Invaders From The Sixth Planet

"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54) 01/14/2015 at 23:04 • Filed to: saturn

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Put your sonic screwdriver away. Although their body panels are plastic, these cars are not controlled by the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Their origin is domestic in nature, seeking not to destroy humanity, but to beat the Japanese at the small car game they dominated in the 1980s. This is the story of Saturn.

Initially an internal research project, Saturn was created by GM, and then spun off to operate independently from the "this is how it's always been done" monolith. This would give them the flexibility to try new ideas and build a new platform, factory, and dealer network separate from GM, focused exclusively on building a small car that could compete with and beat the offerings from Honda and Toyota.

What they introduced in 1991 was impressive by the standards of the time. There were three models of the sedan, plus a sporty looking coupe. The economical versions, the SL and SL1, came with a 1.9 liter SOHC motor generating a rather anemic 85hp, but the gas mileage was as good as or better than all Civic and CRX models except for the insanely economical CRX HF. The top of the line SL2 came with a DOHC version of the same motor, putting out 124hp, far more than the Civic Si with 108. The swoopy SC was only available with the DOHC motor, and unlike the CRX had a back seat, which was even usable if your passengers weren't too big. Saturn had a contender on their hands.

Though 1991 was the first year for Saturn, it was the last year for the Civic EF chassis. The EG immediately caught up with Saturn in every area. 1993 saw the introduction of the SW1 and SW2, wagon versions of the sedan, and the coupe expanded to two models – the SC2, identical to the original SC, and the SC1, powered by the SOHC drivetrain and featuring the nose of the sedan/wagon. A new interior that finally entered the 1990s came out in 1995, and power from the SOHC motor was increased to an even 100hp.

The Civic got yet another major redesign in 1996, and left the S series in the dust in every way. Saturn's SL and SW models got a new body style, but under the skin they were the same as before. The SC got a new look in 1997. But while all Saturn had done was minor incremental improvements, Honda had gone through two whole generations of the Civic, with major improvements each time. The S series was an innovative car at the time of its introduction, but in a few short years it was far behind the times. Despite a few facelifts and minor mechanical changes, the S series remained basically the same car until 2002.

By the end of its 11 year run, the competition had left it far behind. If Saturn had been allowed to innovate the way Honda did, with rapid design cycles and short runs of each generation, they would have been a serious contender. When Saturn finally ended the run of the S series, they replaced it with the Ion, which shared its Delta platform with the Chevy Cobalt and HHR. This is the precisely the opposite of what Saturn originally set out to do.

Another problem Saturn had was that small economy cars were not very profitable to make and sell, and in the 1990s few people wanted such cars. SUVs were all the rage. Yet GM wouldn't allow Saturn to make anything but its small car, because that's what Saturn was for. Finally, begrudgingly, the midsize L series was introduced in 2000. It was not an original design, but a rebadged Opel Vectra – a sign of things to come. It was not an impressive car in the midsize class, and suffered from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that made it even more unpopular.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

It wasn't until 2002 – 11 years after Saturn came to market – that they finally got an SUV, the Vue. Once again, it was built on a shared platform, with the Chevy Equinox and Pontiac Torrent. And again, it was too little too late. The most ironic part is that in 2004, the Vue started using Honda engines and transmissions.

Early on, Saturn was known for an easy purchase experience and no haggle pricing, as Scion is known for today. As time went on, however, this quietly changed. I tried to buy a used SC2 from a Saturn dealer in 1999. Rather than no haggle pricing, they pulled every sleazy car dealer trick in the book on me. I ended up buying another SC2 from an independent used car lot instead. They took much better care of me than the "no haggle" Saturn dealer.

At this point, Saturn was nothing more than yet another GM badge engineered division. It finally gained more and more models – the Relay minivan, the Aura midsize sedan (replacing the L series), the Sky roadster, and the Astra hatchback (replacing the Ion), but nearly all of these were Opels wearing a Saturn badge. They didn't even bother changing the Astra's name.

GM had ignored all of the lessons the Saturn project was created to teach them. In the beginning they had a new small car that beat the Japanese competition in many areas, but they failed to innovate and got left behind. Rather than design additional cars and SUVs as the S series had been created, they resorted to typical GM badge engineering. Quality suffered, causing them to be even less popular. More and more, it was unclear why Saturn even existed.

And that's why they went on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! during the government bailout - because this is how it's always been done.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

(Photo credits: Justin Hughes, Dan Mull)

Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull > Justin Hughes 01/14/2015 at 23:11

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these cars are not controlled by the Nestene Consciousness

Like hell they're not. I quit watching a Saturn once and POW! Out came the finger gun.

Justin Hughes > Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull 01/14/2015 at 23:13

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Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull > Justin Hughes 01/14/2015 at 23:16

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Somewhat on topic, I need to finish my Dalek so I can arrange some Nestene outfits to go a-Dragon-Con-ing with it.

Birddog > Justin Hughes 01/14/2015 at 23:23

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Saturn should have never existed to begin with. GM was still being GM back then.

They had to form a whole new company with it's own corporate structure and dealer network for a low margin economy car.

Instead of just making a good small car.

Justin Hughes > Birddog 01/14/2015 at 23:31

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The original Saturn project was supposed to research and design a new small car to be sold through Chevy. This might have worked, and may have been better than spinning Saturn off into their own company only to lose their way.

But then we wouldn't have gotten the Cavalier.

Birddog > Justin Hughes 01/14/2015 at 23:50

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Awesome and Cavalier usually don't go together but you found it.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Justin Hughes 01/14/2015 at 23:55

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Small nitpick. While the Vue did end up sharing the Theta platform with the Equinox and Torrent, the platform was Saturn developed and was used originally on the Vue.

bwp240 > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 01:25

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I guess I must be lucky. Currently driving a 2000 LS, 173,000 miles and many more to go.

Taken me through floods, tornadoes, blizzards, wildfires, hailstorms, and many 700+ mile trips.

I am honestly surprised it hasn't exploded yet.

Justin Hughes > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 01/15/2015 at 07:59

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The Vue was the first to come out on the Theta platform. I didn't realize that Saturn was involved with its development.

Nobi > bwp240 01/15/2015 at 11:07

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As long as it's not the 3.0 V6, you should be good to go. If anything goes nuts, like half your dash lights work all of a sudden, or your odometer reads 8888888, you'll need a BCM.

bwp240 > Nobi 01/15/2015 at 12:20

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Well then, I guess I will be waiting for that moment lol

Nobi > bwp240 01/15/2015 at 13:31

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The L-Series and first gen VUE were notorious for BCM's crapping out. Do you have a 4 or 6 in yours?

bwp240 > Nobi 01/15/2015 at 13:36

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I have the 3.0 6. So far nothing unusual has happened with the BCM. I looked up the issue and it appears to be one of those gremlins that I will have to deal with at some point (hopefully never or far down the road).

Right now I just have the transmission solenoid issue which is common for these models, but it only creeps up after long highway miles then transitioning to city streets.

Nobi > bwp240 01/15/2015 at 14:57

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Also watch out for your oil cooler going south. It's buried in the valley of the engine, so it's not exactly easy to get to. The second you see what looks like peanut butter on the bottom of your oil cap or in your coolant overflow tank, it's done.

bwp240 > Nobi 01/15/2015 at 16:12

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Good to know, will keep an eye out.

Hopefully those bad gremlins will stay at bay long enough for me to get a decent paying job. So far it has been good, only have had to replace the serpentine, A/C, and more MAF sensors than one ever should.

Scallootch > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:43

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Incidentally, I've known at least two examples of the 1.9l twincam to go unbelievably long periods of time without either water, oil, or both. And with no discernible difference in NVH, too!

Skamanda > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:43

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It's hard for me to stomach the replacements being just a refresh of the original S. I had a 1993 SL2 that was a SUPER solid car (until Jiffy Lube cracked an oil filter and it all drained on the freeway). When I went in to the dealership to look at the new models, the interior quality had gone so far downhill I couldn't even take them seriously. I sat in the passenger seat of a new SC2 and my shin LIGHTLY brushed against the center console - causing the whole console to sway half an inch to the left.

When I went to the sales rep and asked them if that one was broken, they said that's how they all were.

2 hours later I was driving a new 2000 Turbo Beetle - which was a nightmare story in its own right ($18,412 in repairs - one car for the price of two!)...

Gavin O'Brien > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:44

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Wife and I both have Saturns we bought new. Hers is a '99 SC1 with 2.5 doors. Mine is a 2002 SL1 4 door. Works out nice since they use the same repair manual. I've had various electric problems on mine since year three and have soured on it ever since. I'm just too poor/lazy/stubborn to get something better. My heat doesn't work currently. Hers has been fine despite the fact she spun it on black ice and hit a guardrail 2 weeks after she bought it. I don't think anyone in either of our families has owned the same car for 10 years, let alone 15, so that says something.

Jesse Shaffer > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:44

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Isn't Saturn the 7th planet?

BeaterGT > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:45

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Still my #1 choice for an econobeater.

Boter > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:47

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Man, I was just thinking of writing up something about Saturn yesterday, as someone who grew up with them. Weird timing. Good article, man.

ranwhenparked > Birddog 01/15/2015 at 16:48

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It shouldn't have. It was supposed to be a replacement for the J-Body, but Roger Smith was nothing if not an idiot.

Justin Hughes > Scallootch 01/15/2015 at 16:49

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Considering how much oil some of those motors consumed, that's not a bug - it's a feature!

William Sean McFly > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:49

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This was my first car. Well not this one exactly , but...you get it. 1993 Saturn SC2. God I loved that car. I hit an elevated manhole in a construction zone that ripped off the heat shield underneath. The car was never the same after that. She had...so much life let in her..../weeps

For Sweden > Jesse Shaffer 01/15/2015 at 16:49

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nope

Captain Intenso > Jesse Shaffer 01/15/2015 at 16:50

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My Very Educated Mother Just S erved Us Nine Pizzas

55_mercury > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:50

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I distinctly remember Saturns when the first came out. I was in 6th grade and starting in 1989-early 1990 Saturns started showing up on display at a few local malls. This was in Tennessee where the cars were being built and I guess these were put on show to get reaction to them. At the time I thought they looked really modern and "cool" looking. ( Remember I was around 12)

Anyway the cars came out and I knew a lot of people who bought them. Seems like the early ones were rather good and more than a few of those who owned them had good experiences. For the time they were so different. Funky name and marketing campaign, unique styling, plastic body parts... I even recall some saying it actually had a following of sorts.

As this article pointed out GM basically fucked it up and what could have been a test bed for innovation because yet another badge-engineered product. Sad really seeing as how they got off to such a good start.

Jesse Shaffer > For Sweden 01/15/2015 at 16:51

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I just wanted to say: URANUS!

Justin Hughes > Boter 01/15/2015 at 16:51

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Thanks! I may sound like a hater, but I've had four of them. It's the company decisions I have issues with. But to me, the S series is The One True Saturn.

hismiths > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:52

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But why the FUCK did they design the DOHC head with the little star pattern of lugs intruding into the sparkplug wells so that a plug wrench won't reach the plugs? Evil bastards.

BuffaloPhil > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 16:53

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My mother was a long-time Saturn owner, and as a result, I became a long-time Saturn owner through my formative and college years. Our family purchased a 1993 SL2 brand new from the dealership, and somewhere still have the little picture they took of your family the day you drove your car home.

That being said, we spent a ton of time in the dealership getting things fixed. I distinctly remember what the waiting area of the dealership looked like from all the time we spent there. Eventually I inherited the SL2 as my first car and got to spend all my time and money on new alternators and brake calipers, as the SL2's are known to destroy regularly.

When my SL2 finally died (sub-frame rotted and collapsed), I purchased a used 1997 SL2 since I didn't learn my lesson the first time. 2 weeks in, the heater core exploded and flooded the cabin with hot fluid. I had that car for 3 years before trading it with a mechanic buddy of mine for an Olds 88.

I miss my old SL2 sometimes. It was a fun little sedan, perfect for a teenager. I still see them around on the roads from time to time and have fond flashbacks of ripping off a wheel to replace another goddamn alternator.

Justin Hughes > hismiths 01/15/2015 at 16:58

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What year? I had no problem on my 95 and 96 models.

imprezanoturbo > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:00

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I recall the early years of Saturn. It always irritated me that from the start they were advertised as being super reliable. I remember thinking in 1992, "1 year of production and they're already claiming high reliability?" I test drove one that same year and thought it was OK (me being a lifelong Japanese owner). The salesman made me drive it through corners really fast to show off its handling. I went back and did the same thing in my '87 Subaru and thought, "meh, whatevs (or whatever the 1992 equivalent of 'meh whatevs' was)." From the beginning, Saturn was all show and no go. Decent little cars pumped up by their advertising and sales model. But, like, that's just my opinion man. I never understood the Saturn love and I continue to not understand the Saturn nostalgia some people have.

Chairman Kaga > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:00

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My mom bought a '91 SL1, one of the first sold in Arkansas. I've never been in a car that got as much attention as that one when we drove triumphantly back to Hot Springs. People were asking questions, taking pictures, pointing and clapping. It was a surreal experience. She kept it for about 10 or 11 years and sold it to the neighbor's kid for $1,000.

BuffaloPhil > Skamanda 01/15/2015 at 17:02

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The '93 SL2 was my first car, and I loved mine too. However, the car went through an alternator and at least one caliper every 6 months to a year. I can only attest to one of these dying as a result of abuse, the rest seemed to die out of spite. Also had a starter die, as the stock units had the magnets around the frame of the starter GLUED in. Solid engineering.

none8239487234 > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:02

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I have never understood why GM goes through all the trouble of re branding Opels to sell here in the states. I bet if they took the German Opels right off the factory floor in Germany and sold them directly here in the USA they would sell BETTER than any of their re branded cars. Heck most of the original Opel cars look better than the restyled GM cars do.

All of the GM nameplates suffer from years of mismanagement, cost cutting and a terrible dealer network. They are never in a million years going to repair the damage they have done to their reputation over the years no matter how hard they try. American cars for decades have represented low quality. Why not dispense with the old ways and try something new?

GM had some real potential in the 1990's. Saturn and Cadillac had some real thinking behind them back then. Even though the Allante was a sales disaster it provided a lot of innovation for many of the other GM cars. The new Saturns were really cool cars that were different than anything else on the market. As the years passed the cost cutting efforts went up and the cars declined in quality. For many years it seemed like they weren't even trying. They claim they are trying now but that's just a marketing effort rather than any engineering efforts. All of their cars are the same car with different styling. They played that game before and it did not work. Why is it going to work with some different styled German cars?

Car buyers want real innovation in new cars. Cup holders, automatic gizmo's and trim changes are not real innovations. That's all marketing crap. Sort of like those free hotdogs in your Chevy dealerships. If all that GM is interested in is making money why not just dispense with the car production thing all together. Just trade our government bail out money on the stock market.

Justin Hughes > BuffaloPhil 01/15/2015 at 17:03

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I never had alternator trouble on the four I owned, though I nearly ended up loaning mine to #34 ITA to get through a race when his died! I did replace a caliper at some point.

Part of why I sold my 94 SW2 5-speed (a unicorn) was that the front subframe was rusting out. If I hit the gas hard, the subframe twisted from the torque, and the car turned to one side! But it was a $400 car I got instead of a Miata hardtop for the winter, then sold in the spring for enough money to buy the hardtop.

Tater Spalding > Nobi 01/15/2015 at 17:05

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I have a 2003 L200 with a bad BCM. It will count the miles on the odometer as I'm driving, but it won't save them.

Dy-no-mite Jay > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:06

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Yeah, I am so glad they didn't spare us the wonder that is the Cavalier. What a blessing....

PilotMan > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:10

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There was this, the only good thing to happen to Saturn since 1995.

Birddog > ranwhenparked 01/15/2015 at 17:11

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Roger Smith is to GM as Archie McCardell is to International Harvester.

Both men were legends in their own minds. In reality, both men were as destructive as an F5 Tornado.

Justin Hughes > PilotMan 01/15/2015 at 17:14

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True! Many Saturn enthusiasts, including myself, were switching to Miatas when they wanted more performance than a tuned SC2 could give them. I think that's why Saturn got the Sky - to try to keep Saturn fans in the family when they wanted to upgrade.

Pan S. > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:15

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I still drive an old 1994 SL2 "Homecoming Edition". It's survived hard Wisconsin winters since 1994, and is pushing 450,000 miles now. It still runs fantastic and I still take it on 700 mile plus road trips.

The 1.9L DOHC isn't rebuilt. It's still original from the factory minus I had to replace the timing chain at 400K because it started to make a lot of noise. Beyond that it is entirely original. The original 5-speed transmission started to have issues before anything else. I replaced that my self, but regardless of, the transmission still lived to see 420K when I replaced it, with the clutch.

jeff4066 > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:17

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I didn't know about the Delta Platform thing. I had no trouble at all with my Cobalt for 7 1/2 years, and am currently loving my HHR. How did it get so wrong?

Justin Hughes > Pan S. 01/15/2015 at 17:17

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Too bad you can't get one of those high mileage license plate frames Saturn used to offer!

Tytan82 > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:18

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Since 1994 my dad had owned: 1995(?) SW1, 1998 SW2 (we moved from Canada to Vegas, so we needed AC), L-300 V-6 (the sound that came from this car was beefy when you stepped on the gas), and the 2005 Aura XE. I had a 2005 Ion-2. Never, never ,never had any problems with any of the cars until my Ion with the ignition switch (which at the time would not replace). We were sad to see Saturn go out of business, but at the same time, I am kind of glad that GM thinned out their manufacturing lines a bit, some times there are too many choices to choose from. I was very surprised, however, to see Pontiac to be closed down at the same time.

Scallootch > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:19

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Oh yeah, and there was that other 'feature,' too: my mother had a '92 twincam coupe when I was in highschool (yes, she was a hairdresser). I discovered that if you exceeded 170kph on a given trip, the ABS would stop working until you cycled the ignition. I was foolish to learn this, but I suppose I was even more foolish to learn that it was repeatable.

BigBrooklynLou > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:22

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Bought a SL1 from the dealer in 97 and we still own and drive it. Most reliable car I've ever owned. We call it the All Terrain Saturn cause it just glides over the snow due to its low weight. I've driven NYC to DC in a blizzard and that thing kept a straight line all the way there. We've already decided 2015 is its last year with us.

As an aside, the reason we bought one was precisely because GM DIDN'T own them. GM sucked. They could pick their nose and lobotomize themselves at the same time. The Saturn brand started going downhill the minute the UAW got management to drag them back into the fold.

KC-10Paul > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:22

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I really thought the Astra was a step in the right direction, honestly just send us everything from Europe as I still don't trust US GM to wipe it's own ass. Then poof it was gone. GM still has literally nothing that interests me these days (hot hatches and sport compacts).

Skamanda > BuffaloPhil 01/15/2015 at 17:22

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Wow...Other than having the master cylinder fail when I tried to hit the brakes and the pads were so worn, they fell completely out of the caliper, I never had any other problems with mine. Funny how two of the same car can be so phenomenally different. Plenty of people had perfectly reliable 2000 Turbo Beetles. Mine needed a clutch, flywheel, and whatever gears and synchros died when the failure happened every 20k miles, almost like clockwork.

Justin Hughes > Scallootch 01/15/2015 at 17:23

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That's special! I never exceeded 100mph in my 95 SC2 (rainy track day at Lime Rock, street racing is bad, m'kay?) but I didn't have ABS anyway.

Justin Hughes > BigBrooklynLou 01/15/2015 at 17:25

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Exactly! After my bad experience with my first car, a hand me down Pontiac 6000, I swore off GM. It was only because of Saturn's independence that I even considered one.

KC-10Paul > KC-10Paul 01/15/2015 at 17:27

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I would buy this one tomorrow if it came here.

Justin Hughes > KC-10Paul 01/15/2015 at 17:27

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I agree! What I really wanted to see was the Opel/Vauxhall Astra VXR brought over here as the Saturn Astra Red Line. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

PilotMan > PilotMan 01/15/2015 at 17:28

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I had an order in but went with a Solstice when they hit dealer lots.

The English Guy > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:36

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Life is good. Not in the 1% but definitely in the 10%. The last car we got my wife was a Mini Cooper S and I was happily encouraging her to just make sure she didnt want the Audi TT. Careerwise, I should probably get something black and German to be seen in for my next car...

Yet I still have and love the $17k 2002 Saturn SL2 that I paid off over a decade ago.

I keep waiting for it to die but it just refuses to. My last repair bill was $70 and that was six months plus ago. I occasionally feed it the oil it loves to drink now but I usually forget until the light's been on for a few weeks and it still keeps going.

I leave it parked in crappy neighborhoods and don't care. I leave it exposed to the elements and don't care. I actively park as close as possible to twats taking two spots, knowing they'll be freaked about their paint job and my plastic will just bounce if they hit it.

My life has completely moved on from needing something cheap and cheerful but the stupid thing is so undemanding, so tenacious, I still utterly love it.

I'll admit, I tense at the thought of colleagues who see me one way in the office seeing the decade and a half out of style cheap plastic box. But then I remember I've not made a payment in a decade, remember that I've really got no good reason to replace it before it dies... And, at well over 150,000, it's showing little inclination to die... And suddenly I'm proud of the ugly little bastard and realize it'll almost certainly be the best car investment I'll ever make.

So, yeah, they were crappy little cars. Amazingly, awesomely reliable, tenacious, crappy little cars and I love mine long past the point I should be done with it.

Tremec, + 1 Yugo (aka the Blugo) > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 17:54

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I had a '95 SC2 in high school. It was quite fun to drive in autocross, and had a decent amount of power after I added an aftermarket intake and cat-back exhaust.

For what it's worth, I ran a faster time at the local drag strip with it than my friend in his Integra GS-R. Not sure if part of that was due to a disparity in driver skill, but I'm pretty sure he still hates me to this day for that. . .

Sharaz Jek > Tater Spalding 01/15/2015 at 17:54

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I don't know why, but I find that awesome.

Justin Hughes > Tremec, + 1 Yugo (aka the Blugo) 01/15/2015 at 17:57

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I won my first autocross trophies in a modified 95 SC2.

Tremec, + 1 Yugo (aka the Blugo) > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:01

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Same here! I forget what class it was though, but I know it was one of the ST's.

Nauraushaun > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:01

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They aimed at beating their competition, which was at the end of its life cycle and about to be replaced. If that's not a recipe to fail I don't know what is. Are all the stories about America trying and failing to build a small car competitor as obvious as this?

Pit Pat > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:05

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My wife came into our marriage with a 95 SC2, and I ended up driving it more than she did. It was a hoot to drive! All that plastic kept it so damn light...

Jaxxxin > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:15

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No one was more upset about Saturn's death than my poor mum. Over the years she's had at least four.

I learned how to drive in her new '92 two tone SL and drove it to work in the summer after getting my license. To my teenage self it was fun to drive and seemed incredibly fast (it had a rear spoiler AND a power sunroof!!). It was light and got awesome gas mileage but Great Lake's snow was its Achilles' heel.

When news broke that Saturn would be shuttered, my mum went out and got a white on tan leather '09 Vue XR with AWD, sat radio and navi that she doesn't quite understand and a "manual shift control" automatic that she never has used. It's quite adequate but even though the driver's seat is fully adjustable, I've never been able to get comfortable in it.

My mum is such a brand loyalist that every time I've been in the market for a new car, she recommends a Saturn. I have no idea what she will buy when it's time to replace it. My dad has always driven a Bonneville and my mum loves Saturn. They're both screwed and a bit sad.

hismiths > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:17

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'99 I tried three different plug wrenches NONE will fit, plus of course the 6" extension to get to it ... PITA!

Tater Spalding > Sharaz Jek 01/15/2015 at 18:21

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Also handy. My car will never go above 95000 miles. :D

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:29

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I remember when Saturn launched, to great fanfare... All the feel-good Americana commercials, testimonials, blah blah blah... And don't forget the recalls. So many recalls. Saturn dealerships would have "recall parties," where they'd give their customers free pizza and prizes up front, while the technicians were busy replacing faulty parts, back in the shop. Still, people loved them. I referred to the owners as "The Cult of Saturn," because any time someone I knew would be talking about buying a new car, there would be the inevitable Saturn owner in the conversation, who would then bang on and on about how great their little plastic car was.

The thing is, the cars weren't really that great. They were great considering who their parent company was, but barely average when compared to their benchmarks. The difference was the dealer experience, which was Saturn's innovative contribution to the car business. The dealerships were top-notch, in part because all of them had been built from the ground up as Saturn stores. No old, badly-laid-out buildings that smelled of Brylcreem and rot. The people who staffed them were trained to be friendly and accommodating. They always had free donuts in the service waiting rooms. Saturn figured out that people would happily buy cars that ate alternators and brake calipers (as others have mentioned) and come back for more of the same, so long as the dealers made them feel special.

The other major change that Saturn started was the idea of a dealership image program. Once all those shiny new Saturn Centers were up and running, the competition realized that their dealers looked pretty shabby in comparison. Most of those franchises had been established in the 1970s, when Honda and Toyota were practically giving franchises away to get market penetration, so they had never had much money put into their facilities. Saturn forced a lot of them to commit large sums of money to projecting the image that their car maker wanted. For better or worse, the reason all dealerships look the same now is Saturn. Ironic that the changes they inspired in their retail competition have lasted longer than the company did.

Whitesmoke > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:31

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I had a '94 SL2 - only because my '91 Scottsdale was stolen and I was pinched for transportation. Only saving grace - I was rear-ended in it by a White Freightliner - and yes I saw it coming in the rear view mirror and yes that 3 seconds of my life lasted forever. The trunk ended up in the back seat and I only suffered a concussion - must be sturdy little vehicles.

vdub_nut: scooter snob > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:33

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I DD a 1998 SC2.

Love it. Handles well (especially in the snow, it's a little tail happy even for a FWD car), cheap to drive, cheap and easy to fix on my own (unlike my previous car), plus it's the car I learned how to drive (stick) on in high school.

It's on its way out, and I may literally shed a tear when it finally goes. Sure, nearly anything would be an upgrade from it, but it's that sentimental value and quirkiness that no other car is going to have.

thestiggy > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:41

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I learned to drive stick in a Saturn SL1 after my 97 Honda Accord had, naturally, gotten stolen. I dont miss that car, but because I learned stick, Saturns are ok in my book.

Also, my wife bought a Saturn Aura brand new back in 07. She still uses it today. Hopefully it lasts another few years....

twosixteen > BigBrooklynLou 01/15/2015 at 18:42

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sounds like exactly the experience my buddy had with his Saturn in high school. Said it was the best show car he's ever owned except for the lack of abs. I'm starting to believe him now

Kaizer Soze > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 18:50

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All I can think from hearing these stories is that GM must be mentally impaired.

go4broke360 > KC-10Paul 01/15/2015 at 18:51

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I remember looking at the Astra when it came out here and I really wanted one new, but I think when priced with similar cars it was $2-3 grand more then everything else.

bdsimmons2 > bwp240 01/15/2015 at 19:09

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I don't think you're lucky... I drive a 2001 L200 with 257,000 miles on it... I'm on my 3rd timing chain, and I'll probably do another before this car is done.

Boter > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 19:13

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Definitely. I had a 2001 SW2 that I loved. I currently have an Ion coupe that I still love, I consider it a well-loved stepchild to the family. I said to a friend that, given the opportunity, I'd bang on endlessly about the merits of the brand and what it could have done, and he compared that mindset to that of a scorned Firefly fan. He was not wrong.

Justin Hughes > Boter 01/15/2015 at 19:26

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I aim to misbehave!

HoodaLabooda > Skamanda 01/15/2015 at 19:37

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How on the hell does an oil filter get "cracked?"

satalac > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 19:42

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Put 175k miles on my 97 SC2. It was my first car and I loved it. Survived high school, delivering lunches for Honey Baked Ham, launching Dukes of Hazzard style into a cattle pasture and many things that are best left unspoken. I did have to rebuild the tranny, replace the alternator, radiator, starter and I'm sure other things, but it got me where I needed to be, getting great gas mileage at that. I finally got rid of it when the ecu died. Sold it for $400 and bought a 2004 Subaru Forester XT (5 sp of course).

S10highschoolfiesta > Chairman Kaga 01/15/2015 at 19:46

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Dude I live in Arkansas too, quite a few saturns around here

Dr. Strangegun > Captain Intenso 01/15/2015 at 19:59

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My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nothing.

Desu-San-Desu > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 20:12

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I still get traumatic flashbacks whenever I see blue SC2's...

fintail > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 21:00

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These things get some maybe undeserved hate. Maybe not great to drive, but I attend a local craptacular car auction now and then, and regularly see these with 250K+ on the clock and apparently still moving along fine. Given the type of people who seem to buy/drive them (maybe not the most meticulous), that's worth something. The first gen wagon was fairly attractive too. Really lost it with the Ion, which just looked wrong inside and out.

KilgoreTrout53 > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 21:41

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Rebadged Opels were a great idea - just ask a recent Buick owner.

I own a 2008 Aura XE with a 2.4L four and I love this car: Quiet, reliable, smoooooth riding. Everything that makes Buick owners cream about their LaCrosses and Regals, well that's what the Aura is like.

True, it wasn't the original idea, but Opel has been the source of many good engines and recent designs for GM. By killing Saturn, GM was able to goose up the price for the Buick "prestige" badge. Good for them, bad for purchasers. Buick = Saturn with a higher sticker. That's all.

Matt Kirsch > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 21:42

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Hey Justin. Stupid question… how do you reshare an oppo post? When you reshared for the morning crowd, it was like a snapshot of the original post.

Monsterajr > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 21:49

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I bought a Vue in 07' and still have it today with 50K miles on it. We had no problem with dealer shenanigans and it was very hassle free. The vehicle is a rattle trap and anything connected to the sweet and powerful Honda motor wasn't remotely engineered to handle the power. The front suspension has been problematic from day one and has gone through three sets of strut bearings and worn out end links. It suffers with ridiculous torque steer until the AWD kicks in. I've had a drive shaft need to be replaced and the vehicle in general is noisy with many creaks, groans and interminable wind noise and whistles which have all been there sense day one. The car ultimately feels like it was a NYC taxi for about 10yrs instead of the mom mobile its been for the past 7.5yrs. It's my DD driver now and the wife has a 14' Hyundai Santa Fe sport Turbo that is light years apart from the Vue. At the time that we purchased the Vue it was the largest in its class with the most powerful motor. The fact that it was a Saturn was something I had hoped would be a good thing. Turns out I'd have been better off with anything other than the Saturn including the Suzuki L7 or Equinox which all shared the same platform minus the rattles and lousy quality... I'm happy they are gone and GM can focus on the reduced amount of brands.

Justin Hughes > Matt Kirsch 01/15/2015 at 22:06

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I clicked the arrow on the side, then added the same title, top pic, and first paragraph from my original post. That's how I've seen it done on the other blogs here.

You're allowed one repost on Oppo. Since I tend to write my stuff at night, I post it then, then reshare in the morning before I go to work.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > Pan S. 01/15/2015 at 22:42

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Truly awesome. Keeping a high miles quirky economy car in Wisconsin is a respectable task. People regard these cars in particular as "disposable" cars, but where's the fun in that? Sounds like a neat enough DD to me.

Matt Kirsch > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 22:52

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So you click the arrow in the top right next to recommends, select share to kinja (oppo), add the title, pic, first para, and hit share?

Vincent Davidson > Kaizer Soze 01/15/2015 at 23:01

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elkris > Justin Hughes 01/15/2015 at 23:04

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Bought this fine SL2 new in 1996. 208,000 miles later I've only done fluid changes and tires. It's needed nothing. Still gets 30mpg. I RAGE on this beast everyday, take it on road trips, even did a "Ferrari" conversion in hopes of making it explode.

elkris > Pan S. 01/15/2015 at 23:06

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That's some miles! I'm only half way there and still going.

elkris > BigBrooklynLou 01/15/2015 at 23:09

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Don't do it. Please don't send your Saturn out to pasture. It will be sad.

elkris > Captain Intenso 01/15/2015 at 23:10

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You watch too much NASA tv.

I Do It For Miatas, NC Owner > none8239487234 01/15/2015 at 23:15

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I can assure you that GM is advancing in more ways than just marketing. Just look at the quality of their new cars and the awards they're receiving. They are leading the world with their innovations now, and they were even one of the first with a plug in electric vehicle! GM is kicking ass and taking names now, and I love it.

I Do It For Miatas, NC Owner > The English Guy 01/15/2015 at 23:20

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This man is a true Jalop.

ClipperGoodwill > Justin Hughes 01/16/2015 at 00:58

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I've owned 5 of the plastic warriors, three of which served as parts cars for mine and other Saturns I've rebuilt over the years. My mom still reminds me once in a while to come get the crates full of Saturn parts out of her garage, and misc. plastic body panels out of her shed.

Right now I drive a 96' that my dad bought for $600, sporting a mint interior and brand new paint job. It was cheap because the owner's daughter overheated it and cracked the head. My usual daily is an 01' SL2 that served as work car duty when I had to work in a crime-riddled town. It's body is pot marked from sitting in the 'hood 8 hours a day for two years. It's sitting waiting for me to find time to pull the motor - again - due to a spun rod bearing.

I don't mind though, the engines are simple enough to rebuild in your sleep and you can pretty much do it on a McDonald's budget if you had to.

none8239487234 > I Do It For Miatas, NC Owner 01/16/2015 at 07:03

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It's pretty easy to have high quality cars when very little of the subsystem design and low level manufacture work happens in the USA. All we do here in the USA is restyle them and do final assembly. That's the easy part.

There was another company that did this trick. Rover cars. They also started with a "high quality" platform and restyled it. They used Acura's. Their customer base saw right through it as well and stopped buying the cars much like Americans are doing with GM cars. Rover is no longer in business. If it were not for government bail out money the same fate would have happened to GM.

If GM is doing so well why did they need the assistance of US tax payers to stay in business?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > jeff4066 01/16/2015 at 07:22

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The Cobalt's not a bad car depending on what you're looking at. It's reliable, gets good gas mileage, and might not try to kill you once the ignition switch is replaced. The problem is that the Japanese and Korean competition beat it in pretty much every area.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Scallootch 01/16/2015 at 07:27

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Yep. The 1.9L Twincam to me is the American equivalent of the 22R. Get a good one, and you just can't kill the thing

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Justin Hughes 01/16/2015 at 07:28

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S series or no series!

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > BigBrooklynLou 01/16/2015 at 07:33

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Why not let the car decide when it's its last winter? It's so much fun to see how long it takes to kill a car!