Saturn is a now-defunct American car manufacturer which was founded in 1985 by General Motors. It was the first new brand introduced by GM in over 70 years and was designed to help the company compete with the massive success of Japanese import models. Saturn’s marketing slogan was “A Different Kind of Car Company” and to further set itself apart from the rest of the American automobile manufacturers, General Motors build an assembly plant specifically for Saturn in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Saturn models were sold through a separate retailer network.
From the beginning, the Saturn brand was known for its “no haggle” sticker prices. The S-Series, the company’s first model, was fairly successful. Saturn also introduced a crossover SUV, the Vue, for the 2002 model year. In 2005, the company began selling a minivan, the Relay.
General Motors announced that they would shut down production of the Saturn division and dealers would be forced to close by the end of October 2010. The Outlook model was the last Saturn to be manufactured. Saturn Authorized Service Providers were introduced by GM as a place where Saturn owners could take their vehicles for service. Generally these service providers were located at Chevrolet and Cadillac dealerships.
Most experts agree that the main reason for Saturn’s demise was the over ambitiousness of General Motors when forming the new subsidiary. In creating Saturn, everything about the car brand was new: the car itself, the workforce, the dealer network, even the manufacturing plant. The Wall Street Journal noted at the time that “even Toyota never tackles more than two new items on any single project”.
Even though the Saturn brand is no longer manufactured, there are still plenty of these models on the road. When you are shopping for insurance for your personal vehicle, it’s smart to contact several different companies and compare quotes. Most agents use certain criteria to determine the rates you will pay for an annual premium. These include the make and model of the car you are insuring and also personal information about the driver. Insurance companies factor in your driving history, your age, where you live, and even your credit report/score.
There are things you can personally do to help lower the cost of car insurance coverage. Drive safely. Bundle your insurance policies together with the same company (such as life, car, home or renter’s insurance). Ask about a low-mileage discount if you qualify. Check your credit report to make sure it is up-to-date and accurate. Also the more safety features your car has, usually the lower the cost.