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Comments
http://www.cardesignnews.com/autoshows/2002/newyork/highlights/h04-saturn-ion.html
for terrific conceptual views of new Saturn ION car (some say the 2004 Cavalier will share this platform). Personally I cannot stomach the "centered" instrument panel, and I question its safety.
As for your question....i agree and disagree. It really does depend on how the car has been maintained and looked after. Revving an engine, designed to rev, is not necessarily a bad thing. Especially too since most rev lines are set lower than the actual engine redline and there's a cutoff anyway that prevents you from damaging it too badly.
To me, it really depends on how the car was maintained by the owner in general, what type of oil etc. I look for a lot of different things when, and if, I'm buying a used car. It's not a foolproof method, but can certainly help you make a better decision. I take complete meticulous care of my automobiles and I also drive them hard and rev them happy and free. I would think anyone would be lucky and happy as hell to have one of my cars after I'm done with them. The interiors are spotless, I park a mile away from anyone/anything so i rarely even have minor dents scrapes etc... Basically, I am anal retentive beyond belief. I have had several people at work already ask if i could give them first dibs on either the Pro or WRX when and if i trade them in. They know how much i love and take care of them.
Of course, the other extreme to this is the young kid racer with Daddy's coin who just beats the crap out of the car and engine and then trades in or totals the thing. I would always want to know who I am buying a car from before buying used. I tend to shy away from used cars on lots if I can't be provided a complete and total car history and paper trail. Then again, you can find some real bargains, but you still roll the dice each time.
It all depends on the car and who loves it....or doesn't...
That interior is way too Echo-STYLZ for my taste. And anything Echo (except good fuel consumption) isn't great in my books. I bet it will have the standard harcore GM plastic dash. From the back, it actually looks like the Celica/Solara coupes, but the front, that's just another Saturn screaming "Cheap!" I still can't get over WHY anyone would buy a NEW Saturn. The un-negotiable prices make it overpriced compared to imports. Why have a POS, when you can have a car?
Dinu
Dinu
Yah, the dash looks just like the equally repugnant Echo.
Zoomzoom79 had the KBB figure correct at just over $ 10,000 based on an entry of 61,000 miles which is my actual mileage.
I have no plans of trading in my Protege--it's worth way more than what a dealer would pay for it.
Here in south Alabama the local dealers tend to use NADA price labels on their used vehicles. Typically the price of a one-year-old car is described as having a retail (NADA) value that is typically higher than the equivalent vehicle was when it was new. When the same data for the car is entered at the NADA website the retail price is consitently much lower than what the dealer claims is the NADA retail. What gives?
Here's one thing I noticed:
With the car fully loaded, when I hit a speed of about 130 km (about 80 mph I think), and I hit turns, I could hear the wheels making a high-pitched sound. As soon as I straightened out, the noise stopped. At lower speeds, the noise was not present. Has anybody else heard this noise? I'm thinking that it was just due to the increased load, but worst case, something may be wrong with the tires.
Hope you all had a good weekend!
I did however enjoy being able to zoom-zoom on the way to work. Handling properly crisp and all the "wallow" of the snow tires gone! ProtegeFan - if you have the Poortenza RE92's...the noise you describe is typical of that tire at the limit. It sounds more like a whine than a squeal just before they start to slide. Trust me...I spend a lot of time at the "limit".
I can't wait to get some new tires on my factory rims. I measured the tread left on them. 2-3/32 on each tire. I figure I'll get 2-3000 before having to replace them at the wear indicators. I still am planning to go with the Potenza S-03's. I haven't decided on 205/55 or 205/50 yet though. I will call the TireRack tomorrow and see what they suggest. I am still considering the RE730's and the Dunlop SP Sport 9000's too, but Meade got me thinking about the Dunlop SP Sport A2's. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... so many choices.
Snow tires didn't wear too bad. Used up 2/32's on the fronts in mostly agressive driving and almost no wear at all on the rears in approx 5000 miles of driving on mostly dry roads. I should get 3-4 seasons of use from these. I am totally pleased with the Michellin Artic Alpin tires. Incredible wet traction and snow traction. Even pretty great in the dry as well. Fairly noisy on wet roads with a turbine-like whine at 55-70 mph, and at low speeds when accelerating. But very, very good tires.
Off to bed...it's 2am.
Regards,
Pete
Carmax has a big lot for a reason...They sell a LOT of cars. We also buy a LOT of cars from people. Check the stock price history when you get a chance. Awesome growth. Customer satisfaction ratings are great. Definitely NOT the picture of a company out to rip-off customers.
Gandalf we must be kindred spirits... I too park right up close to any curb I can find to ward off dings, take meticulous care of my steeds, and people that know me usually would kill to have a car that I have deemed "not worthy of my hiney".
Dinu your story about the Protege test drive sounded just like our experience. The test drive had us convinced. Sweeping on the onramp at 60-70 mph was fun. Great accelleration from rest. Awesome tight "performance" feeling suspension. Brought great big grins accross our faces. We loved that car until our first road trip. Low end torque doesn't help a bit if the engine's running 4000 rpm at 80 in fifth and it went downhill at higher speeds.
BUT....
No better car for around town and more sane speeds. If you are gonna obey the speed limit and cruise normal speeds, tool around town, or just like to drive a sporty lil ole sedan there is none better than the Protege ES.
The Civic has a questionable view from the rear end, everything else has an axle. And really the SE IS in a class by itself. There is no other car that has the SE's combination of features, reliability, handling, and cost.
But compared to my "new" 1996 Civic the Protege is.....oh sorry.
Exactly my experience with my Alpins. (195/55915 on 15" Steelies)
Mine are rusted(?) right on though and I can't get them off. I think I'm going to have to pay the tire place to do it which irks me as I have all the equipment to do it myself.
Just about the same amount of space it took for you guys to say "enough about the Civic".
Also mentioned Carmax....
And the Protege.......
Protogenic you obviously have never been to Atlanta....I-285 is like Daytona. If you ain't doin' 80 you ain't movin'. So it's actually not 99.9% of drivers.
(running and ducking)
You got me confused with Zoom. I don't necessarily agree with some of her Civic-centric posts in here but she is her own person. She can do what she wants.
;-)
Meade
My apologies in advance.
Meade
http://www.auto.com/industry/nhtsa2_20020402.htm
My 2 experiences both involved dealer sold cars and dealer sold extended warranties. One through a Pontiac dealership, one with Mercury. The Mercury one involved a new car.
A good client of mine bought his son a used Grand Am from a Pontiac dealership. The salesman sold him an extended warranty. The original warranty had expired, but since he was buying a certified car from Pontiac, he was told the extended warranty would pick up right where the old one left off. A few thousand miles later, he had the need to use the warranty. His son was driving the car when the water pump apparently failed. The result, overheated engine, with a blown head gasket and worse, pressure testing showed a warped head! Thank God for the warranty right? No.
He called me and said he spoke to the claims people at the warranty company. Here's what they said. They'd pay for the failed part (water pump) but NOT the damage caused by the failed part (head gasket and head)! In essence, they'd pay to put a new water pump into a blown engine. He called me, and as a valued client, it was time for some free legal work on my end. I called the dealership, spoke to the salesman who sold my client the car and he was genuinely shocked that this was what the warranty company said. He said "we" were told these warranties actually extended the factory warranty. To their credit, the dealership go involved right away and basically told the warranty company that if they didn't honor the claim, they'd stop selling the warranties. All was taken care of.
Not that long after, my mother-in-law buys a new Mercury Cougar. She asks me to look at the extended warranty plan she's pretty much set on buying. I read it and sure enough, it was awful! Same deal as my client's. They'd pay for lots of things and some excluded, but one thing was clear. While they would pay for a covered item to be replaced, they would NOT pay for resulting damage to other components from the failed covered component. I called the company and gave them the water pump scenario and they said only the pump would be covered. When I spoke to the saleman he was shocked and said this is not at all what he thought.
So, be careful and read these things! Again, I've been told by some people that they have had good experiences and, like all things, I'm sure some are bad and some good. I'm just saying I've been 0-2 in my experience. So, be informed before you decide.
I never looked into it for my new Pro so I don't know how Mazda's dealership sold plan works here in NY.
Ron B.
yeah I saw that. What I cannot figure out is why the wheel bearing is mentioned as it was an item recalled 2 years ago. Doesn't make sense. The rest of the items are just things they're checking into. I'll be curious to see what the results are. Just so we put this in place. Look at all the vehicles in just this month alone
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/monthly/2002/200202.html
Look back through the months and you see even "bullet proof" vehicles being looked into for problems.
*Not good news, no. But it also doesn't mean there is a real problem either. To clarify, these are not recalls. But somehow I feel the sharks circling...
The heavier load put more lateral force on your tires is all. Some folks actually seek out this threshold.
Ron B.
EasyCare will not cover damage to other parts ... "arising out of the failure of an otherwise covered part that does not meet manufacture’s specifications, including modifications and/or alterations to the vehicle not approved by the manufacture’s authorized representative (Some examples: oversized tires, headers, altered ignition system, free flow exhaust system, lift kit and aftermarket alarm systems)."
In other words, EasyCare will cover any part in your car that is damaged by a part that meets OEM specifications. If your bolted-on turbocharger fails and kills your throttle body, however, you'd better have your checkbook ready!
EasyCare's TotalCare contract is very comprehensive and (according to several car warranty sites on the Internet) comes closest to bumper-to-bumper coverage of any plan out there today. Here's what EasyCare has to say about TotalCare ...
"The highest level of coverage we offer is TotalCare. TotalCare contracts cover all mechanical and electrical components in a vehicle, except for those specifically identified in the actual service contract as not covered (for example, maintenance parts, such as fuses and wiper blades)."
I hope I never have to use the warranty. But it's nice to know how comprehensive and foolproof it is.
Meade
So what kind of cars do u see on the i-285 apart from the Si?
So Meade, is your Pro still running like butter? I guess I need to get in for the 30K service sometime soon if it makes that big of difference.
BTW, I liked the Oddyssey you've created talking about being Civil, even though we are sometimes in dis-Accord.
Dinu
Of course during rush hour there's traffic but there are 19 hours a day when the traffic runs freely. I was on 285 when I was rolling with that Maxima at 120mph near the Galleria.
Our local paper did a study and found that on some parts of 285 at some times of the day there are areas that average over 70mph. That's the average.
I never bought another one.
Watch out for dealers who try to sell you an extended warrenty and won't show you a copy of the contract.
fowler3
My warranty contract, evidence of coverage and all associated documents are neatly stored in an envelope in my glovebox! They won't do me any good if I'm on Hatteras Island at midnight with a broken-down car!
Meade
We buy the cars that suit us, the cars we deem closer to our ideals of what a fun car should be. When manufacturers change their quality, the styling, the performance, we move on to some other car brand that meets our ideals.
I couldn't care less what an Si does! I don't like compact two-doors. They have too little practicle function, high tails make them too hard to see out of for safety reasons. The letterbox rear windows are a joke. By that I mean, the rear windows are at such a steap slope the real area of view, vertically, is less than half the size of the window. I'm totally underwhelmed by these gussied up go-carts.
Next thing you know, ZoomZoom79 will tell us she bought an old lawnmower and put a turbo on it, cuts an acre of grass in 10 minutes. Do we care? NO!
My two cents worth.
fowler3
"All this back and forth about which cars are faster, which cars are more reliable, which cars are better, etc. WHO CARES? What difference does it make?"
I care a great deal about which cars are faster, certainly which are more reliable and definately which cars are better for your money's worth.
It makes the entire difference of which car I decide to purchase.
Your next paragraph states
"We buy the cars that suit us, the cars we deem closer to our ideals of what a fun car should be. When manufacturers change their quality, the styling, the performance, we move on to some other car brand that meets our ideals."
I fully agree, but when you think about it...doesn't that encompass everything you said was not relevant in the previous paragraph?
If you're frustrated with the Si rules the world...ongoing silliness, I concur with you. It's not a comparable topic against a Pro. It would be like pitting ZoomZoom's Si against my WRX. That is laughable. Why would I compare the two? I used to drive an SiR and believe me, there is no comparison. Comparing an Si against an ES Protege is equally absurd.
All that said, I appreciate the knowledge and input that ZoomZoom79 and Fxashun can bring to this board. I also find them witty, intelligent and a little prone to "shift" disturbing. More ZoomZoom79 than Fxashun. Anyway, this is not necessarily a bad thing and it can keep things interesting. However, I do agree the continual Honda talk is a little redundant and overbearing by now. If so, then just ignore the posts...do not reply or respond to them. Just let it be....
Meade
Dinu
On another topic, you can tell spring is in the air when your black Protege becomes kind of green from all the pollen in the air! Springtime in Atlanta is really great, if you don't have allergies!
(I'm speaking from 45-mph-to-zero-in-less-than-one-second experience here!)
Meade
Gotta love Ford for all it stands for.
Dinu
Luckily I didn't have to experience Meade's emergency braking procedure!
I hate the new (Honda small car) too. The new Corolla looks awesome but I ain't buying no car wit no baby carriage suspension. Of course that's an exaggeration.
WRX got appraised today. 2002, Yellow with 9000 miles for 18500. I wish they came with a roof. I'd love one o dem. Zoom said one came in with body damage for 11500 or so. I'd be in it.
If you don't mind me hogging the screen, here are just the items they are looking at this month alone. So if they find something, then I'd be concerend until then:
Action# MMY Subject Opened Closed Letters Comment
Sent Rcvd
EA99-008 ISUZU/HONDA RODEO/AMIGO/PASSPORT 1998-1999 BRAKING SYSTEM/ABS 31-Mar-99
EA99-030 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS 1998 OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT 29-Oct-99
EA00-013 GM SUBURBAN/TAHOE/YUKON 1995-1997 BATTERY LEAKS ACID
EA00-017 1999-2000 FORD SUPER DUTY F-SERIES & STRIPPED CHASSIS, W/HB LOSS OF POWER ASSIST; STEERING & BRAKING 20-Jun-00
EA00-018 KIA SEPHIA/SPORTAGE 1998-1999 TURN SIGHAL 29-Jun-00
EA00-020 VOLKSWAGEN PASSATS AND JETTAS 1996 LIGHT AND /WINDSHIELD WIPERS 10-Aug-00
EA00-021 AUDI A4 1996-2000 DEGRADED BRAKING IN WET WEATHER 11-Aug-00
EA00-022 ALL SATURN SERIES 1994-1995 SEAT RECLINER 14-Aug-00
EA00-026 HONEYWELL AD-SP/AD-IS AIR DRYER CARTRIDGES 1999 AD-DP/AD-IS AIR DRYER CARTRIDGES 02-Nov-00 28-Feb-02 NO CURRENT SAFETY DEFECT TREND
EA01-002 FORD SUPER DUTY F-SERIES 1999 PARKING BRAKE 12-Jan-01
EA01-003 JEEP WRANGLER 1994-1995 WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION PARKING BRAKE RESULTING IN ROLLAWAY 11-Jan-01
EA01-004 SUPER DUTY F-SERIES 1999-2000, EXCURSION 2000 W/4WHEEL DRIV PULLS UNDER HARD BRAKING 22-Jan-01
EA01-005 JEEP CHEROKEE 1993-1995 DOOR HINGE 24-Jan-01 X
EA01-007 DODGE CARAVAN/ VOYAGER/TOWN&COUNTRY 1996-2000 AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING 21-Feb-01
EA01-008 FORD EXPLORER XLS 1999-2000 SEAT BELT WEBBING 26-Feb-01
EA01-009 FORD SUPER DUTY F-SERIES 1999-2000 STEERING SECTOR SHAFT FRACTURE 02-Mar-01
EA01-011 VOLVO TRUCKS VN VOLVO TRUCKS 1996-2000 U-BOLT FAILURES ON DRIVE -AXLE ASSEMBLIE 18-Apr-01 X
EA01-012 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1999-2000 INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT 27-Apr-01
EA01-013 GM C/K TRUCKS 1997-2000 W/VACUUM ASSISTED BRAKES VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTER
EA01-014 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX/MONTANA AIR BAG INFLATOR 11-Jun-01
EA01-015 NISSAN ALTIMA 1994-1995 PASSENGER AIR BAG-RELATED FACIAL/EYE 09-Aug-01 X
EA01-016 VOLVO WXR SANITARY HAULING TRUCK 2000-2001 WINDSHIELD WIPER 29-Aug-01
EA01-017 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 1993-CURRENT PRODUCTION INADVERTENT ROLL-AWAY IN REVERSE IN PARK 01-Nov-01
EA01-018 GMC TAHOE/YUKON/YUKON DENALI/ESCALADE 1995-1999 SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE SEPARATION 20-Dec-01
EA01-019 GMC CHEVROLET BLAZER/TAHOE GMC YUKON 1992-95 FRONT SEAT RECLINER BOLT 28-Dec-01
EA02-001 FORD F150/F250 PICKUP TRUCKS 1997-1998 STEERING COLUMN 06-Feb-02
EA02-002 COSCO TOURIVA 1994-2002 3-POINT HARNESS OVERHEAD SHIELD SEA BUCKLE ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTION 28-Feb-02
PE00-040 BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE STEELTEX R45, A/T TIRE TREAD SEPARATION 29-Sep-00
PE00-046 GOODYEAR LOAD RANGE "E" LIGHT TRUCK TIRES TIRE 21-Nov-00 01-Mar-02 RECALL 02X-001
PE01-026 CONTINENTAL TIRE GENERAL AMERI 550AS 1995-2001 P235/70R16 AMERI 550AS 1995-2001 P235/70R16 24-Jul-01 11-Feb-02 X NO CURRENT SAFETY DEFECT TREND
PE01-033 FORD F150 1997-1998 STEERING COLUMN 17-Sep-01 06-Feb-02 UPGRADED TO EA02-001
PE01-034 DAIMLERCHRYSLER RAM PICKUP 2001 ENGINE COMPARTMENT ELECTRICAL FIRES 20-Sep-01 19-Feb-02 RECALL 02V-042
PE01-035 UTILIMASTER STEP VANS BUILT ON GM P30 CHASSIS 1996-97 UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT 19-Sep-01 07-Feb-02 NO CURRENT SAFETY DEFECT TREND
PE01-036 TOYOTA SIENNA 2002 ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE 19-Oct-01 11-Feb-02 NO CURRENT SAFETY DEFECT TREND
PE01-038 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX/VENTURE/TRANS SPORT SILHOUETTE 1997 STEERING RACK AND PINION 14-Nov-01
PE01-039 INDIAN MOTORCYCLE CHIEF/SPIRIT/SCOUT 1999-2002 REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSE 21-Nov-01
PE01-040 VOLVO VN610/660/770 SERIES TRUCK TRACTORS 1998-2001 SLEEPER BERTH FIRES 03-Dec-01 X
PE01-041 VOLVO 610/660/770 1998-2000 STEERING GEARBOX OR U-JOINT 03-Dec-01
PE01-042 VOLVO TRUCK 610/660/770 1998-2000 STEERING AXLE U-BOLT 03-Dec-01 X
PE01-043 FORD ESCAPE/TRIBUTE 2001-2002 ENGINE STALLING 07-Dec-01 X
PE01-044 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE/ECLIPSE SPYDER 2000-2001 ALLOY WHEEL DENTING AND FRACTURING 18-Dec-01 X
PE02-001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER/PONTIAC SUNFIRE 1995-97 FIRE IN STEERING COLUMN AREA 03-Jan-02 15-Mar-02 RECALL 02V-070
PE02-002 KIA SPORTAGE 1999 WINDSHIELD WIPER 09-Jan-02
PE02-003 GMC C/K TRUCKS UTILITY VEHICLES 1998 DRIVER DOOR ELECTRICAL FIRE 09-Jan-02 X
PE02-004 DODGE CARAVAN/PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 1997-98 REAR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION 16-Jan-02 11-Mar-02 RECALL 02V-076
PE02-005 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE 1999-2001 HEADLAMPS DIM/FLICKER 18-Jan-02 X
PE02-006 NEW FLYER OF AMERICA C40LF 1998-2000 POWER STEERING HOSE 28-Jan-02
PE02-007 FORD EXPLORER 1995 SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY 23-Jan-02 X
PE02-008 AUDI A4/A6 1998-2001 BRAKE AND CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET 23-Jan-02 X
PE02-009 VOLVO S40/V40 2000 BRAKE POWER-ASSIST 29-Jan-02
PE02-010 FORD ESCORT/MERCURY TRACER 1997 INTEGRATED AIG BAG MONITOR WATER 30-Jan-02 X
PE02-011 BMW 3 SERIES 2000-2001 INADVERTENT SIDE-IMPACT AIR BAG 31-Jan-02 X
PE02-012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2001 EQUIPPED WITH 2.7L (V-6) ENGINES ENGINE SEIZURE 31-Jan-02
PE02-013 MITSUBISHI 3000 GT VR4 1992-99/DODGE STEALTH RT TT 1992-96 TRANSFER CASE LOCKUP 31-Jan-02 X
PE02-014 SUPREME CLASSIC AMERICAN TROLLEY 1999-CURRENT 29 FT PROPANE STRUCTURAL FAILURES OF BODY AND CHASSIS 01-Feb-02 X
PE02-015 TRIUMPH TROPHY 1200 1995-2001 MOTORCYCLE REAR BRAKE LINE PINCHING 08-Feb-02 X
PE02-016 FORD FOCUS 2000 REAR WHEEL BEARING 08-Feb-02
PE02-017 GM VENTURE, SILHOUETTE1997-00/TRANS SPORT97-98/MONTANA 98-0 SHOULDER HARNESS CLIP 11-Feb-02 X
PE02-018 UTILIMASTER STEP VAN BUILT ON GM P30 CHASSIS 1996-1997 SEAT BELT BUCKLE STALK 11-Feb-02 13-Mar-02 RECALL 02V-064
PE02-019 CHAMPION CONTENDER 1999 ELECTRICAL VAULT ACCESS PANEL 11-Feb-02 X
PE02-020 FORD FOCUS 2000-2001 AIR BAG BURN INJURIES/VEHICLE FIRES 11-Feb-02 X
PE02-021 GM SILVERADO/SIERRA/YUKON/TAHOE/ESCALADE 1999-2001 THROTTLE STICKING 11-Feb-02
PE02-022 KIA RIO 2001 AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENT FRONTAL CRASH 12-Feb-02 X
PE02-023 THOMAS MVP-ER BUILT PRIOR MARCH 2001 FAN DRIVE UPDATE 12-Feb-02
PE02-024 FREIGHTLINER FS-65 CHASSIS (SCHOOL BUS) 1999-2002 FRONT AIR BRAKE HOSE LEAKAGE 22-Feb-02
PE02-025 GRACO SNUG RIDE 1999-2000 (FIVE-POINT HARNESS 8457, 845877X FALSE LATCHING OF CHILD SEAT TO BASE 28-Feb-02
PE02-026 FORD FOCUS 2000-2001 INAPPROPRIATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT 28-Feb-02
DP01-003 VOLVO HEAVY DUTY TRUCK 1989-2000 SAFETY DEFECT 22-Mar-01
I kill me.
kev, you might try www.blueovalnews.com for the real reason why the focus has had so many problems. IT has to do with lack of quality control from their manufacturers, and the choice that Jac Nasser made to not care about such issues.
This is one problem the japanese don't, in general, have. I'm sure you've heard the stories about Japanese plants stopping the line when something is not 'right'.