Looking to trade up
 

I've currently got a 1997 SL1 and I love the car, but it's getting on in years and some days I wonder if it's more trouble to fix than it's really worth. But I'm looking at the Ion if I do get a new car, and I'm wondering how it compares. I'd stick with the manual transmission, and I want the coupe, not the sedan this time.

I'm wondering how gas mileage compares and how different they are to drive. The only times my SL1 has ever gotten less than 30 MPG are when something went horribly wrong. Typically I'm in the mid 30's (though with the weather it's been more like 33 lately), and although a newer car is within my budget, I don't want to take too big of a hit on the mileage. http://www.fueleconomy.gov says my SL1 should be getting me 27, but the Ion should only get 25 combined. Every car has it's problems, but are there any common ones I should be watching for when buying an Ion?

Thanks in advance for any advice you have!

If you get an ION be sure it's a 2005 or newer. Do not get a 2003-2004 Quad Coupe they have the nasty VTI (JUNK) transmission that GM sourced from Fiat. I've had a few S cars and one ION. I like my 2.4L 175hp 2007 ION Quad Coupe much more. Average 28 combined.

I think a 2005 would probably be about my spending limit. Working part time sucks, but when the local unemployment rate is above the national average, it's pretty much expected. What was so wrong with the VTI transmissions? And 28 isn't so bad, a bit lower than I was hoping, but not bad.

I think sw put it prefect..............The transmission is junk for a lack of any other word. Let me think for a second, nope the transmission is junk.

I've had 10 S-CARS all new. I've had 5 ION's all new. I'll take the ION before the S-CAR any day. I also have a 2007 with the enhanced performance pkg that includeds the 175hp 2.4L, sport suspension, ABS, and traction control. Mileage to date is 28.489 combined. The standard 2.2L does a touch better. Problems, ignition switch, park solinoid, swaybar bushings and end links. The S-CAR had the same problems and more minus swaybar bushings and endlinks.

Enhanced Performance Package offered in 2006 and 2007.

Well considering a junk transmission is my current problem with my SL1, I guess I'll shy away unless I find a great deal on the right car. I just need a daily driver for a relatively short commute. And something to haul around some groceries and little things like that. The biggest thing I put in my SL1 was the TV my aunt gave me, and that was just perfect on the floor in back.

I've seen the passlock II issues on other cars, my dad's 98 Malibu and 04 Monte Carlo, as well as his girlfriend's 99 Alero, so I'm familiar with replacing ignition switches. And a park solenoid isn't too relevant to the manual transmission that is pretty much my only requirement.

S car trannys aren't junk. Can they wear out do they wear out? Yes. You'd be lucky to get 25K on a VTI without problems. Cost to repair......insane. So no Quad Coupe VTI (AUTO) transmission.

Alright, and what about the manual transmissions in the Ions?

Moring Josh:
The VTI is junk, and it only came in the 2003-2004 QuadCpe.... Your going to get a manual, no problems at all. They are as good as anything on the road. As stated get a 2005 or newer ION Cpe or Sdn. Come 2005 the upgrades were going strong, a few more in 2006, many more in 2007. All little things but by 2007 the ION was a damn damn nice car evan if they all look the same.

Thanks for doing your signature, nice to have a bit info.

PS: I was born and raised in Minnesota.........but not in the southern tropics as you.

Guess I'll have to skip on the Ion then. My budget is rather limited and so 2005 is pushing it.

But southern tropics, that's cute considering we were still getting snow on Wednesday.

He's saying the ION is just fine. You just do not want a 2003 or 2004 quad coupe with the VTI auto transmission.

Yes I'm saying the ION is fine ...... except you don't want a 2003-2004 QuadCpe with the auto VTI.

As a Saturn owner, a 1994 S series coupe, it is what it is and I like it. It was originally designed as an independent automobile and there was nothing like it on the market. I intend to maintain it as long as I can while I enjoy the car.
But there is a but. The car is now almost 20 years old. While parts are sort of available some arn't and probably never will be, others are disappearing and wrecking yards are no longer a viable source for them. The car is well past the age and time for a viable transportation source. It has become a niche collector car with a whole new set of problems.
And replacements for it as Saturns?
Became what some people including my self refer to as badge engineered. That is the only thing created to make it a Saturn is the Badge that says it is one.
The basic car can be purchased as something else for all practical purpose.
The cars were not designed, but assembled from corporate parts bins. Some people refer to them as Corporate Platform Series automobiles. Sort of like buying an appliance.
And I?
Don't like them which is why I never really traded mine off when it was worth trading. The Saturn is no longer in business. Some models have absolutely horrible mechanical reputations especially those with the variable speed transmissions, a joint GM/Fiat exercise.
If I wanted to purchase an inexpensive used car to drive as transportation it would not be a Saturn of any kind. The company no longer exists, the dealer network is gone, aftermarket parts are hard to find and expensive if found and private mechanics have a tendency to blow them off. I am probably a fair mechanic and I don't want to mess with them. Besides aesthetically some models are just butt ugly. You would have to want one to put up with those things and if that was the case you would not need an answer to your question.

Sourcing parts for an ION is not the problem it is for the S-Car. The last S-car was built 11 years ago and had no offsprings.

I have had my Ion since early November 2012 and have now put over 10k miles on it with no troubles at all. I've changed the oil on it twice now (about to be a third) and did my typical inspection while I am working on it and have found nothing.

A few weeks ago, I went on a mountain run with my 328 and thought about how the Ion would fare on the same mountain run. I took the Ion on the same route and had some fun with it. Not the fastest but it sure got down with some of those curves in the North GA mountains.

Alt: Get your wheels yet? How about a set of drop springs or tint. Post a few pics if you have.

raddatzjos: I agree, I have no problems getting anything I need for the ION other than so called performance items that were few and far between in the first place.

Hello all, it's been a while since I posted last. As far as the ION goes I have no problems with mine. I'll be keeping it. No problem getting parts. I can see how uncljohn would have trouble getting parts for a 19 year old car, but that not the case for the ION'S.

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I have a very close friend who is a qualified professional mechanic and does quite a bit of work on Saturns.
Not exactly because he wants to but mostly because no one else around will touch them.
The fact is they are out of business. Many of them were assembled out of parts bins that were sourced from outside the country from obscure models of GM cars that they too were not very successful.
To like a model car is just fine. I have a couple of examples of cars I like and they have been out of business a lot longer than Saturn has.
The question was would I suggest a model Saturn to purchase as a late model used car and my answer was and still is:

None of them.

That involves forking over hard earned cash on an automobile that is an orphan, parts are either hard to get currently and believe me the horror stories on parts availability are un-believable or if they are available are slowly disappearing.

Liking one and enjoying the ownership and being willing to put up with the difficulties of not finding parts or anyone to work on them is one thing.
But to suggest they make a viable late model option for basic transportation? Sorry, in my opinion they don't.

I am looking to purchase a scan tool to add to my repertoire of shade tree mechanics tools. They are becoming affordable and make sense to me to spring for one.
What is keeping me from it?
I have not found one yet that meets my needs AND also reads the codes from my OBD-I series S car. I am sure there is one out there but my causal investigations have not uncovered it yet. Something about the logic level of the S car is not standard OBD-I

When Saturns were new, they were competing with others for a place in the automotive market. For what ever the reason they lost the battle and personally?
I never really wanted what ever was offered past that. The last car I was willing to spend good money on was a Van and when needing one I drove by the Saturn dealer to look.
What was offered was a butt ugly rebadged Chevy Van at a price of almost twice what I could buy a Town and Country for. And it did not even remotely offer the features I was looking for. And typically the Saturn Dealer did not talk price.

Most shops didn't work on Saturn's evan in their heyday.

ION's do use parts from the GM parts bin, thats why you can still gets parts for them along with 2008 and newer VUE'S.

There is nothing obscure about the ION or later VUE's they are and were cloaned into other GM cars.

If I found a ION I wanted I'd have no second thought's about buying it.

I don't like every model GM made Saturn sell, and not all of them were up to snuff in my book. Take the ASTRA as one. GM sold it so they could get Spring Hill shut down so they could get it into the corp hold before shutting Saturn down. The Opel ASTRA was a best seller in Europe and has been a GM company since 1929, longer than SATURN ever wished for.

Guess I'm not mad at GM for doing what they had to do. What upsets me is GM does not at this time offer a replacement to my 175hp 2,866 lb car.

I'd be all over a Chevy Cruse RS or any Cruze for that matter if I could get the 2.5L in it. Now with that I'm going to close this thread because it has gotten way off base of the original question.