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GM Halts Saturn Production; What Now?
Oct 02 2009 by Jennifer Newman
GM stopped production of new Saturns yesterday after its deal to sell the brand to Penske Automotive Group fell through on Wednesday. The deal’s failure surprised GM executives, Saturn dealerships and the thousands of Saturn owners and potential buyers. We especially liked the 2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid as a family-hauler. Here’s what you need to know if you own a Saturn or are considering buying one.
Saturn Owners
·Warranties: Current owners’ warranties are still fully backed by GM and will be serviced by other GM brand dealerships — Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick.
·Dealerships: All dealerships will be closed by October 2010, according to GM. Many expect to close sooner because of a lack of cars to sell.
·Repairs: Parts will still be available for Saturn cars.
Potential Buyers
·For sale: The current new models for sale include 2008 Astra, 2009 Aura, Aura Hybrid, Outlook, Sky, Vue and Vue Hybrid .
·New-car inventory: As of Sept. 1, Saturn’s total inventory was 14,700 units, according to Automotive News data. Saturn representatives say there is an inventory of 12,000 vehicles on dealer lots and in transit. The company sold 1,303 vehicles in September, which by our math leaves about 10,700-13,400 Saturns out in the wild. Saturn says the 12,000 figure is good for four months of sales. Using real-world sales (that’s 1,303 per month), it seems they have nearly nine months of inventory.
·Getting a deal: There are currently no manufacturer incentives on any of the models. Whether there are deals to be made is debatable. Often, dealers with low inventories won’t be anxious to move product. However, if a dealer is looking to cut its losses and close up shop as soon as possible, there could be deals to be had.
