I'm about to become a former Saturn owner

[Siwsan]

In 2 weeks I'm purchasing a very low mileage 2019 Chevy Equinox (fortunately, not on the latest recall list), from a friend of my brother. I will have it checked out by my mechanic but I am looking forward to end the worry and stress that comes from driving a 23 year old car.

Admittedly, I am one of the lowest mileage drivers on the planet because driving makes my anxiety kick up. During the 3 weeks between my aunt breaking her hip, my sister's and my mom's deaths, I had a tire blow out on I-75, AND the timing chain snapped, about 2 weeks later, at almost the very same spot. Let's just say that those experiences, at that already VERY stressful time, left a bit of a nervous imprint on me.

I'm gifting my beloved 2002 Saturn station wagon to my brother. He's done so much for me and his Saturn (also a 2002 and bought from me) has MUCH higher mileage than does mine. He can take it to our mechanic for a good check-out, He has worked on it, before, so he pretty much knows the car. I'll feel less anxiety about him driving to Chicago, sometimes twice a month, to ref or announce at roller derby matches.

Admittedly, I'm pretty excited but also a little sad. I've been driving Saturns for the past 24 years. I cried when GM shut the line down.

[ImNotGod]

1. I still have a fancy black satin jacket with a big Saturn Car logo embroidered on the back, still looks minty but for a

few loose threads. I've never owned the car but bought it at a flea market not long after Saturn's hit the market.

[Callie1979]

2. Never understood why Saturn failed. They were good cars.

[70sEraVet]

6. Saturn didn't fail -- GM failed!

They dumped Saturn, and bought Hummer. AMAZINGLY STUPID!!!

[FoxNewsSucks]

10. Well, that was responding to the stupid American obsession with SUVs.

They were just selling what the customer wanted to buy.

I have a station wagon. It's a 2017 with 245k miles and I still really love driving it, but I'll have to get something else since they're pretty much all discontinued or too small. Even the BMW & affordable Audi wagons are gone here. They're still made, but not imported here because apparently Amercans want a big honkin SUV. Or a pickup truck..

Ford did the same, discontinued sedans and small cars and just make SUVs and trucks.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Owned a Saturn many years ago. Great little car...nt

[CrispyQ]

4. Congratulations!!

My mother loved her Saturn, but you are going to love not worrying every minute about your car!

I bought a 22 Chevy Trax last year after decades of driving a 1994 Toyota pickup truck, & damn, the new ride is sweet!! The radio went out on the truck years ago so now I have a radio, AC, &........A BACKUP CAMERA!! OMG, that is soooo awesome! I still have the truck. Believe it or not I get offers for it at least once a year.

[badhair77]

5. We had a 2016 Equinox and had no problems.

Of course the mileage was low but we used it for several road trips, the last being from PA to KY and back. It was a comfortable car for a trip with 4 adults, and at times 5. I sold it after my husband passed in 2020. His best friend, who had ridden in it often, bought it for his wife. It’s been a good car for a lot more trips for his family. I’m happy for your new acquisition and wish you many safe and pleasant miles.

[Meowmee]

7. That is great, enjoy your new car 😁

I just got an old new car to replace mine but will still try to get someone to fix mine if possible. I hope so as we need a second car for possible emergencies if one is out of commission.

[democratsruletheday]

8. I've owned a LOT of cars and also

worked as a Driver Ed Instructor the last 20 years. Saturns were solid, no question about it. Equinoxes? Not so much in my experience I'm afraid to report. Look before you leap with one of those:

The 2019 model year had 4 recalls, but only one (power train) was considered serious:

https://www.cars.com/research/chevrolet-equinox-2019/recalls/?oauth_redirect=true&redirect_event%5Bnew_account%5D=true&redirect_event%5Bsocial_platform%5D=google

[Dr. Shepper]

9. We had three Saturns over the years.

Loved those cars.

[EuterpeThelo]

11. You'll love the Chevy!

I drove Toyota Corollas exclusively from 1999-2019 (two different ones, both made at the NUMMI plant in Fremont, CA, so I was giving my fellow Americans/Californians jobs by buying a Toyota!).

When the second one hit 230,000 miles, its water pump was failing and it was gonna cost more to replace than the car was worth at that point. I donated it to KPFK Pacifica Radio and got a $700 tax write-off while supporting progressive media!

My now-late husband was a musician, so we rented cars all the time when he was on the road. Every time I got a Chevy Cruze, I just loved the way it drove and looked. So, when it was time to say goodbye to "The Cherry Bomb" (the second of those Corollas, so named because it was Venetian Red), I sought out a Cruze.

I found a gorgeous 2012 2LT with just 75,000 miles on it at Mercedes Benz of Encino on CarGurus, went and kicked its tires, test drove it and bought it the same day. Black with a black leather interior, so I named it Baphomet. The only feature it didn't have that I wanted was the moonroof, but DAMN, the price was right at $7,000.

Broke it in with my daily, unforgiving, 1-2 hours each way L.A. commute for six months and then...the world shut down in March of 2020. I've been fortunate enough to work from home ever since.

Upshot, the car's long since been paid off and it's still got just 90,000 miles on it. It was produced with union labor at the Lordstown, Ohio plant that ended up shuttered during the failed economic policies of Trump's first term. I love, love, love my car.

Please do report back in a few weeks and let us know how you're enjoying that new Chevy, and congratulations!

[Siwsan]

13. The family car was ALWAYS a Chevy

One of our neighbors was a 'big wig' at the Flint Chevrolet plant and he always got Dad a real good deal on VERY low mileage 'employee discount' cars. My Dad was such a Flint guy that he considered Fords to be a 'foreign made' car.

I drove a Chevy Cavalier before I switched to Saturn. Loved that car, too.

[Delarage]

12. Saturn closing

Created a lot of pain in Delaware. The old factory is about 10 min from my house (& 20 minutes from the Biden's). It was supposed to be retooled by Fiskar, which was gonna make a beautiful car. That fell through & it was razed. It's now a hulking Amazon facility

[Niagara]

14. Safe travels and happy driving, Siwsan

Be safe out there running while running errands for yourself and the kit cats.