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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)
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I would much rather trade it in with a light on than have a TMU title.
I think they will be able to fix it though without messing with the odometer.
Should we start a pool
-Mathias
Any way this thing could be made to disappear? There are guys in the North End (of Boston) who can make that happen for a couple of hundred $$.....then again, I'd give at least a 25% probability to your driving home from the Saturn dealer today with a new Saturn......anyone want to bet?
No way do I want to keep a car that had significant dame and was repaired, and they can be a nightmare to sell.
One more reason that if i finally get my BMW, I'll probably lease!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Really ? :surprise:
Leaving the keys in mine is not working.
Well, my son told me last night that he found out that it belongs to a girl in his class (junior, so probably 16).
And I mean her. Seems it was her fathers, but he got a new one, and gave her the old one! ven though she still can't get a license!
Can't imagine learing to drive on one of those (although i guess they probably have an assortment of other cars to practice on), but the first time she drives it to school and parks in the student lot, I may break down and cry.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Funny, a guy here at work made the same comment .. if you can drive it without putting miles on it, what exactly is the problem?
I think they will be able to fix it though without messing with the odometer.
The service advisor at the Saturn dealer said much the same thing. We'll see.
Wonder what you'll be up to this weekend ???
I'll be in Utah this weekend. Taking the VUE on a little road trip with the wife to see her son. Just over 500 miles each way. Returning Monday, so no car shopping over the weekend.
And this is why I despise the L series Saturns. Not much to love, and lot of annoyances. It seems they *all* have electrical issues of some sort or another.
I've got my fingers crossed, Mathias. Yes, the BCM was replaced in March/April of 2006, but other than that, I've had no electrical issues. The best and worst things about it are the same thing - that quasi-European background makes it fun to drive, but parts are expensive to replace.
Is the one that was wrecked? And the body repairs are done already?
Yes and yes. Just under 65K on the odometer.
Any way this thing could be made to disappear?
My dad used to investigate arson initiated insurance fraud when he was with the Fire Department, so that's a road I probably don't want to go down.
While at the dealer, I did finally take a test drive of the Aura. 2007 XR with leather and sunroof. Nice car, but, really, no different than my L except for the new car price tag.
One more reason that if i finally get my BMW, I'll probably lease!
Funny, the salesguy at the Saturn dealer is currently leasing an X3 -- and can't wait for the day the lease is up so he can get into a VUE! He's been with Saturn for 16 years.
I have considered a low cost lease and cashing out the difference of my trade in.
Gotta run that by Mrs. michaell, however.
I would think that would move it into your field of expertise...
Another BCM (Body Control Module) failure. This is the second one in 18 months.
They will split the cost of a new one with me 50/50 .. gee, that means that it costs me only $250 this time around.
Oh, and they won't have the part in until tomorrow, so the dealer will pay for a rental car for the evening.
Wife, in a fit of frustration, said "trade it in".
We'll see.
OOOO, I'd take that as permission and leave the old Saturn at the dealer, drive home in a new one instead of the rental car!
When my hubby got sick of my complaining that the Durango was always in the shop, he said fine, trade it in. Well, that's certainly what I did!! Could not be happier with my Pilot, which will sadly turn 6k today OUCH!
I did that about 7 weeks ago with the wife's VUE. Died on Sunday, towed to dealer, dealer couldn't replicate problem. We left service, went to sales and made a deal on a new '08 VUE.
But, do I want another Saturn?
Do I buy or lease?
I'll give it some thought over the weekend while I'm away and decide something next week.
I'm still giving serious thought to picking up a beater / older car as a daily driver. Looks like you can get something that runs well and has working A/C under $2k, and something that runs well, has working A/C, and looks decent under $4k. This doesn't make a whole lot of logical sense, because I'm way under the mileage restriction on the Audi lease, and still have 13 months left, but who said I have to be logical?
If (and I stress the "if") I decide to do something, it probably won't be a premium brand.
Right now I'm thinking about a leftover '07 something.
Nissan dealer has a number of '07 Altima 3.5's in stock - SE and SL.
Saturn has a few '07 Aura XR's on the lot.
Still some Accords around.
I set the seat up where I could sit in the back comfortably for a couple of hours then tried to see if I could comfortable drive the car like that.
I am five foot 11 and conceivably could have someone similar sized sit behind me.
Keep it up and they'll be blogging about you too!
930,000 mile '95 Honda Civic
Micheal,
Its not bad. You pay 250 now or 25000 tomorrow on a new car. Pick your poison. It all depends on your tolerance for debt. If you dont like debt, then a shiny new car wont help... everytime you look at it, you are reminded of how much you owe.. hence you wont enjoy it as much.
IMO, Best car you'll ever own is the one that is paid off. That being said, I would not buy a saturn again. Regarding your question about getting another saturn...I'd say Voting with your wallet is dumb. You already bought half a dozen saturns... You made your point. IMHO, Be smart and get something different on the cheap and keep it a long time.
Ofcourse, I am at a different stage of life right now. So your approach will be different than my perspective. I'd be happy with money in the bank and be able to take 6 months off. I am getting tired of monday morning sickness. I owe I owe so off I go to work... 9 to 5 getting chained to desk is not much fun any longer if you ask me.
930,000 mile '95 Honda Civic
Nah, I won't keep it that long, I will keep it long enough to see kyfdx eat his hat though! LOL, I think that was 100k. :P
I have an ESC that takes it to 120k, I know I can make that, lol. I average about 35k/year, so that's only 3 1/2 years, not bad, I like the Pilot well enough.
On another note, I saw my old Titan today, talked to the guy that owns it. I asked him if he wanted some history on the truck, he said he'd love some history. Course after he found out its background I think he was thinking ignorance was bliss. On the bright side he doesn't tow anything, its just a daily driver, it might be ok as that. I do still miss that truck though, but the Pilot is so much better for what I need.
I haven't been keeping very close track, but it sems like you have had at least two Saturns that have given you multiple mechanical problems by the age of 5 and well before 100K miles. For me, that would be a SIGN: go with a different brand next time!
And the leftover '07 Accords are looking very tempting right now: many dealers still have a pretty decent selection, and routine discounts from sticker are now in the $4000 range. That's around $21K for an EX with leather, seems like a heck of a deal if you don't mind having "the old model".
Just playing devil's advocate here! :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I am with BR on the C30,I sat in one at the auto show and the seats were typical Volvo. Too bad it only seats 4, I need 5 on occasion. It did seem pricey too.
Michael, is the Astra here yet? I know they will be at sticker for awhile but they could do the trick if you can make do with a hatch.
Yeah, I know. I think I will be keeping the L for the time being. It'll be nice to have at least one paid off car.
9 to 5 getting chained to desk is not much fun any longer if you ask me.
7 to 4 for me, but I hear you. I'm actually enjoying my job for the first time in many years, and I see a good career path over the next 10-15 years.
I have my fingers crossed as I type this; I'm in the job I have - it was a lateral move to another department - only because I was downsized from the previous position I had.
I haven't been keeping very close track, but it seems like you have had at least two Saturns that have given you multiple mechanical problems by the age of 5 and well before 100K miles. For me, that would be a SIGN: go with a different brand next time!
You are correct; the '04 VUE stranded us in August and the dealer couldn't figure out what was wrong - that prompted us to get the '08 VUE. And my L has cost me more money than it should for a car that is less than 5 years old and only 65K on the clock. You would think the adage "once bitten, twice shy" would apply here, but the wife likes the Saturn customer service experience, even though she's only at the dealer when we buy them. I feel like a fleet manager at times, with 3 cars to maintain.
Michael, is the Astra here yet?
Official release date of the Astra is now scheduled for 2 January 2008. Not sure if that means it will be sold as a 2009 model year or not.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I, too, am rooting for Saturn to succeed for GM as their "import fighting" brand. With the additions to the lineup (Zafira, Corsa and a possible RWD 3-series competitor), I think Saturn has the right mix of product to take on just about anyone.
One other thing .. my rental for the night was a Ford Edge (Saturn dealer has a deal with an Avis shop down the street). SEL, FWD, pretty well equipped. Ran a couple of errands with my wife in it last night ... she liked it, but thought it was too big for her. Lots of room, quiet, but just ... large.
I guess it is times like this that being a part of CCBA is a bit of a curse. With so many good cars to choose from, both foreign and domestic, what is a person to do?
There is a part of me that wants to stay put.
There is a part of me that wants to get a no-frills commuter car, as we have our 'fancy' car with the all the bells and whistles in the new VUE.
There is a part of me that wants to have all the bells and whistles myself.
Gee, it's not like I've been down this road before ...
Our neighbors recently bought one and I was somewhat impressed, especially with the price...
You know we're all pushing for something new for you!!!
I do like the tC, and the Civic coupe as well.
Showed my wife a Civic sedan last night ... she liked it OK.
You know we're all pushing for something new for you!!!
Well, almost everyone. Note the post above that suggests that I should pay off my L and keep it. That is what I'm leaning towards, with only 2 payments left on it.
No, This is about buying & owning Saturns. Period. End of story. Even if, as is happening, everyone here urges a switch to a honda or other brand. Even if the serial-saturn-owner has had many problems with the cars.
Another brand of car for Michael might upset the Cosmic Balance or something, & none of us needs that.....do we??? :confuse:
Why limit yourself?
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Autoweek had pics (I think a test too, didn't have a chance to read) of the 1 series convertible. Unless it is hideous with the top up, I want one. THink they come out in April.
I would put down a deposit tomorrow on a 125 if they just had brought over the 5 door. Perfect car for me.
\
I would love a convertible, but that needs to wait until my son is out of the mix. He can have his own car next summer.
Only slight drawback is he starts college the year after that...
I may be in the Accord longer than I hoped!
Actually, if he can get a decent scholarship, I can blow his colleg fund on the BMW! A much better idea!
Either that, or in 6 years I can get one (after he graduates!)
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
"Son, if you want Daddy to have that Porsche, you need to study harder.. Five A's and one B is not going to cut it.. "
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A girl I went to HS with applied to dozens of scholarships and because she applied to so many she ended up getting a lot of money. A lot of them were so obscure that she was the only person who applied.
Ended up paying for her first two years of college with little 500-1500 dollars scholarships. By the time that money had run out she got an academic scholarship from the university.
Actually, I think I promised him my car or something at one point if he got a full ride!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I tell him that all the time.... He knows I'm not joking... In fact, he's been lobbying for 10% of the fund... :surprise:
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2 Honda
2 Isuzus
1 Nissan
1 Mazda
It's only since I've been in Colorado that I started getting more domestics, with an occasional foreign brand:
1 Honda
1 VW
4 Fords
5 Saturns
(gee, that's 11 cars in the 14 years I've lived in Colorado - if nothing else, I'm helping the economy with all these purchases)
It's not that I'm pro-Saturn and anti-anything else - though my wife does have this odd resentment towards Honda, for some reason.
In a perfect world, I'd really like to get a 128i with minimum options. I'm trying to hold out until next spring or summer - or whenever the demand for the 1-series drops a little bit - and make my move then.
I was thinking more of not rewarding an automaker with more purchases when the last ones ended up being a costly hassle.
But I truly hope Saturn has turned the corner - I am ALMOST ready to believe that GM has...
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I'm still skeptical. I remember graphicguy's mom's Cadillemon. But, that would bolster your argument of every brand being a crapshoot. My Audi's had no reliability issues in 9 months and 7500 miles other than a recurring A/C odor and the fact that the service counter has a design flaw.
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The first time I read that, I thought that you were referring to the service counter at the dealership! :P
I've run into the same problem at dealerships. It was the Service Department Manager. :lemon:
james
People's problems here with saturns & chrysler vehicles have kind of turned me off to those.....(not that I was gonna buy one anyway, but.....).
I think it's partly a sociological phenomenon too (had to look those words up to spell them): in fancier neighborhoods in MA, the only American vehicles you see occasionally are F/S P/U's. Most people have hondas, toyotas, maybe a suburu. Or bmw's, benzes, lexus, volvo's etc. if they spend more.
For a lot of people, I think American cars aren't even considered when they go car shopping.....
I drove a Focus wagon which was so awful it quickly made me understand why they have to perennially run a $2500 cash rebate on a $15K car. First and last Ford test drive for a while, I would say.
And I drove a Malibu Maxx, which I thought was pretty darn good in many ways. In the end the interior was cheaper than the Matrix's and it cost a grand more, plus with the V-6 the fuel economy was on the hopeless side of mediocre. But it was better than I expected, and the push-button shifting was very responsive for an automatic.
Honda automatics are definitely a crapshoot. Toyota is cheaping out in lots of not so good ways these days, which turn up in little hassles and headaches, although usually stuff that doesn't disable the vehicle. Subaru: several model years of bad wheel bearings and head gaskets in the NA 2.5.
IMO the only genuinely bad brand is VW in terms of reliability, and Chrysler Group stands out for the world's cheapest interiors by far, and the rest are all neck and neck in the running.
As for social standing, well, my area here in California is like yours - nobody drives American except full-size pick-ups and frame-based SUVs, although the new GM crossovers are definitely showing up here and there. To be seen in an American car is like being in a Kia - people cock their heads at you slightly and say "don't worry, things will get better for you". So if you worry about the opinions of others, which I don't, you steer towards the imports.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
So a lot of people here don't want to be seen in anything but a domestic. Then there are still a lot of Hondas and Toyotas on the road, but Nissans and Mitsubishis are remarkably rare.
And it really depends where you are. In Lansing itself, domestics dominate... and that is cars as well as trucks. Move out to the suburbs, and you'll find plenty imports. Go across U.S.-127 into East Lansing, it's evenly split between domestics and imports, same on Campus, more or less.
Get on the freeway and drive between Flint and Saginaw, 90% domestic, and then it stays that way whenever you get out into the boonies. But of course, MI has a special place in automotive history. How is it in, say, Iowa?
Personally, the only domestic "cars" I would buy new are the ones built by a Japanese company (Vibe)... but I did buy a Silverado last year and was quite happy with it.
-Mathias
I like being able to start out in second gear in the winter. You can always do that with a manual, and it's not really necessary if the car has traction control, but it's nice to have the option.
And I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure the Maxx I drove had push-button shifting on the steering wheel. I'm not sure, I could be confusing it with an Aura XR I test drove last year, but I'm pretty sure it did.
It certainly isn't DSG, I know that, and it is only 4 speeds, but very responsive and geared well for the output of the engine I thought.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)