19th Apr 2004, 20:55

Early in March I purchased an '04 Saturn VUE with manual 5-speed 4 Cylinder. I have put 2,600 miles on it with absolutely no problems. The manual shifter is smooth as butter and quiet. The power is adequate. On a trip from Virginia to Massachusetts it proved to be a joy to drive and very comfortable. Highway mpg was nearly 30 (29.8). I am very satisfied with my VUE.

4th May 2004, 13:07

-"I noticed a growling noise in the transmission when I shifted from 1st to 2nd gear"..."After driving my Vue and another on the lot, the same noise occurred in both".

It stands to reason that if the sound occurred from multiple cars that it really could be the way you are driving it.

11th Jun 2004, 06:56

I purchased a 5 speed manual fwd 4 cylinder VUE last month. I love the vehicle. I let a friend from Boston drive it this past weekend and he loved it. He said it shifted like his SAAB which he also loved. I have had a 1991 Ford Explorer since it was new. The Vue has great space compared to the explorer and I only used the 4 wheel drive 3 times in 13 years in Minnesota. I am amazed at the value of the VUE including the mileage.

20th Jul 2004, 15:40

As far as the outcome of the growling noise, here is the update. My father, the manager of the service department, one of his technicians and myself drove my car and another Vue just like it. I drove the car, the service manager and the technician drove it and it made the sound for each of us. The next Vue we drove also made the same noise. I drove it and the service manager drove it.

I decided that I would exercise my 30 day exchange option and pick the Vue that growled the least. So far, I've had to take it in the replace the CD player that ate my cd. They told me that there was nothing they could do about the CD player, that it happens and that they would have to take the whole unit out and replace. I was lucky to get my CD back.

Overall, the car is OK. Its not great, but OK. I still continue to get compliments on how good it looks. The way it runs is totally a different story.

21st Sep 2004, 20:09

I have a 2003 VUE, 6 cyl and find that it is peppy, but noisy when passing at high speeds. It quickly comes close to redlining. I love the car overall and traded in a 2003 Ford Escape that bounced way too much. I have the front wheel drive and used it last winter and found that it had excellent traction. Hence, I also don't see the all wheel drive as necessary. My only frustration is the high cost that the dealers want for accessories. It really adds up quick. I would definitely buy another Saturn. As an aside, two days after I bought it a guy slammed his driver door into my car. Because its plastic it bounced back in his face and hit him smack between the eyes! I also saw a wagon in an accident once where the Saturn was hit from the side real hard. All four people in the Saturn were OK. I am convinced the company could run away with profits if it were not for its lousy advertising.

3rd Oct 2004, 17:16

I recently purchased a four cylinder 2004, 5 speed manual VUE. I have experienced nothing short of pleasure in all aspects of this vehicle. It shifts smoothly, has plenty of 'pep' for a four cylinder and exceeds the mileage estimates that were on the window sticker. This, coupled with its handsome looks, have made me a Saturn believer. All of this from a former Honda CRV owner!

5th Nov 2004, 06:22

I bought a 2003 VUE in December 2002. Within 6 months the following occurred: I noticed the grinding noise that has been described previously. After two weeks in and out of the dealership they determined it was the transmission. Some components needed to be replaced. At the same time, the front ABS system sensor had to be replaced. The rotors had warped and the button to that controls the traction control fell inside the dashboard when I tried to turn it off. By the way, the traction control feature I believe is a dangerous feature. At least on the front wheel dive models, it truly causes the car to hesitate too long while it "thinks" about redistributing power.

My latest problems include my horn being stuck in the on position which happened out of the blue. I had to yank the fuse to stop it. The grinding noise is back, the exhaust system rattles like crazy when sitting on a hill, the car has no acceleration and often hesitates at bad times and I still have not been scheduled for the recall repairs!

Needless to say, I will not be purchasing another Saturn and that's a shame because I had a 1996 SL which had 120,000 miles on it before I bought the VUE. I have heard the 6 cylinder AWD models do not have as many problems. But you know what? I spent a lot of money for this model and as far as I'm concerned there should be no problems!

19th Nov 2004, 08:18

I have three cars (3 drivers), a 2000 Chrysler minivan, a 2000 Ford Explorer, and a 2004 Saturn Vue. We always choose to drive the Saturn. Our 4 cylinder, manual transmission Vue is more fun to drive and gets much better mileage than either of the other two. All of my cars have been reliable probably due in some part to conservative driving habits of my family and good maintenance habits.

10th Feb 2005, 12:55

I bought a 2004 VUE a year ago, with the 4 cylinder 5 speed manual and the power package. Nothing has gone wrong yet, but I too have found the transmission to be touchy. It can be tough to shift, especially when it is cold outside. It feels like it catches a little on something. And no, it's not me because I tested other brands before I bought and they shifted very smoothly. The car is nicely functional, but cheap inside. Things are poorly laid out, like the radio that has the AM-FM button right beside the volume knob so you always hit it accidentally. The console lid is hard to close. I find the seats very uncomfortable and hard on my back. GM has always had great tilt steering, but for some reason they chose to steal the one bad thing that Japanese car makers build, tilt steering that barely tilts. It whacks you in the knee too if you forget to push the latch back up. Silly idea. I could go on, but you're bored already.