New Owner of an '03 Vue in Toronto, Canada
 

Hi folks!

Realize I've arrived too late to the Saturn party, but a few weekends ago I purchased my first Saturn - an '03 Vue at the Spring Collector Car Auctions held here in Toronto.

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...turn%20Vue.png

I'm a fan of the practical and decently designed plastic-bodied era of Saturn and so far, I'm really excited to own this Vue! The price and condition made it mighty attractive to replace our well enjoyed '98 Honda CR-V. It's great having a small crossover SUV as an economical daily driver, package hauler and even mild off-roading and canoe carrier up at our camp.

At auction, there's limited access to vehicle history so you don't really know what you'll get. The Vue was sold with e-test, certified, new brakes, tires and exhaust, in excellent visual condition inside and out.

Unsurprisingly, the Vue arrives with a few issues so I'm going to tear into the car this weekend, and look forward to referencing the experience and posts here. Negative internet comments abound for everything, so I am always looking for balanced perspective. We paid relatively little for this car, so have a reserve available to within reason give'r what she needs.

A little about me...

I'm an independent business software consultant (primarily CRM solutions) that started my own company about 30 years ago, right out of high school and just when personal computers were becoming common. It's satisfying work with freedom and opportunity to provide real value.

With so much time spent around computers, I love to break away into more tactile detailing and restoration projects where I can see, touch, feel the results of my efforts, with work on houses and property, regular and classic cars and trucks, even a classic trailer and speed boat.

Despite working primarily from home in the city, our "fleet" of 4 (at present) gives us a variety of vehicles for different purposes:
'01 Audi A6 2.7T 6 speed Quattro Sport - my personal daily driver, in perfect condition, quick capable and too well-maintained to sell!
'65 Corvette Sting Ray Convertible - IMHO the ultimate classic summer car, restored for show AND go, and to serve as a fun cross-county driver w/Tremec 5 speed and Edelbrock performer 350 crate engine.
'75 Silverado - A "modern" classic truck, mostly original that's just so damned much fun and an easy drop back in time! Now restricted to gentle collector status, this truck has served past use pulling my '80 Baja 19TC runabout sport boat and bringing a '79 Airstream 31ft Sovereign International trailer bought in Florida up to our seasonal campsite near Bancroft, Ontario. Eventually I will do an LS swap and fully rebuild this old truck, ready to some day haul our old Airstream off to new adventures.

I just realized this '03 Vue is our "newest" car! :)
Looking forward to polishing this little gem!

Welcome to the forum.

Which engine do you have?
5 sp or automatic?

Sorry Derf, I should have stated that.
It's a 2.2 FWD with the VTi automatic.

Likely my nervousness about this tranny is subconsciously why I didn't mention it. Haven't found one story yet of a long happy ownership experience with this CVT, and my GF will NOT be pleased if I suggest replacing with a manual is the more rational alternative.

I'm going to put a post up about the trans in the Vue forum.

Hey, you're among a family of Saturn owners, shade tree mechanics, and professional mechanics. We'll help you keep it on the road until it's deemed best that you "let it go".

Can you please config a sig like ours?

First Name/Location (State)
year model engine mileage for all saturns
any other rides you'd like to list

go to top right of screen
click on username>>UserCP>>Edit signature on left side

Thanks!

mmm, 65 Vette caught my eye.
My grandfather has a 63 that I want. He is the original owner. It was matching numbers until my grandmother ruined it.
Quick story.
When my grandparents lived in New York, my grandfather was having issues with the Vette, and kept dumping money into it.
My grandmother didn't like that....So one day, behind my grandfathers back, decided to have it towed to a shop and have a crate motor dropped in for him. No big deal, right? Except one little thing......She told the shop to keep the original motor. It WAS a numbers matching 1 owner car until that.
They moved to Florida. My grandfather still didn't know (the car was trailered down) and didn't find out until they were done moving down there. Wanna talk about being beyond mad?
That is ground for divorce in my book.
Now, he is having even more issues with the crate motor than he was with the stock motor. Go figure, right?


Anyway. Welcome to the forum. Please post some pictures of youre rides (especially the vette)!


Also, do as derf says and set up that sig and I will keep him from yelling at you ;)

I said PLEASE.....sheeeesssh,,,rough shift tonight, goalie?

I was actually off tonight. Just got back from the movies.
Still trying to figure out the idle surge in the RL, and trying to figure out how to set up my interceptor.
Just aggravated that things aren't going as planned. So its all your fault for not bringing the beer.

[Threadjack]'ll bring the tequila on early october. Flight booked ;) [/THREADJACK] sorry

Thanks for the reminder about a sig. Done!
Wondering if it's possible to include pics with my posts, or my sig?

In your posts, yes.
Sig, I am not sure how to make those.


In the post though, use a site like photobucket.