RIP Saturn

[calimac]

The automotive brand, not the planet. ("We will all go worship Mars / We will all go worship Mars / The god, not the candy bars / And it's good enough for me." - Glenn Glazer, iirc)

When B. and I were car-shopping some years ago, we wanted a vehicle large enough to seat our friends of size in the back seat. We ended up with a Honda Accord, which has occasionally successfully served that function, particularly on convention dinner expeditions.

One of our less successful stops along the way was at the Saturn dealership. Us: "There's not much room in the back seat, is there?" Salesman: "You can move the seat forward." (Demonstrates) Us: "But then there's not much room in the front seat." Salesman: "Well, then you can move the seat back."

Against such invincible ignorance of the nature of the problem, the only solution was to look elsewhere. I haven't forgotten that, and never went back. That's our small contribution to Saturn's official demise today.

Comments

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Conversely, a friend of mine ended up with a Tercel, because absolutely all the salesmen at multiple Honda dealerships were irredeemable, arrogant assholes. I'm not sure either experience means much, but David did get a better sample set than you did.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Sure, assoholism on the part of sales personnel is also a major factor. On that occasion, we got it only from Dodge, who actually made a half-hearted attempt to imprison us on the lot until we agreed to buy a car RIGHT THEN. We escaped and did not return.

On my most recent occasion, I returned to the Honda dealer where we'd successfully bought the Accord before, but was disappointed enough that I was ready to buy a demonstratedly inferior car from Toyota, until it was suggested that I try another Honda dealer elsewhere, at which the sales personnel turned out to be agreeable. Only later did I discover that the finance department was positively Evil, but soon enough to get out from under their tricks.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

The mind boggles at the possibility that the salesman has successfully used that argument on previous potential customers.

[barondave.livejournal.com]

I almost leased a Saturn for my first car. I visited the showroom, had it all picked out and the deal was made. I literally walked in the door with the check... and they said the office in Texas had nixed the deal. They presented no alternatives, but clearly more money would have sweetened the pot. I was so pissed off at this bait and switch that I walked out and never went back to a Saturn dealership again.

I eventually bought a Mazda Protege, the car I have now, and am very happy with it.

[orangemike.livejournal.com]

This discussion seems skew to me because the first decision for me is always, "Was this car made here in the U.S. or Canada, by union-represented workers". You can't penalize the workers because the dealership guys are jerks. Saturn was the only carmaker in the South that didn't stop their workers from getting a union; and the only Saturn owner I know is quite happy with his.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Desire to support a unionized corporation is what sent us looking at Saturn in the first place, though from the descriptions we'd read of their product, we had no reason to think it would fit our needs.

But we aren't going to buy a car that doesn't, nor pay the commission of a nimnul salesman, just because the factory workers are unionized. Honda is not, but they do make cars in the U.S.

[orangemike.livejournal.com]

Honda workers are blatantly intimidated and manipulated whenever they start talking union in the U.S.; I will not be a party to their exploitation.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Ah well. If we wish to be virtuous, we will not do business with any major corporations and we will certainly not drive cars. In this fallen world, we do what we can, and given an array of lousy labor agreements and cars that fall apart after three years (which is what happened when I did buy an American car), I'll go for the better car.

[scribblerworks.livejournal.com]

My sympathies for the experience.

Regarding American built cars.... well, my Mustang is about to celebrate her nineth birthday and she is still going on quite well. Of course, I carefully attend to regular maintainance. I had her at the mechanic last month to have the tie rod ends replaced, and we were talking about the durability of various cars, and he said the Mustang (at least) is a very well built car.

But of course, lousy for group transport, and the "back seat" isn't really fit for anyone over four feet in height.

[ookpik.livejournal.com]

Well, my first car was a Saturn, and the second is too--and while made-in-USA and safety ratings were primary concerns, the fact that the Saturn was the only car in my budget range that did fit me was also important.

Of course, I was single when I bought the first one, as well as fatter than I am now--so I wasn't worried about the back seat, but about something where a) my belly didn't block the steering wheel (which was a problem with the Honda and Toyota) and b) the distance to the pedals could accommodate my very short legs (difficult with American-made cars).

I have to say, I loved that first Saturn; it had 185,000 miles on it when I was rear-ended and the car was totaled, and gave me almost no trouble. The second is at 93,000 and I've never been as fond of it--and yesterday there were the first serious signs of trouble anyway.