SaturnFans.com - The Saturn Authority for Saturn Enthusiasts.

Meet GMbeat.com and Get a Glimpse at What Was Going to be the Future of SaturnFans.com

Charlie — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:29:31 +0000

It's been more than two years since General Motors announced it was shuttering its "different kind of car" division. At the time, Roger Penske was attempting to purchase the brand and possibly stock it with cars sourced from plants in the US, South Korea, Mexico, or even Europe. Ultimately Mr. Penske couldn't get a deal done within GM's tight timeframes and Saturn was closed.

Goodbye Saturn, Thanks for the Ride (1985-2010)

Charlie — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 03:33:02 +0000

Later tonight the giant ball in Times Square will be lowered when the clock strikes twelve and 2010 will come to an end. It's been a emotional year for Saturn employees, owners, and fans; October 31st marked the end of General Motors' grand Saturn experiment. Of all the news articles I've written for SaturnFans.com over the past 15 years, this one has been by far the hardest for me to write. Saying goodbye is never easy, and this time is no different. To me Saturn was more than just another car or company: it represented a fresh approach to running a business, and more significantly, it was a symbolic entry in America's ideological battle against the best vehicles the "import" car companies had to offer.

Rusty Chevrolet: Merry Christmas from SaturnFans.com

Charlie — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 20:01:44 +0000

My brother, sisters, and I used to enjoy listening to "Rusty Chevrolet" on the radio every year at Christmas time when we were kids. It was a favorite of ours that became even more special to me with the creation of Saturn's rust-proof polymer bodyside panels. Sharing this song with my extended SaturnFans family feels especially appropriate this year – the first Christmas without Saturn. I hope you and yours have a wonderful day. Merry Christmas!

Where Have You Gone in Your Vue?

chillin05VUE — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:15:44 +0000

I drove from Vancouver, British Columbia to Victorville, California and back to Washington state in mine. I stopped off in Sacramento and picked up three more people on the way down and dropped them back off on the way back. It managed to take the Grapevine with that load passing other vehicles with ease. It got great mileage down and back with the average of 26 mpgs.

Installing Eibach Springs, Drilled and Slotted Rotors on a 2007 Saturn Aura

thrshr — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 06:11:37 +0000

This is my first write up so keep that in mind if I leave some stuff out, just ask. Jack the car up. And if you don’t have shade, make your own like I did. Take the rear wheel off first. Remove the caliper. I used a cut coat hanger to hang the caliper out of the way for the rest of the brake removal. The smaller bolts are for the caliper, the pink colored bolts hold the bracket on.

AMP’s Electrified Saturn Sky is a Finalist in the International $10M X Prize Competition

Charlie — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:11:47 +0000

AMP Holding Inc, a company engaged in the all-electric, emission-free conversion of General Motors vehicles, announced today that their AMP electric car has advanced to the finals of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize worldwide competition after passing the most recent "knockout" qualifying stage.

Owner Story: Saturn Vue Rollover Crash with Pictures

jenileigh — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 04:28:03 +0000

I was involved in a crash on June 11th with my 2004 Saturn Vue. The car in front of me was slowing down to stop and I slowed down to stop. Unfortunately, the car behind me slammed into me at approximately 50-55 mph. As I was thrust forward, I must have clipped the back passenger corner of the car in front of me, which flipped me over and rolled the Vue three times.

2011 Buick Regal Improves on the Aura

Emanuel — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 04:18:54 +0000

I went with my friend to test drive a 2011 Buick Regal. This is the car that would have been the '11 Saturn Aura. It is a beauty. I rode in it, and I consciously chose not to drive it since I was afraid it might be an expensive test drive. While I think my 2009 Aura XR 4 is a great car, the Regal is definitely a significant upgrade.

What's a Good Price for 2009 Saturn Aura?

HV Fam Wagon — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:51:33 +0000

I just saw some used 2009 Saturn Auras with more than 36,000 miles on them for sale at Hertz Rental for $11-12k. Of course, these cars have been driven beyond the basic General Motors 36k mile warranty. My question is, are these vehicles still good deals if I buy an extended warranty?

How Many Miles Do You Have on Your Saturn Vue?

pyroom — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:46:07 +0000

I know there was an old thread about this awhile back, but I thought it would be cool to have a little update. I currently have a little over 155,000 kilometers on mine, which is approximately 97,000 miles. What about you?

Saturn Outlooks Recalled Due to Faulty Heated Windshield Washer Fluid System, GM to Reimburse Owners for Removing Feature

Charlie — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:43:50 +0000

General Motors is recalling 1.5 million 2007-09 model cars, trucks, and crossovers to disable a heated washer fluid system (HWFS) module that could pose a fire risk. Because the feature will be disabled, GM will make a voluntary payment of $100 to the owner or lessee of each vehicle. There are no known injuries or crashes related to the condition.

Velocity Video Report: 2000 Saturn LW2

velocityreport — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 03:25:26 +0000

I thought this forum might enjoy this video on the surprising performance of a Saturn L-Series Wagon. Is it just a grocery hauler? What happens after you take a look under the hood? That part kicks in about halfway through.

Just Bought My Sixth Saturn: a 2008 Astra XR3

blaisedaddy — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 03:10:44 +0000

I said in the past I wold not buy another, but I just went ahead and purchased my sixth Saturn: a new 2008 Astra 3 door XR with 8873 miles. It was never registered and I will be the first owner. Yes, it is 2010, but this car was priced right and I had to either replace my Ion or start putting money into it, as it is 6 years old and has 93 thousand miles. I was car shopping and found this treasure.

Best Fuel Economy to Date in My 2009 Vue XR

leogag1 — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 02:34:13 +0000

Last week, I went on a 450 km trip and my 2009 VUE XR-6 averaged 7.7 L/100 km. Converted, it gives 36.7 MPG imperial, or 30.6 MPG US gallons. I was driving at 101 km/h (60 MPH) on the cruise control. We were 2 adults and a child, fully loaded with luggages. For a 3.6L V6, I think it is very, very acceptable! I like this machine!

Where Can I Find Saturn S-Series Black Emblems?

TCCustoms — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 02:23:53 +0000

I had a set of black emblems on my 1997 S-Series and loved the look; I'd like to do put a set on my '99. But these days there are no local dealers that I know of who are still around to call and check with, so wanted to see if anyone knew of an online place that I could go to, or if some dealers still have them?

Welcome ImSaturn Members

Charlie — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:17:00 +0000

With the pending closure of the ImSaturn social networking site, Saturn has been working closely with me to facilitate a transfer of the most popular "social groups" from the ImSaturn site to SaturnFans.com. The remaining folks at Saturn have a sincere interest in making sure Saturn owners continue to have a place to talk about their cars. As a result, I'm happy to announce the creation of the new "ImSaturn Groups" section here at SaturnFans.com. Now more than ever, it's important for Saturn owners to have a place to share their experiences and get help. The new groups were built to closely mimic the group configuration at ImSaturn. You'll still be able to post photos, as well as send and receive messages from other members. You can also create your own social group!

Saturn Introduces "Saturn Authorized Service Providers"

Charlie — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:20:44 +0000

From Saturn: On October 19, 2009, we sent a letter with the news that the sale of Saturn could not be finalized and as a result, the Saturn brand will be phased out over the next year. Reading letters you sent in, as well as the thoughts that were posted on saturn.com has been an emotional and uplifting journey.

Happy New Year: SaturnFans.com Back Online, Server Move Postponed

Charlie — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:43:35 +0000

Well, we're back! After the site crashed over the weekend, I decided to use the downtime to move SaturnFans.com to its new home. I had planned to do it back in Decemeber, but between the holidays, the SF Publisher being down, and other parts of the site needing maintenance, moving the site was not a priority. The good news is that over the weekend I was able to repair the database and fix the publisher. All of the articles published between December 8th and the end of the year will be restored from a backup later this week. Unfortunately, several batches of files transfered to the new site were corrupt, so the move has been postponed.

Saturn Brochure Covers: 2010

Charlie — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:20:25 +0000

A few days ago we took at look back at some of the first Saturn brochure covers. Today we have a sneak peak at what would have been the cover and front spread of the 2010 Saturn brochure. Saturn was reportedly gearing up for a big marketing push in 2010 once the Penske acquisition was completed.

Remember the GM EV1 Electric Car Leased by Saturn?

Charlie — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:26:15 +0000

Darryl Siry from Wired: The GM EV1 was an electric vehicle that was a technical triumph for the time. It generated passion-fueled controversy that still reverberates today. The technological innovations of the EV1 went well beyond the battery pack, inverter and AC induction motor that propelled the car without using any gasoline. The lead-acid battery pack could store only 17 kilowatt-hours for the first generation, roughly equivalent to half a gallon of gasoline. As a result, GM engineers had to do everything they could to reduce the weight and aerodynamic drag of the car to achieve a workable range.

Saturn Brochure Covers: 1991-96

Charlie — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:41:27 +0000

Saturn's original advertising agency, Hal Riney & Partners, managed to capture an essence of Saturn's personality and apply it to printed and recorded media. They created a consistent feel and image with all its printed materials. Many people who missed out on Saturn's earliest days have asked to see what the early brochures were like.

Saturn Was Also a Different Kind of Manufacturer

Charlie — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:00:31 +0000

In the early days, Saturn manufactured its own cars at its own plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. In addition to innovating on the sales, service, and engineering sides of its business, Saturn's founding fathers spent a significant amount of time developing new manufacturing techniques that were based on some of the "best in class" processes used by companies from around the world.

Virtual Polymer Body-Side Panel Demonstration

Charlie — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:37:39 +0000

Over the years, one of Saturn's most impressive features was their innovative plastic polymer body panels that it used to cloth it's cars in. The panels resisted damage from small dents, dings, and minor bumps — they proved to be very popular among Saturn owners. The panels simply absorbed the impact, and bounced back into their original form. Back in the day, if you went to your local Saturn retailer, the sales folks would eagerly show you how well the panels worked by either pounding on the side of a car with their fists, or by inviting you to jump up and down on a sample door panel laying on the floor. No matter how hard you tried, the panels always went back to their original shape.

Owner Story: Comic Books and Saturn

Charlie — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:34:43 +0000

From Tom Mason: Now that GM is shutting down their Saturn division, let me tell you how comic books helped me get a really nice, reliable car. Years ago, my old car went on life support and, reluctantly, since I could no longer count on my friends to keep picking me up by the side of the freeway, I had to get another one. I hate buying a car more than I hate trying to get a hotel room for Comic-Con International in March. So I needed a plan.

SaturnFest 2009 Starts Now

Charlie — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:12:28 +0000

It is with tempered excitement that I officially announce the start of SaturnFest 2009. The format for this year's event will be diferent from in the past. The familiar 5-day schedule has been expanded to 31 days, and the over-the-top celebration will be more reflective and subdued. Personally, I am still finding it hard to prepare a "celebration" so close to the brand's untimely death. Couple that with reports published almost on a daily basis about more retail facilities closing — leaving thousands of folks out of work during the holidays — really saddens me.

GM May Complete Saturn Shutdown by the End of March, Not October 2010 as Previously Announced

Charlie — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:43:49 +0000

From AutoWeek: "All of our efforts will be to sell down our remaining 2009 inventory," Susan Docherty, GM's vice president of U.S. sales, said today at a press event. "We'll have a little bit of carryover of that into the first quarter of 2010, but the objective is to keep our inventory somewhere between 425,000 to 450,000 units." Docherty said she is confident that GM will clear out the 2009-model-year inventory by January. Meanwhile, the company likely will shutter its Pontiac and Saturn brands by the end of the first quarter, Docherty said.

Retailer Recounts Details of Sudden Saturn Closure

Charlie — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:30:13 +0000

Barbara Wieland from the Lansing State Journal: Sherrill Freeborough is finding there is life after Saturn. Freeborough was one of 340 Saturn dealers left hanging when GM's deal to sell the division to Penske Automotive Group collapsed September 30. GM quickly halted Saturn production - including dropping the Outlook crossover made at its Lansing Delta Township assembly plant - and began shutting down the brand. "It was sickening, disheartening," said the normally upbeat, optimistic Freeborough. "It took some time for the reality of it to sink in."

Paging Al Clapsaddle: Huge Incentives Help Build the Case for One Last Saturn Purchase

Charlie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:17:48 +0000

Unprecedented discounts on the last remaining Saturns present an enticing case to anyone in the market for a new car, especially if you're a Saturn owner. Al Clapsaddle, senior sales consultant at Saturn/West in Ohio, sent me an intriguing e-mail the other day detailing the laundry list of incentives available until November 30 — some of which are over and above those that were advertised nationally at the beginning of the month.

How To: Changing the Oil in a Saturn Outlook

james — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:04:43 +0000

Here is a step-by-step how-to guide that I put together after changing the oil in my 2009 Saturn Outlook with GM's 3.6L Direct Injection (DI) V6. The procedure should also work for anyone with who owns a GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and Chevrolet Traverse. This process worked for me, but I cannot accept any responsibility for the procedure or provide any guarantees.

SaturnFans.com is Now on Facebook

Charlie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:25:29 +0000

With General Motors' unfortunate decision to shutdown Saturn, the need for venues that enable owners and fans to communicate is greater than ever. In an effort to foster that communication across as many mediums as possible, SaturnFans.com can be followed via Twitter, RSS, ImSaturn, and now there's a fan page on Facebook. It's another place for Saturn owners — past and present — to socialize, share experiences, and offer support to each other in the wake of Saturn's untimely closing.