I like mini wagons

from Re: Saturn Spring Hill Factory To Close
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I AGREE !

After having owned two SW1s I do not understand why anyone would want or
accept any sedan. The mini wagon provides low CG, small frontal area, is
lighter and gets better fuel economy than any minivan or light suv. It also
allows mounting a longer more stable roof rack.

GM seems to think that I will buy whatever they decide to build which is
just not true. I have always liked the Ford marketing strategy of selling
Escort and Taurus sedans and wagons for the same price. I suspect that the
added sales volume that resulted lowered the unit costs to almost the same
as the sedans. It almost (shudder) made me buy a Ford. GM has abandoned
the market for miniwagons and so my next auto will probably be the first non
GM new auto I will buy. I am experiencing very good service from my SW1s
and if GM had continued to build SW1s I would have already repurchased new
replacements for the two I currently run, but since they are no longer built
I will keep these two until they die. The upside of this is that I will
probably save money and get better utilization of the investment that I have
already made. GM just does not seem to want to serve my needs or to retain
my custom.

I also like the economy potential of small turbo diesels but have yet to be
convinced that they are worth the added initial cost (from VW).

just my .02, YMMV

 

Once low-sulfur diesel fuel is required in the U.S., we'll be able to
get more of the diesel powered cars that are so popular in Europe. Which
is why there are so many companies trying to stall low-sulfur diesel fuel!

 

yo - how many times I hear that a week from old wagon owners. What I tell
them and encourage you to do is goto saturn.com and post your request to
bring back the wagon. Hopefully if enough ppl holler for a new wagon, they
will wise up and bring it back.
I wish they never got rid of the wagon. It is however rumoured, and I repeat
rumoured that there is a chance the ION may evolve into a hatchback in the
distant future.
But IMHO, that doesnt replace the wagon.

marx404

 

Heh, even Cadillac has a station wagon - I saw a SRX or something like
that the other day. Made me laugh.

Now, if they'll bring back the wood panel Custom Cruisers with a 455 V8,
then I'll buy one!

 

Escort? Sounds like you've been out of the car market for a while, Focus
replaced the Escort a while back. But be careful, the Focus back seats don't
fold down worth a shit. Before you fold down the back seats you have to fold
UP the back bench. So if you only fold down half of the back seat you still
can't sit in the other half since the entire bench is up. And before you can
fold up the back bench, you have to slide both front seats about half way
forward so the back bench will go far enough up to clear the back seats as
they go down. Needless to say, the front passenger seat doesn't fold flat.

My guess is that Saturn didn't offer an ION wagon since at that time they
had the Large Wagon. Then the L series died, and by then everyone was in
love with mini-vans and mini-SUVs (like VUE) and gas was still around a buck
a gallon. I think after a few years of $3 gas, mini-wagons will come back.
Wish I could wait that long for a new car.
ron 94 SL1, real close to 120,000

 

The Focus folding seats may suck but have you tried driving one? I just
drove a friend's and although I am not in the market for such a small car I
could not believe how well it handled, braked and accelerated. Way better
than my father's L300 Wagon.