I see user name GMCustomerService signed on this am. First time I've seen anything of that username in forever. That makes me wonder what GM Customer Service is like these days. How do Saturn and Pontiac owners feel about GM these days. What have Saturn and Pontiac owners bought once GM pulled the plug. I know the largest percent didn't return to GM, but what is the most common brand they went to. My wife and I have been talking about a new car. I'll be keeping my ION, she will be keeping her Solstice. GM does not make a replacement for either that I would buy. GM has nothing with the hp to weight of my 2.4L ION sedan in the price range. GM has nothing with the hp to weight of her Solstice in the price range. That means GM has NOTHING I want. The CRUZE looks good but 3100+ lbs and 138hp it's a giant turd in my eyes. So what does my wife like. The Ford Fucus 5door. I like the Ford Focus as long as it's the ST with 250 plus hp.

GM has nothing like the Focus ST ...... hell they have nothing like the 173hp KIA Forte SX hatch,coupe, or sedan.

 

Have you looked at the Dodge Dart or Chrysler 200? Both are great cars.

 

I also like the look of the new Dodge Dart but I worry about the long term reliability. Have they upped their game or will it become a total crapper after 80k miles like the neon?

As for the Chrysler 200... It has really nice luxury features inside. Its like a miny 300. But thats all I know about it.

 

How about the Caliber, not what one that could be called evan an ok auto. As for the C200, it's not much more than the Sebring. Mopar has a long way to go yet. They are trying, they may get there. We shall see how the Dart turns out. I know very little about them other than I do not like the profile of the front end.

 

Well the Chrysler 200 is not a compact car so thats not on my list. As far as the Dart goes thats not on my list either evan though it looks great on paper. Why you might ask. Well my nephew bought one last fall, and the car spent nearly the entire winter at the dealership while he drove around in a Cruze rental. The car just would not start, he could leave the battery charger on it all bloody night and no way in hell would it start in the mornings. Oh it would sit there and crank it's little starter off but it would not fire. He is now in litigation via the lemon law to get 100% of his money back including all taxes and fee's. Plus the amount they sold his trade in for. Now I don't live in Minnesota, but something is amiss when Mopar does not want to stand tall. JJ knowing he will win has bought a 2013 CRUZE LTZ loaded to the hilt. He likes that car......so would I if it had 190-200 hp to haul it's 3,100 plus lbs around.

 

I can't really come up with something to recommend. The Neon was little more than a motorized beer can. It pretty much ran at 80,000 miles like it did when it was new. Sorta like it had 80,000 miles.
I like Chrysler's add "Imported from Detroit" and I have a Chrysler Town and Country that the most important failure I have had with it was having it need gasoline. I have driven it almost 100,000 miles since Dec. 2007 when I drove it out the door.
But and there is a but. I don't know that they have found them selves yet. I like the Dart, looks and trim and drive train. I probably won't buy one because it is a 4door and I don't want want. Besides, it is hard to rectify an "imported from Detroit" sales pitch on a car that comes from Fiat.
Now Fiat I believe has replaced GM as the largest car company in the world. Their engineering is second to none and if I was in the market for a coupe I would by a Fiat 500 at the drop of a hat,
I have driven a ford Focus and they drive out nice. I have also worked on one. And all they have done is **** me off. No thanks.
It is a shame. Detroit is putting nothing into making a desirable car. Style, features, trim, identity? For what.
I drove the first Hyundai sold in the U.S. It drove and road like a baby tank. Today? They have one of the best reputations in the world and a wide selection of Good Looking Cars. I am old school. I would rather go to Detroit to buy something. The problem is they no longer offer anything. At least anything I want to spend money on so I am building a Corvette powered AMC station wagon. It won't have some of the new features, in fact most of them.
But it will have satellite radio, power steering, a modern automatic, A/C it will look good and be stylish and it will be the color I want and the interior will not be mouse fuzz grey. And it will go like stink when i step on the gas.
Maybe I will live long enough to see Detroit design and build something I want to buy and then maybe I won't. When I went out to check on what was available to replace my T&C a vehicle I like very much the salesman proceeded to inform me of the features offered by the back up camera and how many air bags the things had along with the GPS. And had no answer to "I don't care, how many speeds does the transmission have and how much HP.?"
I left and went home to work on my station wagon.

 

I have a new 200 and love it. The main reason I got it instead of a Dart is because it has a little more leg room and head room. The 2.4 has proven over the past 6 years to be a very reliable engine. It's also one of the engines they used in the Calibers, of which I also used to own until getting hit in a head on collision. My son and I walked away form that one with minor injuries. I also got a better deal on the 200 than was offered on the Dart. I drove both for quite a while and really loved them both. BUT, everyone has their opinions. I'll stay with Mopar from now on since Saturns are no longer a car in production and are the only GM car I've ever owned and been satisfied with.

 

The main reson we like the Focus......................Hatchback. We have one sedan don't need another.