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wmacblue - I took my VUE in to get the Steering squeak fixed. They did not have to order a part but rather pulled the strut, lubed a rubber grommet and trimmed the plastic 'peg' that sticks up. so far so good. I think you got a new part of some sort for that problem (or did you fix a reay quarter panel squeak?). Cheers...
I went to the dealership nearest me and got a really nice little pamphlet about the VUE. Not only do I have all the specs I have some other info I got from Ben Cochran, one of the sales managers at Saturn of Mesquite.
First I'll start with exactly what the sport plus package comes with and how much it cost. Many of you know this already, but I'm going to touch up on it one more time.
Price is $16,995
FWD 143 horse 2.2 liter Ecotec 4 cyllinder
5 speed manual trans
Power windows, locks, mirrors
Cruise Control
Compass
Sunroof
A/C
Security system
Keyless entry
AM/FM CD with 6 speakers
16" alloy wheels
Ok some stuff I found out about, these models are very limited. Once they arrive on the lot they are sold. The price and the Vehicle will only be around till the end of May (speculation on Ben's part maybe). The next sport plus package will only come with the alloy wheels and the power package. The sunroof is out, and the price will probably be $17,900 (again speculation by Ben).
Also you may only find Sport Plus' with pin stripes, tinted windows, scotchguard protectants, and whatever else the dealership can do to raise the price slightly. Ben told me a few other things too. He told me that the only colors available on the sport edition currently or as of now are the Red, Gold, Orange, and Silver. Black and white are not available.
Anyway I think that's a pretty darn good deal compared to the CRV and the Escape. The Aztek is still a good deal also, when you consider that it also comes with a V6, auto, side airbags, and ABS. Which aren't even available on the sport plus package VUE. Granted it will cost you around $1000 more, but hey that's not bad at all.
Oh well Ben had one more piece of advice, if you are wanting a VUE you ought to jump on this now. More than likely you will not find any at your local Saturn dealers, so preorder ASAP!
Oh one more thing, I sat in a VUE while I was up there, a V6 model. If you have ever been in a Ford Escape or a previous generation CRV then you will notice that the interior in the VUE is quite a bit better and I was overall pretty impressed.
My question is anyone had one of these in the snow (or ice) and felt it kick in? Is it smooth, abrupt or a mix? I know that some of the GM 4wd in trucks can feel kinda spooky when the 4wd kicks in when in Auto 4wd... My brothers both have full size GM trucks. One lives in Colorado and won't drive it in Auto 4wd in the Mountains as its not comforting; he locks it in 4wd high.
I'm looking at getting a 4wd CVT or V6 this summer...
You could always order one now -- our dealer didn't ask for a deposit -- because it won't arrive for a couple months. If it's ordered before april 1, visa points still apply, and you could walk away if you didn't like what you saw when it arrived.
Forgive me if you have already tried this.
To Vent the moonroof - push the button UP or IN.
Normally to vent a moonroof you start to open it - it vents then slides back. The VUE moonroof has a seperate function for venting.
When you are done venting pull the button DOWN or OUT.
Hope this helps
gm_litogation : Did he say when the next sport package would be announced?
I would suspect that there won't be a sport package with the CVT, or if there is one it will cost quite a bit more.
Carguy, they had a black Sport Vue on the lot in Richmond Virginia when I was there a couple of weeks ago. The black doesn't look that great though. But it was a Sport and the price was outstanding, much better than I paid for my 6 cyl. Auto tranny but hey, I am very happy and don't feel like I was "taken".
Also notice, there is an upgrade in the quality of the seats from the 4 cyl. to the 6 cyl. The 6 has upgraded foam and velour fabric.
To my fellow Vue owners, I am still getting a lot of "lookers" wanting to see the inside and check out the newest Saturn product. I will say, the people most interested are either current or former Saturn owners and all of 'em say the same thing. . . "I've been waiting for Saturn to make something bigger" and they all love the new look. Only one person has told me they didn't like something . . . they were not fond of the interior. Otherwise, I get a ton of compliments on the new machine. How 'bout y'all?
I just walked in the house shaking my head because suddenly the interior lights are behaving correctly. I opened every door and the light turned off properly after shutting each one.
Also, twice yesterday the hatch wasn't shut properly. I was going to ask the dealer to adjust it because it took a serious slam to turn off the warning light on the dash.
So the two must be related. Thanks.
Nothing so simple with the sunroof, however. I've tried pushing the switch every which way and it won't vent. Not a serious problem right now since it's snowing here -- hello spring -- so I'll wait.
It appears the driver's side seat heater the dealer had installed doesn't work. Can't really blame saturn for that I suppose.
onelucky : I was also waiting for Saturn to put out something like this and generally I am very happy with what I have seen. Some of the dash controls are a bit cheap, but otherwise I think the VUE is a very good machine. Hopefully Bob Lutz will spearhead a move to add $150 in cost to improve the interior a bit for 03.
I guess I am spoiled by my last 2 Pathfinders that don't even know what the dealer shop looked like.
24 hour roadside assistance while under warrenty
30 day money back policy
800 customer care hotline*
*This might not seem like a big deal but it is the reason Saturn has the lowest % of lemons of ANY manufacturer.
I am sure that you have been very happy with your Nissan Pathfinder with no problems as I was very happy with my Saturn SL-1 with NO PROBLEMS.
However, of utmost importance is that both of those are older models and have been around long enough to work out the bugs. But frankly, I can't remember the last first-year model that didn't have some issues. The issues described by most new Vue owners are minor in comparison to those of other models. For example, the first year Escape/Tribute had an ignition problem before it was cold off the truck. And the Liberty has an air bag recall and it's just started warming lots. And that's just a couple of examples.
I believe that the Vue will have it's growing pains too. But the good news is that I know that Saturn will happily take care of any problems, trouble-free.
EVERYONE- keep posts going on issues. I have 8 weeks before Pathfinder lease is up.
Not my colour.
DINDAK: I am also waiting for a few months before decising on my next car - I hope that GM points will be valid them as the VUE is still on top of my list. Without GM points, I would probably go for a CRV or a Matrix. I'll have 3 grands credit by the summer.
Don't know about the power antenna. I'll have a look under the hood where the mast is to see if there appears to be room.
re: colours and packages. Go over to saturnfans.com under vue/newsroom. There's an article about distinct yellow and blue versions planned.
Snow today was an unwelcome development, but it gave me a chance to try the abs and traction control. Both seem to work very well. Feel on the pedal was controlled and sound wasn't especially loud. When the t.c. kicks in a light on the dash announces it's on.
maynardf1 : Where do you live? We got some rain today but that's it. Snow they promised never came.
I bought the orange v-6 auto Vue. I am very pleased with mine. The only problem I had was the turtle shell over the steering column was loose and the spring on the center console door needed adjusting because it took more than once to open it. Everything else has been great. I have taken mine in to have wheel locks added (We have some tire thieves here) and I got the cargo floor mat and the carpeted floor mats. My next option purchase will be the towing package. But that will have to wait as I am in the process of saving for the Maintenance package you talked about. I'd rather go ahead and pay for it so I don't have to worry about that cost later.
I got a fair price from Saturn on my 1996 SL-1. I actually got more from Saturn than Jeep or Ford was going to give me but mainly because I told Saturn I expected them to, at least, meet their trade-in price or it was a deal-breaker. So they beat it by $100. I may have been able to sell it for a couple of hundred more myself. But I didn't want the hassle. My SL-1 was great but I had grown out of it. As an avid camper and outdoorsperson, I needed more room in a vehicle. And the Vue fit the bill.
I also tested the CRV (the dealer folks there are quite uppity and nasty), the Liberty (I liked the looks of this one but alas since I was NOT climbing the Rubicon daily , the comfort of the ride left a lot to be desired . . . It would make a great second "fun" vehicle though), the Escape and Tribute (I thought the driver's seat was quite uncomfortable and the door handles would break off in my hand. Interestingly enough, one of the car reviewers, Consumer Reports or something, on the net said the very same thing about the door handles) I also drove a Tahoe and Expedition JUST to see if I wanted something even bigger. However the gas mileage of those hogs kept me steeled to the idea of the smaller SUV's so I went back to the Vue and Liberty which were my two faves. At the time, they were offering a 7 year/100,000 mile warranty on the Liberty which was attractive. I even took the Liberty home for a day and drove it around. But I just couldn't get used to the rough feel of the ride. Also I was still gun shy of the post-buying experience I had with Ford a few years ago. I knew Saturn would take care of me if there were any problems as I had great experiences with them over the course of ownership of my SL-1. The first Vue I saw was a stripped down 4 cylinder which sent me skirmishing for the Liberty. When Saturn got in an Orange and a Silver V-6, they called and aske dme to have a look. Once I saw that Orange V-6, I knew it was "me". So I bought it the next day.
Sorry to be so long-winded but I thought understanding my thought process might help you in your buying experience. Take care.
Or was it a rumout only?
Thanks
Overall, I think the gripe list has been pretty small. The specific problems which have affected more than one VUE that I know about or have heard about:
* Strut noise problem. Needs an adjustment, but is easy. I suspect it's a "batch" fault on teh current shipment of SE vehicles (I've heard of several with this problem) and I also suspect that they'll fix it for the next run (it's caused by a miscut end on the spring -- the extra length rubs on the sealing ring, making the noise. Trim the spring and voila! Noise goes away)
* Dicky spring on the CD storage console.
Other than that, it seems to be unit-specific niggles! My dealer said they've had VERY few of thse back... unlike the L launch.
My car currently has something going on with the ABS (the light intermittently comes on), but they're fixing it at the 3K service on Monday.
As Onelucky says, the first-year bugs are pretty inevitable - but the way Saturn is treating me, I barely CARE that I've had to take it in. They gave me a loaner, they treated me right, and they fixed my car right first time. No BS, no arguing, no "we couldn't find anything wrong with it" evasions... they just listened to what I said and dealt with it courteously and promptly. What more can I ask?
The other thing, of course, is that I LOVE driving the car. It's fun, it suits my space/requirement needs and it was an incredible price for what I got. Yeah, I'd probably like it even better if this were a 2004 model and had been tweaked and perfected. But I'm pretty d***** happy with what I've got in the meantime!!
Anyways, I tested a Vue out for 200 KM. It wasn't bad. I also had the same driver-rear-door-misfit that everyone else is talking about.
The steering was awful, but that's a judgement call. My beef was interior shoulder room and the many giggles and creaks and rattles I found in a car with only 1200 km on it already.
I'm glad the dealership treated you right and things were covered under warranty but I dont have the time for that nonsense. Keep your warranty, just build the car right from the get go.
Oh well I don't think you have to worry about the Saturn too much. One measurement is Consumer Reports, if you look at CR ratings the Saturn S series have been rated above average for a number of years. Where as my friends Jetta is rated below average. Only if he would've checked CR before he purchased his vehicle.
Anyways, the '00 Jetta scored a "Recommended" in CR. The '01 lost the title because reliability had drastically dropped. I don't know what they did at the factory but something happened.
As for the reliability of the S series, I'm too lazy to go fetch the magasine now but I'd hope that after producing the same car for 11 years they'd get it right by now.
Ya my name is interesting huh, speaking of interesting here is a page about customer and dealership satisfaction.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2002/01/25/dealers.htm
Interestingly enough 5 out of the top ten spots are held be GM. Still wondering about my name?
For that matter, the first Saturn dealership I tested the VUE out at saddled me with a fast talking salesy guy who tried to upsell me from the get go. Not impressed.
And Saturn turn a dive in the sales experience ranking a year or two ago by the way.
It was just a bad rumour that the Vue was being excluded after March 31st 02.
Not to rule out dishonesty on other topics :-)
Saw a couple of VUEs on the road this weekend. One base and one AWD V6. Nice to see them around here and there now.
We had some snow here last week, and I found both the abs and traction control worked very well.
I mentioned some problems that appeared from day one in an earlier post. We're waiting a couple of weeks to see if any more crop up before taking it in for a series of fixes. Also considering getting the rear wind deflector to help keep the rear window clean. It gets much dirtier than our 9-3 rear window did.
I love how easy it is to fold down the seats for extra cargo room. No need to remove headrests or unlock three things at once.
Also, I didn't realize the rear seats can be reclined about two inches, making it more sleep-friendly for passengers on long trips.
The fold-out grocery holder in the back really works. It may break in a year, but initially it's been great.
Touch wood, but no squeaks, opposite of my only other saturn experience, a '94 SC1, which creaked, squeaked and moaned non-stop for two years.
We got the upgraded one-cd stereo. It's quite good. No need to upgrade speakers, imo. Wish it had speed-sensitive volume, however. A Malibu has it, for crying out loud.
Besides too many things needing to be fixed initially, my only dislikes thus far are:
The centre console is a little uncomfortable on my right leg.
The doors lock once you hit 5 km/h. And they don't unlock automatically until you turn off the ignition. That means you have to push the unlock button to open the door if you're dropping someone off and not turning the engine off. If we had an automatic, it would probably open when shifted into park, but with a manual it's a pain in the butt.
The steering takes some getting used to, but the ease of use in parking lots is really nice. It stiffens up sufficiently at higher speeds.
Visibility is very good in all directions. I agree with people who have mentioned the quality of the wipers could be improved.
The auto-dim rear mirror works very well too.
EVERYONE??? Jafo, one guy has written several emails about this .25 door fit problem. I haven't seen anyone else with that problem. If we are going to discuss problems, I agree with WMAC, let's be realistic and not make it bigger than it is. Out of the five owners on here, none of them have mentioned this. Like I said one guy mentioned it over and over with little response.
"many giggles and creaks and rattles" I've been trying to find out what these noises are that people are talking about. Mine doesn't make any creaking or rattling noises. What noises are you talking about? Where are they coming from?
"I dont have the time for that nonsense. Keep your warranty, just build the car right from the get go."
It certainly would be nice if first year models were problem free but as I stated in my earlier post, I haven't seen a first-year model in YEARS that has not had some problem. And most of those problems have been major safety issues or required significant repair. I am glad that my Vue has not (fingers crossed) seen any of this.
To be honest, if you don't have time for the nonsense, you might want to stay away from any first year model. They are notorious AND none of the car makers . . . Honda, Ford, GM, VW, Jeep, Chevy, and yes, Saturn as well as the rest have come through a kick-off unscathed. I am happy to say that my vehicle is in tip-top shape and I have no regrets. From personal experience files, if I had to return to Honda or Ford in this town, I'd have been disappointed.
By the way, as one earlier poster said, most of the minor problems seen are not widespread but rather individual. I would argue that any model, regardless of old or new, can have these problems. My brother just went around with Honda because the engine DIED in his Accord with 30K miles after the transmission had been having problems for a year or more. And Hondas are supposed to be solid! So maybe, you'd be better off with a bicycle . . . to avoid any "nonsense". ME? I'll take the warranty AND the VUE.
Door fit on mine is JUST fine. No door mis-fits on driver side or anywhere else.
Jafo - not sniping, just wondering: since you obviously didn't like the VUE very much on your 1 test drive -- and aren't an owner -- how come you hang out in this forum? Genuinely curious
Maynard: Glad you're enjoying your VUE! I have the same stereo system you do - it's fine, although I wish I'd realised that on the Sport Ed. I only had to pay the DIFFERENCE between that one and the cd/cassette combo, cos' I would have got it... I really need a cassette in the car too (I'm a professional musician and record rehearsals etc - it's useful to listen in the car).
To continue the digression, anybody here have any comments about aftermarket audio add-ons? If I got a cassette with an equalizer, could they run the existing CD player through it? Now THAT would be worth getting installed!!
And our rear, driver's side door is out of align. After reading about the possibility, I checked it and sure enough it's 1/4 inch out. I'm not sure if I would have noticed had I not read about it. And I probably wouldn't have bothered to have it fixed if I wasn't going in for other repairs too.
Let us know your thoughts after the test.
My thoughts during the process . . . The Escape/Tribute have VERY UNCOMFORTABLE front seats and the inside door handles felt like they would break if you tugged a little too hard on them. I just didn't find them as comfortable as the V-6 Vue. However, the 4 cylinder Vue seats were not as comfortable as the 6 cylinder ones are. (The foam and fabric is upgraded in the 6) I liked the price better on the Escape/Tribute but just couldn't live with the comfort level. Additionally, I had some bad experiences with the local dealer on another Ford so I was a little gun-shy there too.
I also strogly considered the Jeep Liberty. She's definitely a looker. However, they made the mistake of letting me take the Liberty home overnight and once I rode for awhile in it, I was not too happy with the "choppiness" of the ride. I felt like I was riding a horse on a dusty trail. The Liberty definitely has good looks and the inside is well-appointed but it is small and the tire on the back blocks your line of vision a little but mostly, it is just not as comfortable a ride as I found the Vue. (The Vue has four wheel independent suspension. The Liberty has 2 wheel independent suspension. The other wheels are stiff for better off-roading.) If you are not riding the Rubicon daily, you may want to avoid the Liberty. It is a fun vehicle though and can go almost anywhere. The Vue cannot and was not designed to.
The Vue had a little of everything I was looking for. I wanted something that looked sharp, had good space, good gas mileage and could handle light off-roading and at least enough towing capacity to handle a small boat. I also wanted to deal with Saturn because as I was trading in a Saturn SL-1, I knew that their customer relations AFTER the sale were superb. So I knew they would take care of any problems that may come up with the Vue being a first year model. Because of my prior experience with Saturn, the customer service element threw me over the top and I bought one of the first Vues delivered, an Orange v-6, automatic and I have been pleased. I know the V-6 are on the high side in price but IN JUST MY OPINION, I would not want a 4 cylinder. I wanted a little more power (for towing and just toughness) so it was worth the extra cost.
Honestly though, there are some sites on the internet that have objective reviews about the Vue and Escape. Read some of those (epinions, saturnalia, edmunds, car and driver, consumer reports, motor trend, JD powers etc...
Good luck with your decision. Let us know what you think.
The RAV did have an annoying middle of the top dash squeek, the cargo area is very small, but the thing was tight and handled very well, even on snow covered switchback type roads. The ABS seemed very well tuned so it didn't kick in too early like a Explorer I rented in Alaska a few years ago. You could "toss" the thing around and it had good road feel in the steering.
The driver's seat had height adjustment, which is good as I'm tall in the abdomen and needed it bottomed out.
I liked it more than I thought I would, but the lack of power would make me consider a VUE or other SUV before getting the Rav. The motor was too much like a sewing machine for me. Going up a hill was either with OD off and motor screaming at 3500-4000 rpm, or you're going sedately up the road at about 70kph or less.
The gas tank seemed to also need to be filled slowly or it would shut off the filler - very annoying when its -15c outside! I'm not sure of the fuel milage as this wasn't a concern on vacation (I was more concerned about the snow at the resort and what beer they served).
Just thought I'd post my experiences for y'all. Back in warm Houston now.
DD