My E-mail to Saturn Owners

[Jill Lajdziak]

The following is an e-mail I sent to Saturn owners last week addressing some of the questions and comments I've heard recently about Saturn's future. -- Jill

Saturn owners have never been shy about sharing their thoughts regarding our brand. So when I wrote to you a couple of weeks ago to tell about the potential changes at Saturn, I knew that I would get a strong response.

Your e-mails and phone calls showed that many of you share our enthusiasm for the idea that Saturn might return to its roots as an independent company. The thoughtful comments were a clear reminder of one of the things that has always made Saturn special. We have great retailers and vehicles, but it is the loyalty of Saturn owners that has always set us apart from other brands.

A few owners did express concern regarding Saturn’s warranty and potential service needs going forward. Be assured, there is absolutely no change in the new vehicle warranty for any Saturn. Saturn has always been a brand you can trust and your vehicle’s Saturn warranty is absolutely safe and sound, now and well into the future. The quality of our products is the bedrock of our business. GM has been in business for 100 years and is planning to be in business for the next 100 years and beyond. GM and Saturn have always taken care of our customers and stood behind our products—and we will continue to do so.

Many of you also asked, “What can I do to help Saturn?” That’s easy. You can proudly promote Saturn’s fresh line-up of award winning, fuel efficient vehicles—most of which lead their class in highway fuel economy. Also, convey your passion for the brand by sharing with your friends and families the great service you’ve received from your Saturn retailer. By becoming an advocate, you possess tremendous power in helping us spread the word that Saturn is a brand people can trust.

Finally, please know, Saturn remains committed to continuing to do what we do best—delivering outstanding customer service. And rest assured we are working diligently to try to secure a viable plan for Saturn’s future. Saturn made history when it launched as a Different Kind of Car Company and revolutionized the car buying and ownership experience. So, it’s no wonder then that Saturn would face today’s economic challenges head on. It’s in the face of adversity that remarkable innovations are born. It’s time to make history once again.

I’ll be sending you updates as needed, and you can also visit ImSaturn.com to get all the latest Saturn-related information. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Jill Lajdziak

[Edward Olson]

As our 36/36 factory warranty died, so did the $1200.00 extended factory warranty we bought with our 2007 Outlook. Ended up with an $1800.00 Ryan warranty good almost everywhere.

[Tim Phares]

Saturn outsells Buick (which I also like), and GM wants to get rid of Saturn?

I LOVE my Aura and I was encouraged to hear that Saturn may survive as an independent company. Will we still avhe access to OnStar adn XM? (Although frankly, XM isn't nearly as good since Sirius took it over.)

I'd love to see some investment capitalists (Cerveris?) buy it, move the HQ to Spring Hill, grab some of the factories in the South that the Japanese and German companies usedto have, and go at it. Maybe expand your partnership with Opel. (Is Opel a GM imprint?) The Aura body is basically that of the Opel Vectra anyway.

I see a LOT more Auras and Vues on the road here of late.

I'd like to see Saturns continue to be manufactured, serviced, and rolling. I hope you can find a way to keep this GREAT brand on the road for a long, long time.

[SparkynSwoop]

The thing that sold me on Saturn was the dent resistant panels and the fact that it was a different kind of car. So 14 years later, I still have my SL2, the interior's a little shot, (having kids will do that), the paint's peeling on the roof, hood and front fenders, but I don't care! It adds to her ambiance and attitude!
My Relay is a lifesaver. With the kids getting bigger, road trips are enjoyable (thanks to the DVD player), they aren't all cramped up in the backseat and complaining. Now, to add Sirius and I'll be happy.

[John Balogh]

I started buying saturns when the guy said he was a chicken farmer who put 500,000 Miles on his SL and was still driving it! I've had 3 the first was the SC1 - 95 then the SL in 2002 and a 2005 Ion. All were the bottom end standard with air. No real problems still own the 02 and 05. I loved the plastic body but when the price of oil went up out went the plastic in came the cheap steel! "Im keeping mine" cause they are plastic and look mint 10 year and older! I think Saturn employee's should make a deal and run the company with some good management. Back to the plastic car's Oil is only 50 bucks a barrel! Come on Saturn tighten your helmet and do the job!
JB

[Peter Neubert]

I am glad to hear that I will receive no warranty assistance from Saturn with paint that is chipping off my '08 ASTRA XE at an alarming pace. After having tried to explain my situation (extreme paint chipping, first noticed after a 1200-mile trip between Wisconsin and Texas and continuing to get worse over the following 2500 miles under absolutely normal driving conditions) to a non-Saturn local GM dealership as well as a Saturn retailer and the poorly named Saturn customer assistance center I was encouraged by Jill's email in which she pledged a re-dedication to outstanding customer service that the corporation would listen to my concerns and seek to offer assistance. I wrote Jill a letter and had several phone calls with an "executive customer assistance representative" at GM who continued to quote the body shops that have not properly understood my situation and simply told me that paint chipping due to "environmental damage" is not covered under warranty – even if it is extreme and has happened within a 5000-mile window of normal driving. This tells me that Saturn does not want to own up to a really bad paint job on my ASTRA (and there are others out there!) and doesn't really care about its customers. I guess will wait until my car is white instead of the beautiful Twilight Blue (that will probably happen to the hood in another 5000 miles), get it repainted, and drive it until it dies. And then I will never buy another Saturn, no matter who they are sourcing their cars from.

[Mike]

Mike from the Saturn Communications Team here.

On behalf of Jill, I’d like to thank everyone for their comments. We appreciate hearing from you whether you comments are critical, supportive or a little of both.

Jill would have liked to have responded personally to reach e-mail or comment she received, but her e-mail to Saturn customers generated more than a thousand responses. Also, Jill and the senior leadership team at Saturn are working night and day on plans for a possible sale or spin-off of the brand as an independent company. We are in the process of sorting through all the emails and letters and hope to get replies out shortly.

For now, let me try to address some of our concerns.

Closing retailers – We never like to see any of our retail partners close their doors, but this is an extremely difficult time in the auto industry. It should also be noted that this is not just a Saturn issue, but is also happening to other brands as well. If there is no longer a Saturn retailer in your area – or if the repair is an emergency – you can take you vehicle to any GM dealership for warranty work. In non-emergency situations, you should contact Saturn customer assistance first as they can help facilitate the process. (We have been working to streamline this and I’m sorry if there were past issues.) In major metro areas where all retail locations are closed, we are looking for new retailer partners to take over the area.

Warranty – Your warranty coverage is absolutely safe and sound, now and well into the future, no matter what the GM make or model. GM always has and always will honor its warranty obligations.

Saturn’s future products -- As we move forward, we are in discussions with automakers that can provide Saturn with products that are right for our brand: high quality, affordable, safe and fuel efficient. We’ll have more to say on this in the coming weeks.

Again, we appreciate the investment you have made in the Saturn. Please stay tuned to ImSaturn during the upcoming weeks for important news about the brand.

[Mike]

Jill, it's realy nice to read this blog. I must comment on the myths that GM management has been telling. There is no open and honest dialouge with Saturn Retailers. Period. The fanchise has stopped existing since the demise of the ION. We knew we were in trouble when we were givin the ION, a car that looked like it was drawn by Homer Simpson, to sell. But being who we are, we looked for the positives and sold the car. In it's five year run it still had some very annoying issues that was never taken care of, front end noises , ignition switches. Rather than repair the issues GM killed the ION even though it was starting to sell. I don't have to tell you about the VTI transmission fiasco, which our district service managers are not too happy to be fixing still. Then came this Astra, a car that is by all accounts a good seller in Europe. Well in North America hatchbacks have never been a good seller. The center radio and heater stack is so confusing, the switchgear annoying and the rpm at highway speeds unacceptable. This is what the public has told us repeatedly. Yet early on nobody cared to listen. We were told this absurd bunk about moving Saturn up market. Wishfull thinking but the public doesn't see Saturn as a near upscale European brand. Plus wasn't that Saab's job to fill that need in NA. So here we are being told nothing by GM, who keeps mentioning about the dialouge that doesn't exsist. The customers are angry and confused and we are in the front lines. You still have your pension, I on the other hand have irrate customers to deal with. I guess I should have stayed with the other franchise.

[JASON J.]

It's refreshing to see that I am not the only dissatisfied customer of Saturn's. In fact it's a game of smoke and mirrors when you experience a problem or question the Saturn Corporation in anyway about the quality of your vehicle. If they say it's not defective, it's not. They are the Alpha and the Omega of determining what is normal and what is a case of the owner's obvious imagination as evidenced by" Not able to duplicate concern or issue at this time." Thank God for the Lemon law and credit card protections because my car is defective despite the best efforts of Saturn's finest minds working together to cover up the truth. Good luck to each of you fellow customers. I really miss the old school approach that once existed at Saturn but, it died a sudden and tragic death. I am amazed at the lack of communication between departments at corporate and how little they can really do to help the customer. My next car will not be a Saturn to say the least and it will take a little while but, I will get a refund for my turd mobile. Jason Johns and family.

[Peter Neubert]

I am also awaiting a response from Jill Lajdziak to prove that Saturn's commitment to customer service remains second to none. I have faith in this company – please don't shake it.

[dorothy litomisky]

If only u where as good as u talk your good at blowing smoke thats about all you did not even answer my fax or e-mails or phone calls i hope Saturn go's belly up I will never by anothergm product again