Buying a 2008 Saturn Vue

[2QuickZ's]

I was going to wait until March/April time frame to buy a vehicle but I just couldn't pass up the great deal. This thing has a total of $3,000 in rebates on it but $1,500 of them are set to expire on 1/31/08 so I had to do it now. I'm not a huge SUV person but I need more rear seat room for my son and so I headed up to the dealership yesterday to give one a test drive. To my suprise, I liked it! It rode and drove nice and has pretty good acceleration. Since it has the same powertrain as my wife's Aura but is heavier, I expected it to feel a lot slower but it really doesn't feel much slower at all.

Here's what I got:

- XR FWD

- Ruby Red exterior

- Premium trim (Tan Leather)

- Preferred (it's no cost on XR's right now)

- Convenience Package

- Chrome skid plates (didn't want it, got stuck with it)

It is going to be a bit of an adjustment going from a Saab 9-2X that runs high 13's to an SUV that is a second and a half slower. I'm sure I'll get over it. If you know anybody looking for a fun, sporty, quick AWD car, I now have a low mileage 2005 Saab 9-2X (Subaru WRX wagon) for sale.

Edited January 29, 2008 by 2QuickZ's

[ocnblu]

Congratulations, 2Quick. How about a few photos down in the "member's rides" section?

I had every intention of test driving an Astra 3-door tonight after work. I got to the dealership, got out of the Sierra, looked at the car... chickened out, and left. Local dealer now has 2 Astra 3-doors, black and red.

Edited January 30, 2008 by ocnblu

[regfootball]

vue is a great choice. congrats! keep us informed on the mpg.

[2QuickZ's]

I pick it up on Thursday. As soon as we get a decent weather day I will take some pictures of it and post it in the members rides section.

The MSRP was $26,750 and I will pay approx. $21,500 before tax, title and plate by the time I get GMS and the rebates. I just couldn't pass that deal up. The dealership had an "old invoice" unit (additional $1,000 off) that I could have had for under $20k!!! It was an XR FWD that only had heated seats.

[2QuickZ's]

Congratulations, 2Quick. How about a few photos down in the "member's rides" section?

I had every intention of test driving an Astra 3-door tonight after work. I got to the dealership, got out of the Sierra, looked at the car... chickened out, and left. Local dealer now has 2 Astra 3-doors, black and red.

I checked out and sat in an Astra 3 door while waiting for my sales guy to finish up with a different customer. It seemed like it would be an excellent choice for someone looking for a compact 2 door. The one I looked at had an 18" wheel/summer tire package that looked pretty sharp. You need to go test drive one and let us all know how it drives!

[regfootball]

I pick it up on Thursday. As soon as we get a decent weather day I will take some pictures of it and post it in the members rides section.

The MSRP was $26,750 and I will pay approx. $21,500 before tax, title and plate by the time I get GMS and the rebates. I just couldn't pass that deal up. The dealership had an "old invoice" unit (additional $1,000 off) that I could have had for under $20k!!! It was an XR FWD that only had heated seats.

that is a RAGING bargain. yet the RAV4 you gotta pay so much more for so much less.....

[enzl]

that is a RAGING bargain. yet the RAV4 you gotta pay so much more for so much less.....

Certainly if you're buying your car by the pound.

[RJB]

I pick it up on Thursday. As soon as we get a decent weather day I will take some pictures of it and post it in the members rides section.

The MSRP was $26,750 and I will pay approx. $21,500 before tax, title and plate by the time I get GMS and the rebates. I just couldn't pass that deal up. The dealership had an "old invoice" unit (additional $1,000 off) that I could have had for under $20k!!! It was an XR FWD that only had heated seats.

That is a very good price!! My fiancee wants one real bad, but we have a wedding to plan/save for, so a new car is out of the question. She just wants to feel and be more safe than in her car, which sucks in the snow!! I'm even afraid to drive it unless we have a carload of people in it. The tires are a major factor of why it scares the bejesus out of me. I feel more confident in my own rwd truck, in the snow, in 2wd than in her car! Low profile tires, which are crappy goodyears on a Grand Am GT are never good for anyone.

[Dsuupr]

Congrats! What kind of gas mileage have you gotten so far?

[2QuickZ's]

Congrats! What kind of gas mileage have you gotten so far?

0 mpg so far! I pick it up tomorrow! :AH-HA_wink:

Certainly if you're buying your car by the pound.

That's funny! I'm sure you are not the biggest fan, but you have to admit, that is a pretty damn good deal for what I'm getting. Edited January 30, 2008 by 2QuickZ's

[regfootball]

at least the vue's rear hatch is solid and closes with a germanic thunk. the RAV's rear 'hatch' closes like a cheap screen door on a southern tin shack.

[daves87rs]

Very sweet!

May have to look into one of those....

[enzl]

0 mpg so far! I pick it up tomorrow! :AH-HA_wink:

That's funny! I'm sure you are not the biggest fan, but you have to admit, that is a pretty damn good deal for what I'm getting.

I'm not, however, my wife has insisted that the new Vue is 'on the list.' I'm impressed by the obvious improvement--I'm a little sad that the thing is such a tank.

Fantastic deal, regardless.

(I'm actually a closet Saturn fan. Always loved the idea of Saturn, but have been a little disappointed by the execution. The Aura, Vue, Astra & Outlook are all positive steps in the right direction.)

[2QuickZ's]

I'm not, however, my wife has insisted that the new Vue is 'on the list.' I'm impressed by the obvious improvement--I'm a little sad that the thing is such a tank.

Fantastic deal, regardless.

(I'm actually a closet Saturn fan. Always loved the idea of Saturn, but have been a little disappointed by the execution. The Aura, Vue, Astra & Outlook are all positive steps in the right direction.)

It is definitely over weight. It weighs a minimum of 300 lbs more than it should and probably more like 500 lbs more. GM continues to fail when it comes to weight control. It does feel very solid, though, which can't be said for most of its lightweight competitors.

I only have 70 miles on it so far but I like it!

[enzl]

It is definitely over weight. It weighs a minimum of 300 lbs more than it should and probably more like 500 lbs more. GM continues to fail when it comes to weight control. It does feel very solid, though, which can't be said for most of its lightweight competitors.

I only have 70 miles on it so far but I like it!

All that matters is that you like it.

I'm currently driving a company car: 04 Jeep Liberty Sport RWD V6, 40K.

I'd kill for a Vue to drive daily at this point.

[K.C.]

Congrats on the new Saturn. There is no Saturn dealer here in Montana, so I bought my sons Sky and my future daughter in law bought her Aura at the nearest retailer 8 hours away in Boise, ID. You cant' say we don't love our Saturns.

[2QuickZ's]

All that matters is that you like it.

I'm currently driving a company car: 04 Jeep Liberty Sport RWD V6, 40K.

I'd kill for a Vue to drive daily at this point.

So far, so good. I've only had it for a couple of days so time will tell. As I said before, I'm not really a fan of SUV's as a whole. I'd prefer a good sport wagon but the Vue seemed like a nice compromise.

Congrats on the new Saturn. There is no Saturn dealer here in Montana, so I bought my sons Sky and my future daughter in law bought her Aura at the nearest retailer 8 hours away in Boise, ID. You cant' say we don't love our Saturns.

Now that is hardcore dedication! The sad part is that the closest retailer to you is 8 hours away and I have 4 Saturn dealers within a 20 minute drive from my house.

Edited February 3, 2008 by 2QuickZ's

[regfootball]

Congrats on the new Saturn. There is no Saturn dealer here in Montana, so I bought my sons Sky and my future daughter in law bought her Aura at the nearest retailer 8 hours away in Boise, ID. You cant' say we don't love our Saturns.

but your pontiac dealer can service the sky and the chevy dealer can service the aura no doubt.

[ZL-1]

Congrats on the new Saturn. Be sure to post pictures when you get the car!

[gm4life]

Good luck with her I love my Theta.

[caddycruiser]

but your pontiac dealer can service the sky and the chevy dealer can service the aura no doubt.

Oil changes and such, yes. Anything else, such as a typical warranty repair, no.

That said...congrats on the Vue! They're porky little beasts, but as many have said, you can instantly tell where some of that weight has gone when you close a door or drive around. And right now, with the terrible sales, there's deals to be had that didn't tend to be a Saturn thing before.

When mom recently wanted something smaller, I was very close to recommending a new Vue XR FWD to her, especially since the local dealer had a few light optioned ones that could be had for around $22/23k. But, she wanted a sedan, and the Vue fuel mileage wouldn't probably have been high enough for the purposes of going smaller. I still really like them, though.

[2QuickZ's]

So far the only thing I can really say I don't like about it is the climate control system. It works well enough as far as heating goes but whenever you have it in floor mode or either of the defrost modes, the defroster duct makes a ticking noise every 30 seconds or so. It's not too loud and many people would probably not even notice but being in automotive interiors, my ears are very tuned in to every squeak, rattle or other noise and they drive me nuts! An older Vue ("old invoice" model) also had it but a second, newer Vue I test drove did not. The build date of mine was somewhere in between the two. I didn't really get to drive it before I picked it up because it was a dealer trade that came in the day I picked it up.

I also had to snap the two halves of the steering column cover together because it wasn't quite assembled properly and was only half together. You'd think the dealership would have noticed that in dealer prep but apparently they didn't.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Congrats on the purchase! I really like the new VUE compared to the '06-'07 restyled ones. My mom has an '05 AWD and she likes it a lot. The service her & my dad have received from their Saturn dealership has been great so far. I too am happy with my Saturn dealership (different from my parents), but I have an AURA and had a SKY.

The '05 Envoy we lease is expiring this summer. The wife gets to pick out the new car this year, and the VUE was on her list too. However, at the Philly Auto Show on Saturday they pnly had three on display (an XE, an XR, and a Hybrid). The XE & XR weren't well equipped models and she left the show not really "inspired" to want to check one out further. It's a shame, because they are such nice looking SUVs.

Keep us posted and let us know what actual MPG you're getting. Pics would be nice as soon as you get them taken. Happy Motoring!!!

[2QuickZ's]

Well, the first tank of gas was 18.03 mpg. This was a 50/50 mix of city/hwy driving babying it during break-in. I'm not sure how full the tank was when I got it, though. I picked it up with 26 miles on the odo and it was already showing below full on the gauge. It also had at least 3 remote start warm ups for 5-10 minutes getting it warmed up before taking my 8 month old son to day care.

All in all, not too bad. I would expect it to get significantly better as everything breaks in and loosens up and as the weather warms up.

I'll use this thread to track fuel economy for all those interested.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Well, the first tank of gas was 18.03 mpg. This was a 50/50 mix of city/hwy driving babying it during break-in. I'm not sure how full the tank was when I got it, though. I picked it up with 26 miles on the odo and it was already showing below full on the gauge. It also had at least 3 remote start warm ups for 5-10 minutes getting it warmed up before taking my 8 month old son to day care.

All in all, not too bad. I would expect it to get significantly better as everything breaks in and loosens up and as the weather warms up.

I'll use this thread to track fuel economy for all those interested.

Thanks for the info. Please keep us updated on your mileage. After visiting the Philly Auto Show again yesterday, she looked the VUEs over and deemed that there really wasn't anything that turned her off (she just much rather have the Volvo C30/S40/V50 or a CTS instead). Since we don't have to make a decision until the summer, I'll be researching more about the VUE in the meantime. 18 MPG is better than what we get in the Envoy when she drives it on her daily 64-mile roundtrip commute (16 MPG), but seeing as how this will soley be her car, I want to see better MPG overall (currently, she takes the Envoy 2 days and uses the AURA the other 3 days of the week). Again, I will appreciate any feedback you provide in this thread (likes, dislikes, MPG averages, etc).

[2QuickZ's]

Okay, here is more info for you. I guess I'll keep posting each tank as long as I remember to do so and people still seem interested.

Second Tank:

- 301.8 miles on 15.39 gallons for 19.61 mpg average

- 40% city and 60% highway

- (2) 5-10 minute remote starts

- Much of the highway driving was slower than usual (45 mph) due to driving on a couple of snowy days

[GMTruckGuy74]

Thanks for the update.

How does teh FWD handle in the snow? I have a friend that has an '03 4cyl FWD VUE and while she likes it a lot, she regrets not getting an AWD model. She claims it doesn't handle very well in the snow and doesn't look forward to driving it in those conditions. My mom has an '05 AWD and while she hates driving in the snow period, she claims the AWD handles the snow great.

[2QuickZ's]

Third Tank:

- 300.0 miles on 15.79 gallons for 19.00 mpg average

- 50% city and 50% highway

- (2) 5-10 minute remote starts

- Weather was again a factor. One of my 17 mile drives home (15 miles of it on the interstate) took me 60 minutes due to heavy traffic caused by unplowed, unsalted roads.

I really can't wait to see how much it improves as the weather gets better and everything breaks in. Right now it is about what I expected. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be driving it, though. I let my wife take it to the store last night and now she wants to switch. She wants me to drive her Aura so she can drive the Vue. I may switch with her after I put another couple thousand miles on the Vue because that will mean I get to pick the next vehicle when it's time to replace the Aura in 2 years.

How does teh FWD handle in the snow? I have a friend that has an '03 4cyl FWD VUE and while she likes it a lot, she regrets not getting an AWD model. She claims it doesn't handle very well in the snow and doesn't look forward to driving it in those conditions. My mom has an '05 AWD and while she hates driving in the snow period, she claims the AWD handles the snow great.

I have no problems driving it in the snow. It feels pretty stable to me and doesn't make me any more nervous than my AWD Saab would. Heck, I would be more nervous in the Saab because it doesn't have stability control. We have gotten a few pretty good snowfalls since I bought it and I don't have any regrets over getting FWD. It is no worse than any other FWD vehicle I have driven plus the traction control seems to be tuned in pretty good. It allows some tire spin but not too much and doesn't completely kill the power when it does kick in. I haven't had to rely on the stability control kicking in yet but I would hope it would do an equally commendable job.

[RJB]

Do you think AWD be a plus over the FWD, or have you not test driven an AWD in the snow or otherwise. Just curious because my fiancee wants a AWD, but I'm trying to convince her to just get a FWD model. The cost savings difference alone would be worth getting the FWD model.

[2QuickZ's]

I never even test drove an AWD model, though I am familiar with AWD since the Saab that was replaced by my Vue is AWD.

To me, the only advantage of AWD is better acceleration on wet or slick surfaces. Beyond that, all vehicles have brakes at all 4 corners and in theory, the FWD version should stop better because it is lighter. They all have traction and stability control so I didn't think it was worth the added up front cost for AWD or the hit it takes in fuel economy. Besides, you can always buy a set of Blizzak or similar snow tires if you need to. If I was choosing between RWD and AWD, I may have paid extra for AWD, I'm not sure. As it is, we only get really good snowfalls a half dozen times a year where the AWD might even make a difference. If I lived near one of the lakes where they get lake effect snow all the time, I probably would have sprung for AWD.

In the end, it all comes down to personal preference and what makes you feel comfortable.

Edited February 14, 2008 by 2QuickZ's

[GMTruckGuy74]

We were able to take a VUE XR FWD out for a test-drive yesterday afternoon. My wife drove an Enclave CX FWD in the morning and last Saturday we took both a Volvo V50 2.4 (wagon) and S60 T5 (sedan) out for a spin. So far she likes the Enclave the best; however, the monthly payment is WAY beyond our range (it was a $36K model, with cloth, dvd entertainment pkg #2, polished 18" aluminum rims, and driver confidence pkg). Even at the low-end of the trim/option packages, we still can't get/afford the Enclave. But she did like it better than the Volvo, which I knew anyway.

Suprisingly she liked the VUE very much. It's only two options were heated seats and chrome skid plates, but I'd want her to have the option pakage that includes the remote start. We went to the dealer I wouldn't buy from, since it was on our way to her college class last night. She also looked over the ASTRA XR 3-door in the showroom more, saying how if the interior was better designed, she'd consider it again. Next step will be to see what my preferred Saturn retailer has in-stock; no rush, as we have 5 remaining lease payments on the Envoy and I'm wondering if the Memorial Day (May) or July 4th sales would be a better time to get a great deal with no lease payments remaining on our GMC?

[2QuickZ's]

I let my wife drive mine for the first time last week and when she got back she told me she wanted to switch cars. She wanted the Vue and wanted me to drive the Aura. I told her not until the thing has at least 5000 miles on it! Two days of the week I have a longer drive to work because I work at a different location for part or all of the day. She has started driving the Vue on those days since her work is closer. She really, really likes it! I actually like it a lot to. A lot more than I thought I would since I'm not a huge fan of SUV's.

Edited February 20, 2008 by 2QuickZ's

[regfootball]

Vue is nice. the word needs to get out how slick it is. the weight factor is overblown. it's part of the reason its so solid.

i can attest to how crappy light and tinny the lighter rav4 is.

Edited February 21, 2008 by regfootball

[RJB]

It could very well still shed some pounds without being tinny or losing any of its solidity. I mean the weight shown for the Vue is from 3,789lbs all the way up to 4,325lbs!! That says porker to me. Don't get me wrong I do like this vehicle alot, but I just think it would benefit from some weight loss which would help out the fuel economy.

Edited February 21, 2008 by RJB

[Robert Hall]

It could very well still shed some pounds without being tinny or losing any of its solidity. I mean the weight shown for the Vue is from 3,789lbs all the way up to 4,325lbs!! That says porker to me. Don't get me wrong I do like this vehicle alot, but I just think it would benefit from some weight loss which would help out the fuel economy.

Obesity is a problem with most SUVs and trucks today.. they all need to lose some of the bloat.

[2QuickZ's]

Well, this tank and the next one are going to be guestimates. My wife has driven it a little more the last week and a half or so. She drove it today and filled it up but didn't take note of the trip odometer or reset it. Also, she tends to drive a little easier than I do but she uses the remote start more and her commute is 100% city driving.

Fourth Tank:

- 280.0 miles on 15.88 gallons for 17.63 mpg average

- 60% city and 40% highway

- (6) 5-10 minute remote starts

Edited February 23, 2008 by 2QuickZ's

[enzl]

Well, this tank and the next one are going to be guestimates. My wife has driven it a little more the last week and a half or so. She drove it today and filled it up but didn't take note of the trip odometer or reset it. Also, she tends to drive a little easier than I do but she uses the remote start more and her commute is 100% city driving.

Fourth Tank:

- 280.0 miles on 15.88 gallons for 17.63 mpg average

- 60% city and 40% highway

- (6) 5-10 minute remote starts

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/review...rn-vue-xr_N.htm

Another decent review.

More importantly, how's it drive?

[2QuickZ's]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/review...rn-vue-xr_N.htm

Another decent review.

More importantly, how's it drive?

It drives great! I like it a lot. It's a smooth ride and it handles pretty well too. As I've stated before, I'm not a big fan of SUV's but this one is winning me over. I do wish it was lighter and got better fuel economy but I also think the added weight gives it a more "substantial" feel. It actually has a little less leg room in the back seats than our Aura does, but I wouldn't call it cramped at all. The only reason we really even noticed is because of how much space there is between the front seat back and my sons car seat. In the Aura there is an inch of space. In the Vue, it touches and that is with the seat forward a little further than it is in the Aura.

Even though the styling has been called "feminine", I really like the styling of it as well. On our Aura, the only reason we didn't get the Morocco brown leather is because the fake wood trim looked so bad. But on the Vue, it's exactly the opposite. Part of the reason I chose tan leather was to get the fake wood trim. It is the first "plood" I've seen that I've actually liked. I think it looks pretty convincing. There are a few areas of the interior where the fit and finish are lacking a little. I had to snap the steering column cover back together myself and it still has a pretty big gap. I will probably try and have the cover fixed or replaced. The other area is where everything comes together outboard of the steering wheel. The upper panel, faux wood applique and lower panel have larger than standard gaps on that side but to be honest, I didn't even notice at first because the area in question is mostly blocked by the steering wheel. It's also something I'd guess they've already fixed by now since mine was a pretty early build. The fit and finish everywhere else is above average. Nice, tight, even gaps with no gaps at all where hard trim pieces mate to the soft panel. The controls are intuitive and easy to reach and even though the black tie radio takes a beating by others, I think it is a nice radio.

There's my review!

[2QuickZ's]

Oh, an one other thing. I agree with every bad review about the transmission regarding the amount of throttle input require for the transmission to kick down. I know this is a transmission calibration concession to improved fuel economy but it is annoying. It was way worse in the Aura than the Vue and we actually had the transmission control unit reflashed on the Aura as soon as a new program became available. Here is my main complaint:

- You have to depress the accelerator 75% or more to get the trans to down shift and when you do, it almost always down shifts 2 gears. It should down shift with less throttle and drop one gear. When we first got the Aura, you had to depress the accelerator 90% or more to get it to down shift.

Once you get the hang of the tap shift feature on both cars, this is a pretty easy complaint to over come. On the Vue, you do have full control of the transmission even if don't pay extra for the tapshift feature. All tapshift does is give you a dedicated gate on the shifter for the manual shift feature. On non tapshift equipped Vues, you control the transmission with the rocker switch on the shifter handle. The transmission does not over-ride your commands and will let you bounce off the rev limiter if you are not careful, though I don't believe it will let you down shift too many years and over rev the engine.

[regfootball]

It could very well still shed some pounds without being tinny or losing any of its solidity. I mean the weight shown for the Vue is from 3,789lbs all the way up to 4,325lbs!! That says porker to me. Don't get me wrong I do like this vehicle alot, but I just think it would benefit from some weight loss which would help out the fuel economy.

go find a used rav4 with about 30k on the odo and open and close the rear hatch. a few times, if it doesn't bother you first. then close the hatch on the vue.

paper vs. steel.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Could you provide an update on the MPG you're achieving with your VUE XR FWD? The wife was gung-ho on looking to get into a VUE either this month or next month (July), but with the cost of gas going up, her 64+ mile round-trip commute, and her leadfoot driving style, I'm having second thoughts on getting her into a VUE and instead a small-to-midsize car with a 4cyl engine. Any info you can share will also be greatly appreicated! :AH-HA_wink:

[RJB]

Yes let me know too. All though as I said in another post my commute is getting scaled back by the end of the summer from 60+ miles round trip to around 14 miles round trip. I'm hopefully getting my XR FWD VUE by this weekend.

[RJB]

I'm going to test drive a VUE tonight. Hopefully everything works out deal wise on it.

[RJB]

Well it looks like I'm getting an AURA now. The leases on the VUE are outrageous, and I thought I would have liked the VUE better. I actually like the AURA better. It is quieter, rides nicer, and I think the interior looks better as well. And of course again it is way way cheaper than the VUE!! BTW I couldn't believe how busy the dealership was last night!! I left at almost 9pm and there were still people signing paperwork and even people coming in to look at close to 9pm?!

Edited June 6, 2008 by RJB

[regfootball]

aura is a great car. vue is good too but they really have priced it out of the market for many who liked the old one.

[RJB]

Got the Aura on Monday amidst my power being out and more storms. So far love the car and I'm happy with my decision of not getting the Vue.

[regfootball]

congrats! aura is a great car.

[2QuickZ's]

I really liked the Vue but my wife loves it so when it hit 5k miles, we switched and I now drive the Aura. I don't have any recent mpg information because she doesn't reset the trip odometer at fill ups (she could care less about knowing what kind of mileage she is getting). Her commute in the Vue is 100% city driving. I have the Aura now and it is 75% hwy. When I had the Vue, it averaged around 18 mpg in the colder months and jumped to around 21 mpg in the warmer months.

Anyway, here is a fuel economy tracking thread I started on Saturn Fans back when I first got the Vue. Others have added their mileage as well. You can find the thread HERE. The best I got with the Vue was 23.5 mpg on a 500 mile or so round trip that was 80% 2 lane rural highway. For comparison purposes, we just made the same trip in the Aura last weekend and it averaged 25.5 mpg.