My folks new 2007 Aura XR!

[intrigued]

Hi all. Well last weekend my parents, or rather I, pciked up their new 2007 Aura XR. We had ordered it optioned as follows.

Ocean Mist exteiorior,

Ebondy Leather Interior with Sunroof.

Other than that just the standard XR loadout which is considerable anyways.

The MSRP was going to be 27k and Payments were going to be 333 a month with $1995 and first payment due at pickup.

MY dad and I, as some of you know Dad has MS and doesn't drive anymore, got dropped off by my Mom o pick up her new car while she went to do errands. IT wasn't the car we ordered. It was close but there were some differences.

It was the right colors and trim but instead of the sunroof it had the Panormaic roof as well as the advanced audio system, including the rear seat wirless headhpones and six disx CD changer. I had steared them away from the Panoramic roof orignally because of the rattles I heard people taking about even though I had driven several panormic equippe G6s and never had the problem.

I went up to our salesman when he broguth out the paperwork on this new almost 30k msrp Aura intent on telling him we have a problem here, this isn't the car we wanted.

He beat me to it by gretting me and appoligizing profusley, saying he was so sorry but the car that they though they still had for us on an outside lot was sold and the kid they had sent to check if the car was still in inventory thought that this car was the one we wanted.

I was about to say something like "that's all well and good but what are you going to do to make it up to us?" But I held that response and he went on to say that even though this car was worth 3k more they would lease it to us at the same price as the one he quoted. Also hthey would forgive the first months payment that we were suppose to pay that day and that they would give us free oilchanges for the life of the lease. I mentioned how I had heard the roof rattles and he responded telling me that they had only had one aura so far wit that problem and that if we heard any rattles bring it in and they'd stip and replace it while giving us a free loaner.

My dad and I were both impressed with the service and respect shown to us by the dealer and salesman and what they did to make up for this littl stocking snafu. MY dad and I were especially happy to get the more expensive car for the same price and as long as the roof stays solid we really love the view it gives. If it doesn't, well it's only a lease and in 39 months, or sooner if we pull ahead we can get something else.

Driving impreshions- I drove it off the showroom floor (literally) and took the senic route home. The dealer was 20 miles away from home so I had plenty of time to put the car through its paces. it rides more solidly than any Epsilon sedan I have driven and I have driven ever single one and have owned a Malibu SS for about a year. Even though it road more solidly it easily tied the G6 GTP I had driven in terms of handling.

The 3.6 / 6 speed combo is incredible. The engine is incrediablly quite during normal acceleration where you let the 6 speed do its job (which it does seamlessly and indetectably) keeping the revs below 2500 while still moving the car very quickly. When you get on it you get a highly refined rich exhast note with the tranny willing to drop 2-3 gears at a downshift if you give it enough gas. The engine is read able and willing to race to its 7000 rpm redline, and I mean race! This thing loves to rev when you dig deep in the throttle. The paddleshifters are great. I came off a stop light that was set back from the right turn I was making in first gear. I took the car all the way to the 7k rpm redline through the apex of the turn only earning subtle tire shirp and shifted into 2nd to take the car to about 65. The paddleshifters are the best manumatic mode I have ever used in a GM car. The torque stear s very well managed, much better than my malibu SS, and was rarley felt at all. With the tracton and stilibtrack set to off I floored the car from a dead stop in manual first gear. The car accelerated in a straigt line with almost zero torque stear but didin't go very fast as it laid down about 60 feet of rubber and didn't get traction till I shifted into second gear!

The car's stereo is the best I have heard in a saturn and probably equal to anything in the GM stable short of a Cadillac. The Seat's are supportive and comfortable with 8 way poer a seat heates standard. The car's interios is much quier than my friends current gereration accord.

My glowing praise of the drive train and ride aside the car does have a few design shortcomings, though nothing major. The trunk is shallow for some reason, probably the sleaker body lines than my tallish malibu has. The interioe is well assembled but I certain parts of the dash are overly hard plastic. I wish the car came with a DVD nav option though the turn by turn worked very well.

Overall it's a great car. I wish it had been out when I got my malibu i would have certainly gotten it myself.

Oh yeah fuel econemy seams to be spot on if not better than the EPA and that was with some agressive driving the first quarter tank.

I'll have pictures up tomorrow. I'm going home again this weekend and will take some pics.

Overall I have to give saturn a solo homerun. This car won't make them toop of the class but it gives them serious credientials that will allow them to change perception and get more peope willing to pay the price of entry of the next Aura. This car is the tying run. The next one will put saturn in the lead.

[aaaantoine]

Gotta hand it to the Saturn servicepeople.

And $333 a month? What's the APR? Is this a SmartLease? SmartBuy? Straight purchase?

[intrigued]

It's a smart lease. Base price for a totally stipped XR is 292 a month.

[gm4life]

Congrats I want pics!