Do You Plan on Test Driving an ION Red Line?

[Charlie]

Do you plan on test driving (or have you already done so) a new ION Red Line? Why or why not?

Charlie

[BradJK]

I figure with the amount that my Saturn dealer has proffited off of my 5 cars purchased thru them gives me the right to 10 minutes of fun with a red line at some point.

[SW2Muck]

Stupid question. Aren't they all manual? I haven't learned how to drive stick yet. This could be a problem for me in test driving one.

[unkle bik]

Are you kidding? I can't wait. Unfortunately, when I visited my dealer last week to purchase an oil filter & get a car wash, there were none in stock. Sometime in June they said.
The problem is, I look too willing.

[eRic 02sc2]

YES! I've test driven the Ion Red Line. 5-speed manual ("stick") is the only available transaxle so don't even think about using the IRL to learn how to drive one ;) It was a fun drive for sure, but I'm still annoyed the center mounted IP so I'm going to have to pass. I'm waiting for the Saturn "kappa" sport car now.

[King31]

I really would love to test drive one of those. But I'm enjoying my new saturn at the moment :yes:

[swzine]

I might want to test drive one, but I shouldn't! I only bought a Saturn because it was a good deal on a good car. I didn't really care for the brand, the car, etc. My opinion has changed a lot and I'm definitely a saturnfan. Since I own one I'm a little biased though ;)

Anyway..it really all comes down to the fact that I got a nice 2003 car with 12,000 miles for only 12,500 halfway through 2003. If my car were 5,000-10,000 more my opinion would be very differant.

The Ion redline seems very cool, but I don't really like the look of Ions. The features and horsepower sound nice and I am thinking of test driving one just for fun. I definitely won't buy one. Sorry, Saturn of Houston! ;)

What do they run anyway? Entry and fully loaded? I know nothing about the price points..just what I read a long time ago in the press release.

[nkyleft]

i don't see why not.

[Ghostrider]

Nope, I'm happy with my Vue...no need to waste their time if I don't intend to buy one.

[Privix]

Hell Yeah!:cool:

I guess this looks like I'm back....lol!

[PAGuy77]

I really like my Ion3 at the moment. I think test driving the RL would make me want to buy one, and at the moment that is no where near in my budget. Id have to pay off the Ion first...:)

[L300Boy]

Probably not ... im not that great at a stick, and i doubt id be able to properly review its performance over other vehicles.

[trunx]

No, I don't even want to think about dreaming about one. Can't afford it, and I do not want to be even more dissatisfied with my current vehicle. Dare I say, I'd probably wait for the Cobalt SS anyway.

[jaypfeiffer]

allready drove the wheels off of one at our dealership. lots of lag off the line but if you keep the revs up it flies. Only went up to about 120 on the highway though, after that it seemed shaky. But the handling on that car is sick, you can throw it into any turn at any speed and the car just stays neutral. If only there was a way to get it rolling faster out of first gear

[David 93 SL2m]

With record high gasoline prices, the last thing I would want to buy would be a car that requires high octane octane - the most expensive gasoline.

The non-RedLine IONs and the 4-cylinder L-Series have the same Ecotec engine. For the 2004 models, only the non-RedLine ION with the manual 5-speed transmission gets better gasoline mileage. The non-RedLine IONs with the Vti and 5-speed automatic transmissions get worse highway gasoline mileage than the L-Series with the Ecotec 4-cylinder engine. The ION with the automatic 5-speed transmission gets slightly worse city and highway gasoline mileage than the L-Series with the Ecotec 4-cylinder engine. Meanwhile the L-Series offers more comfortable seats, a better ride, a larger trunk, and a conventionally located instrument panel.
ION with manual 5-speed: 26 city, 35 highway
L300.1 (4-cylinder Ecotec) with automatic 4-speed: 24 city, 34 highway
ION with Vti: 25 city, 32 highway
ION with automatic 5-speed: 23 city, 32 highway
ION RedLine with manual 5-speed: 23 city, 29 highway
(This information comes from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/.)

Sorry Saturn, but I miss the S-Series - with the best gasoline mileage of all the Saturn models - and thought the L-Series should have done better with sales. We'll see what happens with future models in terms of sales, gasoline mileage ratings, and perhaps lack of polymer paneling.

[Hiddenlites]

I only test drive vehicles when I am seriously considering buying them. I don't have room in the budget for a second car payment now, and won't for quite a while. If I had the opportunity to test drive the ION RL where I wouldn't be wasting the salesperson's time, and wouldn't be contacted by them later on, then hell yeah, I'd take one for a ride.

[Twin_Cam]

Yup! Dealer near me has one, I'll probably drive it tomorrow.....

[TXVue04]

Nope, don't have time to spare like that with some school and all.

[rossao1]

I love to test drive cars..... oh I hope that the local deallership does not read this post. I have driven every kind of Saturn. The redline will be next. Test driving lets me keep up on the changes and improvements. This may be the first Saturn since my '92 that I may heavily consider. The LW2 was something to lust after, but it was not big enough for me, so I got a van instead. I think the redline just needs to bright red with a black interior. Oh my I think may need to go drive one very soon.

[ProDarwin]

Yeah, I plan on it. I went with my friend for a test drive already. Nice car, but with that early ass fuel cutoff, they need to move the tach onto the drivers side of the car. And possibly put in a brighter shift light.

[Spazie]

I'm not too talented with the stick yet, I want to perfect my skills so I don't accidentally stall it with people watching. :whoa: That would be embarassing. I also want to wait until maybe the '05 model with the upgraded engine and stuff. I WILL buy one eventually, especially if the sales job works out and I'll have the money available.

[David 93 SL2m]

Originally posted by Spazie
I'm not too talented with the stick yet, I want to perfect my skills so I don't accidentally stall it with people watching. :whoa: That would be embarassing.November 14th, 1992. All the Saturn people sing a song to me and my wife. They take our picture and clap. My wife drives off in our other car. I step on the clutch, start the engine of our brand new 1993 SL2 with 4 miles on the odometer, put the transmission into 1st gear, and get ready to drive off. But I didn't push the shifter all the way into 1st gear! So as I released the clutch there was a lovely grinding noise... All the Saturn people looked at me with silent stares. I was so embarrassed. I quickly stepped on the clutch, shifted to neutral, shifted to 1st, and drove away very, very quickly. They never gave us that photograph. I bet it was hanging on their coffee room wall for years and years. :dazed:

Another funny true story! A few weeks earlier I was doing a test drive on a brand new 1993 dark red SL2. I came around a corner and there was a large branch from a tree in the road. There wasn't enough time to stop and there was a truck coming in the other direction. My choices were to drive over the branch or hit the truck head on. The branch made a horrible noise as the bottom ofthe car passed over it. The salesperson was silent. I broke the silence by saying, "Do you have this exact car in another color?" For the record I did buy the same car in another color (two colors actually) and it was the same salesperson! :p

[ellemenno]

OMG. I was *not* planning on test driving an Ion Red Line, but I'm *so* glad I did. I think I know what my next car is (if Dante doesn't make me take his Vue). I totally fell in love with this car. It is *so* much better than my SL-2!!! Talk about POWER!!

*drool*

[SilverNickelQC]

I have and its a total hoot, just imagine that there is no one next to you(salesman).

[sl2_00]

I did and what a blast!!!

my dying 2000 SL2 may have a shorter than expected life:D

[SilverION]

I made the fatal mistake of test driving the 04 ION Redline and now I own one! :D

[scotsman]

Yes...and someday this will be my next Saturn! (#7 or 8 depending on what the wife decides to do with the '00 SL2) :D

[L200INRI]

OMG!!!! OKay folks - Was in the dealership last week and test drove one -- This thing is insane. I want one so bad!!!! :eek:

My dealer has 3 2004's left and with rebates and discounts they can be had for $15,700. Problem is the crappy resale on my 2002 L200 --- They only offered me $5900.

I will just have to drive mine for a while longer unless any of you want a deal on a 2002 L200???

[1995 SC2]

Yup! Especially the Ion Redline "Competition Package!"

[Juicer69]

Before I buy one, OF COURSE. Again, just waiting for the competition package. Redlines with the comp package should be arriving in dealerships sometime in April. All this waiting is driving me insane :upset:

[kurtasaturnguy]

Yes..drove 2005 Red Line at GM's travelling auto fair. Handled ok, but Uncomfortable seats, balky shifter and rattly interior. Red Line seems to be a "hair shirt" entry level race car, _not_ a day-day hauler with enhanced handling and response.