Saturn (GM) STANDARD OPERATING PROCEEDURE When we at GM discover an epidemic costly flaw in our cars (like casting flaws in our cylinder heads that will cause the head to eventually CRACK); and before we become aware of the problem, tens of thousands of cars with the flaw have gone off the assembly line to dealers: We withold that information (sending out a service notice) for as long as we can- so as to get as many of those cars affected, OVER the warranty period. That way, we are not liable to cover the cost of the repair or replacement and we are able to cut our loses! Also: If a new car customer who has been taking his car to the dealer for regular scheduled maintainance, CHANGES ADDRESS, and the dealer fails to notify the company of the new address and because of this dealer failure- we send out a service notice to the old address and thus the notice never reaches the customer: When the service notice is returned to us as "undeliverable"; we will NOT make any attempt to reach the customer at his new address and notify him of the service notice. We are not liable for our dealer's failure nor will we take any action against our dealer for this failure in an attempt to compensate the customer,should he have been unaware of the notice and suffers a costly repair bill after his warranty has run out! Anyone who doubts the above policy can contact (among many others): Grand Rapids (Michigan) Saturn. (That is; if anyone there admits his knowledge of and has the COURAGE to verify the above policy) signed. Michael Cohrman The above policy is known by many but I have never seen it posted anywhere. If you want to verify or deny the above policy from your own experience- please do! Patricia of Bath ME (9/15/03): Cylinder head cracked, Saturn is aware there is a problem but their position is, if it didn't happen in 6 years or 100,000 miles (whichever came first) I'm out of luck. Of course the local dealer will fix it for $1,800. I own a 1994 Saturn SW1 with 94,502 miles. The service bullentin came out in 1999. I believe that they knew it to be a defect in the parts they used and it should be fixed no matter what the age of the car. Of couse they would like the public to think that after their timeframe the car will never have the problem or by magic it will repair itself. If the only humans worked this way after 6 years all birth defects would just disappear. What a wonderful world it would be. All I have to say is -- dream on, Saturn. I can't wait to get the car fixed and trade it in for another car. Damage Resulting: Loss of my sanity, cost - priceless new engine $1,800, junk yard version $100, but it will take me a week or so to get the two engines out, never mind the time to figure out how to get it all back together and still have the car run. I have a full-time job and I'm the mother of an eleven-year-old, not much free time here to spare. I just knew I should have taken a shop class in high school, but at 50 I'm not to old to learn. I build Navy DDG's at Bath Iron Works -- fixing a car should not be as complicated LOL.
