In my lifetime, I’ve seen a number of car nameplates go off to the auto graveyard. Studebaker. Rambler (and its successor, American Motors). Plymouth. Oldsmobile. Even the infamous Edsel came and went when I was a toddler. Pontiac is about to join them. Seeing these go never meant as much to me as the news on Wednesday that Saturn is also going to be driven to the scrap heap.
I owned an early Saturn, and I loved that car. I bought a brand-new, 1993 Saturn SC2 in red from the old Saturn of Wickliffe. I was intrigued by all the planning that GM put into the Saturn. It was designed from scratch. It was built at a plant in a little town in Tennessee that made nothing but Saturns.
When I bought my car, Saturns were still so new, dealers couldn’t keep them on the lot. I had to wait a month for my car. While I was waiting, the dealership sent me a bouquet of balloons at work, and a card with a nice message thanking me for my patience. When it came in, we had an unveiling ceremony for my new car. I got to pull the cover off the car and unveil it to see it for the first time.
I owned that car for ten years. I drove it into the ground. I used it to cover news stories. I used it for errands. I drove it all over. I put over 140,000 miles on that car. Here's proof.
My Saturn and I became one. Saturn’s corporate leaders tried to instill a pride in owners. They even invited owners to the plant in Tennessee each summer for “Homecoming.” They had entertainment. You were offered tours of the plant. Your car was going back home to where it was made. Yes, Saturn made you feel as if you had more than a car.
It was a sad day when I basically realized that I had worn the car out, and it wasn’t worth putting any more money into it, so I donated it to charity for the tax deduction.
My Saturn had some rust around the headlight doors, but not much anywhere else, because the door panels and the rear panel were all molded out of plastic. No rust, no dents. It was a fun car to drive, and fun to own, but it was time to move on.
Six years ago, my Saturn was towed off to the auto auction. Now, Saturn itself is being towed away. Rest in peace, Saturn. You tried to revitalize the auto industry with a few changes. Some of them stuck, but the day that GM decided to integrate Saturn design and production with other makes was the day Saturn became just another GM car. That wasn’t the Saturn I bought into.
I owned an early Saturn, and I loved that car. I bought a brand-new, 1993 Saturn SC2 in red from the old Saturn of Wickliffe. I was intrigued by all the planning that GM put into the Saturn. It was designed from scratch. It was built at a plant in a little town in Tennessee that made nothing but Saturns.
When I bought my car, Saturns were still so new, dealers couldn’t keep them on the lot. I had to wait a month for my car. While I was waiting, the dealership sent me a bouquet of balloons at work, and a card with a nice message thanking me for my patience. When it came in, we had an unveiling ceremony for my new car. I got to pull the cover off the car and unveil it to see it for the first time.
I owned that car for ten years. I drove it into the ground. I used it to cover news stories. I used it for errands. I drove it all over. I put over 140,000 miles on that car. Here's proof.
My Saturn and I became one. Saturn’s corporate leaders tried to instill a pride in owners. They even invited owners to the plant in Tennessee each summer for “Homecoming.” They had entertainment. You were offered tours of the plant. Your car was going back home to where it was made. Yes, Saturn made you feel as if you had more than a car.
It was a sad day when I basically realized that I had worn the car out, and it wasn’t worth putting any more money into it, so I donated it to charity for the tax deduction.
My Saturn had some rust around the headlight doors, but not much anywhere else, because the door panels and the rear panel were all molded out of plastic. No rust, no dents. It was a fun car to drive, and fun to own, but it was time to move on.
Six years ago, my Saturn was towed off to the auto auction. Now, Saturn itself is being towed away. Rest in peace, Saturn. You tried to revitalize the auto industry with a few changes. Some of them stuck, but the day that GM decided to integrate Saturn design and production with other makes was the day Saturn became just another GM car. That wasn’t the Saturn I bought into.
