Saturn VUE

bodble2 · February 2005

I also like #2 & 3 on your wife's list. Don't know about #4 'cause I've never owned a Saturn before. I can do without the polymer side panels because they make for wide panel gaps.

vuefor2 · February 2005

Hi all. Just thought I would pop in and say hi. Our 2002 Vue is still running very well. No complaints though our baby makes my handle kind of obsolete now. The Vue is a perfect family car, the stroller and "stuff" all fit nicely in the back. That said, if we have another kid we may have to look at a Saturn Relay for more space.

uga91 · February 2005

Our cloth seats are heated. To be honest, I've never been a huge fan of leather seats. Here in Georgia, they get real hot in the summers. I know you're suppossed to get leather so you can impress your friends, but I prefer the cloth. My parents and in-laws have leather seats in their vehicles--they sure smell good and clean up easily, but I never find them to be all that comfortable. But, that's just me--how boring it would be if we were all the same!

uga91 · February 2005

The panel gaps are there for a reason. The panels expand and contract with the temperature. The panels are great because they don't dent and they look great for years. I think Saturn is going away from them, however. It's like the small diameter steering wheel in the 2003 and 2004 IONs. It was small for a reason. With the gauges in the center of the dash, the wheel did not need to be big so they made it small to make getting in and out of the car easier--and it worked perfectly. But, enough people complained about the small diameter so Saturn made it bigger for 2005.

michaellno · February 2005

My family has 3 Saturns -- the wife's 2004 VUE, my 2003 L300 V6 and my son has a 2001 L200.

Panel gaps - as uga91 points out, they need the extra room for temperature changes. Unfortunately, they were perceived by the public as "poor quality". I do notice it when we park our 2003 Focus next to either of our Saturns - the panel gaps on the Focus are much smaller.

However, having said that, the Focus (which is only 14 months old) already has one or two small "kisses" in the side panels that the Saturns will never get. If you look at a 6 or 7 year old Saturn vs. any other car of that vintage, you'll see a huge difference in the look of the car -- the Saturn's just look so much better.

Unfortunately, Saturn is going to stop producing cars with the polymer panels. The Relay minivan is the first. The new Sky and Aura concepts will also be built with steel panels as well. Why?

In a word -- cost. It takes a special assembly line to manufacture the cars with the polymer panels, and the assembly line cannot be set up to build cars with both polymer and steel panels.

Many of the Saturn faithful are bemoaning the loss of polymer -- it was one of the few things that set Saturns apart from other car lines -- even those within GM. Going forward, Saturn will now be just a division within GM, not so much a separate entity.

<sigh> -- while I'm excited for the new products, especially the Sky, we'll see how the market reacts to a "new and improved" Saturn that is little different from Pontiac or Buick.

uga91 · February 2005

I am also sad over the departure of the polymer panels. I understood them on the Relay, though. The Relay is built on the same Doraville, GA assembly line with the Chevrolet, Pontiac and Buick versions and they could not build some with polymer and some without. I agree that the polymer panels made Saturn unique. I do, however, look forward to the Sky and Aura.

michaellno · February 2005

Ding! We have a winner!

The Aura (or whatever it will be called when it goes into production), will be built alongside the Pontiac G6 and Chevy Malibu in the Kansas City plant. Same with the Sky -- will be built alongside the Solstice in Wilmington, DE.

So, Saturn becomes just another "brand" within GM. The labor contract at Spring Hill has been reworked so that it's just like all the other GM facilities.

uga91 · February 2005

I feel that Saturn has definitely become just another division of GM. Years ago, you couldn't get anyone at GM to admit they even owned Saturn, now Saturn is mentioned jsut as prominently as any of their other brands. I guess it's just a sad reality. It also seems as though Saturn is being pushed "up market" as well. Saturn used to be nothing but inexpensive sedans, coupes and wagons built off the same body. Now, they have a mini van costing upwards of $30,000, VUEs run into the high 20's and the Sky will probably start around $25k. Not what Saturn started out to be, that's for sure.

michaellno · February 2005

Lots of talk on other (non Edmunds) boards about the "GM-ization" of Saturn, and how it looks as if they are poised to replace Oldsmobile as the "import fighting" division.

As far as I am concerned, I've got my Saturns and, barring unforseen circumstances, I'm planning on keeping them for a good, long time.

I have to admit that I've been thinking of trading in our Focus ('03 ZX5) for an Ion.

carguy1234 · February 2005

I'll miss those panels - our almost 3 year old VUE still looks show room perfect, but our Sienna has dings all over the place!

I like being able to park the VUE at the airport and wedge it in to those smaller than normal spots and not worry about getting all dented up like everybody else does.

I was previously down on the VUE, but it looks like ours has worked out all it's initial quality problems, and is going on quite a long stretch now without needing any repairs! (yes, I was knocking on wood as I typed that...).

As for the AWD - I can attest that it is a simplistic system only meant for light foul weather driving. The fronts wheels may noticeably spin before the rears engage. It is similar to the cheap and simple Honda systems like on the CR-V. Nothing like a real 4WD (read: 4Runner).

I'm also now in the camp that tires make all the difference. Our FWD Sienna with Nokians is better on snow and ice than our AWD Subaru Outback ever was with its stock "all-season" Michelins.

The VUE stock tires are low end. Our VUE will get Nokians before next winter.

bodble2 · February 2005

I'm aware that the gaps are there for heat expansion purposes, but I just thought that it gives Saturns that "Lego" look.:) Of course, I agree with all of you that polymer panels will make for less stress when parking at Costco and Home Depot. I think what accentuates that "Lego" look on the VUE is the "lid" design of the hood. By having the hood overlap onto the side of the fenders, the big gaps are so much more noticeable. It looks like this huge slab has been placed on top of your hood!

bodble2 · February 2005

can anyone confirm if the suspension and RDM problems were only on pre-2005 VUE's?

uga91 · February 2005

You know, it's funny you mention the way the hood overhangs the edges. I,personally, like it. When you drive down the road, you look across the hood to the road. It's not like on a mini van where they designed it so you don't even see the hood (at least you don't in my Chrysler or the Hondas I've ridden in, can't say that that is true for ALL mini vans). Anyway, the closest I've ever driven a vehicle where you look across the hood like that was on a Ford LTD we had back in the 1980's (the same basic design they still have today) and the edges went down the sides of the hood and you could see them from the inside. I like the appearance of no lines down the sides. Anyway, I know this was a long post about practically nothing; but , you mentioned the hood--and I thought I'd throw out my appreciation for it.

uga91 · February 2005

I need to look into that. As the owner of a 2005 model, I certainly hope so.

uga91 · February 2005

This is from www.nhtsa.gov

"The test results and ratings apply to Saturn VUEs manufactured on or after July 30, 2004. Testing of earlier versions of the VUE could not be completed because, according to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, the left rear suspension failed during the tests. A voluntary recall was initiated by General Motors to address the suspension problem in vehicles manufactured prior to July 30, 2004."

I guess this means GM has fixed the issue for 2005.

bodble2 · February 2005

Yup, I think you're in the clear with your '05 (assuming all '05s are manufactured after July, 2004) You may want to confirm the manufacturing switch-over date for a new model year.

Many thanks for all your answers and insights. Good luck with your VUE. I'm at least a few months away from pulling the trigger on the new car, so I'll put the VUE on my radar screen and continue my comparison search. That's the fun part. It's the thrill of the hunt!

uga91 · February 2005

turksteritis · February 2005

I have 30k on my 04 AWD Vue. I had the RDM replaced at 27k & that lasted 1 week & 1000 kilo,s & it is howling again. Got it done 4 weeks ago! It does nt affect the way the vehicle performs & have have put about 28k of those miles on with a howling RDM.Gas mileage is amazing with the Honda V-6 & ride is very good. I will probably buy another one. The power, ride & fuel consumption is worth it.

cheapskate7 · February 2005

Is there a technical reason why ONSTAR and XM satellite radio cannot be ordered together as factory installed options on an '05 VUE? I have been informed that if I want both, to order ONSTAR and get a plug and play XM receiver [with modulator] at Circuit City. I understand factory installed XM radio without ONSTAR is available.

jsevinsk · February 2005

I've heard that the fuel efficiency of a vehicle increases over time, but I was wondering how many miles you need to have on a vehicle before it reaches its near maximum efficiency. I just bought a 2004 AWD V6 VUE, and on its second tank of gas, I measured 18 MPG with a mix of highway and city driving. I wasn't too impressed, since this is less than then 19-26 range that it's rated for. How much can I expect this to increase over time, and how many miles should it take?

John

michaellno · February 2005

We've recently purchased (well, 2 months and 3200 miles ago) a 2004 AWD V6. I've been keeping track of the mileage, and the tank yesterday resulted in just over 22MPG. However, we have seen tanks in the high teens as well.

I, too, am hoping that as the engine loosens up, the mileage will get better. However, I wouldn't expect more than 22-23-24 in a mix of city and highway driving.

mtena · February 2005

Those ding resistant panels were probably the biggest reason why I've been a loyal Saturn buyer. Very sad to see them go, along with Saturn's unique identity.

uga91 · February 2005

I agree. Like I heard someone else say: one of the best things about the VUE is that it's the only Saturn left that looks like a Saturn. The next VUE will look like the Equinox, from what I understand.

uga91 · February 2005

We bought a 2005 4 cylinder VUE last month and have about 850 miles on it. I'm getting about 24 mpg in town. Considering my V6 Chrysler mini van gets a little better than 18 mpg in city driving, I would hope my mileage goes up with time as well.

stever · February 2005

Saturn is undergoing an aesthetic offensive, and maybe poly doesn't bend enough.

Steve, Host

uga91 · February 2005

You're right, Steve, but the big thing behind the steel panels on the Sky is the fact that it will be made along side the Solstice--and they can't put polymer on some vehicles and steel on others. It's just like that on the Relay now.

stever · February 2005

Good point. Honda is raising prices this week on most of its cars, and the price of steel is cited as one factor why (together with the weak dollar, etc.).

So maybe poly will price itself back into the picture?

Steve, Host

uga91 · February 2005

My wife just pointed out the first thing we really miss on our VUE that we had on our ION. The ability to use the power features after turning the car off. I wonder why the VUE does not have retained power?

cheapskate7 · February 2005

Saturn Customer Assistance Center via e-mail responded to my inquiry with following: "it's because of different satellites...one hole in roof for one antenna...even if there were two, they could easily interfere with one another." Any comments from forum contributors?

uga91 · February 2005

GM knows more than any of us do. If you're trying to use satellite radio, then disconnect your OnStar.

cheapskate7 · February 2005

Equinox LT series [built on Vue platform - though longer wheelbase] available with both XM radio AND Onstar factory installed. Apparently no mutual interference [msg 3394].

julie123e · February 2005

This is about a customer who just spent a substantial amount of money on a new Saturn. You a suggesting that this person should be understanding with the dealership and try to work things out with them. Lets equate it to an overcooked steak, Take it back and give them a new one. I have worked in customer service my entire life. The fact is that by giving this person a different car and making them happy Saturn wins. By not taking care of the situation Saturn losses BIG!. If this person persuades just one other person not to buy a Saturn, and they will. Saturn has lost.

I am in the same situation. I have a 2003 Saturn Vue. The first week I owned it I took it back and inquired about the engine It didn't sound right. They said thats the way they are. At 12,000 miles the front wheel bearings had to be replaced. There was a loose belt that had to be replaced shortly afterward. Again I said there is something wrong with the engine, the tack periodically moves sporadically They told me nothing is wrong. At 20,000 miles the rotors were bad. Again I said something is wrong with the engine. 43,000 miles and my Engine is trash.

I will try your technic tommarrow, and see if they take back my steak.

Totally unsatisfied with car and service

uga91 · February 2005

Then get rid of it. Never buy another Saturn again. I have always been very pleased with the service departments of the Saturn stores I've dealt with. I have bought 4 Saturns and plan on buying more in the future.

What you fail to remember is that unlike your steak, car dealers have their hands tied. They can not hand out new cars when you are unhappy. They have to follow the rules. The inventory at a Saturn dealer is not owned by General Motors and sold on consignment by the dealers. The dealers borrow money to buy the vehicles from the manufacturer. You buy the vehicle from the dealer and the dealer pays off what they owe to the bank or whoever they get their money from. That is why there is Dealer Holdback. Too many people feel as though dealer holdback is "free" money given to the dealer that should passed along to the customer. Holdback is money given by the manufacturer to the dealer to defray the cost of doing business--to pay the interest on the loan they took out to buy the vehicle you just purchased. How do you think car dealers can sell at invoice? Go on just about any thread--they'll all say to offer invoice less rebates. It's the holdback that allows them to do that.

Anyway, back to your situation. For some reason, Americans today are convinced that the first time their product does not live up to their expectations, they are entitled to a new replacement unit. You are not. I work for the largest industrial equipment and supply wholesaler in the US and I get customers from time to time get all upset with me because their 6 month old air compressor won't be replaced. They'll say "I paid $2000 for this air compressor and here it is 6 months later and it's broken. It has a 3 year warranty and I need a new one." I have to inform them that it is under warranty and it will be fixed at no charge to them--but not replaced. If you buy a power tool and it breaks after 6 months, guess what, it gets fixed at no charge under warranty--but not replaced. The same holds true for cars. If yours breaks, it gets fixed. Most states have Lemon Laws to replace units with serious issues; but, most of us do not fall into that category. Your dealer can not hand out new $20,000 cars every time you get upset. They can fix it--but it is not up to them to replace it. They can not say "You are right. Your car is broken. Please take a new one and our apologies." The manufacturer will not reimburse the dealer for that. Car dealers are just like electronics stores and department stores. They are for-profit businesses. If you are upset with your VUE, then trade it for something else. They will NOT give a new one.

drivven · March 2005

I can't remember if I've mentioned this before or not, but here goes.

For the second time in the history of owning our '04 Black FWD V6 VUE we've had the occasion to have a bird drop his calling card on the hood of the vehicle. The first calling card was inadvertantly left on the hood for more than a day and once we wiped it off there was a definite residue left in the finish that took some careful and prolonged work by the dealer to remove. The second occurrance was just 2 days ago and I judiciously removed the calling card as soon as I saw it, within a day.

When I went out to the car this AM to take it in for one of the 3000 mile milestones I noticed another calling card ring on the hood where I had removed the deposit. So, after the oil was changed and other tasks performed I asked the dealer to inspect the hood for the deposit. Of course the car was in the wrong light so we didn't see it, but the repair person put a new wax coat on the hood anyway. From casual inspection it appears the deposit is gone now.

My question to other forum folks is if they've noticed any similar problems due to bird calling cards, especially on the black version, which shows imperfections seemingly more easily than the colors do. Keep in mind that our other vehicle is also black and doesn't seem to show the same residual damage.

Anyone else?

vuefor2 · March 2005

Thought I would pop in and say hi. Our 2002 Vue is still chugging along. The baby stuff fits nicely in the back though we may have to get a Relay if my wife and I have another. It's amazing how much stuff a baby needs!

Not much to report. Oil, gas and go for the last year and a half. Anyone know when the Vue will get a face refresh? It's essentially been the same now for 4 years. Also, anyone know when I should change the transmission fluid? We have about 60,000 miles on it now.

martin5 · March 2005

I read the post about your transmission problems and was wondering if you had an update. I have had the transmission replaced twice on my Vue and serviced 2 other times. It has a very scary tendancy to "pause" usually during what should be the shift between 1st and 2nd gear. I'll pull out into traffic and it feels like someone reaches over and slips the car into neutral, leaving me stranded in an intersection praying nobody hits me before I can get going again. I have written my "lemon" letter and am waiting to see how the car behaves now that they have had their final chance to fix it. From what I've read online, not too many people have had luck getting a new car. Have you? You may email me at deemartin5@yahoo.com

vanman1 · March 2005

Great news on the VUE. I read on another web site for Saturns that the VUE will get the following next year.

- 2.4L 170 hp base engine upgrade
- All new and upgraded interior
- New front with a Saturn Aura look to it (Saturn's new look)
- Further refinements
- The 3.5L from Honda will continue as the V6

uga91 · March 2005

That does sound like good news... except to those of us who just bought a 2005 VUE!

vanman1 · March 2005

Well, the current VUE is nice as is IMO. You know prices will have to rise also.

Another feature I forgot about is an iPod/MP3 player plug on the front of VUE stereos in 2006.

tidester · March 2005

It is better to make your email address visible in your user profile than posting it directly in your message - the spammers love to harvest email addresses from public forums. You can change the settings in your profile by clicking on the "Forum Profile" link near the top of this page in the left column.

tidester, host

scottawa · March 2005

Its been a while since I posted with further tales of woe about my 2003 Vue. Many of you that preach at the feet of Saturn seemed offended by my negative comments about the product and the marketing of Saturn. I see since I last posted, others have had similar experiences. When I last posted, I had a new transmission, timing chain, water pump; the fuel gauge had crapped out; my floor vent was not working; the windshield wiper nozzle was broken. Imagine how I feel now that Ive since had: the BCM (the computer that apparently operates the electronics) die on me and leave me stranded. Then, I had to have the stabilizer end joints (whatever those are) replaced because my Vue sounded like the groaning timbers on a tall ship when I turned. My gas gauge has also crapped out again, as have my spray nozzels. And, my switch for the fan had to be replaced because it stopped working - great on a -30 day. And finally, my back two tires (but just the back two) looked like racing slicks because of an alignment issue (despite me bringing it in every 1500 km for a repair) and I had to get $600 worth of tires with just 30,000 on them. What really made me laugh? I call GM to tell them I am dissatisfied. Their answer? In their opinion I have not had an inordinate amount of problems and their only obligation is to fix the car. Who cares if I am completely disatisfied with my $25,000 purchase. And then, Brian Williams leads of NBC news with, "sales down again for the big 3 auto makes. What must they do to compete with the Japanese?". Here's a hint: my Camry has 225,000 km on it an never had a problem.

dan165 · March 2005

scottawa, No excuse for all the problems with your VUE, obviously a lemon. No lemon law in Ontario though, call Mr. McGuinty and get him on that (ha ha)! I can not believe you have not had 1 issue with your Camry over 225K though. If true, you must have the best one in the world and you are incredibly lucky.

vanman, Great news on the VUE upgrades. Maybe we will take another look at one come the fall if we have not bought anything by then.

scottawa · March 2005

Hey Dan

I am afraid to call McGuinty; he would probably levy some sort of lemon tax on me. The only thing going for me is most people are happy with their Vues, so selling it shouldnt be too difficult. As for th Camry, other than breaks, oil changes, timing belt change and a seal that needed to be replaced in the engine, its been a wonderful car as were the Hondas I had previously. I am not a Japanese car snob, frankly I don't care if the Taliban built my car as long as its not constant problems. What I would love to know is what happens to a vehicle on an assembly line to cause it to suffer from so many problems like mine. Untrained/incompetent workers? Parts made with inferior materials? Having a car plant in the same state that makes JD?

vanman1 · March 2005

So you did have some issues with your Camry!

;-)

Ontario needs a Lemon Law. If you have that many issues you would be able to get your money back or at least a new VUE. Our friends have a 2004 2WD V6 VUE and they love it. They just had a baby last week so they were looking at a Relay to replace their Taurus. Saturn converts all the way.

vuefor2 · March 2005

I can't wait to see what they do to the Vue. We love our 2002 Vue but with the upgrades I can see it selling even better.

I wonder when the pictures will be released?

vanman1 · April 2005

No pictures till the summer I'm sure.

cheapskate7 · April 2005

Production '06 VUE possibly moved up to mid June. As strongly considering purchase, hope some or all on wish list become available:

- curtain air bags standard

- ONSTAR and XM satellite radio options factory installed TOGETHER [and not mutually exclusive]

- ONSTAR on VUE have Goodwrench diagnostics feature

- back up warning system

[understand StabiTrac available in '07 - the sooner the better]

Hoping someone at GM/SATURN following this forum for consumer suggestions

chuck1 · April 2005

If you put a good polish on the car the "calling card" should come off and show no hint of it being there. Have you ever watched the T.V. commercial where the guy puts lighter fluid on the car and then lights it to show how good the polish is being advertised holds up? At any rate you can do this with any good car polish.
Hope this helps!

drivven · April 2005

Chuck: At the time of the first incident I had a good waxing on the car - the Saturn wax. Maybe it's not as good as they claim. But I will continue to apply a good coating. Thanks for the encouragement.

wd181 · April 2005

I have a 2005 Vue 6 AWD. My problem is the high beam headlights. When the low beams are adjusted to inspection station standards, the high beams shine too close to the front of the vehicle and do a poor job of lighting the roadway. I've taken the vehicle back to the dealer to address this problem, but the problem remains. I traded in a 2004 Vue 4 AWD and the headlights, both low and high beams were fine on that vehicle. Does anyone know if there is a separate adjustment for the high beam lights on the 2005 Vue?

Saturn VUE

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