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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.

Some 2006-07 Saturn Ions Recalled

Charlie — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:06:29 +0000

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2006 Saturn Ion vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Arizon and Nevada. Model year 2007 Ions originally sold or currently registered in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, and Texas are also impacted by the campaign.

GM Readies New Ads, Deep Discounts to Clear Remaining Saturn Inventory

Charlie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:59:26 +0000

Automotive News reports that General Motors is preparing what will likely be one last Saturn advertising campaign in an effort to sell the brand's last remaining 9,400 2008 and 2009 models. Susan Docherty, GM's newly appointed vice president of U.S. sales, told the trade publication that "starting next week, we'll have a print campaign which features that product. In the next 90 days, we'll have cleaned up that inventory. I'm not worried about it at all."

Roger Penske Talks about Failed Saturn Deal

Charlie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:15:52 +0000

Below a partial transcript detailing comments made by Roger Penske pertaining to his failed acquisition of the Saturn brand during the Penske Automotive Group's (PAG) third quarter 2009 earnings call held this past Friday, October 30th.

Saturn Deal Didn’t Meet Renault’s Return Requirement

Charlie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:14:25 +0000

Sharon Terlep from the Dow Jones Newswires: Auto magnate Roger Penske believed he was taking over General Motors' Saturn brand until the very last moments, when France's Renault shocked both Penske and GM by backing out of an agreement to provide vehicles. Penske addressed the failed deal Friday as he announced Penske Automotive Group's quarterly financial results.

Report: Jill Lajdziak to Retire from GM by End of Year, GM’s Steve Hill to Lead Shutdown of Brand

Charlie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:40:30 +0000

Jamie Lareau from Automotive News: Jill Lajdziak, who joined Saturn before its first car was sold and led the division through its demise last month, will retire from General Motors at the end of the year. Lajdziak, 52, will take vacation time until then, said spokesman John McDonald. In the interim, GM's Steve Hill, will coordinate the wind-down of the Saturn brand.

GM Hopes to Retain Saturn Customers, but 69% of SaturnFans.com Members Surveyed Say they Won’t Purchase a GM Vehicle

Charlie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:37:15 +0000

Eric Mayne from WardsAuto.com: GM is entering the free-agent market. The auto maker will reach out next week to some 1.6 million customers affected by the wind-down of its storied Pontiac brand. Susan Docherty, vice president-U.S. sales, calls these consumers "free agents" and says GM will attempt to steer them to Buick-GMC or Chevrolet dealerships by offering free oil changes. GM also will distribute information about Buick, GMC and Chevrolet product portfolios as it tries to keep these customers "in the family," Docherty says, adding a similar campaign is being planned to woo Saturn-brand customers.

A Wealth of Lessons from Saturn Failure

Charlie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:04:11 +0000

From Knowledge@Wharton: General Motors' decision earlier this month to scrap its Saturn brand triggered frequent retellings of the many ways in which GM missed an opportunity to recast itself and the auto industry. But other manufacturers did adopt some of Saturn's innovations, according to Wharton faculty. Indeed, they say, the Saturn story provides a roadmap for what to do - and what not to do - as the auto industry adjusts to the post-financial crisis world.

Fisker to Purchase Former Delaware Saturn Plant to Build Plug-in Hybrid Cars

Charlie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:37:14 +0000

Fisker Automotive has selected the former GM/Saturn Wilmington Assembly plant in Wilmington, Delaware to build affordable plug-in hybrid cars. Fisker executives made the announcement inside the dormant facility yesterday, joined by Vice President Joe Biden, Delaware Governor Jack Markell and other state officials. The plant will support Fisker Automotive's Project NINA, the development and build of an affordable, family-oriented plug-in hybrid sedan costing about $39,900 after federal tax credits.

Searching for an Original 1991 Saturn Owner

Charlie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:51:22 +0000

A television station in Ohio is working on a news segment about Saturn, and they are looking for an owner of any 1991 Saturn who lives in the area between the Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. Ideally, the person they'd like to talk to is someone who is the original owner and still uses the car.

Saturn Owners: Remember to Smile and Wave

marx404 — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:31:04 +0000

Permit me to steal a line from the famous penguins of the movie Madagascar for a moment. I will already take to heart that some may understand what I am about to say, some may not, and some may totally misconstrue it. This is for those who do get it and did get it all along.

SaturnFest 2009 Postponed

Charlie — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:53:08 +0000

Today was supposed to be the first day of SaturnFans.com's week-long SaturnFest celebration. Just like in the past, it was going to be a happy time, with this year's virtual gathering of owners from around the world (I've received e-mails from as far away as Taiwan) cheering Roger Penske's acquistion of Saturn. But, alas, with GM's decision to suddenly begin the process of shutdowning the brand at the end of September, preparation for the online festival screeched to a halt as news of the impending closure dominated this site's front page.

A Letter from Jill Lajdziak to Saturn Owners Regarding GM’s Decision to Shutdown the Brand

Charlie — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:24:46 +0000

Of all the letters I have written this past year, this one is the most difficult. I want to begin by thanking all of you for your support over this last year. Your loyalty to Saturn motivated my team to work very hard to try to find a way for this brand to continue. The many e-mails, calls and personal notes provided the inspiration to all of us at Saturn. By now I'm sure you have heard that the sale of Saturn to the Penske Automotive Group could not be finalized. As a result, the Saturn brand will now be phased out over time.

SaturnFans.com Back Online After Record Traffic Crashes Server (Again)

Charlie — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:21:24 +0000

For the second time this month, SaturnFans.com has been knocked offline due to the surge of Saturn owners and enthusiasts flocking to the Web to read more about GM's decision to shutdown the Saturn brand. This time damage was much more extensive. While the primary site database has been reconstructed, there is still some work that needs to be done.

Saturn and Me: General Motors Loses a Customer

Charlie — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:46:31 +0000

Allan Sloan from the Washington Post: Until last week I had been one of General Motors' most reliable customers for more than 15 years. But my relationship with GM ended the very day the company announced that it was closing its Saturn operation — something I learned when I came home from trading in my 2003 Saturn Vue for a new, spiffy 2010 SUV with an Asian nameplate.

Saturn Deserves Better than Revisionists Calling Its Cars Ordinary

Charlie — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:23:31 +0000

Bryan Laviolette from Michigan WLLZ: Much has been written about why Saturn was somewhat of a success through much of the 1990s. Even though General Motors starved the brand for new products, those who bought Saturns back then loved them. Sure, buyers enjoyed the no-haggle deals and the fresh approach to selling cars. They loved it when dealer employees clapped as they drove their cars away for the first time. But what they really loved was that the cars were good, possibly the best cars GM has made since the 1950s when it ruled the American market.

It Could Be Time to Buy a Saturn

Charlie — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:19:15 +0000

Jessica Anderson from Kiplinger's Personal Finance: If you're in the market for a new car, GM's loss could be your gain. Saturn's dealers have until the end of October 2010 to close, now that a deal has fallen through to sell the car line to the Penske Automotive Group. But many showrooms could close by January because inventory is low. That means the sooner you shop, the better your choices.

Opinion: Fiat Should Have Teamed with Saturn Instead of Chrysler

Charlie — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:15:04 +0000

David Booth from the Fast Lane via MSN Autos: I also suspect that in my perfect world that Fiat would not have bought Chrysler. Come to think of it, after visiting Chrysler's research and development facilities recently, methinks that in Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne's perfect world, he too would not have bought Chrysler.

Could Penske Still Buy Saturn?

Charlie — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:12:19 +0000

Bryan Lavoilette from Michigan Live: Don't be surprised if General Motors' deal with Penske Automotive is back on within the next week or two. Penske backed out of its plans with GM to buy the ringed-planet brand when the automaker which was going to build its cars nixed the deal.

Fisker, Tata, and DeLorean Said to be Interested in Former Delaware Saturn Plant

Charlie — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:10:01 +0000

Andrew Eder from the Delaware News Journal: At least three auto companies have toured the empty Boxwood Road assembly plant near Newport in a bid by the governor's economic development team to revive the state's moribund manufacturing sector. Delaware is competing against suitors in Michigan and other Midwestern states where the American auto industry has cut back production leaving dozens of abandoned auto plants. Access to foreign markets through the Port of Wilmington and a commitment to green technology could help Delaware revive a 62-year legacy of building cars that ended when General Motors closed Boxwood in July.

Virtual Car Company Idea Stalled

Charlie — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:56:50 +0000

Joseph Szczesny from the Oakland Press: The theory of the virtual car company is a favorite concept of a lot of consultants and analysts that are part and parcel of the car business, not only in the U.S. but around the world. The idea draws a lot of its energy from the idea that a virtual company wouldn't need to have expensive engineering labs and assembly plants. Instead, they would belong to a supplier. In addition, the virtual company would limit the need to keep many expensive employees on the payroll and the "legacy" costs for pensions and health care benefits, leaving more money for critical things like executive bonuses and, of course, very lucrative contracts — or so the theory goes anyway.

Saturn Experiment Yielded 25 Years of Innovation

Charlie — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:01:44 +0000

Lindsay Chappell from Automotive News: As far as auto industry grand experiments go, Saturn lived a long life. From the time GM Chairman Roger Smith incorporated Saturn Corporation in 1985 until October 2010, when GM officially will bury the brand, it will be 25 years.

Failed Saturn Deal Shocks Staffers

Charlie — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:58:26 +0000

Cindy Wojdyla Cain from the Herald News: Saturn will shut down completely by October 2010, said Eddie Larson, general manager of Saturn of Joliet. Larson, 29, has worked for Saturn since he was 21. He has never even had to write a resume other than one for a college class because he has continually been promoted within the company.

The Demise of Saturn Hurts

Charlie — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:57:08 +0000

David Booth from the National Post: So, Saturn is no more. One more bastion of the U.S. auto empire sinks into the quicksand that has been The Great Recession. Its would-be saviour, Roger Penske, has pulled out of the deal quite dramatically one day prior to taking over the "Saturn Homecoming" brand.

Once, in a Galaxy Near and Dear, There was Saturn

Charlie — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:55:38 +0000

Michael O'Rourke from the San Antonio Express-News: First came the news that Pluto is no longer a planet. Now, Saturn will no longer be a car? These are strange times to be living in our universe. I never owned a Saturn. My brother had one. When he bought it my first question was, "Did they do it? Did they all come out and clap for you?"

Retailers Often had Personal Connection to Saturn

Charlie — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:54:17 +0000

Heather Stauffer from the Sentinel: John Sutliff's family has had a good run with Saturn, and he said Monday that even news General Motors is closing down the brand won't entirely change that. Sutliff said Saturn was "wildly successful" in central Pennsylvania, with the five area dealerships delivering more than 48,000 new Saturns since 1991.

Some Saturn Owners, Retailers Have a Special Relationship with Vanishing Brand

Charlie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:16:53 +0000

Dan Gearino from the Columbus Dispatch via the Boston Herald: The toughest part for Saturn fans was the suddenness. For months, Penske Automotive Group worked on plans to buy the Saturn brand from General Motors. And then, in an instant last week, the deal evaporated. Saturn is now slated to wind down over the next year. "We were caught off guard as much as everyone," said Steve Whitman of Clintonville, vice president of the Central Ohio Saturn Car Club. Penske walked away from the deal after being unable to find a manufacturer to make Saturns after a contract with GM runs out in 2011. There's been no word on another buyer emerging.

Retailers Quietly Mark the End of an Era

Charlie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:09:47 +0000

Don Hammonds from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: When Rikki Kirchner of Santa Clarita, California, heard that Saturn was going out of business, she marched out to her Saturn Astra and ripped the General Motors emblems right off the car. "I know a guy who did that too. Heck, Saturn's an orphan right now, and it's a sad day," she said.