Article about the fall of Saturn Motors?

[No Wikipedia Cites]

I remember back when Saturn was being closed down, ther was an in depth article about the rise and fall of Saturn, I thought it was linked from "Truth About Cars" website but I couldn't find anything

One part of the story describes how the japanese were shaking in their boots about the new competition, and then bought a satur, took it back to Japan, and took it apart, and kept muttering a japanese term best translated as "unbelievable" at the low-quality manufacturing of the vehicle. They figured saturn would never compete.

Can anyone find this?

[Elendil's Heir]

I loved Saturn, and owned three of their cars in turn.

This isn't the article you meant, but might be of interest: http://www.thinkingleaders.com/archives/1166

[anson2995]

Is this the article you're looking for? (http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2008/06/saturns-sad-legacy-nothing/)

[phreesh]

If you're interested in the US/Japan car wars, you should listen to this excellent podcast on NUMMI:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/403/nummi

[Throatwarbler Mangrove]

I loved Saturn, and owned three of their cars in turn.

This isn't the article you meant, but might be of interest: http://www.thinkingleaders.com/archives/1166

Jesus Christ, is this one of those shitty Google spam websites where the author gets paid per hit? The article was such gibberish that I could hardly tell if it was generated by a computer.

[Heracles]

The article was such gibberish that I could hardly tell if it was generated by a computer.

On the contrary, had it been generated by a computer it wouldn't contain such spelling atrocities as "effected Saturn’s business in a negative way" and "may have mad a big difference".

[No Wikipedia Cites]

Found it

http://www.newsweek.com/2009/04/03/saturn-was-supposed-to-save-gm.html

[Smurfie]

I loved Saturn, and owned three of their cars in turn.

This isn't the article you meant, but might be of interest: http://www.thinkingleaders.com/archives/1166

I work in market research. Saturn was a weird company because it had insanely high satisfaction ratings but one of the lowest repurchase intention brands. Drove Saturn nuts.

[Elendil's Heir]

Found it

http://www.newsweek.com/2009/04/03/saturn-was-supposed-to-save-gm.html

Good article - thanks. Almost brings a tear to my eye. I was one of those Saturn groupies.

[Chefguy]

I bought a 2008 Vue, which was the year they went out of business. I'm one of the few people who actually got a deal on a Saturn (it was below factory invoice). I really liked the vehicle; it had a lot of room and a lot of power from that V-6.

[jz78817]

I work in market research. Saturn was a weird company because it had insanely high satisfaction ratings but one of the lowest repurchase intention brands. Drove Saturn nuts.

too bad, because the reason was blindingly simple. the cars just weren't very good. it's all well and good that the dealer kisses your butt constantly, but when the car itself burns oil (bad valve seals/guides on the SOHC motor) or is rife with squeaks and rattles, y'ain't buying another one.

[Throatwarbler Mangrove]

I bought a 2008 Vue, which was the year they went out of business. I'm one of the few people who actually got a deal on a Saturn (it was below factory invoice). I really liked the vehicle; it had a lot of room and a lot of power from that V-6.

The line has been restarted and the Vue is back as a Chevy.

http://wot.motortrend.com/chevys-vue-like-captiva-sport-fleets-only-37847.html

[Magiver]

Good article - thanks. Almost brings a tear to my eye. I was one of those Saturn groupies. I got 150,000 on my 2000 SL1 and the only thing I've done to it is replace a tie-rod end. The car has no personality except it just keeps rolling along. I'm thinking of rebuilding the motor when it dies.

[ralph124c]

I have owned 6-all have been great cars. Truly sad what happened to them-Roger Smith's vsision died.
The Spring Hill Plant (Tenn.) was fully integrated-they made engines, transmissions and bodies. The all alminm cast engine block was a technical feat. However, the UAW did not like the Saturn labor system-it took too much power away from the nion shop stewards. It was really America's lat chance to be competitive in automobiles.
The ironic thing-for what GM spent on Satrn, they could have bought Toyota-lock, stock, and barrel.

[Balthisar]

The Spring Hill Plant (Tenn.) was fully integrated-they made engines, transmissions and bodies.
A type of vertical integration. Seldom a good idea. Toyota does some of this, but most manufacturers have moved away from this (and even for Toyota it's hardly universal).

However, the UAW did not like the Saturn labor system-it took too much power away from the nion shop stewards.
Actually the local was quite happy with it. They were getting bonuses that the main GM block wasn't getting for years and years and years. Then Saturn's bubble burst, and they weren't getting bonuses while national was, and they decided they wanted to join the national.

It was really America's lat chance to be competitive in automobiles.
Are you kidding? Aside from Chrysler and GM, America is very competitive in automobiles. Heck, with the bailout, GM is competitive again (for the short term; they should have gone through traditional bankruptcy).

[Yorikke]

I wanted a Saturn, just because of the name. Saturn. How Sci-Fi! Bought a used L-series in about 2002, and it has served me well.

Joe

[Elendil's Heir]

My three Saturns were well-built and very reliable - hardly ever needed to do anything other than change the oil. But if I ever could say this, I certainly can here - YMMV!

[Mr. Miskatonic]

Odd thing I remember: When Saturn came out they produce a very simple TV ad with the car and a single word 'Hi'. It was oddly effective and the Saturn became very popular with Generation X.

By comparison, Subaru of America tried some harsh, pander-to-Generation-X ads with a guy screaming about how the Imprezza was 'like punk rock'. The ads actually hampered the sales, badly.

The odd thing? The Imprezza is still around, the entire Saturn line is gone.

I knew Saturn was doomed with their last ad campaign where a guy walks into a Saturn dealership, sees the cars available, and goes back to check the sign. the staff then assure him he is in a Saturn dealership. The message seemed to be: We're now just like every other car company.

[Tastes of Chocolate]

Good article - thanks. Almost brings a tear to my eye. I was one of those Saturn groupies.


Gah. The "Happy Saturn Family" schtick drove me nuts. Yes, I own a Saturn. Yes, it's a car and does the things a car is supposed to do. No, I don't want to go to a Saturn owners picnic. I don't want to join a Saturn owners club.

We've owned 2 Saturns, and the second one, 10 years old, will probably be replaced in the next year. It's not fun to drive. It's not exciting. It doesn't go Zoom Zoom. A Saturn was a basic, boring car that got you from point A to point B. Once Saturn forgot about that, and got absorbed back into the parent company, the cars were no longer worth buying.

[Morgenstern]

I always wonder how GM could pull the plug on Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Saturn, yet keep Buick. I've never understood that decision.

[Dewey Finn]

The reason is that Buick is very popular in China, selling over 300,000 vehicles in 2007.

[Clothahump]

I loved my Saturn ION. Sadly, I made the decision to trade it in. I now own a Chevy Cruze. It's all right, but it ain't no Saturn. And I'll never buy another GM car ever again. It's debateable whether I'll ever buy another American made car again. The auto unions have destroyed the American car industry.

[garygnu]

Odd thing I remember: When Saturn came out they produce a very simple TV ad with the car and a single word 'Hi'. It was oddly effective and the Saturn became very popular with Generation X.
...
Except the "Hi" ads were for the Plymouth/Dodge Neon. (Story here (http://jalopnik.com/5458787/the-ad-campaign-that-doomed-plymouth-the-cute-neon-says-hi), YouTube three-for here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64rRvfMW44o).) And they didn't work.

Saturns were good cars, but better options were available. The drivetrain was reliable, but holy crap did they rattle. It was like a Yatzee tournament inside the dashboard.

[jz78817]

Odd thing I remember: When Saturn came out they produce a very simple TV ad with the car and a single word 'Hi'.

the "Hi." campaign was for the Dodge/Plymouth Neon, not Saturn.

[jz78817]

I loved my Saturn ION. Sadly, I made the decision to trade it in. I now own a Chevy Cruze. It's all right, but it ain't no Saturn. And I'll never buy another GM car ever again. It's debateable whether I'll ever buy another American made car again. The auto unions have destroyed the American car industry.

oh good lord. I suggest you do just a little bit of reading on what actually drove the industry into the ground.

[Voyager]

We've owned 2 Saturns, and the second one, 10 years old, will probably be replaced in the next year. It's not fun to drive. It's not exciting. It doesn't go Zoom Zoom. A Saturn was a basic, boring car that got you from point A to point B. Once Saturn forgot about that, and got absorbed back into the parent company, the cars were no longer worth buying.

My first one was a '93, and that one was good looking (the teenage kid next door actually thought it was a cool car) and fun to drive. My next one, a '98, was boring. However, the first one died to save my wife. She was driving it, and a guy ran a red light and hit her right at the driver side front door. She emerged with very minor injuries - not even a hospital stay, though the car was of course totaled. Damn fine construction.
The second one finally died last year after 160K miles. But they never were the kind of cars they were at the beginning.

[Dewey Finn]

I thought the Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice was a nice looking car. I thought GM might have continued to sell it, perhaps rebranded as a Chevy, but they didn't.

[Throatwarbler Mangrove]

I always wonder how GM could pull the plug on Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Saturn, yet keep Buick. I've never understood that decision.

Not only is Buick popular in China, it has always done quite well in the US as well, but since they made boring, quiet, cushy cars and cater to a mostly older audience, it just sort of chugged along without a whole lot of fanfare. By the time the bankruptcy came about Buick already had 2 cars, the Enclave and the Lacrosse, that were very well regarded by the automotive press and extremely successful in terms of sales, with more Opel derived products in the pipeline. WIth GM's brand downsizing Buick nicely fills the middle ground between Chevy and Cadillac and has been one of the most successful brands in the industry.

http://www.autoobserver.com/2011/07/more-luxury-buyers-would-rather-have-a-buick.html