How to Buy a Saturn

By eHow Cars Editor

Rate: (0 Ratings)

Buying a car can be intimidating, but Saturn has built a brand on taking the intimidation out of it. Early in the morning you can grab some donuts, ask for a soda, and mill about looking at the various models without the pressure of sales personnel staring at you intently.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Select the type of car you want ahead of time, in general terms. Since Saturn only puts out one model of a given type per year, this effectively nails down which car you're going to purchase.

Step2

Investigate the problems that a given year has with transmission and head gaskets. These areas are Saturn's weakest, so any year where the issue comes up less is a good one for Saturn. Saturn services its own vehicles frequently, but don't forget to talk to other mechanics about these problems.

Step3

Warranty your vehicle's drive train, covering the head gasket and transmission. Exterior coverage isn't nearly as important, as the outside is made of easily replaced panels.

Step4

Negotiate with the dealer. Saturn has a reputation for showing you the price up front, but any vehicle on the lot may be one that the dealer wants to get rid of more rapidly, especially older models. They can, and will, negotiate.

Tips & Warnings

If you're buying a used VUE, make sure to check out the suspension and frame across the bottom of the vehicle. It looks a bit like an SUV, and some people treat theirs rougher than it ought to be treated.
Warranties can be different for used or older model Saturns. Make sure to look over the paperwork before you sign for them, as that's money that might be better spent elsewhere.
If you plan on giving your car a reasonable amount of washing and waxing, you can completely forgo the rust warranty.
Saturn service departments don't have a central authority... they're independent. Shop around for the one best for you.
Service your Saturn. Resale of a Saturn vehicle is pretty reasonable, but only on average. In order to maximize your return, service your vehicle on schedule and make sure that anything that's wrong isn't your fault.