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Updated 12/16/09 Frequently Asked Questions about The Future of Saturn of Orlando & Saturn of Gainesville Why was Saturn being sold? As part of their bankruptcy activities, GM streamlined their company from 8 brands to only 4. GM determined it was necessary to focus on what they consider their “core” brands of Chevy, Buick, GMC and Cadillac in order to stay solvent. Hummer and SAAB divisions are being sold or discontinued. Pontiac, and recently Saturn, are being discontinued altogether. Why did the Penske deal fall through? GM was to supply AURA, VUE, and OUTLOOK inventory through 2011 to Saturn dealers. Beyond that, new manufacturers were being sought to provide a new car line up. However, Penske Automotive Group decided to terminate acquisition discussions with GM because of the inability to source new products beyond 2011. Is there still hope that someone else may buy Saturn? When the Penske deal fell through, GM put Saturn into a transition to close the brand. GM has informed us that they are not pursuing other buyers for the brand and have decided to phase out the brand. What is going on with Saturn now? General Motors announced that it has ceased production of Saturns as of October 1st, 2009. GM is allowing each Saturn facility up to one year to sell down its remaining new Saturns and continue to service Saturns, honor warranties and supply parts. Are you closing? No! Locally, we don’t plan to close. When it’s over for Saturn, it’s NOT over for us. We are pursuing other business opportunities so that we can continue to service your automotive sales and service needs. Saturn of Orlando and Saturn of Gainesville will continue to sell used cars and trucks and sell down its remaining new Saturn inventory. It’s business as usual! Service, parts & sales departments will remain open and ready to serve our customers. Warranties will be honored, parts are in full supply, new & used cars are available and as usual, you'll receive our great Saturn service. Since we are actively pursuing other brands to sell in the future, next time you visit us, there’s a good chance we may have a new sign out front and we may be wearing different logos on our shirts. Don’t let this alarm you. Even though Saturn is coming to an end after nearly 20 years in business, that doesn’t mean your “Saturn” experience will be gone. While the sign out front may change, it’ll still be us on the inside, ready to give you the great “Saturn” experience you’ve come to know. Our values, commitment and spirit can never be taken away. We’re simply bringing a new brand to the neighborhood. Is your service department still open? Yes! We don’t plan to go anywhere. GM has given us up to one year to continue as an authorized Saturn service facility to handle your warranty, maintenance and mechanical needs. If after 12 months, we are no longer able to service your warranty needs, we’ll direct you to a GM dealership that can. However, our long-term plan is to continue to maintain a service facility that will handle routine maintenance, extended warranty claims & repairs, and mechanical repairs for all cars, domestic and import. You may receive solicitations and service offers to bring your Saturn to other GM service centers. Some of these may be legitimate and some may not. However, we will be happy to assist you with your service and parts needs or answer your questions about these solicitations over the next 12 months. Please contact your Service Advisor for assistance. What if I have warranty repairs? Can I still visit you? Your vehicle warranty remains valid and warranty claims will be honored. GM has given us up to one year to continue as an authorized Saturn service facility to handle your warranty, maintenance and mechanical needs. If after 12 months, we are no longer able to service your warranty needs, we’ll direct you to a GM dealership that can. However, our long-term plan is to continue to maintain a service facility that will handle routine maintenance, extended warranty claims & repairs, and mechanical repairs for all cars, domestic and import. What happens to my extended warranty? If you have an extended warranty, you can always get your repairs done at our facility, whether we are under the Saturn name or not. For repairs covered under your regular Saturn/GM warranty, please contact us before you visit another facility. GM has given us up to one year to continue as an authorized Saturn service facility to handle your warranty, maintenance and mechanical needs. If after 12 months, we are no longer able to service your warranty needs, we’ll direct you to a GM dealership that can. What happens to my prepaid maintenance? Where do I go now? Nothing changes if you have an American Financial (MasterTech) prepaid maintenance plan. You continue to visit our facility for your prepaid maintenance needs, using the same coupons you received at the time you purchased your prepaid plan. If you have questions about the plan you are on or other concerns, please call the Financial Services Director at your Saturn facility where you purchased your car. Can we still get parts? Yes! Our Saturn facilities will stock parts for up to 12 months or possibly longer. Please contact us for anything you may need. If something changes after 12 months and we are no longer a Saturn parts supplier, we can direct you to another authorized GM service center. By law, Saturn parts will be available for 10 years. You may receive solicitations and service offers to bring your Saturn to other GM service centers, however, we will be happy to assist you with you parts and service needs over the next 12 months. Please contact your Service Advisor for assistance. Will the value of a Saturn be affected by the phase out of the brand? There’s absolutely no reason not to buy a Saturn or feel pressure to trade-in your current Saturn. Historically brands such as Oldsmobile have not shown a noticeable reduction in value after being phased out. In fact, Saturns have always retained their value and we see no reason why this would change. There has always been a demand for pre-owned Saturns and we think there will continue to be. Saturns are economical, safe, and reliable transportation. Will there be changes to your staff? Will the same people be here to help me? We are making every effort to keep the same, great staff at our locations to serve you for as long as possible. Our plan is to continue “business as usual”. With any transition there could be changes that are necessary. Even though Saturn, as a brand, is unfortunately nearing its end, our values, commitment and spirit can never be taken away. It’s our utmost intention to keep the same Saturn philosophy, dedication and professionalism in place well after the Saturn brand concludes. I have a Saturn lease. What do I do when my lease is up? At the end of its lease term, please bring your vehicle to us and a manager can assist you with your options. Will there be any 2010 models available? Saturn facilities will not receive any 2010 models. GM has already ended production of Saturns in their Kansas City, Michigan, and Mexico factories. We will continue to sell down our remaining new 2009 inventory. GM will not be shipping us anymore inventory so our new car sales will depend on how long it takes to sell the inventory we presently have. What happens when you run out of 2009s to sell? Once our new Saturns are sold out, we will exclusively focus on selling our large inventory of used cars and trucks of nearly every make and model, domestic and import. We do not plan to leave a vacant new car lot, so we will also look for fresh opportunities for new car franchises to continue to serve your automotive needs. Are you going to be having a “going out of business” sale on your new cars? There are incredible deals on remaining new Saturns. Now through 1/4/2010 or while supplies last, you can save $6,500 off every new Saturn or receive 0% for 72 months and $1,500 off. Offers may change so ask a sales manager for the most up to date offers and details. When will the warranty expire on my new car? Nothing is changing with your warranty. The warranty will expire depending on the terms of the warranty when you bought your car. GM will honor all Saturn warranties now and in the future. If you just bought a Saturn, or are considering buying one, you won't have to worry about warranties or service after October 2010, because any General Motors dealership will do the work. Will my GM Family discount apply anymore? For the most up to date information, please visit www.gmfamilyfirst.com or ask a Sales Manager about specific GM programs that may or may not be available during the sell down of remaining new Saturns in stock. Will my OnStar or XM radio be affected? There will be no changes to your OnStar or XM services. They are provided through vendors separate from Saturn. Contact them directly regarding any questions you may have. Will my Roadside assistance be affected? No! That is included in your warranty which will remain unaffected. Where can I go to stay current on all the latest Saturn news? Our company-wide website www.saturnFL.com will continue to operate without disruption. Visit often for updates and news. Also, our company phone numbers will not change. Call us anytime with questions. 407-767-2022 (Orlando North); 407-438-2020 (Orlando South); and 352-395-6300 (Gainesville). How do I give feedback to Saturn Corporation or GM about their decision to phase out Saturn? There are many ways to voice your feedback regarding the recent news about Saturn.
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