Well there's a surprise.

/sarcasm

DarthBrooks: And they're *still* making Buicks. Go figure.

Of course.

DarthBrooks: And they're *still* making Buicks. Go figure.

Yeah, I wonder why.



Oh right, now I remember.

DarthBrooks: And they're *still* making Buicks. Go figure.

Because they're the top model in China.

So, will they still run those stupid Saturn commercials?

domestics suck so hard right now

That sucks. Penske was proposing a radically new ways of doing auto manufacturing that could have saved jobs and delivered better product than the way GM was doing it.

Sell Saturn to the Chinese or Indians

Not the Penske account?

DarthBrooks: And they're *still* making Buicks. Go figure.

The Chinese love Buicks-- probably the only reason they survived. They're like Mercedes or BMW to them. Seriously.

/remembers reading an article about it
//no source

killed internally by the UAW.

Erm, so what does that mean for current Saturn owners? Does that mean part shortages or anything? I'm naive to this kind of thing *obviously!*.

/luvs my Ion w/ those nifty suicide doors

When I saw those "we're still here / pundits" (^n) commercials, I had to ask...

Are you, really?


Yeah, I didn't think so.

Mainrodax: domestics suck so hard right now

Have you driven a Ford lately?

Typically government fark up.

BlippityBleep: Erm, so what does that mean for current Saturn owners? Does that mean part shortages or anything? I'm naive to this kind of thing *obviously!*.

/luvs my Ion w/ those nifty suicide doors

You must be lucky. My wife has a Ion sedan with around 45k on the odometer. What a POS. The clutch has the worst feeling ever, the shifter is sloppy and the reverse lights don't work because of some sensor breaking. That reverse light sensor is a common problem, but they never issued a recall.

a million bux says UAW nixed the sale because penske was going to build in non-union factories after transition after GM fabrication.

FarkinFarker: Mainrodax: domestics suck so hard right now

Have you driven a Ford lately?

Don't parrot the commercials, special kid. Especially verbatim. But I'll grant Ford is seeming to make long-needed progress. Bright spot in a sea of darkness.

cranched: killed internally by the UAW.

GM helped kill Saturn by neglect. It was supposed to be revamped in a way to compete with the Toyotas, but from their peak year in 1994-2004 they had the same one model of car (only difference was a station wagon variety). My Mom bought the SL in '94, and waited a while for the Vue to come out, but had to switch to a Chevy as GM dragged their feet.

I think Saturn's lost decade, where GM favored their big SUV brands, is what killed it. No innovation, no retaining customers.

drjekel_mrhyde: Sell Saturn to the Chinese or Indians

That's what Penske's idea was--turn the Saturn brand into a Chinese car. ACTUALLY, he was going to brand a chinese car with Saturn.

It shouldn't be an issue for current owners regarding parts. Most Saturn models are copies of GM models that will still be in production. So the parts should be easy to get. As far as waranty service, thats a question whether GM will honor them or not.

pain don't hurt, GM

My wife has a saturn wagon, and she loves it. I had a saturn before that, and it was a great car. Glad to see that they are getting rid of a nice low priced car, and throwing the saturn workers out on the street.

/dumbasses.

Ras-Algethi: Damn damn damn damn damn. NOW who will buy my 1999 SL2?

Someone who wants a good gas mileage vehicle perhaps?

fenianfark: BlippityBleep: Erm, so what does that mean for current Saturn owners? Does that mean part shortages or anything? I'm naive to this kind of thing *obviously!*.

/luvs my Ion w/ those nifty suicide doors

You must be lucky. My wife has a Ion sedan with around 45k on the odometer. What a POS. The clutch has the worst feeling ever, the shifter is sloppy and the reverse lights don't work because of some sensor breaking. That reverse light sensor is a common problem, but they never issued a recall.

So any problems with it?

Mainrodax: Don't parrot the commercials, special kid.

Straight to the insults? Fark you too, buddy!

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: DarthBrooks: And they're *still* making Buicks. Go figure.

Yeah, I wonder why.



Oh right, now I remember.

Oh, just buy the body panels and tape them to your more reliable foreign car. Cheaper.

The Icelander: Ed Willy: I think Saturn's lost decade, where GM favored their big SUV brands, is what killed it. No innovation, no retaining customers.

Wasn't the EV-1 a Saturn? Imagine if they hadn't scrapped them all. I'd probably be driving a Saturn right now.

I don't know if that was specifically attached to any brand, though it had a Saturn look to it. Again, GM not innovating lost a chance to brand Saturn like an American Prius.

Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: DarthBrooks: And they're *still* making Buicks. Go figure.

Yeah, I wonder why.



Oh right, now I remember.

So Buick is the new brand for rebadged Opels?

Sorry to see this happen. Our 2001 Saturn SL2 was the only car we ever loved that we bought new from a dealership. We drove it about 120,000 miles before selling it, and in that time, we received excellent service from the dealership and couldn't have asked for a smoother running car. Saturn had temporarily restored my faith in American cars. Figures it's being shut down.

bhcompy: TeddyRooseveltsMustache: DarthBrooks: And they're *still* making Buicks. Go figure.

Yeah, I wonder why.



Oh right, now I remember.

So Buick is the new brand for rebadged Opels?

Opel isn't part of GM anymore, it was sold to the German government. So there won't be any more rebadged Opels.

As a gearhead / car guy, today's GM sucks. The impala is just a copy of a jetta/audi interior, but rendered in hard-touch plastic. Is it asking too much for soft touch?

Yeah I drive a 1994 SC400? It's 15 years old and outruns everything during the commute but treats me nice if I let off the pedal. Toyota is Reliable as all-get-out. Plus they commit to their product.

My parent's 1994 Cadillac is a rolling bomb.

//Longtime D-body driver
//never again

GeekTheMighty: When I saw those "we're still here / pundits" (^n) commercials, I had to ask...

Are you, really?


Yeah, I didn't think so.

First thing I thought of when I saw the story. Glad to see it go.
"Saturn builds cars Americans want to buy"
/Obviously not.

At 35 MPG highway, you might be able to get more than blue book value.
(Also a '99 SL2 owner)

omgwtfbbq!: bhcompy: TeddyRooseveltsMustache: DarthBrooks: And they're *still* making Buicks. Go figure.

Yeah, I wonder why.



Oh right, now I remember.

So Buick is the new brand for rebadged Opels?

Opel isn't part of GM anymore, it was sold to the German government. So there won't be any more rebadged Opels.

GM still owns 35% and Opel will continue to be in the GM development network as it currently exists. Not much really changes.

My favorite riced-out car has got to be the Saturn.

Nobody does rice like American Rice!

Why, just today a fart-can equipped Saturn drives by me in the college parking lot with big 'ol chrome wheels and a blue bubbly tint job.

Nice man! Pussy wagon!

I was in Fresno once in my Audi and some kid next to me at a light guns his riced Saturn. Automatic, mind you. Must have been in neutral.

/Fresno has signs outlawing street racing. It's a big problem there, for those who don't know.

Saturn wasn't Penske material.

Buick is the best car GM makes. Unfortunately, GM managed to completely destroy Saturn over the years. I test drove the VUE the first year it came out and couldn't get over how "overall crappy" it felt. It was if they decided to not use any sound dampening materials between the driver and the underpowered engine, the interior looked like it was built by Hasbro, and the transmission shifted like an overloaded Mack truck struggling to go uphill.
Other than that it was great.
Notice how American car manufacturers are dismantling brands while thier Japanese competition is adding brands?

Ed Willy: That sucks. Penske was proposing a radically new ways of doing auto manufacturing that could have saved jobs and delivered better product than the way GM was doing it.


Huh? All they were going to do was rebadge some cars build by some undisclosed manufacturer. That fell through, so Penske doesn't want the brand any longer.