the crowd.
I plan to keep my '07 ION 3 (a very rare model with the optional 2.4 litre engine) running for as long as possible. We'll go through the next decade together--and God willing, even longer!
I guess I'm the only defender of Saturn on the board at this time. I have owned three of them, and I loved them all. (Sorry, Sudsman). My dealer was always kind and never BS'd me, service was great (I seldom needed it) and the cars were top notch. Sure, I could have bought a Toyota or Honda, but I've never been one to follow the crowd.
I plan to keep my '07 ION 3 (a very rare model with the optional 2.4 litre engine) running for as long as possible. We'll go through the next decade together--and God willing, even longer!
Mike,
You raise a very valid point: Your dealer.
When I took the Cadillac in for yet another A/C module (her third or fourth or fifth, I lost count) the attitude was pretty much, 'f-you'. That dealership has now been closed, I wasn't the only one they treated like dirt. In the end, the GMC dealer in the next town was selling more Caddies then they were...and no wonder.
When I take the Malibu in for service, they are nice to me, but the mechanics miss things at GM which the corner filling station attendant - a woman in her late '60's who has taken the time to keep up with training and technology - never, ever does.
Conclusion? When I buy a car, I very much consider the after sales service. The GM dealerships I have dealt with, whether Chevy or Cadillac/GMC have just about the rottenest service on the planet earth. And yes, I have spent time in Africa.
When I look at the way Subaru and Toyota treat my friends and their cars when in for service...well, I put up with a lot from GM because I really want to support a company which is strong on gay rights and telling the christianists to go to hell. Realistically, tho' - Mr. Goodwrench, at least in my experience, has morphed into Mr. Screwloose.
At this point, I totally disagree with the old logic of dumping a car at three years or 100,000 miles, which ever came first. If you have a good car, keep it running until the day you find a rust spot on your garage floor where the car used to stand.
You raise a very valid point: Your dealer.
When I took the Cadillac in for yet another A/C module (her third or fourth or fifth, I lost count) the attitude was pretty much, 'f-you'. That dealership has now been closed, I wasn't the only one they treated like dirt. In the end, the GMC dealer in the next town was selling more Caddies then they were...and no wonder.
When I take the Malibu in for service, they are nice to me, but the mechanics miss things at GM which the corner filling station attendant - a woman in her late '60's who has taken the time to keep up with training and technology - never, ever does.
Conclusion? When I buy a car, I very much consider the after sales service. The GM dealerships I have dealt with, whether Chevy or Cadillac/GMC have just about the rottenest service on the planet earth. And yes, I have spent time in Africa.
When I look at the way Subaru and Toyota treat my friends and their cars when in for service...well, I put up with a lot from GM because I really want to support a company which is strong on gay rights and telling the christianists to go to hell. Realistically, tho' - Mr. Goodwrench, at least in my experience, has morphed into Mr. Screwloose.
At this point, I totally disagree with the old logic of dumping a car at three years or 100,000 miles, which ever came first. If you have a good car, keep it running until the day you find a rust spot on your garage floor where the car used to stand.
polkanut
Well-known member
Chrysler owner here,
I know this is a thread about Saturn, but I've only owned Chrysler and Dodge vehicles and have always been very happy with the customer service I've received at the dealer here in Wausau. Many of my extended family members have bought vehicles from this same dealer as well. My 2003 Chrysler Town & Country was purchased at the Little Chicago location.
I know this is a thread about Saturn, but I've only owned Chrysler and Dodge vehicles and have always been very happy with the customer service I've received at the dealer here in Wausau. Many of my extended family members have bought vehicles from this same dealer as well. My 2003 Chrysler Town & Country was purchased at the Little Chicago location.
golittlesport
Well-known member
Too bad. I just bought a Saturn Vue last month and LOVE it! It is highly rated in the car mags for safety, comfort and performance. I think Saturn really got their act together the last couple years. All the models in their showroom were very eye-appealing. Older models didn't do much for me.
Sad indeed
Tony has always been a fan of Saturn. I believe his 2003 Vue we drive now is his 3rd of 4th Saturn and it has done very well. Last year he convinced me to buy an 07 Outlook. Again, very nice car and has also been doing very well. We had hopes of trading Tony's Vue in for either the Aura or another Vue. We're hoping to get to do that before they shut down altogether. It just seems to me that GM is cutting a money-maker here. I see quite a few of them on the rode, old and new. Dealer experience has always been very pleasant with them as well. More importantly I hate to see all those jobs being lost. This country needs help.
Tony has always been a fan of Saturn. I believe his 2003 Vue we drive now is his 3rd of 4th Saturn and it has done very well. Last year he convinced me to buy an 07 Outlook. Again, very nice car and has also been doing very well. We had hopes of trading Tony's Vue in for either the Aura or another Vue. We're hoping to get to do that before they shut down altogether. It just seems to me that GM is cutting a money-maker here. I see quite a few of them on the rode, old and new. Dealer experience has always been very pleasant with them as well. More importantly I hate to see all those jobs being lost. This country needs help.
toggleswitch2
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 23, 2008
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Just please no cake and balloons and fan-fare as I come to p
I got me a 1998 Saturn SLII, with a stick (Vroon-vroom!) as a dealer-demo in 2000 and at a below-invoice price.
It has proven to be reliable, easy-to-maintain, not a car for for "old-farts", and still putters along quite well for just under 150,000 miles on it.
I has been my first and only brand-new car to date.
I'f you'll pardon the epxression: I ride my baby quite hard and no complaints from him yet!
Sad to see the brand go.
I got me a 1998 Saturn SLII, with a stick (Vroon-vroom!) as a dealer-demo in 2000 and at a below-invoice price.
It has proven to be reliable, easy-to-maintain, not a car for for "old-farts", and still putters along quite well for just under 150,000 miles on it.
I has been my first and only brand-new car to date.
I'f you'll pardon the epxression: I ride my baby quite hard and no complaints from him yet!
Sad to see the brand go.
Dealers Do Make All The Difference
Panthera, I agree 100% that the dealer is the deciding factor in choosing a car. Here's how I ended up with Saturn:
Many moons ago, I had a 1993 Ford Escort. It was a very good car, and the local Ford dealer was competent. (I had the Escort serviced at a local garage that I knew well.) In 2001, the automatic shoulder belt broke down. I took the car to the Ford dealer, and after waiting a couple of hours, the mechanic estimated it would cost $500 to fix the problem.
After doing some thinking and research, I had decided to trade the Escort in on a new car. So naturally, I went back to Ford and I liked the Focus hatchback. Believe it or not, I waited and waited for a salesperson to talk to me. I went into the dealer. Cold shoulder.
I decided I wasn't going to take that crap and scratched Ford off my list.
I visited several Toyota, Honda and Nissan dealers for a small car. I went to Chevy to look at the Toyota-made Prizm. The salespeople thought I was a dupe and tried to screw me into the ground. I walked away from all of them. One huckster tried to take my keys to the old car, but I got them back after threatening to call the cops and questioning the guy's parentage in no uncertain terms!
Several friends told me about their good experiences with Saturn, so I decided to give them a shot. Glad I did. In less than two hours, I went home with a year-old (2000) green SL1, a batch of freebees, and made friends with the salesperson (who turned out to be gay)!
That led to my SECOND Saturn, an '04 ION 2 in cranberry red. And now my third (and I guess last) Saturn, my black '07 ION 3.
No regrets, very few mechanical headaches and plenty of smiles per mile. To quote an old Toyota slogan, who could ask for anything more?
Panthera, I agree 100% that the dealer is the deciding factor in choosing a car. Here's how I ended up with Saturn:
Many moons ago, I had a 1993 Ford Escort. It was a very good car, and the local Ford dealer was competent. (I had the Escort serviced at a local garage that I knew well.) In 2001, the automatic shoulder belt broke down. I took the car to the Ford dealer, and after waiting a couple of hours, the mechanic estimated it would cost $500 to fix the problem.
After doing some thinking and research, I had decided to trade the Escort in on a new car. So naturally, I went back to Ford and I liked the Focus hatchback. Believe it or not, I waited and waited for a salesperson to talk to me. I went into the dealer. Cold shoulder.
I decided I wasn't going to take that crap and scratched Ford off my list.
I visited several Toyota, Honda and Nissan dealers for a small car. I went to Chevy to look at the Toyota-made Prizm. The salespeople thought I was a dupe and tried to screw me into the ground. I walked away from all of them. One huckster tried to take my keys to the old car, but I got them back after threatening to call the cops and questioning the guy's parentage in no uncertain terms!
Several friends told me about their good experiences with Saturn, so I decided to give them a shot. Glad I did. In less than two hours, I went home with a year-old (2000) green SL1, a batch of freebees, and made friends with the salesperson (who turned out to be gay)!
That led to my SECOND Saturn, an '04 ION 2 in cranberry red. And now my third (and I guess last) Saturn, my black '07 ION 3.
No regrets, very few mechanical headaches and plenty of smiles per mile. To quote an old Toyota slogan, who could ask for anything more?
Well, as long as Packard and Edsel are aren't on the chopping block, I guess I'm not too concerned.
