Saturn owners tick me off...well some of them do!

[creedog]

I have a problem (as does my friend) with people who driver saturns. Many of them (not all) totaly fall for all the hype and advertisements and really feel that they are driving a different kind of car built by a different kind of company. They seem to think of themselves as progressive and socially and enviormentally causious.

Don't they know that they are just driving a GM car, and that their thirtysomething and fourtysomething identity crisis has allowed GM to suck them in with their clever marketing angle.

I know several burned out grown up ex-hippies who drive feel that their saturn makes them different and special. While it only really makes them think that they havent sold all their ideals down the crapper as they drive to their 9 to 5 job for a company that probably polutes more in one day that they will ever in their lifetime.

Just my opinion.

 

[Windogg]

"No Haggle" means you have no guts in life. Hell, Saturn dealers jack their customers for a 15 -20% markup. What you you get? A plastic car with a buzzy underpowered engine. Saturn basically came about because Japanese lean production techniques what whooping the Big 3 which still relied on slow evolving mass production. The division is basically used to experiment and try to emulate what Honda and Toyota have been doing for years.

No offense to any Saturn owners of course.

Windogg

 

[Doggiedog]

To me its just a rebadged Oldsmobile with slightly cheaper side panels.

 

[DaveJ]

I drive a Saturn, and we have four total in our family. FWIW, I love my car, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But I do think the company is overrated, especially since GM stuck their hands in instead of letting the company run itself. I probably wouldn't buy another, but mostly because the local dealers here are complete jerks...

Dave

 

[Isla]

I had a Saturn in my 20's, when that was all I could afford. It was a good car. We bought it because it was the best we could afford at the time. I have a tendency to back into things, so it handled my regular collisions with the mailbox quite well.

I'm just now in my early 30's... I don't think I have changed that much, except for now I am not allowed to cover my more expensive vehicle with all my socially conscious/sarcastic bumper stickers. I really loved some of them...

I think when I have MY midlife crisis, I'm getting a Mercedes! Now that's progressive.

 

[yakko]

There is a Saturn owner at my job I would like to annoy for a couple of hours at night.

Not only is this new kind of car from a new kind of company a GM but in europe they are sold under the Opel badge.

 

[oldandquitemad]

I must agree with some of your assertions. As a rule, THE worst, most dangerous drivers on the road have some sort of Jesus paraphenalia on their rear bumpers (either a fish, a cross, a church bumper sticker, etc.). Following close on their heels are ANY Saturn drivers. In third place (and trying hard) are soccer moms in SUVs.

So, following my rules, look out for a Saturn with a fish on its backside sitting next to a Suburban with a bumper sticker that says "In case of rapture, someone grab the steering wheel!". Park your car well off the street and go inside for an hour or two. The car you save may be your own.

 

[BoberFett]

You people are going to drive me up a fscking wall. :|

What is with all the damn mass labeling and branding.

"I hate Saturn owners"

"I hate SUV drivers"

"I hate [fill in the political party]"

"All gun owners stupid and evil"

What ever happened to tolerance, live and let live. Fsck you people are going to give me an ulcer. :|

 

[Isla]

ROTFLMAO, Oldandquitemad!

I have to say, that is true. And one of the reasons I rarely leave the house any more...

 

[oldandquitemad]

Its you people with ulcers that really REALLY pi....


ha ha, sorry. couldn't help that.

 

[Windogg]

Bober has a point. I guess the only vehicle that doesn't "suck" is the good old "Legs Mk1"

Windogg

 

[apoppin]

Well just wait till the Saturn SUV is out!



I drive a Saturn because I like it; no socially conscious, environmental thing you mentioned.

It gets great gas mileage (40mpg), accelerates well enough, is easy to work on and so far - 30K miles this year, has NO problems.

 

[creedog]

BoberFett, chill man, read the topic again. This is all in good fun. I am just illustrating an annoying trend. There is nothing wrong with the saturn, or with the people whi drive them, I just think its funny how easily some people are taken by clever marketing, thats all.

 

[yakko]

<< I guess the only vehicle that doesn't &quot;suck&quot; is the good old &quot;Legs Mk1&quot; >>


Tell that to Christopher Reeve.

 

[creedog]

As for tolerance, if I might add, I have plenty. When is it a crime to make mention to an obvious (to me and others) trend.

 

[BoberFett]

I need some pepto.

I actually couldn't stand Saturn marketing. That whole &quot;be part of the family&quot; thing turned my stomach. And that big get-together in Tennessee or wherever? That's just too weird.

I bought a Saturn because I like what I got for the money better than the Civic, Corolla, or Sentra that were our other choices at the time. Now I think that car is just too dang small, I'll probably get rid of it in the spring.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

&quot;What ever happened to tolerance, live and let live&quot;

...we export it to other countries

 

[apoppin]

Whatever you say about Saturn's irritating (to you) marketing - it worked. They have a solid niche.

I guess it's part of creating an image.

Now if you want to hear advertising I hate, it Standard Oil's &quot;protecting our environment&quot; BS.

 

[StageLeft]

I suppose after reading brave new world the saturn marketing made me sick to my stomach. Those commercials with the drivers going to a saturn picnic for instance. My God, people. Get a goddamned life!

However I thought maybe the saturn was an ok car - then I drove a friends car. Now, I've driven many cars in my life but this thing took the cake for the biggest piece of sh*t I've ever gotten behind the wheel of. It drove like an engineering student's failed project - and I've driven in $500 big ole early 80's boats, geo meetros, fireflies. Everything. It was a very negative driving experienced.

The 2nd worst experience was when I drove an Echo a month ago - it drives like a small minivan. I can't help but think anybody who buys an echo has never driven even a mildly good car.

 

[Isla]

Hey skoorb (my fellow Psych major... what were we thinking?)

What kind of Saturn was it? Mine was an 1993 SL2, and it was actually a darn good car. Mr Isla is a motorhead, so he kept her finely tuned, though.

I heard the other models were on the weak side, but mine had some sass.

 

[apoppin]

What year Saturn, Skoorb? Was it new?

'Cause the new Saturns drive ok. It isn't a sports car but it drives as good as any American/Japanese in its class. I have driven hundreds of cars and I'd have to say it's handling is better than average. It tends to be a bit underpowered but the steering is rather neutral. Crash tests give it decent marks.

I did notice the 2000 models have a much quiter engine than the earlier models. I figured after nearly 10 years of building cars, they get it nearly right which is a lot more than I have to say for some of its competitors. (Which is why I bought one. It isn't my dream car but it will do reliably to get me where I'm going.)

EDIT: Oops, I'm late for work, gotta hop into my Saturn and piss off the other drivers.

 

[Optimus]

Argh! Saturns... the pain! The memories!

Seriously, my 2 year history with Saturn was a bad one. I was researching cars and as my criteria at the time was:

1) Safety
2) Reliability
3) Repair costs
4) Price
5) Performance (within the confines of all of the above)

I had it down to a Honda Civic or the Saturn SL2 - at the time it looked to me like Saturn offered reliability close to that of Hondas, but at domestic (GM) repair costs. It also had more horses and felt a bit more like a sedan than the civic, so we bought the Saturn. The company and salesmanship were &quot;whatever&quot; to us.

Well, 2 years of outrageously expensive repair costs, lies, cheating and a &quot;nothing is actually covered&quot; warranty... we sold it. :|

 

[Paul]

Here's advertising I hate: Philip Morris' &quot;We Card&quot; and &quot;We Care&quot; commercials. Please. Drop the act.

 

[Total Refected Power]

Al Gore invented Saturn .

In fact, he created the whole solar system.

 

[BoberFett]

Optimus

My 95 Saturn SL2 has never needed any major repairs, and I'm notorious for driving hard and not taking proper care of my cars. Luck of the draw I guess. There was a $50 part that was replaced a couple years ago, something in the electrical system. I don't even remember what it was, but it was minor and covered under warranty. All I pay for is gas, insurance and oil changes.