Changed my mind.

[Freejack2]

Edit: I'm going to hold off buying anything right now and look at all this again when the 06's come out.

 

[Actaeon]

I think the Quad Coupe isn't a bad looking car, I think the Sedan is hidious. 14,650 is still a bit much, I think I would rather spend that extra 2k and get a base Scion tC.

Can you apply that advertisement to the Ion Redline? Thats probally the only Saturn (Aside from the upcoming Sky) that I wouldn't mind purchasing.

 

[Aimster]

Please no,
http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/SaturnIon/Photos.htm
Look at the steering wheel they stole from some kid's room.

Mazda 3? Scion tC? Base Altima? .. I'll throw some domestics in too: http://www.familycar.com/RoadT.../FordTaurus/Photos.htm

 

[DaveJ]

Three words:

Center mounted gauges. I hate 'em.

I currently drive a Saturn ('95 SL1), and there's no way in hell I'd buy another one. Thanks for screwing up the brand, GM.

Dave

 

[Freejack2]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Please no,
http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/SaturnIon/Photos.htm
Look at the steering wheel they stole from some kid's room.

Mazda 3? Scion tC? Base Altima? .. I'll throw some domestics in too: http://www.familycar.com/RoadT.../FordTaurus/Photos.htm

Actually the steering wheel is one of the things they fixed in the 05 models. Edmunds didn't much care for the 03 models but apparently Saturn has been listening and they fixed pretty much all the things Edmunds was bitching about.

 

[Freejack2]

Originally posted by: DaveJ
Three words:

Center mounted gauges. I hate 'em.

I currently drive a Saturn ('95 SL1), and there's no way in hell I'd buy another one. Thanks for screwing up the brand, GM.

Dave

Enh, don't know if it'd bother me or not. I guess I'll know when I test drive one today.

 

My gf owns a 2003 ion2. It's been into the dealership for work a lot.
The most recent is this nagging sound coming from the blower motor. Four times into the dealership, still not fixed.
It really sucks in the snow, though I havn't driven it with snowtires which could make a big difference. Though with just all season radials, it performed worse than most cars I've driven in the snow.
Possible that this was a first run car and the kinks had to be ironed out. Most people I know that own other saturns say they have been very good for them and they would definatly buy another. I doubt that I would buy one, they really arn't what I'm looking for and I'm tainted from the experiences with my gf's ion.

 

[Wag]

You can get a Cobalt Coupe for about the same price. Based on the same engine, with a superior interior.

Thinking hard about Cobalt coupe. Too bad there is no 5-Door version.

 

[sniperruff]

$14k can get you a plain jane corolla or a used 01'-03' maxima.

 

[Wag]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
$14k can get you a plain jane corolla or a used 01'-03' maxima.

My legs are too long for the Corolla, my knees hit the dash even with the seat all the way back.

I also have the GM Family Discount too, however much that is- I haven't checked yet.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Those center mounted guages are a terrible idea. I test drove a Red Line and the tachometer was almost un-readable.

ZV

 

[Blazin Trav]

Get a Beetle Turbo S or Sport.

 

[sniperruff]

even with those rebates and family discount, your ion's value will drop faster than an elentra.

oh and the corolla only has 0.9 inch less legroom than an ion. otherwise the corolla beats ion in most interior room categories.

not to mention the corolla has a MSRP of $2000 below the ion.



the corolla also gets better gas milage, smaller and lighter than the ion.comparo

 

[MikeMike]

Originally posted by: Wag

Originally posted by: sniperruff
$14k can get you a plain jane corolla or a used 01'-03' maxima.

My legs are too long for the Corolla, my knees hit the dash even with the seat all the way back.

I also have the GM Family Discount too, however much that is- I haven't checked yet.

it drops price to invoice.

MIKE

 

[TimMyMac]

Originally posted by: DaveJ
Three words:

Center mounted gauges. I hate 'em.

I currently drive a Saturn ('95 SL1), and there's no way in hell I'd buy another one. Thanks for screwing up the brand, GM.

Dave

same thoughts over here. I have a 97 sl1. love that car but I wouldn't buy anything that I had to take my eyes away from the direction I'm driving to see how fast I'm going.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: Blazin Trav
Get a Beetle Turbo S or Sport.

Holy crap...the Turbo S is selling for under $15k now?

...I'm not a Beetle fan but that's almost tempting...

 

[StageLeft]

As dave said center mounted guages are inexcuseable.

I would say no on the saturn because they are about the worst cars ever made. They're just rinky dinky pieces of crap. It's not that I wouldn't drive one if it was free, but really they are hideous if you have to spend actual money on them. I'd recommend an import in the same price range, but even if you wanted to go domestic pretty much anything is better.

Resale on that thing...You spend $15k now it will be worth about $1600 next month.

With the dozens of cars available in a similar price range I have to say I feel sorry for people who'd buy the saturn. It's not that I feel sorry for them buying the car so much as I feel sorry for them as a person, and I wonder where they went wrong in life. What was the turning point that took them down the road that had saturn-buyer as one of the stops? For these people I lament.

Honestly, just say no. If not for me, then for yourself and your future generations.

 

[vtecluder]

nah man..... as Actaeon said... put a coouple thousand bucks and get a tC or mazda3..... what abt civic?

 

[Freejack2]

I test drove it today and the center mounted gauges don't bother me. It doesn't seem like all that bad a car.

I looked at the comparison that sniperruff linked to. I built it with the options that are comparable to the Ion 3 and found the Corolla is about exactly $1300 more provided I manage to dicker the dealer down to edmunds suggested tmv price. The Corolla has less hp and less torque, a little less front leg room, 15" wheels, no traction control option, and no mp3 option on the stereo.

The Ion 3 has 0% for 3 years so I'm looking at $438 a month with $500 down. The Corolla has 1.9% for 3 years for a total of $502 a month. This translates to $2304 over 3 years. Admittedly I'd make some of that up with resale value 3 years from now, but cars with 120,000 miles don't have a high resale value to begin with.

With the only thing going for the Corolla is the probably $500 resale value in 3 years, why is the Corolla better than the Ion?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Freejack2
I test drove it today and the center mounted gauges don't bother me. It doesn't seem like all that bad a car.

I looked at the comparison that sniperruff linked to. I built it with the options that are comparable to the Ion 3 and found the Corolla is about exactly $1300 more provided I manage to dicker the dealer down to edmunds suggested tmv price. The Corolla has less hp and less torque, a little less front leg room, 15" wheels, no traction control option, and no mp3 option on the stereo.

The Ion 3 has 0% for 3 years so I'm looking at $438 a month with $500 down. The Corolla has 1.9% for 3 years for a total of $502 a month. This translates to $2304 over 3 years. Admittedly I'd make some of that up with resale value 3 years from now, but cars with 120,000 miles don't have a high resale value to begin with.

With the only thing going for the Corolla is the probably $500 resale value in 3 years, why is the Corolla better than the Ion?

The Ion's stereo, even with the MP3 option, sucks. It's tinny and buzzy and basically sounds worse the $10 stereos you can pick up at Radio Shack.

Traction control is completely over-rated and only necessary if you suck at driving to begin with. No competant driver needs traction control.

The Carolla will have far more than a $500 advantage in only three years. Probably at least $1,000, likely more.

ZV

 

[MisterCornell]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Freejack2
I test drove it today and the center mounted gauges don't bother me. It doesn't seem like all that bad a car.

I looked at the comparison that sniperruff linked to. I built it with the options that are comparable to the Ion 3 and found the Corolla is about exactly $1300 more provided I manage to dicker the dealer down to edmunds suggested tmv price. The Corolla has less hp and less torque, a little less front leg room, 15" wheels, no traction control option, and no mp3 option on the stereo.

The Ion 3 has 0% for 3 years so I'm looking at $438 a month with $500 down. The Corolla has 1.9% for 3 years for a total of $502 a month. This translates to $2304 over 3 years. Admittedly I'd make some of that up with resale value 3 years from now, but cars with 120,000 miles don't have a high resale value to begin with.

With the only thing going for the Corolla is the probably $500 resale value in 3 years, why is the Corolla better than the Ion?

The Ion's stereo, even with the MP3 option, sucks. It's tinny and buzzy and basically sounds worse the $10 stereos you can pick up at Radio Shack.

Traction control is completely over-rated and only necessary if you suck at driving to begin with. No competant driver needs traction control.

The Carolla will have far more than a $500 advantage in only three years. Probably at least $1,000, likely more.

ZV

My Cadillac CTS has traction control and it makes a big difference. It's saved my life many times on treacherous upstate NY mountain roads. Despite being RWD, it handles better on snow than the Toyota Camry I used to drive some years ago, which did not have traction control.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: MisterCornell

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Freejack2
I test drove it today and the center mounted gauges don't bother me. It doesn't seem like all that bad a car.

I looked at the comparison that sniperruff linked to. I built it with the options that are comparable to the Ion 3 and found the Corolla is about exactly $1300 more provided I manage to dicker the dealer down to edmunds suggested tmv price. The Corolla has less hp and less torque, a little less front leg room, 15" wheels, no traction control option, and no mp3 option on the stereo.

The Ion 3 has 0% for 3 years so I'm looking at $438 a month with $500 down. The Corolla has 1.9% for 3 years for a total of $502 a month. This translates to $2304 over 3 years. Admittedly I'd make some of that up with resale value 3 years from now, but cars with 120,000 miles don't have a high resale value to begin with.

With the only thing going for the Corolla is the probably $500 resale value in 3 years, why is the Corolla better than the Ion?

The Ion's stereo, even with the MP3 option, sucks. It's tinny and buzzy and basically sounds worse the $10 stereos you can pick up at Radio Shack.

Traction control is completely over-rated and only necessary if you suck at driving to begin with. No competant driver needs traction control.

The Carolla will have far more than a $500 advantage in only three years. Probably at least $1,000, likely more.

ZV

My Cadillac CTS has traction control and it makes a big difference. It's saved my life many times on treacherous upstate NY mountain roads. Despite being RWD, it handles better on snow than the Toyota Camry I used to drive some years ago, which did not have traction control.

All you've established is that you can't drive.

Again I say, if traction control is saving your arse on _any_ kind of regular basis you need to learn how to adjust your driving for conditions. It's an emergency measure. A last line of defense. You should not ever drive hard enough to invoke it. I've driven RWD cars through PA winters when whole towns were shut down and not had problems with getting stuck. No traction control. It's like ABS, my daily driver has ABS and I've driven it in just about every condition and have yet to invoke ABS even in panic situations.

ZV

 

[Freejack2]

The traction control is useful for getting started on ice and snow. Haven't really needed it when moving but it sure helps with the starts. As for the stereo I still have my Kenwood MP3 deck if I don't like how the stereo sounds. Even if I do get $1000 more in 3 years that's still $1300 more overall. So what advantage does the Corolla have over the Ion that makes it worth this extra money?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Freejack2
The traction control is useful for getting started on ice and snow. Haven't really needed it when moving but it sure helps with the starts. As for the stereo I still have my Kenwood MP3 deck if I don't like how the stereo sounds. Even if I do get $1000 more in 3 years that's still $1300 more overall. So what advantage does the Corolla have over the Ion that makes it worth this extra money?

Uh...

The head unit doesn't have much to do with the overall sound quality. Unless you're planning on replacing all the speakers, you're going to get crap for sound quality no matter what you plug into the hole in the dashboard.

As for the other advantages of the Carolla: Build quality, build quality, and build quality. There aren't going to be trim pieces coming loose, there won't be those annoying little rattles, the engine will be smooth and not buzzy, the plastics won't wear and become shiny. Things like that. The little things that annoy people about cars.

ZV

 

[iamwiz82]

A bunch of people have them at work. Most complain about the lack of snow traction, but that is about it. The interior sucks. I'm only 5'9" and my knees almost hit the dash on the passenger side.