Mine is an early car. LOVE IT! My problems to date: Battery died after a little over 5 years. clutch is getting weak, CD player ate a second CD and I can't get either one out. My Chevy Truck has had more problems.
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Introduction
Reviewed: 2008 Saturn ASTRA
2dr Hatch 138-horsepower 1.8L I4 5-speed manual FWDWhy the 2008 Saturn ASTRA?
Peppy, Had a lot of fun driving around town as the power band with the 5 speed is pretty much set up for fighting moving traffic (3rd and 4th) and not half bad for such a small engine on the freeway between 55 and 85
currently at over 40K miles, still running around 28.2 MPG cumulative. That includes my 3.8 mile commute (one way), trips to visit Granddaughter, and laps around two of the local race tracks.
I run 6', 300# and this is one of the few smaller cars I can drive in reasonable comfort while taking the back roads. Nice lateral support and my back doesn't give me fits when I get out.
Driving position adapts to me, the wife, and our son, easy to reach controls and maintain control of the vehicle.
2 door hatch, looks a lot like some of the much more expensive vehicles, still easy to ID in the parking lot.
Why Not the 2008 Saturn ASTRA?
Driving position is great. Visibility sucks. you have to work extra hard to clear rear quarters and forget looking out the back when backing up. side mirrors help but small, inside rear view is tiny and the rear quarters are blind spots. Hard to keep track of apexes because of solid A pillars.
severe case of budget over need, lots of road and wind noise. Glad I didn't get a sunroof.
OK 1.8L gas. FOR GOODNESS SAKE THE BRITS HAVE A 2.2 or the 2.0 Turbo. Heck, even the German diesel has more get up and go than the wimpy 1.8 (or is it 1.6 like my old Fiesta.) Thank goodness I got the 5 speed, I cannot imagine what the auto version is like.
Saturn RIP My closest dealer is a Chevy dealer who keeps telling me they "want to trade me up to a Cruiz" or an Aveo. forget about talking to them about repairs. Been unable to get someone to tell me how to turn off the "service due" warning. Want to charge me $50. to come in and let them do it.
Conclusion
I"m keeping this one for 9 years and then let someone try and figure where replacement parts will come from.
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