No specific place to ask this

[Anonymous]

Within the next few months I'm planning to trade the sable in. I'm considering a prius, a crossover or a small suv. I don't know anything about Saturn, but the saturn dealer here just shut down about a month ago. What I really want is reliability. Having something that the manufacturer actually stands behind would be very nice!! I just don't think I'm going to find that in American made and that makes me very sad.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear about your experience. I have personally have 4 Fords (1995 Mustang 145K miles, 1999 Expedition 133K miles, 2004 Focus 115K miles and 2006 Explorer 40K miles[Traded in a 2001 Escape]). I guess it all depends on driving habits and how well you maintain a vehicle. And the funny thing is I'm not a union worker or wasn't raised by a union worker nor am I a "buy American" advocate. I guess I have always liked their style and quality.

[haulingthescoreup]

Congrats on the great track record!

We're maintenance freaks around our house, and I'm very kind to my cars, all of which have gone over 200K miles. Well, other than the you-know-what.

[Anonymous]

Hauling, I'm a big guy too and love my Expy, I think your DH would love the comfort (but not the gas mileage)

Message Edited by RenoFico on 02-13-2009 08:54 PM

[CHARGE_IT]

I do know there were transmission issues with FOMOCO. I had a 1987 Mercury Sable which reached 120,000 in twelve years before I sold for twenty percent of original cost. Lucky, maybe. I was told by a friend that even back then the issue had existed prior to that year.

Something most people don't seem to factor into any company's transmissions is the terrain in which you live and drive. The people in the plains are not going through these things like folks in the Rockies and Appalachians. This is true for brakes as well. Another issue. I have an American and German auto presently. They happen to be trouble free. However if they required equal amounts of service and repair, the loser would be the German car. (part cost are breathtaking) This is true for a number of non domestics. Had the op's Transmission not been on a domestic product the thread could read quite differently since the bill would not have been $2400.00.

Having said all this; there are a lot of apples and oranges here. There is still room for those of us with individual taste. Auto hell for me would be driving a Camry; alot like the equivalent of a generic car. May be a good car, but boy does it have no personality.

Returning to credit issues.

CI

[tatiana]

My Toyota was a bonafide lemon.  

My Chrysler has been an absolute dream.

[haulingthescoreup]

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CHARGE_IT wrote:

Something most people don't seem to factor into any company's transmissions is the terrain in which you live and drive. The people in the plains are not going through these things like folks in the Rockies and Appalachians. This is true for brakes as well. Another issue. I have an American and German auto presently. They happen to be trouble free. However if they required equal amounts of service and repair, the loser would be the German car. (part cost are breathtaking)

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Very true. We live on the side of a mountain, and each morning I creep down the hill, hoping that the brakes hold and I don't get dumped out onto a busy 2-line highway. There's a lot of shifting involved around here, whether automatic or manual.

And I hear you on German car maintenance, whew. I may have finally convinced DH to give up on them.

Peas, my mother bought one of the first Saturns ever built, and she's had them ever since. The dealer calls her up, begging her to trade in, so that he can have her current cream-puff. She's never had a moment's trouble. Of course, she puts about 3K miles a year on it, lol.

And I'd love to have a Vue, if I give up on sedans. But the Saturn brand has been dropped, hasn't it? I can't keep track any more.

[Anonymous]

I live in the mid-west. No moutains. Always stay on top of keeping the car serviced. My mechanic and the guy who fixed my transmission made sure I understood that the problem I had was not related to upkeep. It was an issue that has been common with this particular transmission.

Does anyone own a prius?

[atlastontheroad]

My 2001 Sable got a new transmission at 109k in June, 2007.   Yep, it's a known problem.  High miles were put on by a single owner, my ex-fil.  He maintained it impeccably.   I sold it shortly before the warranty on the new transmission was about to expire.

I bought a Honda CR-V, have never liked an auto as much as my little wannabe-SUV.  Another happy Honda owner.

Ford products?  Not in the forseeable future.

atlast....

Message Edited by atlastontheroad on 02-14-2009 06:02 PM

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Everything you pay monthly at the start will be interest so after paying on the account for 2 or 3 months the principle will still be nearly the amount you barrowed. The account will show PIF or paying as agreed for 7 more years.

What kind of car do you have that losy its transmision in 60K miles?

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The account may not stay on your report for 7 years.  In August 2007, I took out a $3500 installment loan and paid it in full in 4 months.  The account reported to each of the CRAs but, as of last month, the account only reports on EX. 

Perhaps an exception to the rule,