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32000 messages,  Last post on Feb 14, 2013 at 7:24 PM

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#31018 of 32000 Re: Contemplate if you will... [michaell] by ateixeira

Jan 21, 2013 (1:53 pm)

Replying to: michaell (Jan 21, 2013 1:26 pm)
Meriva and Zafira were replaced with crossovers.

#31019 of 32000 Re: Contemplate if you will... [busiris] by michaell

Jan 21, 2013 (2:06 pm)

Replying to: busiris (Jan 21, 2013 1:29 pm)
As your experience points out, a great dealer can overcome a mediocre product (not that yours was mediocre, but that many buyers will return again and again to a dealer - the "face" of the manufacturer - even if the product isn't superb).
 
Prior to the Saturns, the wife and I bought / leased 4 Fords and 1 VW. Once we became accustomed to the Saturn way of selling, it was easy for us to go back - again and again.
 
Would we have remained with Saturn had GM kept the brand alive? Possibly - the product wasn't so bad that we felt we had to go somewhere else. One of the Saturns was traded in for a MINI (also from a 'no haggle' dealer) and another was traded in for a Mazda.
 
As previously mentioned, only the '06 ION remains. 83K and still on the original brake pads. The only major issue I've had with it was that the rear struts had to be replaced a year or so ago. Every time I take it to my local shop for maintenance, they tell me what good shape the car is in, mechanically.

#31020 of 32000 Re: Contemplate if you will... [ateixeira] by andre1969

Jan 21, 2013 (2:04 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 21, 2013 1:51 pm)
Good point, but who wants an economy V8?
 
Well, I did, the last time I filled up my Ram. 12.3 mpg, in mostly local driving. In all fairness though, with the onset of winter, and the ultra-short trips it's had to endured, would probably kill the economy of any car. I usually put my antique cars up for the winter, but there was one year I had to press my '79 5th Ave into somewhat regular service. In that type of driving, I was getting around 8-9 mpg! And my '85 Silverado would probably get about the same.
 
So, even there, you can see the improvement over the years, with a modern 345 CID engine with something like 380 hp using 1/4-1/3 the amount of fuel that a 165 hp 305, or a 150 hp 360, uses.
 
There have been times that I've sunk the fuel economy of my 2000 Park Ave into the 15 mpg range, as well, this time of year.

#31021 of 32000 Re: Contemplate if you will... [michaell] by ateixeira

Jan 21, 2013 (6:20 pm)

Replying to: michaell (Jan 21, 2013 2:06 pm)
I always felt that Saturn was a great sales model, and they should have become a division that trained dealers, perhaps.
 
People will remember the experience more than any model. Will any Saturn ever be collectible? Think about it.

#31022 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [uplanderguy] by andres3

Jan 21, 2013 (8:09 pm)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Jan 18, 2013 5:25 pm)
for the original Mustang, and the one guy who came up with the FWD minivan concept, overrated
 
Haven't you been spouting over and over that the Camaro often outsells the Mustang?
 
And I think it's been well established on this forum and everyone has already agree that the Minivan is a dead concept that didn't last and there's no room in the market for more than the 2 good one's that already exist with Honda and Toyota (and hence why everyone's exited the short-lived market for it).

#31023 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [andres3] by steve_ HOST

Jan 21, 2013 (8:19 pm)

Replying to: andres3 (Jan 21, 2013 8:09 pm)
Not hardly.
 
"•Dodge Grand Caravan is the best-selling minivan in United States with 141,648 units sold in 2012, a 28 percent increase over previous year
 •Chrysler Town & Country sells 111,744 units in 2012, an 18 percent increase over previous year
 •Chrysler Group LLC sold 253,392 minivans in 2012, a 23 percent increase, and nearly half of all minivans sold in the U.S. in 2012"
 
Dodge Grand Caravan takes the minivan sales crown for 2012 (The Auto Channel)

#31024 of 32000 Re: Contemplate if you will... [steve_] by andres3

Jan 21, 2013 (8:31 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Jan 19, 2013 9:35 pm)
Geos had a better reputation.
 
You mean the Geo Prisms sourced from Toyota with a Geo emblem and grille on them differentiating them?
 
I know the Metro's didn't have a good rep in my parts.
 

#31025 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [steve_] by andres3

Jan 21, 2013 (8:32 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Jan 21, 2013 8:19 pm)
•Chrysler Group LLC sold 253,392 minivans in 2012, a 23 percent increase, and nearly half of all minivans sold in the U.S. in 2012"
 
Hmmm... maybe there is room for GM to re-enter the market then. A Pontiac Aztek with sliding doors won't cut it though.

#31026 of 32000 Re: Contemplate if you will... [andres3] by steve_ HOST

Jan 21, 2013 (8:43 pm)

Replying to: andres3 (Jan 21, 2013 8:31 pm)
The Metros were Suzukis, and had a blip in demand back around 2008 when gas prices popped.

#31027 of 32000 Re: Contemplate if you will... [andre1969] by andres3

Jan 21, 2013 (9:00 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 20, 2013 11:51 am)
Admittedly though, one thing that makes them look bad is that newer cars have tighter, more even gaps than your typical car of 20 or so years ago.
 
I noticed a maker by the name of Honda paid attention to things like assembly quality, specifications of quality, such as gap tolerance 20 years ago.
 
Was funny noticing the massive panel gaps in the '08 Equionox the other day.
I compared it to a recent model Malibu, which had very tight gaps (welcome to the modern era GM!). How's that for balance.

Messages Page 3103 of 3201

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