PurdueGuy

The Aura was supposed to get a Saturnized Vectra wagon, but they canceled that plan.

LINK

because liquid gasoline doesn't burn - fumes do. No oxygen = no combustion.

There's also an S-Series wagon if you like wagons. You shouldn't have any problem getting a nice S-Series for under $5k - that's about what I paid for my '99 SC1 in near perfect condition about 3 years ago. Be sure to decide if you'd prefer the SOHC (+5 mpg) or the DOHC (+24% hp, still gets 25/35 epa mpg). If you live someplace hilly, I'd suggest the DOHC. Otherwise for someone who isn't concerned with going fast, the SOHC is a great A to B car.

I think the CTS has been a big sales success, and it's not a bad idea to keep it at the forefront. For the last 5 years or so, all eyes have been on the CTS and Escalade, while the other Caddys are just kind of there selling to people who have other needs. Doesn't hurt to make the change where it'll get seen the most, IMO.

sounds like more of a novelty item than anything. The advantages of a hybrid system go down as vehicle mass goes down, and a bicycle doesn't exactly have much mass.

a good looking vehicle.

This seems silly, and a waste of money. Doubly so if part or all of that money isn't going to the salesperson or customer - the two key people in a sale. If it's just extra money in the dealership's pocket, then where's the extra motivation?

Interesting... seems foolish for long-term strategy, but this holding company doesn't seem interested in long-term strategy. They wanna make their billions & ditch it.

user selectable color instrument lighting FTW!

Remember... -reduce -reuse -recycle You're reducing the demand for new car production (uses up resources & causes pollution), and (re)using a still good vehicle! Plus there's something to be said about appreciation of art that is inherent with a classic car. Use it to haul stuff to get recycled occasionally, and your vehicle plays a role in all three of the "R"s!

shoulda, woulda, coulda - as long as the efforts are underway to get Saturn the next gen, and hopefully speed up the arrival of the next gen, then there's not much more they can do. That is one hot looking car... I might prefer this as a replacement for my S-series down the road over the Astra. Small, efficient, nimble, and fast... sounds good to me.

what's so great about the tC? I don't think 'yota would share it anyway, it would detract from the exclusive-ness of the Scion brand to have a copycat elsewhere. I think the current G5 is an ok stopgap product, only change they really SHOULD make is a unique front facia instead of the pontiac grill insert crap. Then follow it up with a much more differentiated next gen.

especially with the 3rd door.

have seen 1 1/2 episodes, and it's ok. Probably the first thing they push is compact florescent bulbs, which I still need to look into. They always caused buzzing on my dad's radio (but I don't really listen to the radio), and looked way too blue, not like normal bulbs. I expect I might be able to find some that give off color more like a normal bulb, and then I might be ok with 'em. I liked the use of skylights to reduce light bulb usage. The wind turbine was kinda cool, too. Overall, some neat information, but some aspects of being boring, as well as feeling like you're being brainwashed by tree huggers. I can't watch it without feeling like I need to have my guard up to sift good ideas from extreme ideas that might not make economic sense, or even help the environment in the long run (like the hybrid debate).

wow

sweet! Looking forward to a Saturn Corsa...

my dad got 340k+ miles out of a '92 GMC Sierra with the 4.3L V6, only changed the timing setup once, no other major engine work, and the timing wasn't until after 300k.

Finally took the time to take some decent pictures... This is my project car, a 1999 Saturn SC2. I purchased it back in Indiana for $1,000 with a bad automatic transmission that wouldn't shift into reverse. Fortunately, it was able to drive itself home, though by the time I turned into my neighborhood, it would no longer upshift. First gear got it into the garage, where I tinkered on it here & there for the winter. I purchased a number of goodies for it, but the only thing currently done to it is a manual transmission swap with short shifter, and aftermarket wheels. The manual tranny swap probably ran about $500 once all was said & done. I dismantled the transmission, installed a differential with a welded pin (saturn tranny weak point), replaced a bearing that had some play in it, and reassembled. Installed the shifter, cables, clutch pedal & hydraulics, transmission itself with the occasional helping hand from my wife, who also loves to tinker. It is running on the automatic PCM, which has only a couple side effects - the SES light is constantly on, and there are no rev limiters. I have no idea what the wheels are - a friend had them extra & sold them to me, with tires, for $50. They're not in perfect shape, but they look better than the stockers, and they fit my budget at the time. Future plans are up in the air, but I have a few parts waiting to go in, including CAI, strut bar, rear disk swap, stainless brake lines, all aluminum radiator, and a few junkyard parts I have plans for. Yup, it's just a Saturn. I'm not under the delusion that it's some glorious super car, but I have fun beating the crap out of it, and it just keeps going. For having under $2k in it, I don't think I've done too badly. Now I just need to get it to the track and see if it'll get into the 15's like it's supposed to.

used Saturn S-Series w/DOHC are pretty peppy (in the 15's quarter mile), reliable (often go well over 200k), efficient (35mpg highway, 25 city), very safe for their size (space frame construction), and easy to work on, plus cheap parts. I'm a little biased, though. The cars you mention would probably be ok, too, and were sold in enough volume that they should be easy to find and cheap.

what are your vehicle needs? Just A to B? Preference toward power or efficiency?

Maybe, but since this gen is a stopgap product, I question whether they would bother with US certification for it until the next gen, when they'll probably make them pretty much all available, as well as more engine choices, etc. I'm having my doubts as to whether we'll get anything more this gen.

looks really good in that color, too.

Article: "First (Saturn - Opel) Astra Sedan Leaves Polish Production Line" http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/08/27/059888.html My beef with this article is, of course, that they called it a Saturn-Opel Astra sedan, but Saturn doesn't get the sedan. Very misleading. Still, it's a good looking car, and Saturn will probably get the next gen version, IMO.

looks ok for a gussied-up VW.