Feb 19, 2009
Saturn? If You Leave Bossy, Can She Come Too?
Read about how GM wants to fold or sell the only forward-thinking car division in their ranks.
And then go buy a Saturn and tell them Bossy sent you. She’ll be waiting right here in her garage ready to asphyxiate herself with her Honda’s exhaust.
“And then go buy a Saturn.”
Yeah, sure, right after I grow taller by three inches and spontaneously generate an extra limb.
I hope Saturn doesn’t leave Bossy. How would Bossy meet her community and her husband’s?
Its a shame- ’cause the Sky/Solstice is an awesome little car. Makes my husband real mad at the auto show that he doesn’t really fit in it, but I do!
Honestly, though, I will only shed tears if they fold Saab. Hopefully they will just sell Saab back to the Swedes, which is where it belongs… Did you know that the Swedish govt. allegedly set up a rescue fund to bring Saab and Volvo back home if necessary? GO HOME SAAB!!
I would buy a Saturn but I am poor. So I drive very old beater mobiles. One of them, however, is a Malibu. Does that help????
I won’t be sad, I’ll do a happy dance actually, knowing that the Saturn dealership that just ripped me off by sneaking in a $200+ registration fee on my “free” window etchng and tire protection is gonna go down. Ha!
Bossy, you have NO idea how upsetting this is for me. I have vowed my eternal loyalty to Saturn and they up and vanish. This present car better last me forever, because I cannot stomach going to another dealer.
I think we should sign a petition!
I just bought my second Ford Escape, and happy.
But, I think the Saturn line is the best one GM has. That being said, it would be foolish to buy one now that GM has pretty much indicated they wil quit making them.
Is Bossy thinking about getting one?
That makes me sad. I bought a bottom of the line 1994 Saturn SL new and a nephew is still driving that thing, it gets awesome gas mileage and it’s never had problems beyond regular wear & tear. Our current “small” car is a 1999 Saturn wagon. I’ll be sad to see the company go, but I’m not in a position to buy another Saturn just now!
I’m already on my second Saturn. I bought both of them used and the first one I drove into the ground. I think it had about 170,000 miles on it and at the time we just needed a bigger car, so we donated it. Bought a 2000 Saturn LS and I LOVE THAT CAR!!! We want to buy an Aura in 2010. Hoping it doesn’t fold.
If GM sells Saturn and Saturn is a strong enough product, it will continue to be around. Consumers will make that decision. If GM is thinking of folding it, it means consumers are not buying it in volume enough to make it profitable. Companies in a fight for life generally don’t kill the cash cow.
GM is looking to sell Saturn. Speculation is that a Chinese company is interested. They have 60 days to make this happen.
If that does not happen, they will allow Saturn dealerships to bring in other GM franchises to “compete”. Currently, Saturn is a stand-alone facility with a no compete clause. Meaning, only Saturns can be sold at that facility. They also do not allow more than one Saturn dealership in a market area.
But I have faith that Saturn will be around for a while yet.
Here’s hoping some one comes along to save Saturn. My first car was a Saturn and I adored it. It left our family when my first child arrived–the back seat (11 years old at that point) was not especially compatible with the carseats for infants, and I wanted side curtain airbags, which didn’t exist when my Saturn was made.
Currently I’m pining for their hybrid SUV but I won’t buy one until the future of the company is a little more certain. And every time I’m there, stalking the cars, I thank them for sponsoring Bossy!
I have a feeling this is a true…”don’t get me started”.
It is almost impossible for me to give any love to Detroit and those bastards with tin ears.
It is a shame when they finally did “get it” and make a nice car like the Saturn, most of us had fled.
Bossys road trip made me reconsider Saturn.
But my heart belongs to Sweden and countries like that who seem to be forward thinking in every way.
Go Saab.
I really hope that Saturn can break off and become a stylish American-made car company – so I don’t have to slobber over the Highlander Hybrid while guilt makes it imperative for me to buy the GMC Acadia that is manufactured 30 miles away.
We looked at the Saturn version (which was so cute on the outside), but I have to say honestly that like with most American cars – it felt really chintzy inside.
…And the salesman at the Saturn dealership told me about his daughter’s Honda Pilot. Talk about soft selling.
I am still in love with my 9 year old Mitsubishi Montero. It has 130,000 miles on it and all it ever asks of me is an occasional oil change and new hoses.
At least Bossy will have the pictures and memories of her brief fling with Saturn.
it looks like you are missing something in that photo. i will be the thelma to your louise. but instead of driving off a cliff, let’s go to starbucks and fine pretend husbands.
All those people who would be laid off… Ugh, it makes you feel kind of sick. I’ve never owned a Saturn, but I’ve met people who work for them, and I’d hate to see them out of a job.
I should have bought one when I could. Oh, the GUILT.
If a Chinese company buys the brand it would be just as bad as the brand folding! It would be one more American brand outsourced abroad. More money for China, no money for America.
AND what will Project Runway give away to its winners!! EKKS! Dilemmas everywhere!
We just bought a Saturn Aura in December when we had driven our SL1 into the ground. We love Saturn! Their way of doing business in particular. We had shopped a few other dealerships and they had all given us this big line when we had been clear about our needs and funds available. Our salesman worked with us and figured out what would work best for us.
The first time we bought a Saturn, we were young and pretty desperate. We had the financing but we hadn’t done research on cars. The salesman showed us what he had, helped us figure out what we needed, and then sent us home without letting us buy the car. He insisted that we sleep on it. Sure, he was probably just trying to confirm the financing but we appreciated that he said that if we changed our minds, we changed our minds.
Bossy put the sexy in Saturn.
Did you just diss Saab? I think you did. Now I’m going to have to de-lurk and leave a comment. See what you’ve done?
Just because GM hasn’t let Saab produce a new model in 10 years (while taking their turbo and XWD and dumping boatloads of money pushing Cadillacs on Europeans who don’t want them — not that I’m bitter) doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Fortunately, it looks like they might get spun off into an independent partner; probably the best that could come of all this.
And Opel (who is Saturn) won’t be going away, you just won’t be able to buy them here. Small comfort, I know.
After the Chevy that needed new brakes every 6 months, amongst other things, and the new Mercury that broke down on the way home from the dealership right after purchase, I gave my heart to Toyota and haven’t gone back. I’ve got my eye on the Highlander Hybrid next.
Bossy Girl I hope that doesn’t happen…
I was kinda looking at a few of them for a
newer vehicle in a few years…
If GM/Saturn did a better job of advertising the greatness of Saturn maybe more people would buy. Me? I stumbled onto a Saturn under great duress after an accident and later couldn’t believe my good luck: Roomy, very dependable, affordable and 41 mpg. I had never seen/heard any of that mentioned by GM/Saturn in their advertising. But then again, a lot of people weren’t/aren’t interested in those attributes…
Oh noes. They are not taking Saab with them. No way. Nuh-uh.
I’m right there with ya, Bossy. I’ve even been to the Saturn plant (twice!). Our very first Saturn had 447,000 miles on it when it finally had to be replaced (and that was due to front end damage, not engine issues). I’m crossing my fingers that someone else can pick them up – and that my VUE goes as many miles as that SW1 did!
My 11 year old son wants my huzzband to buy “a hybrid Porsche.” Or, he said, “a LamborGREENi.” *insert rimshot here*
I don’t get the whole Saturn thing, either. I blame poor GM management/marketing.
Maybe GM should scale back its giant, gas guzzling, Earth temperature raising, environment killing, kid backing overing, car wreck flipping, monsters of SUVs division. Just a thought.
I’m in Michigan, so of course it’s different for us here.
One thing you see here CONSTANTLY is the bumper sticker that says “Have you lost your job yet? Keep buying foreign”.
Whenever we have to travel outside of the Midwest we see many many more foreign cars than we do American. The truth is, that unless the American people buy local and support local, they all are going to be in even more trouble than now.
The auto industry indirectly supports 1 out of 10 jobs in the US. Its not a local issue, its nation-wide.
Ask yourself this question before you buy something made in another country: just how much did that company give back to the community?
Many people who support buying foreign made justify it by saying “well, the vehicles are made here in the USA”, and yes, its true that there are Toyota/Honda plants in the US.
But then look at how much those companies give back to their communities in terms of support: donations to non-profits, sponsorships, fund-raising for charity, the arts, underwriting, etc.
Zippo. The few people working at the local level may make a few dollars, but all the profits go right back to the home country, while Ford, GM, Chrysler, GE, Dow Chemical, P&G, they all give back to their communities and nationally, creating even more jobs in sectors that they are unaffiliated with.
Its a constantly renewable circle of jobs, support and loyalty that many Americans won’t realize existed until it is gone.
That few dollars you’re saving at the pump won’t feel nearly as good then…I’m just sayin’
Sorry to soapbox, BOSSY and Readers….OG
I’d buy a Saturn, except I have one already and I believe it’ll last me many many more miles! I started looking at new Saturns this year, thinking I might buy a used one in about 5 years or so. I think a lot of the parts will continue to be available no matter what GM does with Saturn. As much as I believe in the product and hope it stays around, I think the writing is on the wall. Boooo!
Don’t get my husband started on how Saturn used to be forward thinking before GM bought them and now they’re just like any other car out there. Oh, oops, I guess he’s passed on the rant to me.
wait, you didn’t get the email from Saturn? I just got it today- seems their actually planning to spin off the Saturn brand to make sure it sticks around. If you want, I can forward it to you.
I Love Love Love Love Love my Saturn Vue. It’s going to be around a while though – I don’t feel like having car payments again!
Bossy, I still have hope to save American cars and the industries that support them. I keep praying for something good to happen.
My husband and I have been looking for a car for a year now so the Saturn will be something to check out.
I have a beautiful ‘99 red Saturn coupe that I love. I just hope it can last me until 2021, when I might be able to afford a new car.
Sorry, operagal, but I wouldn’t buy an American car if it were free (with the exception of a Saturn). What those companies have “given” back is what Domestic Goddess said: “giant, gas guzzling, Earth temperature raising, environment killing, kid backing overing, car wreck flipping monsters.” They had their chance to do something different, and they chose to redesign the gas-guzzlers of the 1970s into these behemoths, *on purpose,* in cahoots with oil companies. They deserve what they get. As to the workers who will lose their jobs, I wish they’d figure out a way to do a class action suit against a company that drove itself and the planet into the ground.
Saturn on the other hand: in addition to selling environmentally friendly cars, apparently they marketed to gay customers, somewhat covertly, by putting photos of lesbian couples with their Saturns among the other photos, as if we were (gasp) just like everyone else! So Saturn is rather beloved by us lady-lovers, though I’m a Honda/Toyota loyalist myself.
Thanks for great comments about Saturn. As a few of you noted, we are working on a plan that would let us keep Bossy’s road trips rolling in Saturn style for many years to come. Stay tuned!
Mike
Saturn
Detroit, Mich
“Don’t get my husband started on how Saturn used to be forward thinking before GM bought them ”
GM has always owned Saturn.