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thanks
The spare tire is found on the inside of the Vue, underneath the rear storage area. The whole top pops out by pressing a specific tab and the spare tire is there to take out. The salesman showed it to me and it doesn't look too dificult, but I haven't done it myself yet. Hope this helps.
It doesn't get the Honda engine though (it uses a 185-hp 3.4 V6).
As a comparison, the Honda Pilot and the Ford Escape have many 04 reviews.
I don't want to sound crass, but I guess I'm just a bit disillusioned by how slow reviews seem to be posted here. I understand that there's volunteers working on things, but it's been since November.
Honda engine is good, but it's not perfect. Apparently there have been some starting issues with the 3.5L. GM has some good engines also, even the 3.0L in the 03 was a good power plant.
I don't think much of the GM 3.0L 182hp motor.
Just my opinion.
Ken
Congrats on the new VUE!
Luggage Capacity: 35.2 vs 30.8 for the VUE.
Seems like the Equinox is a little bigger.
Sorry about all the questions but we've got over 4K miles on our 3.5L FWD odo, we live in the St. Louis area and around town we only manage about 17 mpg. On a just-completed trip to Minnesota (temps in the 30's) we managed 26+ with a stiff tail wind. On the way back, a stiff headwind, we just managed 21+!! We don't speed, maybe 70-72mph. We're somewhat disappointed with the mileage and that's why I'm asking about where your temp gauge reads because ours is just above the 1/4 mark all the time. I don't think it runs warm enough for proper operation. Dealer thinks it's normal - but again this is the first year for this mill and these guys are not Honda mechanics.
The rest of the vehicle is great.
Sound like 25-26 highway is best case in the winter.
I'm still trying to ascertain if the engine is operating at near max efficiency, thus the query about the temp gauge. Personally, I don't think the engine runs warm enough. It's been my impression that these modern engines operate more efficiently when they run on the high end of the temperature range. Just trying to track down all the possibilities. 'Praps the Honda site has some info....
So patience, and thanks for submitting it.
Steve, Host
Not sure how the new-fangled fuel injection systems work vs. the old carbs and their low speed idle settings, so I'm not sure how something like that might affect overall fuel usage - it just seems kind of odd that the idle would be strong enough to send us down the road. Of course the affect is lessened when the engine is fully to operating temp, but we still get some idle "pull" from an elevated state of rpm.
Don't know about putting 0-30 in the engine. Never was a big fan of the synthetics. Remember "Slick 50"? It never convinced the masses that it saved all that much fuel, etc. To each his own, I guess. I'll tool on over to the referenced site and see what the chatter is about over there. And, I've got to visit the Honda site too. In the meantime guess I'll wait until it's 95+ in St. Louis to see what kind of impact that has on the mpg. Hope it improves, but it's not the end of the world. The vehicle is great - very handy and the wife loves the heated seats!!!
The temp gauge reads about 3/8 temp all the time. I can't comment on where the temp gauge reside at in warm weather as we've only owned this Vue since November. The temp gauge on my 96 Saturn doesn't climb much higher than 1/4 - 3/8 temp in the cold weather, either. I wouldn't worry about that just yet. And, all things considered, having it run a bit on the cooler side really prolongs the engine life!
I've changed the oil a couple times and am planning on using Amsoil 0w-30 synthetic rather than the 5w-20 water-thin stuff. Many testimonials have been made about how gas mileage has gone up with the use of this (and Mobil1) synthetic setup.
I found a trick is not to push 1st or 2nd gear up too far. It's too easy to drive slow and still get the engine up to 3500 rmps in the lowest gears. It took a while, but getting the Vue to shift in the mid 2000rpm range I'm sure has helped out gas mileage.
Also, what kind of city driving is there? St Louis stop and go or just a bit of stop and go in a more county-like, not a stop-light-every-half-block kind of driving? I've noticed that hills and other terrain where I tend accellerate harder just to maintain highway speeds of 70-75mph. I'm sure this doesn't help mileage at all.
I haven't taken any long trips yet, but an wanting to just to see how high the MPG goes!
The condition disappeared in a couple of days as soon as temps returned to normal and before I could consult the dealer. According to the owner's manual, the non-flashing SERVICE ENGINE SOON light indicates emission-related issues and the manual says that moisture (such as running through a puddle) can cause it. That wasn't the case with me, so I dunno...
#531 of 571 Civic Hybrid Transmission Problems
The owner speaks of a limited (105 cars) recall involving replacing the entire tranny.
Is it the same tranny or just similar technology?
The electrical components would not work.
The heater didn't work
The sway bar needed replacing
The carpet kept coming up
The middle console latch was a joke
I called the dealer to complain and he said that what warranties were for. Not the answer I was looking for. So we got rid of it.
How did it hold it's resale value?
"The electrical components wouldn't work"... which ones??
Seems odd that you would have had so many problems and never posted questions on here before, considering you have posted on Edmunds since last August for other issues with other cars.
zapcat : I've seen a few VUEs for sale and resale has not been too bad at all. It's probably good on the V6 models, not so much on the 5-speed 4 bangers.
i like my vue a lot but it does have some oddities. like...no place to put my sunglasses..no place to put toll change...plus others. but these are just small things i'll get used to i'm sure. i have the new six and it seems like a good engine...sounds good too. when i start the car in the morn and drive away i get a whole body vibration that i can't figure. maybe it's the tires warming up...or maybe it's the all wheel drive being tested by the computer. other than that i like it and hope to enjoy it for many years.
In all seriousness, what did you want them to say? They were right, you have a warranty to get the problems fixed. It's a shame that you had these problems, but that's why new cars have warranties.
With the Honda V6, it should run forever.
Maybe the 3.6 from the CTS or a derivative of it.
The Honda engines are not with out issues (starting problems I have read), but they should be pretty good.
Maybe with the proliferation of EZ-Pass type systems and bar code stickers for toll booths, Saturn doesn't put a huge emphasis on change holders. PepBoys usually sells little coin holder accessories that can be mounted in the car where ever you would like. I think they mount with double-sided tape and cost only a few dollars.
I am watching the Equinox with interest.. anyone know when they are coming? I think I like the looks a little better than the Vue though Saturn service would be hard to give up.
I feel much better that my wife is driving with GREAT snow tires. A very big improvement on snow compared to stock, traction, braking and handling MUCH better on snow.
I went out last night and tried the new tires on 6-8” of new snow. What a difference in braking and taking off fast with real snow tires.
My wife went to work today with 8” of snow on the unplowed roads and the VUE performed GREAT.
Ken
Here parts of the article:
Saturn VUE V-6 AWD
GM breaks down and buys a Honda
0-60mph 7.0 sec
0-90mph 16.0
5-60mph 7.5 sec
¼ mile 15.5 sec @ 89mph
The otherwise undistinguished career of your humble author took a lucky turn in 1999 when, while working at the trade newspaper Automotive News, a deep throat at GM let fly that the General was taking to the Honda Motor Company about buying engines. The Sloan and Kettering rolling over in their graves registered on the Richter scale,
The world’s largest automaker, which spawned the automatic transmission, the self starter, and the catalytic converter, was reduced by changes of fortune to buying engines from a smaller Japanese outfit that, 35 years ago, was marketing air-cooled two-cylinder cars with chain drive. This was big. But to be a news story, it needed a second source, another singing canary. What is got was the head goose.
Not long after, I was a guest of Honda’s at the Twin Ring Motegi racetrack in Japan. Dawdling behind the pits waiting a drive in an S2000, turned around to find Honda’s president, Hiroyuki Yoshino, standing nearby, alone, having wandered away from his ever-present
SWAT team of handlers. The question was delivered with a shaky voice: Is Honda discussing an engine sale with GM? Yoshino, arms folded, eyes impassive, remained mute for a moment, then said, “Yes, we are talking to Ford too.” Ding! Express ticket to page one, please.
Who knows what became of the Ford talks? The first byproduct of the GM deal is pictured here. A VUE with a V6 built by Honda at Anna, Ohio.
Hold it! This is basically the same cast aluminum VTEC variable-valve timing-equipped mill and 5-speed automatic Honda drops into the $36,200 Acura MDX and the $27,560 Honda Pilot LX, as well as the Honda Odyssey. Bolted into the $24k Saturn VUE doesn’t this VUE represent a “roaring” value?
Well, more of a growling value. The VUE is no Honda, although it now sounds and accelerates like one. Compared with the weak jabs of the last year’s British-built 181-hp, 3.0 liter iron block V6, the 250-hp Honda 3.5 delivers a solid right hook. The new VUE’s 7.0 second scoot to 60mph is a substantial 1.4 second trimming of the old time, and the ¼ mile shrivels from 16.6 seconds to 15.5 at 89mph. Flat-foot the pedal and the VUE squats and burns and lunges like a stink bug in heat. On the freeway it zooms by tractor- trailers as if they were roling an square wheels.
The old cockpit resembled the made of a brown paper bag. Now chrome accents ring the white-face gauges, and titanium-colored plastic blankets the center console and new three-spoke, two-tone sterring wheel. The purposeful 17” spoked alloy wheels, standard on V-6 AWD models, resemble Audi parts-bin rims.
Ken