It Could Be Time to Buy a Saturn

[Charlie]

A new feeditems entry has been added:

[drupal=3416]It Could Be Time to Buy a Saturn[/drupal]

Jessica Anderson from Kiplinger's Personal Finance: If you're in the market for a new car, GM's loss could be your gain. Saturn's dealers have until the end of October 2010 to close, now that a deal has fallen through to sell the car line to the Penske Automotive Group. But many showrooms could close by January because inventory is low. That means the sooner you shop, the better your choices.

[saturn 51]

Saturn of Elmhurst closed today Rip.
As it was in the begining it is at the end.

[One-Eyed-Snake]

Originally Posted by saturn 51

Saturn of Elmhurst closed today Rip.
As it was in the begining it is at the end.

There was no forewarning....never could get a clear answer out of anyone when this day would come....they knew....they knew when it was. Grand Ave. is so depressed, just watch 10 years from now...only Honda will be left. They'll take over the whole block like Long Chevrolet did.

[ESA1178]

I'd like to replace my 2004 VUE with a 2009 VUE HYBRID.
What with a $5500 off offer!
But who will service the SUV, and honor the warranty after Saturn Dealers close?

Mark

[05SaturnRL]

Good luck finding delaers with much of a selection, or much less any new Saturn on the lot. The one here only has used vehicles now

Originally Posted by ESA1178

But who will service the SUV, and honor the warranty after Saturn Dealers close?

Mark

Um, GM. So they say at least

[Low Saturn]

Originally Posted by ESA1178

But who will service the SUV, and honor the warranty after Saturn Dealers close?

Mark

Any GM dealer. I was told to take my recently purchased Aura to the Cadillac dealer that purchased the remaining inventory from the Saturn dealer I bought my car from. But if I do ever need any warrenty work, I'll be taking it to a Buick/GMC dealer where a friend of the family is a service writer.

it's not the old days where Saturns were unique. They're now carbon copies of other GM vehicles.

[plato]

Originally Posted by ESA1178

I'd like to replace my 2004 VUE with a 2009 VUE HYBRID.
What with a $5500 off offer!
But who will service the SUV, and honor the warranty after Saturn Dealers close?

Mark

I would not touch a hybrid from a dying company with a 30-foot pole.

[adventureoflink]

Originally Posted by Low Saturn

it's not the old days where Saturns were unique. They're now carbon copies of other GM vehicles.

with huge chunks on the sides from all the overusing and ripping off..

[bigbird]

Originally Posted by plato

I would not touch a hybrid from a dying company with a 30-foot pole.

+1
I still can't understand why anyone would want to buy a brand new vehicle from a defunct manufacturer unless the price was such that you couldn't say no, as in 50% of dealer cost.

[Low Saturn]

Originally Posted by bigbird

+1
I still can't understand why anyone would want to buy a brand new vehicle from a defunct manufacturer unless the price was such that you couldn't say no, as in 50% of dealer cost.

Its thinking like that, that makes finding good deals easy for people like me. The manufactuer isnt defunct. Its still around and probably will be for a long time.

Saturns are copies of current GM models. I just bought an Aura. Its a twin of the Malibu, G6 and CTS. Plenty of dealer support and parts to be found. But people who dont know any better think its an orphan car. And I got a great deal because of it.

[eRic 02sc2]

Originally Posted by bigbird

+1
I still can't understand why anyone would want to buy a brand new vehicle from a defunct manufacturer unless the price was such that you couldn't say no, as in 50% of dealer cost.

Saturn has not been a manufacturer since the S-Series, L-Series, ION, and original VUE. The current Saturn is a brand that has "Saturn" versions of other GM/Opel products. GM is not defunct. getting my SC2 serviced after the Saturn retailers are closed will be tricky since they didn't share anything with other divisions of GM. at least the 4-cylinder L-, ION and VUE had ecotec engines.

[VUEmaniac]

Originally Posted by Low Saturn

Its thinking like that, that makes finding good deals easy for people like me. The manufactuer isnt defunct. Its still around and probably will be for a long time.

Saturns are copies of current GM models. I just bought an Aura. Its a twin of the Malibu, G6 and CTS. Plenty of dealer support and parts to be found. But people who dont know any better think its an orphan car. And I got a great deal because of it.

Enjoy your "good deal." Getting parts is only one part of the equation. The poor resale value is going to be a lifelong issue (which isn't a problem if you're going to keep it until the second coming). The forums are already peppered with owners who are getting the runaround from GM dealers about servicing their Saturn. That might get better when Saturn is officially dead for good....or it might not. I don't think I'd be willing to take that risk myself.

Ho ho ho!

[adventureoflink]

Originally Posted by VUEmaniac

Enjoy your "good deal." Getting parts is only one part of the equation. The poor resale value is going to be a lifelong issue (which isn't a problem if you're going to keep it until the second coming). The forums are already peppered with owners who are getting the runaround from GM dealers about servicing their Saturn. That might get better when Saturn is officially dead for good....or it might not. I don't think I'd be willing to take that risk myself.

Ho ho ho!

in this case, what if Auras are just as easy (if not moreso) to work on as the S-series?

I know it's 2009, going into 2010, and most places made it harder for people to work on cars (save for dealers and garages) but still...

[bigbird]

Originally Posted by adventureoflink

in this case, what if Auras are just as easy (if not moreso) to work on as the S-series?

Scenario: You take your Aura in to your local Chev dealer for warranty work. Who will get looked after sooner, the dealer's own Chev customers or you with your orphaned Saturn?
Parts required? Oh, we don't stock any Saturn parts. That'll be next week from the Saturn parts warehouse in (fill in whatever state you want).
Loaner? Sorry, you're not our customer.
Trade in value? Oh man, those Saturns have taken a nosedive as they're no longer being made or sold. Sorry.

[adventureoflink]

..I meant in terms of DIY work.

[bigbird]

Originally Posted by adventureoflink

..I meant in terms of DIY work.

I would call the Aura/Malibu 4 cylinder engine much easier to work on than the S engines.
Ever change the oil and filter on the S? Whoever designed the location of the oil filter should be sent to the Gulag. The Ecotec cartridge filter set the bar for ease of changing.
Brakes are brakes so no difference there. Changing coolant pretty much the same for both.
The V6 Aura is an entirely different kettle of fish and I have no experience with that engine so I can't comment.

[adventureoflink]

Originally Posted by bigbird

I would call the Aura/Malibu 4 cylinder engine much easier to work on than the S engines.

Ah, sweet. Still good to know Saturn was back to its roots (somewhat) with the Aura

Originally Posted by bigbird

Ever change the oil and filter on the S? Whoever designed the location of the oil filter should be sent to the Gulag. The Ecotec cartridge filter set the bar for ease of changing.

I concur. I actually changed my own oil two weeks ago (or so), and the filter location IS like UGH... WHY?!?!?!

the fact that I had a LOAD of fun () getting that damn filter off doesn't help.

Originally Posted by bigbird

Brakes are brakes so no difference there.

Eh, still take my brakes to a shop.. that and most anything fuel related...

Originally Posted by bigbird

Changing coolant pretty much the same for both.

so what, you could easy swap out that dex-cool CRAP for the yellow stuff?

[bigbird]

Originally Posted by adventureoflink

so what, you could easy swap out that dex-cool CRAP for the yellow stuff?

I've regularly serviced 10 different GM vehicles over the last 15 years and never had a coolant/head gasket/overheating issue in any of them. Dexcool's OK in my books.

[VUEmaniac]

Originally Posted by bigbird

I've regularly serviced 10 different GM vehicles over the last 15 years and never had a coolant/head gasket/overheating issue in any of them. Dexcool's OK in my books.

Consider yourself lucky. Guess you never had occasion to work on any 90's-era GM 3.1/3.4L V6es. They are infamous for this very reason.

[davidsky]

Originally Posted by adventureoflink

so what, you could easy swap out that dex-cool CRAP for the yellow stuff?

and ruin your engine because there's no way to completely clean out all the old coolant without removing the engine and disassembling it.