admiral_chowder

This was also posted to saturnfans.com; the more help the better!


Hello, all. I'm the proud owner of a 2002 SL, but am looking to get a VUE. Here is why: a couple of days ago, in heavy rush hour traffic, I got in an accident. There was an aggressive driver in a large SUV behind me (tailgating very, VERY close), and a minivan and a large SUV in front of me -- meaning that I could not get back any further because I was in real danger of being rear-ended by something twice my size and I couldn't see anything ahead of me traffic-wise because my view was blocked. The first indication I had of changing traffic conditions was the sudden braking of the van in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and got the car mostly slowed down, but still rear-ended the van; the SUV behind me did not hit me, so presumably he was actually able to see what was going on and back off.

The car sustained body damage to the hood and the front bumper, in addition to losing the left headlight (surprisingly there was no broken glass), but to my delight it was still in perfectly drivable condition -- I'm so glad that Saturns are so sturdy! I fortunately received only some facial abrasions and a couple bumps on my forearms; the airbags deployed perfectly and my seatbelt caught me. All of the doorlocks popped open, a comforting occurrence as I drive with my doors locked and probably wouldn't have had the sense to try unlocking the driver's door in my frantic haste to get out of the vehicle. However, the accident and subsequent citation threw into perspective something that I had not considered when I first purchased the vehicle.

I am all of 5'4" in height. I purchased my SL because I loved my father's 1997 model and felt very secure about the construction of Saturns in general. In the two years since I purchased my car, however, I have grown to feel increasingly unsafe as SUVs and huge trucks have become more prevalent and the size of them has ballooned to ludicrous proportions. With that increase has come an increase in aggressive and careless driving; not a day goes by when I am not tailgated by a monstrous vehicle. I no longer feel safe in my little Saturn, since much of what is around me is twice my size! After the accident, I admit that I am afraid to drive and that the sight of large vehicles spooks me.

My friend has a Saturn VUE, of which she is very fond and in which I can not only see everything, but feel very comfortable and safe. I would love for my next vehicle to be a Saturn, and am seriously considering trading in/selling my SL and purchasing a VUE. I am wondering which model year to go with -- my finances are very limited, so the latest and greatest is out of the question and I will have to buy used. However, having done some research, I have decided that it must be from the 2004 model year or later. The 2003 model is disagreeable to me; much of what I've read says that the 2004 and later models are quite similar to each other but all superior to the 2003 model.

If anyone has purchased a used VUE, either from a dealership or a private party, what sort of cost am I looking at? I would like it to be a manual trasmission, though anything is acceptable. The only requirements are that it have power doors/windows/steering, cruise control, a CD player of some sort (since music keeps me conscious) and driver/passenger frontal and side-curtain airbags in the front (having been in an accident where airbags deployed, I insist upon creating the safest environment possible for myself). It would be most helpful if I could have some input in terms of a price range from those who have purchased, or ideas about what I should look for in a VUE.

Additionally, I would like to know if anyone who drives a VUE has been in an accident of any sort (head-on, side impact, rear-ended or been rear-ended, etc.), and how things went in terms of occupant safety and overall vehicular damage. It is important to me that my vehicle be not only safe but durable.

Any help at all is much appreciated!