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Sedans Saturn Aura Saturn Aura New Owner Reports
214 messages, Last post on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:41 PM
You are in the Saturn Aura Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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I posted this over at SaturnFans but thought some here might like to read it also... I have owned my 2008 Saturn Aura 4CYL for just over 100 days now and thought I would post a few features the car has that I especially appreciate. Feel free to add to my list things you have noticed. Computer start: If you bump the key to start the car for 100ms or hold it for 1 minute the car starts and the starter will not grind. If you push the key to start after the engine is running it will not command the starter to engage. No missing teeth from the flywheel, no broken starters, just perfection every time. Wow! Speed sensitive volume: The radio volume adjusts up and down depending on the speed of the car, I know this feature has been around for a while on GM cars, just the first one I have owned that had it, and I have grown to really appreciate it. Perfect balance of the rotating masses and balance shafts. I do not pretend to understand how GM accomplished this but there is no vibration in this vehicle. If you drive 60MPH, 70MPH, or well north of the speed limit, this car is silky smooth. No engine vibration, no tire vibration, no wheel vibration, and no steering wheel vibration, unbelievable. Daytime running lamps and automatic headlights: Come on, what are all the other manufacturers waiting for? NHTSA or Congress to make it law?? Shift interlock: You cannot accidentally shift to reverse while driving. I frequently shift to neutral while coasting and the button interlock on the shifter keeps me from accidentally pushing the shifter too far and hitting reverse. Why did all the transmission shops around here go out of business? Different EQ programs: Depending on if you are playing a CD with MP3’s or the radio the stereo will store your preferred EQ for each, nice… The Gauge check: I know it has been mentioned on the forums many times but the sweep the gauges do at start up and the way the back lighting softly comes up to level just has that look of luxury. Quiet: The sound deadening, the double laminated glass, the rigid suspension, and the extra attention to the Noise, Vibration, and Harshness. It all comes together to make this one exceptionally quiet vehicle, and I purchased this car for under $20K?? Speed sensitive wipers: Nice safety feature, well done. Driver Information center: Ice possible, cruise engaged, oil life remaining, outside temp, tire pressure, etc… aren’t software algorithms fantastic? Anybody want to venture a guess at how much money all the Aura owners have saved in unnecessary oil changes to date? Auxiliary input jack: hours and hours of MP3’s, anyone want to buy a 2 foot by 2 foot case of cassette tapes? And so many other features that just seem to be table stakes to the mid sized sedan market today. Four wheel disc brakes, 6 Air bags, virtually maintenance free, etc…
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Replying to: winterescape (Apr 27, 2008 8:07 am)  Nice of you to praise the car so ( ?? ) . |
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I had to work the Atlanta Autoshow last week and went by the Saturn booth and looked at 2 Auras. Both of them still were showing the rocker panel gaping present on my 07. By the way, the metallic black under the show lights was spectacular!
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Replying to: georgiaxr (May 04, 2008 7:44 pm) to ignore until the 2010 model year comes on line as the next Gen. Aura. It will be a rebadged Opel Insignia according to Motor Trend Magazine. 
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Replying to: dinof (May 05, 2008 5:48 am) they have done to the current models 07 thru 08/9. Hopefully by 2010 they will have found a better way to secure the rocker panels..........like making them a part of the steel body instead of a pair of clip-on plastic pieces of junk. 
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Replying to: sake (Jul 18, 2007 8:34 am) I personally like the factory grill. What i did was to buy and install 1/4 thick roll of Roll-a-Chrome that i bought at at Auto Zone and cut to length an attach/stick it to all the lower grill bars...looks great ! Along with the double gold pinstripping that i added to the pewter bronze paint. I also added 7 Saturn emblems to the car that I bought on e bay. one on each inside door panel +1 on each side outside behind small side windows plus one next to the shift lever + 2 v-6 emblems to the leading edge of the front fenders. Also had 3 soft arm rest pads made to attach to center and side armrests.........their much softer then original Even the dealer said it has a great look not at all gaudy and looks like something Saturn should have done PICS UPON REQUEST >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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Replying to: niceride (Jun 15, 2008 9:38 am) If possible please send to : dinof  carspace.com Thanks.....................the car really does need some added sparkle bits..............LOL.
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I bought a 2008 Saturn Aura XE in July 2007, so it's 1 year old, and I'm not very happy with it at the moment. About two weeks after I bought it, I discovered that the trunk, where the spare tire is, was filling up with water. And, when driving, I could take my hands off the wheel, and I'd start veering to the right. And, one morning, I couldn't start the car, so I thought the battery was dead. Luckily my husband had the good idea to move the gear shift out of park and back into park, and that got the car started. So we took it in to the dealer ship for all of those problems. The alignment wasn't fixed, but I lived with it. Later on, my husband rotated my tires, which helped a lot. Fast forward a year, and my brakes started making horrific noises, so my husband took the brake pads off to inspect them and found that one was cracked and another was crumbling apart. Then I notice that my rear tail lights fogged up under the plastic cover. So again it goes back to the dealership. Those idiots tried to tell my husband nothing was wrong with the brakes (they hadn't even removed them), that they were making noise because they were metallic, so my husband made the guy REMOVE the brake pads and he had to show the mechanic the cracks. They did replace all the brakes and they are ordering new tail light covers. Apparently Saturn sent out bulletins to the dealerships warning them about the light covers, so that seems to be a common problem. In 1999 I bought a brand new Chevy Cavalier and have not had this many defects in the entire life of the car - I still have that car. Sure, it's had it's wear and tear problems, but this Saturn is only a year old. It should be performing better than it is. |
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| 08 Aura 3.5. Three times my right rear floorboard was flooded with water. It starts from the center underneath the front seat to the back. Looked around for leaks from sunroof and doors but couldn't figure it out. Dealer says it's the evaporator (they had another Aura with the same problem). They have had it in the shop for 2 weeks. I went to check on it and couldn't believe what I saw. The entire interior was gutted...no dash, no steering column, no carpet, no seats. They had to do all that to replace the evaporator and I don't know what else. I told them I hope they can put it back together and not have a single squeak or rattle. Other than this, I LOVE my car. 26-27 in town mileage (San Antonio), and up to 35 mpg on a road trip. Has anyone else had this evaporator leak problem? BTW, while mine is in the shop, they have another Aura sitting next to it with the same problem. | |
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