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http://www.detnews.com/2003/insiders/0312/18/insiders-12492.htm
But will they accept GM card earnings soon?
If you look at it objectively, there really is no need for Saturn in GM's lineup. If anything, the case for keeping Olds (maybe with a different name) would have been stronger. Probably the billions they've pumped into Saturn will keep it alive for a while, but only a while unless they get their act together.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Anyone know if the prototype was polymer paneled? Probably not...thus adding to the probability of no more polymer cars. I know folks want "tight" panels but..I just don't think the drawbacks of sheet metal are worth it.
~alpha
The only difference? The ION was ALL-NEW last year, for 2003, and the only newer entries in the aforementioned are the Forenza and Aveo, which use price to compete, a strategy not taken by Saturn. The Sentra, Neon, and Accent are on the verge of replacement/redesign, and the Lancer has already been upgraded with new available features and engines, and of course, the awesome EVO. Additionally, Kia will intro the Cerato in the near future to replace its horrid Spectra. Its only going to get tougher, and the ION is already behind the 8 ball. IMO, this spells bad for Saturn.
The car that the ION could have been? The rather impressive looking Cobalt.
~alpha
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Howdy folks,
I bought a 2004 honda civic hybrid, with the automatic CVT transmission,
about 4 weeks ago. I've put about 650 miles on the car, and so far I've been
pretty pleased.
However, yesterday (Fri, Dec 12) I came home to a message on my answering
machine from the service manager at the dealership where I purchased the
car.
He stated that he had been informed by Honda America that my car was one of
105 cars in the US that "have an issue with the steel drive belt in the
transmission" and that my transmission in my brand new car would have to be
REPLACED! Yes - completely replaced...
The message said the service manager wouldn't be in until monday, but I went
down to the dealership this morning to see if I could learn more. The
salesperson whom I had dealt with didn't know anything about this, nor did
the business manager or the general sales manager of the dealership.
However, one of the people in the service dept was able to confirm that the
service manager had been informed by American Honda that this issue existed
(had only heard on Friday?) but he had no further information. I inquired
about a service bulletin - he knew nothing of one yet.
Anyhow, I'll speak to the service manager on Monday morning and get the full
story, but I thought other people might be interested.
--Paul M.
whatver the changes, they will be welcome.
I bought my car brand-new (6 miles on it, 11 after my test-drive) at the end of July 2003. It now has 11,776 miles on it. I drove it 1200 miles to Canada and back over the Labor Day weekend. It was rearended in late October, and the trunk was fixed beautifully.
The weather in my area has been in the teens (Farenheit) or below for the past week, so my steering wheel sounds like it needs lubricating. I received 2 recall notices in the mail a month ago, but haven't had time to get the au gratis repairs scheduled.
Otherwise, the car drives great. The mileage is not as impressive as with the SL1 that my husband drives. I enjoy driving it as well as seeing other new IONs on the road. I hope this car lasts as long as the SL1 (it's a 1992 model - original owner), but if not, no sweat - it cost me nearly nothing!
I get my jollies telling stories about the car I own, because I don't watch the car trends like the regulars at this forum. To me, that's like having a wandering eye.... Just kidding! I checked out the photos of the SE, and it looks yummy!
Otherwise, the car drives great. The mileage is not as impressive as with the SL1 that my husband drives."
I also received the recall notices...I'm taking mine in on Monday to get them fixed. Also, keep in mind on the ION is a larger car than your husband's S-Series and has a larger engine. That's where your mileage went.
Thanks!
I saw the new Cobalt in Detroit recently when I was on business in Windsor. It is everything the ION is not. It will not keep Honda and Toyota engineers up at night but it is nice. They will sell these Cobalts by the truck load, especially the coupe. The Cobalt's inside is pleasant, arguably the best looking of the US-made small cars, though materials are typical of new GM, better than before but cheaper looking than the main competition. The exterior is crisp, modern, but conservative. In Canada, we will also get a Pontiac variant called the Pursuit. That said, I prefer the look of the similarly sized Daewoo-produced Chevy Optra, inside and out, which we will get for the Canadian market. No doubt that the Cobalt/ION architecture is better from a driving perspective than its Daewoo stablemate.
GM could really goose Saturn sales by badge engineering a version of the Cobalt on the cheap, rather than trying to fix the awkward lines and interior of the current ION. After all they are badge engineering the van, and one recent article even suggested rebadging the Opel lineup from Europe as Saturns in North America. Could be a winning formula.
I think the Cobalt will indeed steal sales from Corolla and Civic so long as the quality is there. More power, better looks and more options make it a more attractive package.
What the Cobalt will be stealing sales from is the Ford Focus, the Dodge Neon, and yes, the Saturn Ion.
People who shop Corolla and Civic (and Mazda 3, Volkswagen Golf/Jetta, etc.) just don't go into Chevrolet dealers to buy their cars. The only GM brand that ever made a credible grab for import shoppers is Saturn, and those days are gone.
Ya, because they will find the same Cavalier that was there 7 years ago. Of course they usually don't!
Cobalt, from everything I have seen will be MORE than competitive in every way.
It appears to be a much better effort than what we're accustomed to seeing from the General. They didn't appear to botch any of the usual items like styling, engine, or interior.
Kind of amazing, actually. Oh, I know, they will price it way too high.
My impression of the Cobalt is that the interior and switchgear is still typical GM, and 2004 ION owners will recognize many of the materials. No Honda or Toyota owner will ever confuse the Cobalt interior with a Japanese car. The Cobalt is attractively designed (much better than the ION) but does not transcend its price class.
So despite being an owner of a new Civic and Corolla, I would consider a Cobalt if it stands up, because I like the overall driving dynamics of GM's vehicles. But I am not the norm in this. I do a lot of highway driving where a comfortable, heavy car is as important as a nimble one with nice switches and interior.
By the way, the worst looking interiors for the money currently has to be the C-Class Benz. Benz used to be my favourite car, but I would feel more comfortable defending design choices in the ION than the baby-Benz. The ION has so far proven more reliable as well.
That may be true for edmunds.com users, but not for the population as a whole. GM is still the world's largest car maker. Town Hall participants are NOT representative of car buyers as a whole, IMO.
Even the horrible Chevy Citation was a top-seller, and it wasn't on the car's merits, but rather based entirely on the mass bad taste and lack of automotive savvy of the vast American driving public. It sold well, but was still total junk.
The S-series wasn't up to Japanese quality standards in 1990, but it was cheaper than the Japanese, and good enough. The Ion isn't cheaper, and it isn't close enough in the materials and worksmanship. The Cobalt may very well be nicer than the Ion, but it too cannot compete with the Civic and Corolla, and likewise those who've made the step from poorly built GM cars to high-quality Japanese cars find that it is usually a one-way trip.
If GM prices the Cobalt well, YES! it will kill the lame ION's sales. Additionally, if the Cobalt gets good reviews from the press, and has the interior construction and quality of the new Malibu (which is pretty impressive- not Accord or Camry levels, but good nonetheless), I'd be willing to give it a try, especially if a "conquest" rebate was offered.
(Mind you, in the past 5 years, my family has owned Toyota, Honda, and Nissan products).
The Cobalt looks appealing, and seems to be the car I had hoped the ION would be. Pending aggressive, effective advertising, I wouldnt be surprised to see people cross shop the Civic, Cobalt, and Corolla. Maybe GM can leverage Cobalt resale value by not mass fleet selling the vehicle, but instead, leaving fleet sales to the ION!
~alpha
See ya later, gonna go throw my Protege around some corners.
alpha : Yes, Cobalt is what ION should have been.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Some people demand high quality, not just on a spec sheet, but in every part or surface that catches their eye or falls under their fingertips.
Some people demand refined road manners competent handling and modern technology.
Of course, MOST people wouldn't know an overhead cam from a pushrod, and don't think that there is a difference in the feel of a turn-signal stalk. Of course, MOST people buy their cars with about the same thought process that they use for a tube of toothpaste, so they get what they deserve.