I am shopping for a new car and I have narrowed my choices down to the two cars I listed in the thread title.

I really like the Ion but the only thing I am concerned about is that the speedometer and others are located at the center of the dashboard. I think I would get used to it over time but I was wondering if it being in the center of the dashboard caused any distractions or problems when driving.

My other choice is the Couger, but I don't know anything about the car because I haven't heard of it before until today.

So any insight on these two cars would be helpful. I know I could probably google it, but I want to know if anyone on here have had any experiences or tales of either car.

Thanks in advanced.

4/6/2007 12:39:32 PM

why those 2

4/6/2007 12:41:39 PM

Quote :

"...the Couger, but I don't know anything about the car because I haven't heard of it before until today."

that thing came out in what, like 2000?

[Edited on April 6, 2007 at 12:47 PM. Reason : talking about the newer style, not the old kind]

4/6/2007 12:46:18 PM

The biggest thing was looks. I didn't want a small car like a Ford POS Focus or a Dodge Neon, but I didn't want anything big like an SUV. Other cars I was looking at were not as good deals as these two were.

Honestly I want a truck, but my budget couldn't afford it.

I haven't driven either of these two cars but I wanted to know some opinions first. Hell if I get enough bad opinions of these two cars then I won't get either one.

4/6/2007 12:46:24 PM

^^ If I am correct this was either a 2002 or 2003 model. It had low miles for the age of the car(only 30000) miles and he was only asking for 9000. It has a clean carfax too.

4/6/2007 12:47:31 PM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/307061375.html

4/6/2007 12:51:26 PM

I'm also not in Raleigh

Plus I don't want a SUV.

4/6/2007 12:53:39 PM

^wow that is not an SUV
where are you ?

4/6/2007 12:55:19 PM

Get an Acura RSX. Best car in that segment. And for the love of God avoid the Ion. Worst car from GM in a while.

4/6/2007 12:56:48 PM

^^ sorry I just glanced at the photo.

How much would the Acura be?

4/6/2007 12:58:33 PM

^ looks like $10k for an '02 on craigslist
Look at Subaru Impreza's though

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/283379385.html

4/6/2007 1:03:56 PM

^ Nobody wants a Subaru with 126k miles.

The RSX is a good choice. You can probably find a low mileage Acura certified one for $14k-$15k.

4/6/2007 1:05:10 PM

Yeah I don't want anything over 50000 miles.

The Ion only has 10000 and they are asking 10,000 for it, and I told ya about the cougar.

4/6/2007 1:09:34 PM

^^ Acura's failure rates are significantly higher than subaru's

4/6/2007 1:17:28 PM

What is your budget? You can't beat the RSX for this type of car.

4/6/2007 1:18:49 PM

After taxes and such I would only be able to afford 12000.

4/6/2007 1:21:02 PM

Quote :

"Ford POS Focus"

I believe the Cougar is made by Ford as well so its prolly a POS, I know a girl that used to drive one, she sold it about 3 months after getting it.

Saturns are decent cars..we have an old 90's model that has close to 200,000 miles on it and still running strong.


as for trucks look into the Colorados or old school tacomas

4/6/2007 1:28:08 PM

yeah I just looked online and they are made by Ford. I have just heard some really crappy things about the focus'. Plus they are really small. At least the Ion is slightly bigger.

I have a ford contour now. I only paid 5000 for it when it had 55000 miles. That was 4 years ago. It now has 130000 on it and I just want a car with fewer miles. I am still going to keep the Contour as a backup car.

[Edited on April 6, 2007 at 1:33 PM. Reason : blegh]

4/6/2007 1:32:01 PM

You could definitely find an RSX for $12k.

4/6/2007 1:38:43 PM

Quote :

"Acura's failure rates are significantly higher than subaru's"

That statement means nothing. Are you trying to say that All Subaru's are more reliable than all Acuras? Furthermore, what can be classified as a "failure?"

Both the RSX and the WRX are listed as a "best bet" from Consumer Reports.

4/6/2007 1:51:24 PM

cougar

4/6/2007 2:27:16 PM

cougars are crap.

A focus is going to be a better car than a cougar.

I like the Ion, but if you are looking for an affordable car, get the last generation Saturn S series. They are cheap, reliable as hell and will last a LONG time.

4/6/2007 3:55:17 PM

The only reason why I dont'like the focus is because it is small. I want something a little bit bigger.

And the cougar is the V6 not the V4. From what I read the V4 isn't worth it.

[Edited on April 6, 2007 at 5:12 PM. Reason : adf]

4/6/2007 5:11:51 PM

^no car sold in the US has a V4. The Saturn Ion is no bigger than the Focus, FYI.

4/6/2007 5:21:49 PM

Quote :

"I didn't want a small car like a Ford POS Focus "

if you think the focus is a POS then you will be forced to redefine your definition of shit if you buy a cougar. the focus is a pretty good car, the cougar is a true POS

4/6/2007 7:40:30 PM

Cougar is crap seriously

4/6/2007 11:49:32 PM

total cost of ownership = asian

4/6/2007 11:56:26 PM

Quote :

"^^ Acura's failure rates are significantly higher than subaru's"

lol is that an ambiguous claim?

Also, since when is the Acura RSX in the same "segment" as the Ion and Cougar.

I think the gauges are the least of your worries when it comes to buying a car, especially the Ion. I'm personally not a fan of the car, but it's the best car Saturn had for a while.

I considered buying a Cougar about 4 years ago. I'm not a domestics fanboy but I actually liked the car. It's a really cool vehicle to drive. The interior is pretty clever. Hot little car. If you don't buy it, let me know. Because I would love to snatch up any car with only 30,000 miles. I'm sure the price could come down alot, considering the age of the vehicle and Ford's resell values.

My suggestion to you would be to go for the Cougar. But what engine does it have?

4/7/2007 12:33:18 AM

Also, keep in mind that Saturns are constructed with lots of plastic body panels. Plastic shrinks in the winter and expands in the summer. I've always wondered why Saturn owners care about dent-resistant doors when the cars are not that good looking to begin with.

I've heard that the structure of the Ion isn't that rigid, considering what the suicide doors do. But good luck with your choice.

4/7/2007 12:35:24 AM

just get a 2 door civic and drive the wheels off of it

4/7/2007 12:56:57 AM

Stay away from Saturn.

I used to drive a Saturn, it was nice until I had to replace numerous parts on it and deal with many failures. To name a few:

Saturn Sunroofs use plastic rails intsead of metal, they bind. There are also many other rubbing parts that use plastic instead of metal. They'll fail...repeatedly.

Replacing the alternator once, starter 3 times, radiator once, Cam cover gasket once

Constantly dealing with a tweaky electrical system (Sometimes when I started the car, all of my controls would be disabled (no windows, locks, etc) Never found the problem

And the doozy, the wonderful "We done fucked up and made a shitty engine that burns oil...but it's ok" I burned 2 quarts of oil every 3 weeks towards the end. I stopped changing the oil a year before that I had so much turn over.


All in all, the only thing that's good about Saturn is the staff. Why are you so intent on these two cars? There are much better choices out there.

4/7/2007 6:41:36 AM

Ok...other choices I found this morning...

02 Nissan Sentra
04 Pontiac Sunfire
04 Kia Optima

4/7/2007 6:53:54 AM

i was rear-ended by an ion earlier this week:

toyota camry-cracked bumper

saturn ion-totaled

they don't seem to be that tough

no one was hurt but i would still stay away from a car that fucks up that easily

4/7/2007 9:06:56 AM

Quote :

"Stay away from Saturn. I used to drive a Saturn, it was nice until I had to replace numerous parts on it and deal with many failures. To name a few: Saturn Sunroofs use plastic rails intsead of metal, they bind. There are also many other rubbing parts that use plastic instead of metal. They'll fail...repeatedly. "

So does EVERY car manufacturer. Hell even BMW uses plastic on damn near every part of the car. This isn't Saturn specific. Sunroofs are common points of failure on many cars btw, and if your sunroof is binding it's because something fucked it up to begin with.

Quote :

" Replacing the alternator once, starter 3 times, radiator once, Cam cover gasket once Constantly dealing with a tweaky electrical system (Sometimes when I started the car, all of my controls would be disabled (no windows, locks, etc) Never found the problem "

Starter is a common issue in every saturn, especially the older S series cars. They all had weak starters, which cause all the weird electrical issues. I found this out about a year after I got mine, took it to the dealership *gasp*, they told me the deal, put in an aftermarket starter *double gasp* and it's been fine for the last 4 years.

The "big" problem I've had with mine is the CPM crank position module.

Quote :

" And the doozy, the wonderful "We done fucked up and made a shitty engine that burns oil...but it's ok" I burned 2 quarts of oil every 3 weeks towards the end. I stopped changing the oil a year before that I had so much turn over. "

You stopped changing the oil and filter, and you wonder why it burns so much oil? Mine burns through a quart every three thousand miles or so. It's normal for ANY vehicle with 150+ thousand miles on it to burn some oil. I was burning serious oil when it hit 100K, similar to yours. I replaced the seals all over the place, switched to Mobile 1, and change the oil and filter every 7500 miles or so. Never had a problem since.

Saturn's aren't perfect cars. Hell I'd LOVE to have a 30 or 40 thousand dollar car. But for 2500 bucks, these babies are pretty amazing. All the parts are cheap as hell to replace yourself, there's a HUGE aftermarket for STEEL parts to replace all the plastic stuff, and the staff at the dealerships are far and away the most helpful of any car manufacturer I've ever dealt with.

4/7/2007 11:37:29 AM

Quote :

"Also, keep in mind that Saturns are constructed with lots of plastic body panels. Plastic shrinks in the winter and expands in the summer. I've always wondered why Saturn owners care about dent-resistant doors when the cars are not that good looking to begin with."

Because when I open my door into a curb, or a tree or a mailbox, it doesn't destroy my 1000 dollar aluminum door panel. And if I DID fuck up the door, or trunk or quarterpanel, it costs 1/10th of what a more expensive car would to replace. It's not about good looking, it's about keeping it from getting fucked up.

4/7/2007 11:40:09 AM

wow, this kid is even an expert on saturns

4/7/2007 11:40:56 AM

Cougar is a 50/50, dont risk it.

4/7/2007 11:43:47 AM

a cavalier by any other name is still a cavalier or wait... its a cobalt now wooohooo
if you want a car with no soul go to the experts of soul-less cars
Honda and Toyota -no soul so they never die.

4/7/2007 12:02:40 PM

Quote :

"Saturn's aren't perfect cars. Hell I'd LOVE to have a 30 or 40 thousand dollar car. But for 2500 bucks, these babies are pretty amazing. All the parts are cheap as hell to replace yourself, there's a HUGE aftermarket for STEEL parts to replace all the plastic stuff, and the staff at the dealerships are far and away the most helpful of any car manufacturer I've ever dealt with."

wtf, I didn't know it was going for $2500. A $2500 Ion vs. a $9000 Cougar. Now that makes it a tougher choice.

Quote :

"Because when I open my door into a curb, or a tree or a mailbox, it doesn't destroy my 1000 dollar aluminum door panel. And if I DID fuck up the door, or trunk or quarterpanel, it costs 1/10th of what a more expensive car would to replace. It's not about good looking, it's about keeping it from getting fucked up."

That's understandable. I was just poking fun with my last comment but I still stand by it.

Quote :

"a cavalier by any other name is still a cavalier or wait... its a cobalt now wooohooo if you want a car with no soul go to the experts of soul-less cars Honda and Toyota -no soul so they never die."

Not sure how you arrived at this conclusion. No disrespect, but I think that's an insane idea that a Cavalier has more soul than any vehicle in Honda's lineup. It's a damned Cavalier for Christ's sake. I'll agree with you if you claim that Toyota's are a bit numb to drive. But they sure as hell have more "soul" than any counterpart from GM that I've driven. But to each his own.

4/7/2007 1:55:52 PM

I'm saying none of them have a soul

and if you're going to get a car without a soul at least have the best built one on the market.
and i'm calling the ion a cavalier in disguise.... (the ultimate cut down)


[Edited on April 7, 2007 at 3:53 PM. Reason : .]

4/7/2007 3:52:15 PM

^lol I feel you. Thanks for clearin that up haha

4/7/2007 5:13:50 PM

Quote :

"02 Nissan Sentra 04 Pontiac Sunfire 04 Kia Optima"

Definitely not the Sunfire. I don't care how well built a car is if it's hideous to look at. Sorry to offend those that drive them =/

The Sentra is a safe bet. The Optima is also an alright choice. You should post all the mileage figures and such. I would still go with the Cougar for right now, especially if it only has 30,000 miles. Again...PM me if you don't buy it. lol

4/7/2007 5:16:23 PM

Quote :

"You stopped changing the oil and filter, and you wonder why it burns so much oil? Mine burns through a quart every three thousand miles or so. It's normal for ANY vehicle with 150+ thousand miles on it to burn some oil. I was burning serious oil when it hit 100K, similar to yours. I replaced the seals all over the place, switched to Mobile 1, and change the oil and filter every 7500 miles or so. Never had a problem since."

Give me a fucking break dude. The oil-burning problem is a saturn specifc one that the company has confirmed. It's due to a design flaw in the engine, but they refused to fix it for the owners. Good staff, shitty policies. By the time I stopped changing the oil, the car was valued at $1000, so I didn't care.


Also, I put in 2 *gasp* aftermarket starters and I still had constant failure.

4/7/2007 8:22:42 PM

Quote :

"Because when I open my door into a curb, or a tree or a mailbox, it doesn't destroy my 1000 dollar aluminum door panel."

So you're too irresponsible to look around when you open the door?

Hondas don't have souls? WTF. Toyota sure, Honda no way man.

4/7/2007 8:41:03 PM

TOYOTAS HAVE SOULS. every time i grind a gear in my celica... i feel like SHE'S TALKIN TO ME!

4/7/2007 8:58:28 PM

Quote :

"So you're too irresponsible to look around when you open the door? Hondas don't have souls? WTF. Toyota sure, Honda no way man."

lol co-sign.

4/8/2007 1:39:06 AM

I said IF fool. Hasn't happened during the entire life of the car.

But I did get in one fender bender. I got sandwiched between a 4runner and a mitsubishi eclipse.

Bent the back chrome bumper on the 4runner to all hell, DESTROYED the front end of the eclipse.

I hopped out, kicked the front bumper and it went "pop" like a tupperware container, right back into shape, went round back, and "pop" kicked it right out too. My damage was the 10 dollar front plastic vanity plate i never used anyway.

And dude, you couldn't even spell pininfarina

4/8/2007 4:25:28 AM

Please stay away from the Kia. Please? My parents had three of them... my dad is one of those people who goes for low price but does not understand value. Hence the water pump went out at like 80k on one of them and my dad ended up junking the car because it had depreciated to the point that it was practically totalled.

4/8/2007 9:25:13 AM

I had an old '94 Saturn SL2 for some time. The thing was cheap and was easy to maintain. I drove the hell out of that bitch. Those things can be quite reliable.

4/8/2007 10:21:33 AM

Quote :

"lol co-sign."

oops didn't mean to co-sign on the door comment.

But that's pretty funny about the pop kicking. I guess it does come in handy when you're showing off to the people that just slammed into you. hahaha

4/8/2007 1:12:21 PM