Maybe buying a Relay this weekend...

[jnjfriedland]

So I'm at a "fan" site but all I see on the Relay board are complaints. Can someone (or preferably a lot of someones) tell me why I should buy a Relay? I really like the car and the company and need a mini-van type vehicle that seats 7.

Thanks!

Jackie (hopefully will be a Saturn owner soon!)

[cdp326]

Most of the complaints are 1) from early buyers or 2) people who miss the polymer Saturns that aren't rebadged GM vehicles. But this is why I think you should buy a Saturn Relay:
-best exterior/interior styling between all the GM vans (IMHO)
-good safety ratings
-very high-quality interior materials
-standard DVD player (in US models)
-the typical pleasant Saturn buying experience
-easier to option preferably (after looking at the ConsumerGuide listing for the Uplander I was )
-many of the problems have been worked out by now
-pretty decent features-per-$$$
-you don't look like everyone else in Odysseys, Siennas, and Windstar/Freestars

What options are you looking at? I definitely think you should get the front side airbags and either StabiliTrak (on FWD models) or AWD (available on the 3 model).

[mikec]

I'm trying to convince my wife to trade in her 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan ES on an AWD Relay. We both like the Relay, but she likes no car payment more. Smart lady.

[jnjfriedland]

We are looking at the Relay 3 FWD and the only option we are looking at getting is the power package because we want the electronic side doors. Hadn't really thought about any of the other stuff...is it worth the money? Right now we have no car payments, this would be a big stretch for us as is...

Jackie

[tableforSeven]

We bought our Relay in January....I LOVE it!!! We also need a van that seats 7 (we have 5 kids...so can't have anything smaller). We had Saturns in the past - but had 'ourgrown' them until now. We loved Saturn as a company -- and never had problems with the cars we had -- we never would have left if there had been a minivan-van years ago.

The only thing I miss is some of the storage-space I had in my old van...but - I had a VAN, not a mini-van.
I like the style and ride in the Relay -- and my kids enjoy the DVD player. I also like my automatic sliding door on the passenger side -- it's making school pick-up a breeze (our other sliding door is manual - which works best for us).
We have the Relay 2 with cloth seats and no 'toy box'...since we use all 5 back seats all the time and have carseats on both 2nd-row chairs - the toy box would be a pain. I'm also glad to be back with Saturn....I really do like the way the company handles it's customers.

[silverblueL200]

Out of all the new GM mini vans, I think the Saturn is the best looking out of the crew. As for some of the coments in the Relay forum, keep in mind that it is a new vehicle, so there are relativly few comments at all. Also, it is a mini van so I don't imagine your going to see same type of conversations you see in the S series forum, the majority of people are only going to seek out this forum if they are having some kind of issue.

All in all I think the new vans are pretty nice looking, I checked one out at the dealership with leather seats and all the good stuff & it was pretty nice.

[cdp326]

Originally Posted by jnjfriedland

We are looking at the Relay 3 FWD and the only option we are looking at getting is the power package because we want the electronic side doors. Hadn't really thought about any of the other stuff...is it worth the money? Right now we have no car payments, this would be a big stretch for us as is...

Jackie

Well, the side airbags I think is something you should definitely get (I think it *may* be part of a package, I'm not sure). They will give you added peace of mind and would protect the front seat people's heads and torsos in a side collision.
As for StabiliTrak, it would be nice to have, but if you know how to drive you should be fine without it. It basically keeps the car stable in all conditions, but if you don't want to spend the $$$ for it, don't worry about it.

[Relay05]

Originally Posted by cdp326

Well, the side airbags I think is something you should definitely get (I think it *may* be part of a package, I'm not sure). They will give you added peace of mind and would protect the front seat people's heads and torsos in a side collision.
As for StabiliTrak, it would be nice to have, but if you know how to drive you should be fine without it. It basically keeps the car stable in all conditions, but if you don't want to spend the $$$ for it, don't worry about it.

Yes, the side airbags are part of the Safety Package ($545 US). Also included in that package is traction control. We added that package to our Relay and it does add some peace of mind.

[jnjfriedland]

Thanks guys! I understand, especially since I've been in Customer Service forever, that more people complain than say happy things...I knew the "happy" things were out there, I just wanted to pull them out . I'm very satisfied with the answers thus far and can't wait to hopefully buy a new Saturn this weekend, yay!

[NewToSaturn2]

I say go for it! I purchased my Relay 3 back in February and have not regretted it for 1 second, in fact - the more I drive it, the more I love it! People are more likely to vent frustrations and bring up problems than to spend time raving so take that into consideration. The Relay is a sharp vehicle & the interior is incredible - very upscale. The Saturn experience was and continues to be wonderful, they even wash and dry the van for me when I get the oil changed! Don't get that service at the Grease Monkey! We just drove the van all the way from Kentucky to Florida and back and it was great - we had room to stretch out and the DVD & XM radio were enjoyed by all. Buy it and enjoy!!

[sclindon]

My wife and I are considering a Relay after the 2006's come out. We test drove a Relay 2 and the armrests on the front driver and passenger seats were very low. It was uncomfortable for us to attempt to use them. We didn't drive a 3, but we have decided that is what we will look at when we decide to go back and check them out again. Do the 3's have the crappy armrests also? Had anyone else noticed the armrest height as being too low?

[cdp326]

Originally Posted by sclindon

My wife and I are considering a Relay after the 2006's come out. We test drove a Relay 2 and the armrests on the front driver and passenger seats were very low. It was uncomfortable for us to attempt to use them. We didn't drive a 3, but we have decided that is what we will look at when we decide to go back and check them out again. Do the 3's have the crappy armrests also? Had anyone else noticed the armrest height as being too low?

We have a 2003 Montana, which is very similar to the new GM vans. We noticed that the armrests were low too, but they are on level with the door armrests. We had been in a '98 Grand Voyager which is partly why the armrests seemed low. Needless to say, we have adjusted to having them there and it's fine now. The 3 has the same seats and armrests 'sfar as a I know. I believe that you could become accustomed to it over time.

[jnjfriedland]

Well - we bought it! We bought a Relay 3 with the Power Package and the two additional overhead compartments (first aid kit and cd holder). I didn't really want those two compartments, but it was the car I wanted otherwise...they ended up taking the price of them off since I didn't want them in the first place. Only $100, but that was nice of them . Hopefully this isn't a bad omen, but it is the car we test drove and it had 8 miles to it and the right blinker was already out (weird) and the driver side sliding door wasn't closing properly all the time. It kept saying there was an object in the way, but we could see nothing...then when we took the key out of the ignition, it wouldn't open up at all...they are fixing it, of course...I'm taking a check in later this week and will pick up the vehicle then (when it is fixed)...I can't wait! Oh, I got the Golden Cashemere with the beige cloth interior. The only other car they had that had just the power package and the safety package (which I wanted but didn't get) was a dark blue with dark interior and I didn't want that...thank you everyone for your comments!

[tableforSeven]

Originally Posted by jnjfriedland

Well - we bought it! We bought a Relay 3 with the Power Package and the two additional overhead compartments (first aid kit and cd holder). I didn't really want those two compartments, but it was the car I wanted otherwise...they ended up taking the price of them off since I didn't want them in the first place. Only $100, but that was nice of them . Hopefully this isn't a bad omen, but it is the car we test drove and it had 8 miles to it and the right blinker was already out (weird) and the driver side sliding door wasn't closing properly all the time. It kept saying there was an object in the way, but we could see nothing...then when we took the key out of the ignition, it wouldn't open up at all...they are fixing it, of course...I'm taking a check in later this week and will pick up the vehicle then (when it is fixed)...I can't wait! Oh, I got the Golden Cashemere with the beige cloth interior. The only other car they had that had just the power package and the safety package (which I wanted but didn't get) was a dark blue with dark interior and I didn't want that...thank you everyone for your comments!

CONGRATS!!
I wouldn't worry about the door thing too much....we had that problem a while back - it wasn't _every_ time, but it happened more than once. Honestly - it never got to be too much of a problem - and I never took it in to be checked out (it started happening after we had taken possesion of the car...and it has only 12 miles on it when we brought it home). Occasionally - it still happens - but I just hit the button a second time and it closes fine.

Enjoy your Relay!

[jnjfriedland]

Thanks . We would hit the button multiple times and it still wouldn't close, so we definitely need it to be fixed...it would be a huge pain for one of the doors not to work since we have two kids and one in a car seat...I put in a call to them to see what the status is

Jackie

[tableforSeven]

Jackie -

I hope they get the door fixed and you get your Relay soon.
I totally understand dealing with kids and car-seats....we have 5 kids (2 in car seats).

Enjoy your Relay!
Judy

[SATURNER]

Woo Hoo!! Welcome to the cult

[jnjfriedland]

Ok - I'm going tomorrow at 2:30 to pick up my car, they say the door is fixed...theyve' been opening and closing it for two days and it is working perfect .

I can't wait! They already said they are going to give me free service since I couldn't get my car when I was ready to pick it up