New Guy
 

Just picked up an Ion 2 with 150k miles on it for my daughter. Actually surprised at how well it runs. It has a couple issues, but hoping you guys can help me out so I can keep it for a while and make my daughter happy.

Welcome to the forum. Find the proper header and post your questions.

Thanks! I'm actually quite amazed at how well this car drives for being 10 years old and 150k miles on it. I'm impressed since Saturn usually gets a cheap name.

Saturn gets a cheap name outside the Saturn community thanks to ignorant people who base their perceptions on the experiences of people who change their oil every 10K and only take it in for service when it has been neglected to the point that it will no longer run.

Anyone within the Saturn community or "in the know" is fully aware, that, aside from a few quirks, these cars, if properly maintained, will and do last for several hundreds of thousands of miles.

That's why there is still a market for the 90's model S cars --35mpg on the highway in a DOHC 124HP coupe Higher for the SOHCs. Has "fun daily driver" written all over it.

So don't be surprised. We're not.

People don't seem to respect Saturn because they were the "cheap" brand at GM... People assume that if it isn't branded a Chevrolet/Ford/Dodge that it must be a cheap import or that quality was left out during assembly... I hear it all the time at work- "you bought a Saturn?" I always reply, "it's more American made than your Chevy, and it's faster"

And it hides it's nearly 160,000 miles pretty well...

Indeed it became an entry level vehicle like the low end chevy's , but was aimed at a different demographic, so that in theory, saturn and chevy wouldn't be competing with each other for the same customers. The sales experience was overhauled. The owners were enthusiastic.

Jealous GMers and competitors characterized saturn owners as nutcases because they couldn't believe people could be so openly happy about how much car and how much fun they got for so little money.

Ultimately, there would be no Cobalt without the Ion, no Malibu without the Aura, No Captiva without the redesigned/Opel Saturn Vue. They were shunned as Saturns, snorted like coke when badged as Chevys.

Funny how a little badge can alter the reality someone has already taken great care to alter for you............

Welcome...I'm new here too. My '03 ION had 183k on it when bought a little over a year ago, it now has almost 192K.

I like these cars, just have to do routine maintenance to keep them alive.

routine maintenance -- what a concept.

Welcome to the forum, TheBeater

I don't usually come to this part of the forum but I had to add my 2¢ worth.

People confuse inexpensive with cheap all the time. My SW2 just turned 19 years old and with almost 115,000 (and with regular oil changes and maintenance) it's a relative "youngster". There are many Saturn owners who have double, triple or more miles on their cars.

A huge adverting point that today's manufacturers seem to trot out at every opportunity is that their new models get 35-40 mpg. Any time someone brings that up I have to ask "And your point is? because I've been getting 38 mpg for 19 years ( PLUS I don't have a car note, my insurance is inexpensive and my registration fees are as low as they go).

I hope that your daughter enjoys her Saturn as much as I do mine.

Welcome to our forum. Ask all the questions ya need too.