Brand Survival - The fates of Saturn, Saab, and Volvo

There was a hint of anticipation in some enthusiast circles last week when the Detroit 3 submitted their plans in Washington, D.C. Long the subject of Internet debate, these plans shed a light on which brands ...

[SaturnBob]

Don't believe everything that you read in Consumer Reports. By the time you read their "unbiased" and "up to date" reports, they are outdated and based on the previous year's model. Anyone who collects CR Annual report mags and reads them will notice the same verbiage on the same models year after year, almost verbatim of the previous year despite the facts that that particular vehicle may have undergone major fixes or upgrades.

If one pays attention, you will look for the "model tested" year and the truth come out. CS tests only the first model year of a vehicle, then lazily copies and pastes the same report year after year. So if a 2003 model got a bad review, it stays that way forever and untested again. Those in the field who know their cars and features by heart know this as fact.

Even in this video, the reporter refers to their initial 2003 ION report, which is horribly outdated. 2003 was the initial year and many, many changes have occurred to this particular vehicle that CS has failed to mention year after year.

Let's talk Safety. Let's talk "unbiased reports" CS has repeatedly year after year recommended the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cavalier in previous reports as "the most reliable" and "5 star safety". After a few deaths and alot of safety incidents, CS still maintained it's stance, while the IIHS and NHTSA warned consumers of potential death traps and low safety crash test ratings. Consumers themselves rated these as some of the worst American cars ever built, again opposite of the stellar ratings CS has given. There was even a class-action lawsuit brought agains CS a few yrs ago as a result of their false safety claims on the Focus years ago. Un-biased my ear.

Want true unbiased reports? www.cars.com or www.motortrend.com are two places you will see both good and bad - truly unbiased, and unlike Consumer Reports they know and actually test the differences between a 2007 model and a 2008 model.

As with everything you read, the old adage: Take everything with a grain of salt and don't believe everything your read.

[SaturnBob]

Oh and let me correct the video again. The Astra gets up to 32 mpg on the hwy, not 25 as this video states.

Here's where Consumer Reports is caught in a lie: visit MSN Autos, which uses Consumer Reports as it's guide, its Printed Right There on the Web Page!!! So why would the video reporter say such bullocks? Watch the video then Click on the link below.

http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Spec_Glance...

Also, MotorTrend and other sources have tested the 0-60mph and again, the video guy on CS is off, claiming it is 11 sec. The actual tested 0-60 is 9.5 sec, no race car but actually faster or on par with many economy cars in it's class and alot sportier than them.

Compare reviews on this link at Cars.com :

http://www.cars.com/go/crp/research.jsp...

[Paul Shykora Arts]

...SATURN....will merge with the Chevrolet Division,toooooo boooot!!...GOD Bless....G.M. Onward!!....good eat'n....eh.

[70plyRR]

rock on brother

[Truckin]

Paul Shykora Arts wrote:

...SATURN....will merge with the Chevrolet Division,toooooo boooot!!...GOD Bless....G.M. Onward!!....good eat'n....eh.

Rock out with your ____ out!

[Truckin]

In response to SaturnBob, I have to say the Mazda3 is the benchmark in the small car class. It's sales figures of 100K reveal that the public likes it. It has multiple engine options and a premium interior.

The Saturn Asta showed up to a gunfight with a dull knife. Even the 32mpg isn't all that good for the car, considering it's small engine and platform. It gets worse mileage than the old S-series and those cars had a larger engine.

Saturn needs to revisit the small car ranks.

[stb]

saturn is worthless and it will die.

saturnbob is eating up that gm is great propaganda up with a spoon.
Bobby- the fact say gm/ saturn sucks and it has failed.

merry-xmas. oh, santa clause doesn't really exist either. sorry to break the bad news to you.

now go buy an import like everyone else.

oh what a feeling- TOYOTA

[stb]

Truckin wrote:

In response to SaturnBob, I have to say the Mazda3 is the benchmark in the small car class. It's sales figures of 100K reveal that the public likes it. It has multiple engine options and a premium interior.
The Saturn Asta showed up to a gunfight with a dull knife. Even the 32mpg isn't all that good for the car, considering it's small engine and platform. It gets worse mileage than the old S-series and those cars had a larger engine.
Saturn needs to revisit the small car ranks.

"The Saturn Asta showed up to a gunfight with a dull knife"

funny sht hahaha
- GM as a whole hasn't put up much of a fight.
Rather sad really. Gm has received a golden beatdown much like oscar de la holla did recently.

[menards]

Saturn, Pontiac, Hummer, GMC, buick will all go away to start.

[Truckin]

stb wrote:

<quoted text>
"The Saturn Asta showed up to a gunfight with a dull knife"
funny sht hahaha
- GM as a whole hasn't put up much of a fight.
Rather sad really. Gm has received a golden beatdown much like oscar de la holla did recently.

Remember that not long ago you received a golden shower. The current Saturn lineup is disappointing, but they have had success in their past. I still own a 1995 SC2 with a troublefree 120K on the clock. Don't drive it much, but when gas hit $4 gallon it made errands cheap. And my last new-GM purchase was a 2004 VUE Redline with the Honda 3.5 SOHC V6 and that vehicle was marvelous.

[stb]

Truckin wrote:

<quoted text>Remember that not long ago you received a golden shower. The current Saturn lineup is disappointing, but they have had success in their past. I still own a 1995 SC2 with a troublefree 120K on the clock. Don't drive it much, but when gas hit $4 gallon it made errands cheap. And my last new-GM purchase was a 2004 VUE Redline with the Honda 3.5 SOHC V6 and that vehicle was marvelous.

Actually GM received a golden shower from Toyota and the btch liked it.
As for your saturn, sounds more like a honda to me. No surprise it runs well.

[70plyRR]

stb wrote:

<quoted text>
Actually GM received a golden shower from Toyota and the btch liked it.
As for your saturn, sounds more like a honda to me. No surprise it runs well.

Are you talking about piss again?

[Saturn Ownder]

I must say that I like my Astra. It may not meet your standards but then again you didn't buy it.

Truckin wrote:

In response to SaturnBob, I have to say the Mazda3 is the benchmark in the small car class. It's sales figures of 100K reveal that the public likes it. It has multiple engine options and a premium interior.
The Saturn Asta showed up to a gunfight with a dull knife. Even the 32mpg isn't all that good for the car, considering it's small engine and platform. It gets worse mileage than the old S-series and those cars had a larger engine.
Saturn needs to revisit the small car ranks.

[kraig king]

OK have you heard about who builds this nifty piece of dunge 3.6l for saturn/gmc/saab 9.3/cadillac cts...1st the platform is Opel Vectra....thats right Opoel makes the saturn platform.....2nd. I guess GM the giant can't build a decent power plant to save its sole for the medium sized auto....SATURN DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT THE PROBLEMS WITH THIER NEW WONDER CAR, THE AURA....BAD EGINE TIMING/CHAIN DESIGN...OR JUST A BAD DESIGN FOR THE ENTIRE ENGINE

[Simon]

Saturn = GM's KIA
good riddance

[JJFADS]

Simon wrote:

Saturn = GM's KIA
good riddance

Saturn = Roger Penske
Get it right

[gery]

your right Kraig king bad engine bad everything
typical north american crap to whom suckers like
we buy it and end up after word bringing it to
the shop for repaire and supporting mechanics
to fix it too.. song,,sing all

Im turning japanese,.. im turning japenese im turning japanese,
i really think so...La... La...La