Would You Buy A Saturn - Now ?

[FuschiaGoddess]

Hey fellow Saturn fans ....

My hubby and I have been looking to purchase 1, if not 2, Saturns for a few years now. (Aura for me, and a Sky - AKA the "Mid-Life-Crisis" mobile - for him.) Due to his being on his submarine more than at his home recently - and the fact that my SL-1 is still <knocks wood> chugging right along - we opted to wait ..... till now. Before he left in June on his current deployment, we decided that that upon his return in December, it's off to the Saturn dealer for some car buying.

Oops.

GM was doing fairly OK when we *made* the decision, and I'd really hate it if, due to unscheduled delays over the past couple of years, I'd miss out on an Aura ... the car I'd been waiting for Saturn to make since the SL-1. To make it worse, my dealer gave me an Aura as a loaner a few months ago while my car was in the shop. It was only 2 days, but ...... <sigh> Dammit, I want one !! But is it too late ?

So I pose the question: would you buy a Saturn ..... now ?

[Michel1961]

I wouldn't (psst ! GM executives, are you listening ?). The only reason I considered a GM vehicle to start with was Saturn (many happy people around us with Saturns) and the fact that the Aura was essentially an Opel (and drove like one).

[lococrzy]

Wow this is tough question, I Have a 2008 Aura XE 4cyl with all the bells and whisels you can get on the 4 Cyl. i realy like my car, i would have never thought of buying american before. But with realy nice incentives (I.E. 0% financing) and cheaper price than the comprable Accord i was going to buy i went for it.

I have had some unpleasent experiances with build quality. ive been at the dealer 4 times now for a faulty drivers seat. but it is almost fixed lol. other than that the car has been awesome. i feel that it rides and handels better than the accord and it definetly washes out any camry in my book. and it has many more fetures than a car at a similar cost.

all that being said i think the final answer to your question is No i would not buy another Saturn. This is because of the current state of GM, if GM were to go under one of the first brands to go would be Saturn along with pontiac and other. the only way i would buy another saturn is if they brought the Insignia over from europe and sold it here as the new aura, that is the only way i would buy another. My next car in 2010 is looking like its going to be a Mazda 6.

Sorry about the rambling lol

[MikeS]

Tough call. A new Saturn would certainly be covered by the existing (or re-structured) GM even if (when?) they ditch the Saturn brand. Problem is that there is a slim chance that GM will not survive at all.

There is a much more likely scenario where GM will survive in some form but the dealer network will shrink rapidly. Depending on where you live, this could pose some logistical problems in getting warranty service.

If you really like the Aura (I completely agree) perhaps wait a few weeks until the bail-out situation is clear and GM have outlined their strategy. You could also try the Malibu which is essentially the same car without the Aura's styling and incentives.

[cisco0623]

GM pretty much said today they will probably drop Pontiac and Saturn.

What does that mean for existing Saturn owners warranties????

I love the car, but this sucks.

Basically, I would not buy a Saturn. Chevy is safe, otherwise go Japanese.

[kwelz]

A very hard question. The Aura is probably the Favorite car I have owned. I even rank it above my Acura TL. However with the current state of GM I don't think I wold feel safe buying one.

[lococrzy]

Originally Posted by kwelz

I even rank it above my Acura TL. .

I had an 03 TL type S this replaced and the XR 3.6 is def in my opinion above the TL but like he said now that GM is in this limbo....

Although i realy realy like the 2009 CTS V if only GM could build cars of that quality through out the line and stop building so many car cousins. the only 2 GM brands with their own identity are Cadillac and GMC ther than those two all other have clear a clear crisis no one has a clear competitor... How can you go any where if you dont know what your going for.

lol there i go rambling again hahahaha SRY

so any ways i re re re iderate No o another Saturn, at least not with Gm's Current Situation

[eightshb]

Originally Posted by lococrzy

Wow this is tough question, I Have a 2008 Aura XE 4cyl with all the bells and whisels you can get on the 4 Cyl. i realy like my car, i would have never thought of buying american before. But with realy nice incentives (I.E. 0% financing) and cheaper price than the comprable Accord i was going to buy i went for it.

I have had some unpleasent experiances with build quality. ive been at the dealer 4 times now for a faulty drivers seat. but it is almost fixed lol. other than that the car has been awesome. i feel that it rides and handels better than the accord and it definetly washes out any camry in my book. and it has many more fetures than a car at a similar cost.

all that being said i think the final answer to your question is No i would not buy another Saturn. This is because of the current state of GM, if GM were to go under one of the first brands to go would be Saturn along with pontiac and other. the only way i would buy another saturn is if they brought the Insignia over from europe and sold it here as the new aura, that is the only way i would buy another. My next car in 2010 is looking like its going to be a Mazda 6.

Sorry about the rambling lol

What is wrong with your Driver seat? I am taking mine in on Saturday to get the cushion replaced. By the way my Chevy dealer said if I needed anymore warranty work to check with them 1st and if they have the tools they will do the work said a set of Saturn Tools is Appx. $40,000

[lococrzy]

Originally Posted by eightshb

What is wrong with your Driver seat? I am taking mine in on Saturday to get the cushion replaced. By the way my Chevy dealer said if I needed anymore warranty work to check with them 1st and if they have the tools they will do the work said a set of Saturn Tools is Appx. $40,000

What they told me is that the seat frame broke, it was squeking like crazy they prety much replaced the whole thing the first time. then the seat back broke some how( IMO was due to crapy mechanics instaling it) so that got put in, and now im waiting for the lumbar handle to vome in so that can be put in because that broke some how .... lol i just cant wait for it all to be done.

40K for tools ?!?!?! arent chevy and saturn built with alot of the same parts these cars share everything exept some sheet metal what kind of tools are these people talking about?

[Michel1961]

I wouldn't (psst ! GM executives, are you listening ?).

I was planning on keeping this car for years and I actually helped sell a few. Can you imagine service and parts now ? In 5 years ? We'll be treated like country bumkins at the other GM dealership (oh ! It's a Saturn part ! Those are hard to find...here, I have a nice Malibu for you...we'll give you a 1000$ for your Saturn)!

My 07 XE (loaded) is on lease and I was planning to buy it because I love it. If they dissolve Saturn, they are getting it back in 2.5 years. It's resale value will be almost nothing by then (think Oldsmobile or American Motors) but the residual will still be on the contract.

If GM thinks dumping Saturn is going to save them, they should Think Again. The only reason I considered a GM vehicle to start with was Saturn (many happy people around us with trustworthy Saturns) and the fact that the Aura was essentially an Opel (and drove like one). Saturn was starting to look like the only GM division that operated like a modern car company, with models sold worldwide (think Toyota, Nissan, Honda, BMW, Mercedes, VW. etc.) Now, instead of sticking with the program, they are considering a giant leap backwards. Let's keep those pickup trucks and Hummers coming ! Gas is cheaper...now.

If they think they are going to get me to buy a Pontiac (crappy interiors), a Buick (crappy exteriors) or a Chevrolet (crappy dealerships), they should really...Think Again. Next thing I'm buying...is a Japanese or European car !

I still hope they change their minds...

[s-seriesguy]

If you want one buy one. It's not like the Saturn brand is going away tomorrow or anythime in the new few months. Why do people freak out over the news of GM dropping brands? It's not like the warranty is automatically going to dissappear or the car is not going to be serviced. GM dealers will be cabale of taking care of the car for you. Go for it and buy it.

[CptMatt]

Originally Posted by s-seriesguy

If you want one buy one. It's not like the Saturn brand is going away tomorrow or anythime in the new few months. Why do people freak out over the news of GM dropping brands? It's not like the warranty is automatically going to dissappear or the car is not going to be serviced. GM dealers will be cabale of taking care of the car for you. Go for it and buy it.

Saturn going away may be sooner than you think.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20081202/FREE/812029979

No the warranty won't go away, the reinsurers will cover it, but do you really want to trust your car to that Chevy dealer down the street? I've been through this, I owned an Eagle Vision when MOPAR pulled the plug on that division. I was forced to go to a Dodge dealer. Vision, Intrepid, same car? Not as far as that Dodge dealer was concerned. To them, I was a problem dumped on them by corporate and subject to the quick shuffle to get them out of their hair as fast as possible.

And just which GM dealer is going to work on it? Chevy is the ONLY other division not slated for killing off that sells the same platform. Do you really think a Buick or Cadillac dealer is even going to look at it?

[titan12]

Originally Posted by CptMatt

Saturn going away may be sooner than you think.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20081202/FREE/812029979

No the warranty won't go away, the reinsurers will cover it, but do you really want to trust your car to that Chevy dealer down the street? I've been through this, I owned an Eagle Vision when MOPAR pulled the plug on that division. I was forced to go to a Dodge dealer. Vision, Intrepid, same car? Not as far as that Dodge dealer was concerned. To them, I was a problem dumped on them by corporate and subject to the quick shuffle to get them out of their hair as fast as possible.

And just which GM dealer is going to work on it? Chevy is the ONLY other division not slated for killing off that sells the same platform. Do you really think a Buick or Cadillac dealer is even going to look at it?

I have a Astra and the car isn't even built over here.. The engine and tranny are made in Europe.. I can see chevy when I take it in there for work..

[Emanuel]

The Aura is close enought to a Malibu that service should not be a problem. However, resale value will probably tank.

The Aura might be a good buy if you plan to keep the car for a long time and if you can get a very attractive price relative to a similarly equipped Malibu.

[s-seriesguy]

Originally Posted by CptMatt

Saturn going away may be sooner than you think.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20081202/FREE/812029979

No the warranty won't go away, the reinsurers will cover it, but do you really want to trust your car to that Chevy dealer down the street? I've been through this, I owned an Eagle Vision when MOPAR pulled the plug on that division. I was forced to go to a Dodge dealer. Vision, Intrepid, same car? Not as far as that Dodge dealer was concerned. To them, I was a problem dumped on them by corporate and subject to the quick shuffle to get them out of their hair as fast as possible.

And just which GM dealer is going to work on it? Chevy is the ONLY other division not slated for killing off that sells the same platform. Do you really think a Buick or Cadillac dealer is even going to look at it?

2012 is three years away.


I doubt GM dealers are going to turn away current customers and their Saturns. Do you honestly think now that they want to piss people off potential future customers during this time? They're going to have to take care of them. They will work out the details and I'm sure all of the dealers will be capable of taking care of them. With the exception of the Astra, none of them have powertains that are any different than other GM vehicles. It doesn't take a mechanical engineer to figure out how to work on a car. It's not the end of the world people, the sky is not falling.

Originally Posted by bigbird

Are you kidding? Can you imagine the depreciation hit on a discontinued brand? If you were to try and sell it after 2-3 years you would be kicking yourself because it would be worth nowhere near what you hope it would be. What about write-off? You would get discontinued used car market value, which would be pathetic. However, if you could buy a new Saturn at an incredibly low price, as in 30% off dealer invoice, plan on keeping it at least 15 years, and didn't get upset with its rising cost of parts and service, then I'd say consider it. Would I? Never!

Since when have Saturns ever had good resale? A vehicle is one of the worst investments you can make if your expecting a return. Buy a car if you want it and it appeals to you, not if your expecting to make money.

[cisco0623]

Originally Posted by s-seriesguy

2012 is three years away.


Since when have Saturns ever had good resale? A vehicle is one of the worst investments you can make if your expecting a return. Buy a car if you want it and it appeals to you, not if your expecting to make money.

I agree. When people talk about depreciation on a car and resale I LAUGH. Thats the brainwashed LEASE generation there.

I bought the AURA figuring I'd keep it till it dies, which is what all of our grandparents used to do.

A car is a TOOL, not an investment.

My main concern is any car breaks and needs service. I dont want o pay up the ass later on because of rarity, and the truth is Saturn owners will not experience anywhere NEAR the same level of service once Saturn is gone.

I am hopeful GM can imagine some great Idea for us customers, because they know if they do not they just burned and lost a **** load of customers they can hardly afford to lose.

[CptMatt]

Originally Posted by s-seriesguy

2012 is three years away.

I doubt GM dealers are going to turn away current customers and their Saturns. Do you honestly think now that they want to piss people off potential future customers during this time? They're going to have to take care of them. They will work out the details and I'm sure all of the dealers will be capable of taking care of them. With the exception of the Astra, none of them have powertains that are any different than other GM vehicles. It doesn't take a mechanical engineer to figure out how to work on a car. It's not the end of the world people, the sky is not falling.

The article said BY 2012, not IN 2012. That doesn't preclude it from happening next spring. I'm not running for the hills to trade my car this second, but, I'm sorry to say, this is probably going to be my first, and last Saturn. Probably GM in general, too.

(Actually this is my second GM car. It took 20 years to get over the trauma of the piece of junk 83 Camaro I was saddled with, to trust them again. Now this. )

And why do you think a Chevy dealer is going to be any better to a non-Chevy customer than that Dodge dealer was to a non-Dodge customer like me with my Eagle Vision? All dealers are cut from the same cloth. All they have to do is look in their computer and see that your car wasn't bought from their's or an affiliated dealership and you are automatically a second class citizen to them. And you can't even complain to the sales manger or dealership manager, because they will have the same attitude.

[dishdude]

Based on previous car purchases, I have actually received BETTER service from dealers I have not purchased my car from. I only go back to the dealer for warranty work, which I have not had to do yet with my Saturn. I do the maintenance myself, and if it is out of warranty I will either repair it myself or take it to an independent garage depending on what the issue is. Of course if it is a driveability or electrical system issue, I will be forced to return to a GM dealer. But come on guys, the Aura/Malibu/G6 are all the same car. I wouldn't be concerned about parts or service on these vehicles. The Astra drivers are the ones that should be concerned.

Look at Oldsmobile and Plymouth - when they cut those divisions resale didn't drop anymore than they would of if they were still in production. In the event that resale does plummet, I'll just drive it until the wheels fall off. These are well built, solid vehicles that will easily go 200k with proper maintenance.

[NOLA-Vue]

Originally Posted by CptMatt

(Actually this is my second GM car. It took 20 years to get over the trauma of the piece of junk 83 Camaro I was saddled with, to trust them again. Now this. )

I certainly know how you feel. I had a similar experience with a brand new 74' Chevy Nova. I'll spare the details, the why-fors and what-fors also. But it took me exactly 30 years (count em' thirty years!) to even remotely consider buying anything GM made...until Saturn came along.

My problem is that I have a very, very long memory for injustice! Burn me once and try to force me to like it, and the trust issues will last my lifetime. It did help that Saturn was at least semi-independent of GM; and really was "A Different Kind of Car Company"---all that and polymer body panels too! I've bought four Saturns in the last five years...all but one with polymer. Now I have to wonder if I'm going to be stuck with a GM dealership for warranty work and repairs? NO thanks! I still have trust issues.

[simpson9764]

We bought our Saturn Aura XR for one very good reason. 0% interest for 60 months. And because it's a GM, we got the extended warranty. Better safe than sorry.