I highly reccomend that anyone who has a Saturn check out the website www.mycarsucks.com There are SEVERAL issues on the website that I had taken my car in for. Most of the time, the dealership told me there is no problem with the car, but I suspect otherwise.
Rainn
Monday, October 30, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Why Saturn Canada Sucks
So I have a 2005 Saturn Ion 2 sedan. And boy, what a hunk of junk. The car barely has over 30,000 KM on it, and I cannot count how many times the damn thing has been in the shop.
This car has been in the shop 4 times for transmission problems. The last time it was in for this problem was last week. And yet I am still having problems.
The car has also been in 3 times because I couldn't get the key out of the ignition. To make matters worse, not only could I not get the key out, but nor could I turn off the engine. This probably wouldn't bother me so much except the dealership was not open when this occurred, and I had to leave my car in the dealership parking lot, pull fuses out of the car to turn the engine off, and lock the key in the car to prevent it from being stolen.
This car has had 16 warranty complaints against it in the 19 months that I have had it. That translates to 1 warranty issue for every 36 days of ownership. Or, roughly 1 warranty issue for every 1875KM on the car.
Now I know what your thinking. Your thinking 'Rainn, why are you putting up with this crap? Just make them give you a new car!'.
Hey, I hear you. Believe me, I have been trying. Some time ago, oh, probably around the 10th issue with the car, I called Saturn Canada's corporate service centre. Basically, a pleasant English woman named Margaret told me that they would document all of the issues I have had for future reference. Stellar. Um.... The service centres document those.
So again, last week, I picked up my car from the dealership after they attempted to fix my transmission for the 4th time. 5 hours later, I drove to a client's home to drop off proofs of some photos I had taken for them. Low and behold, when I got to the destination, I could not remove the key from the ignition, or turn off the engine.
So once more, I called the customer service line. I told them I insisted on getting a different car. I told them I wanted to talk to someone higher up the chain of command. And the response? I was told They (GM Canada) won't take the car back, because your service records show the problems have been corrected. You will have to wait until you have another issue with the car before this can go further.
Of course they do. EVERY time the car leaves the dealership, the problem is shown as being corrected. That doesn't change the fact that the problems continue to reoccur. Also, Margaret would not give me the name of the District service manager because apparently 'There are too many of them to remember all of their names.'
So. Now what to do? Well, as luck would have it, the next day I was sent a card in the mail from Saturn to remind me to fill out my customer satisfaction survey. Believe me I did. But fortunately, the reminder card also had the address of the corporate office, and the name of the Director for Saturn Saab Canada. How fortunate! So I wrote a letter, enclosed a copy of all the service issues I have had. I made the dealership print me a history of the car the last time I was there. U will see a copy of the letter I sent below. I will keep you posted on what, if anything, I hear back from Saturn.
Now to all you fanatical Saturn owners out there... Please do not send me hate mail telling me how wonderful your car works. I am sure that there are many Saturns out there that work wonderfully. The point I am making is that MY car does not. I understand that every product that is mass produced will have a batch of defective units. However, I expect Saturn to deal with my car in a more productive fashion, because after all, continuing to repair the car under the warranty program is NOT working.
I will keep you posted.
Rainn.
LETTER TO SATURN
This car has been in the shop 4 times for transmission problems. The last time it was in for this problem was last week. And yet I am still having problems.
The car has also been in 3 times because I couldn't get the key out of the ignition. To make matters worse, not only could I not get the key out, but nor could I turn off the engine. This probably wouldn't bother me so much except the dealership was not open when this occurred, and I had to leave my car in the dealership parking lot, pull fuses out of the car to turn the engine off, and lock the key in the car to prevent it from being stolen.
This car has had 16 warranty complaints against it in the 19 months that I have had it. That translates to 1 warranty issue for every 36 days of ownership. Or, roughly 1 warranty issue for every 1875KM on the car.
Now I know what your thinking. Your thinking 'Rainn, why are you putting up with this crap? Just make them give you a new car!'.
Hey, I hear you. Believe me, I have been trying. Some time ago, oh, probably around the 10th issue with the car, I called Saturn Canada's corporate service centre. Basically, a pleasant English woman named Margaret told me that they would document all of the issues I have had for future reference. Stellar. Um.... The service centres document those.
So again, last week, I picked up my car from the dealership after they attempted to fix my transmission for the 4th time. 5 hours later, I drove to a client's home to drop off proofs of some photos I had taken for them. Low and behold, when I got to the destination, I could not remove the key from the ignition, or turn off the engine.
So once more, I called the customer service line. I told them I insisted on getting a different car. I told them I wanted to talk to someone higher up the chain of command. And the response? I was told They (GM Canada) won't take the car back, because your service records show the problems have been corrected. You will have to wait until you have another issue with the car before this can go further.
Of course they do. EVERY time the car leaves the dealership, the problem is shown as being corrected. That doesn't change the fact that the problems continue to reoccur. Also, Margaret would not give me the name of the District service manager because apparently 'There are too many of them to remember all of their names.'
So. Now what to do? Well, as luck would have it, the next day I was sent a card in the mail from Saturn to remind me to fill out my customer satisfaction survey. Believe me I did. But fortunately, the reminder card also had the address of the corporate office, and the name of the Director for Saturn Saab Canada. How fortunate! So I wrote a letter, enclosed a copy of all the service issues I have had. I made the dealership print me a history of the car the last time I was there. U will see a copy of the letter I sent below. I will keep you posted on what, if anything, I hear back from Saturn.
Now to all you fanatical Saturn owners out there... Please do not send me hate mail telling me how wonderful your car works. I am sure that there are many Saturns out there that work wonderfully. The point I am making is that MY car does not. I understand that every product that is mass produced will have a batch of defective units. However, I expect Saturn to deal with my car in a more productive fashion, because after all, continuing to repair the car under the warranty program is NOT working.
I will keep you posted.
Rainn.
LETTER TO SATURN
Saturn Saab
Dear D.B. McCall,
Recently, you sent me a Service Satisfaction Survey in the mail, as well as a reminder card to fill out the survey. After much consideration, I have decided that a survey simply cannot convey the concerns I have with my Saturn, the service centre, and your company.
I got my 2005 Saturn Ion 2 on a three year lease, which commenced in March, 2005. Since then, I have had warranty issues too numerous to mention. Enclosed, you will find a service history from the main service centre I use, although there have been other problems which I know are not recorded on this document.
While some of the problems have been cosmetic, such as needing a new CD player or new seal on the steering column, most of the issues have been substantially more serious. The car currently has just over 30,000 KM on it, and the transmission had to be recently overhauled. Even still, we are as of yet, unsure whether this will in fact fix the problem. On three separate occasions, I have been unable to remove the key from the ignition, and two of those times, I was unable to actually turn off the engine. This left me no choice but to pull fuses out of the car to turn it off, as it happened after service centre hours.
On
I am currently on the 4th repair for my transmission, and 3 times for the lock cylinder (so I can get the key out of the car).
I voiced my concerns with your customer service call centre some time ago, and no solutions were offered. Again yesterday, I called the service call centre. While pleasant, the agent flat out refused to take my concerns to anyone of a higher rank in the company. At least until I experience more problems with the car.
This is unacceptable to me. I have experienced nearly 20 warranty issues with this car in the last 18 months. I do not think I should have to experience more.
I will be moving to the city of
I am also disappointed with the service I have experienced with your call centre and the service depot. Even through all of the issues I have dealt with, not once was I ever asked if anything could be done to help make my experience better. Finally, I received a spoken apology from the service centre manager when I picked up my car yesterday. But nothing more has ever been offered. This does not sound like a company that puts people first.
At this point, with the experience I have had, I certainly would not purchase or lease another Saturn. And I would encourage everyone else I know to not purchase one. I am most disappointed, as I was very much looking forward to buying a Saturn Sky at the end of my lease.
Thank you very much for hearing my concerns, and I hope that in some small way, this letter will help improve the service given to other Saturn customers. I look forward to hearing from you.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
I'll Have a Couple of Domis' with a Stronach Chaser..
How revolting the way the media has been sensationalizing Tie and Leanne Domi's divorce, and Tie's alleged relationship with Liberal MP Belinda Stronach.
Granted two of these people are public figures, and media coverage is inevitable. But this week, the media has gone so far as to publish excerpts from one of Leanne Domi's affidavit. I am not going to go as far to say that the media is intentionally trying to 'tarnish' the former Toronto Maple Leaf's name, as he has already had his fair share of negative media attention in the past. But no one is perfect, and to expect anyone to be perfect simply because they are a public figure is not only preposterous, but naive as well.
The fact remains that no matter what these people do (criminal infractions not withstanding) their personal lives are just that - Personal. If Tie decides he wants to commit adultery with hundreds of women, that is no ones business but his and his spouse. If Belinda decides she wants an entire male harem of NHL players, that is her business.
We as a society have got to realize that probing these issues to the extent that we do, such as publicizing personal court documents, that we are violating their human right to privacy. It is easy to sit and be entertained by these sordid stories the media spoon feeds us. But would you find it so entertaining if it was YOUR bedroom secrets broadcast to your friends and family?
Just something to think about.
Peace.
Rainn
Granted two of these people are public figures, and media coverage is inevitable. But this week, the media has gone so far as to publish excerpts from one of Leanne Domi's affidavit. I am not going to go as far to say that the media is intentionally trying to 'tarnish' the former Toronto Maple Leaf's name, as he has already had his fair share of negative media attention in the past. But no one is perfect, and to expect anyone to be perfect simply because they are a public figure is not only preposterous, but naive as well.
The fact remains that no matter what these people do (criminal infractions not withstanding) their personal lives are just that - Personal. If Tie decides he wants to commit adultery with hundreds of women, that is no ones business but his and his spouse. If Belinda decides she wants an entire male harem of NHL players, that is her business.
We as a society have got to realize that probing these issues to the extent that we do, such as publicizing personal court documents, that we are violating their human right to privacy. It is easy to sit and be entertained by these sordid stories the media spoon feeds us. But would you find it so entertaining if it was YOUR bedroom secrets broadcast to your friends and family?
Just something to think about.
Peace.
Rainn
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
SASKATOON SUNSET
RAIL BRIDGE
A PILLAR'S PERSPECTIVESo yes. I did in fact venture out to Saskatchewan this year. I am sure at this point, they are happy to see ANY tourist these days. Hehehe Just kidding. (I am going to alienate some of my own readers if I keep poking fun at Saskatchewan.)
I did enjoy my visit to Saskatoon. I was there at the end of July, and, as always in the summer, the weather was warm and sunny. There were constantly people out on the river boating and jet skiing. There were a few festivals to take in that weekend, as the dragon boat races were going on.
One word of advice: If you are going to be taking in the sun on a rooftop patio in Saskatoon in the summer... WEAR SUNSCREEN. Granted my visit to the patio was impromptu, but I certainly paid for it the weeks following. The entire left side of my body was burnt to a crisp. It hurt to sleep on my side, and the pain would wake me up in the middle of the night. I peeled at least 2 or 3 times before I returned to my natural pigment. So. Lesson learned.
THE DELTA BESBOUROUGHContrary to popular opinion, Saskatoon is actually a beautiful city. Especially if you enjoy the outdoors. The river valley is beautiful, and the wildlife is also unique. If you enjoy architecture, I recommend staying at the Delta Besbourough. This hotel was built shortly after the Banff Springs and the Jasper Park Lodge. It is beautiful, and they have great pictures depicting the history of the construction mounted throughout the building. Though in typical fashion for hotels of that time period, the rooms themselves are small and modest. You may wish to stay at the more modern and affordable Radisson Hotel just down the block, and maybe stop in at the Delta Besbourough for a light meal or cocktail.
HUNGRY PELICANSAnother area to check out along the river is the Weir. This area changes the water level of the river. But pelicans love it for the easy fishing. You can often catch them hanging around splashing along the edges of the Weir getting the fill of fish. These are a rarity, and not often spotted in urban areas in Canada.
I encourage anyone traveling to Western Canada in the summer time to make a short stop in Saskatoon.
CLARIFICATION:
It has come to my attention from several of my readers that some people are under the impression that the photographs of Auckland, specifically the black and white photo of the skyline are post cards.
I can assure you, there are NO postcards or purchased images on this blog. Each and every image you see is what I snapped on my camera. The black and white photo of the skyline was taken while I was on a ferry to Rangitoto island. I added the 'Auckland City' label in photoshop.
Thanks very much for hearing me out. And I guess I should take it as a compliment that some folks think my photos are worthy of post cards.
Thanks Again,
Rainn
I can assure you, there are NO postcards or purchased images on this blog. Each and every image you see is what I snapped on my camera. The black and white photo of the skyline was taken while I was on a ferry to Rangitoto island. I added the 'Auckland City' label in photoshop.
Thanks very much for hearing me out. And I guess I should take it as a compliment that some folks think my photos are worthy of post cards.
Thanks Again,
Rainn
Auckland Tour
Ok OK, so I promised you this guide of Auckland a LONG time ago. I get it. I know. But hey, I'm entitled to have a busy summer too, right?
So here it is.
I would have to say that I consider myself a connoisseur of pubs. Which basically means, I like to hang out and drink in them. However, i have been in them enough to know what I do and don't like. You will find a bit of both in this guide.
The first day I was in Auckland, after 21 hours of nothing but cramped seats and airline food, the first thing i wanted after a shower and a nap, was some good food, and a nice frosty beer. My first stop was:
So here it is.
I would have to say that I consider myself a connoisseur of pubs. Which basically means, I like to hang out and drink in them. However, i have been in them enough to know what I do and don't like. You will find a bit of both in this guide.
The first day I was in Auckland, after 21 hours of nothing but cramped seats and airline food, the first thing i wanted after a shower and a nap, was some good food, and a nice frosty beer. My first stop was:
The Park Brasserie and Bar
446 Khyber Rd.
Newmarket, Auckland City
(09) 522-0414
446 Khyber Rd.
Newmarket, Auckland City
(09) 522-0414
It was a comfortable atmosphere. Certainly not pub like, but more contemporary. Light pine colored laminate flooring, matching wood table and chairs, and a fireplace, if I remember correctly. I quickly discovered that Canadian beer was going to be very difficult to find in New Zealand. This surprised me very much. After all, what else are Canadians known for besides hockey and beer?
So I chose a local beer. I started out drinking a local brew called Speight's. (www.speights.co.nz) This is a very popular beer in New Zealand, and has been brewed there since the 1800s. I didn't mind this one, but oddly enough, i found it to be better from the tap than in the bottle.
The Park Brasserie had decent food. Admittedly, if you are going to eat the usual pub fare in NZ, such as burgers, be prepared. While it tastes alright, the beef does tend to be a bit more bland than what we are used to here in Alberta. And, seemingly to compensate for this, almost every place that served beef burgers, slathered it in various types of sauces. However, I recommend not mentioning this to the locals. They are very proud of their beef industry.
My experience at The Park was alright once i figured out that table service was not a standard there. They seem to have it on occasion, depending on how many people are working there at the time. HOWEVER: TOURISTS BEWARE this was the only pub i discovered that seems to try and take advantage of tourists. There is a very unpleasant European woman that works there with dyed red hair. She clearly new I was a tourist, as I had my Canadiana gear on, and she charged me DOUBLE what her coworkers did (for the same product) when I went back in subsequent visits.
While the overall food, and ambiance was OK, if you find another pub that you like, then skip this one.
Another pub that I tried was:
So I chose a local beer. I started out drinking a local brew called Speight's. (www.speights.co.nz) This is a very popular beer in New Zealand, and has been brewed there since the 1800s. I didn't mind this one, but oddly enough, i found it to be better from the tap than in the bottle.
The Park Brasserie had decent food. Admittedly, if you are going to eat the usual pub fare in NZ, such as burgers, be prepared. While it tastes alright, the beef does tend to be a bit more bland than what we are used to here in Alberta. And, seemingly to compensate for this, almost every place that served beef burgers, slathered it in various types of sauces. However, I recommend not mentioning this to the locals. They are very proud of their beef industry.
My experience at The Park was alright once i figured out that table service was not a standard there. They seem to have it on occasion, depending on how many people are working there at the time. HOWEVER: TOURISTS BEWARE this was the only pub i discovered that seems to try and take advantage of tourists. There is a very unpleasant European woman that works there with dyed red hair. She clearly new I was a tourist, as I had my Canadiana gear on, and she charged me DOUBLE what her coworkers did (for the same product) when I went back in subsequent visits.
While the overall food, and ambiance was OK, if you find another pub that you like, then skip this one.
Another pub that I tried was:
The Cock and Bull (Newmarket)
Khyber Pass near Broadway
Newmarket, Auckland City
This particular bar intrigued me, as they had a flashing LED sign outside that said 'Buxom Blondes Inside'. Naturally, I had to see for myself. Talk about misleading. The bartenders, while nice looking, were certainly not Buxom. And most of them were not even blonde! But, the Cock and Bull is a chain of pubs in NZ. Similar to our Brewsters here in Canada, they brew their own beer. One of which is called.... You guessed it! Buxom Blonde.
My overall experience here was good. Again, no table service, but the staff is friendly, the atmosphere is very nice. A bit classier than your traditional pub, rich dark wood and brown tones dominate the building. And the often have live entertainment. You can view the band schedule at www.cockandbull.co.nz I personally did not enjoy the beer that they brew personally, but you can get Speight's in the bottle here.
I really enjoyed this stop. I visited this place several times, and it always seemed to be fairly busy. Again with the light pine decor, with a large bar in the centre of the floor. This place definitely looked more like a pub than the Park Brasserie. And, you can get the beer I preferred on tap: Mac's Gold (www.Macs.co.nz) Also, the prices here were the best by far. $4 /pint. (or approx. $2.80 Canadian). This was a definite improvement over the $16 that I had paid at the Park Brasserie.
The one oddity I found here was the huge American flag hanging over the bar. All of the patrons and staff that I had met were locals. So I am not sure where the American thing fit in. But, if you can get over that, then it is a good stop.
The next stop was on the Viaduct. I had initially wanted to go to a bar here called The Loaded Hog, but it always appeared to be closed whenever I was in this area. So by default I tried:
Khyber Pass near Broadway
Newmarket, Auckland City
This particular bar intrigued me, as they had a flashing LED sign outside that said 'Buxom Blondes Inside'. Naturally, I had to see for myself. Talk about misleading. The bartenders, while nice looking, were certainly not Buxom. And most of them were not even blonde! But, the Cock and Bull is a chain of pubs in NZ. Similar to our Brewsters here in Canada, they brew their own beer. One of which is called.... You guessed it! Buxom Blonde.
My overall experience here was good. Again, no table service, but the staff is friendly, the atmosphere is very nice. A bit classier than your traditional pub, rich dark wood and brown tones dominate the building. And the often have live entertainment. You can view the band schedule at www.cockandbull.co.nz I personally did not enjoy the beer that they brew personally, but you can get Speight's in the bottle here.
The next stop on my tour was:
SPE
Located on K-Road, just off (Simmond's Street I think)
SPE
Located on K-Road, just off (Simmond's Street I think)
I really enjoyed this stop. I visited this place several times, and it always seemed to be fairly busy. Again with the light pine decor, with a large bar in the centre of the floor. This place definitely looked more like a pub than the Park Brasserie. And, you can get the beer I preferred on tap: Mac's Gold (www.Macs.co.nz) Also, the prices here were the best by far. $4 /pint. (or approx. $2.80 Canadian). This was a definite improvement over the $16 that I had paid at the Park Brasserie.
The one oddity I found here was the huge American flag hanging over the bar. All of the patrons and staff that I had met were locals. So I am not sure where the American thing fit in. But, if you can get over that, then it is a good stop.
The next stop was on the Viaduct. I had initially wanted to go to a bar here called The Loaded Hog, but it always appeared to be closed whenever I was in this area. So by default I tried:
O'Hagan's Irish Bar
Market Square
Corner of Market Place and Customs Street
Auckland City
Market Square
Corner of Market Place and Customs Street
Auckland City
O'Hagan's (www.ohagans.co.nz) seems to be busy much of the time. The pub is nice, but I recommend the Patio if it is nice enough out. There is always a lot of activity in the square, and it overlooks the marina. I found the pricing to be a little on the high end for food, but the booze prices were middle of the range. The food is good, but there is a myriad of choices in this area if you don't like Irish food.
The next pub I tried was by far the one I liked the best.
The Penny Black has a much more modern feel to it. And, has a tendency to be a bit cold in the winter. But the beer is a reasonable price, and Mac's Gold is on tap. The real seller here is the staff. They are friendly, and know a lot about Canada and Canadians (In fact, I think there is a Canadian working in the Kitchen). The food is good, but a bit on the higher price side. Also, if you like gambling, there is a sizable gaming room in the back.
311 Parnell Rd.
Parnell, Auckland City
Verve is not really so much a pub as it is a (duh!) cafe. But, I felt it deserved to be listed here, as it was one of my favorite places to visit. I had breakfast here more often than not, and I recommend getting the Eggs Benedict and a cup or two of flat white. This place is ALWAYS busy, but if you get there around 9 or so, you should be able to get a table. The patio is the real gem at this place, as it is large, always in the morning sun, and is warm, even in the winter, partially because of how it is covered. The staff is great, and there IS table service! Simply a great place, and nothing to complain about. One warning: plan on $45 for breakfast for two.
So I hope this helps any of you folks out there planning to visit Auckland. Take my advice or don't, but just make sure you enjoy yourself when you are there.
Peace
Rainn
The next pub I tried was by far the one I liked the best.
The Penny Black
489 Khyber Pass Rd.
Auckland City
(09) 529-0050
489 Khyber Pass Rd.
Auckland City
(09) 529-0050
The Penny Black has a much more modern feel to it. And, has a tendency to be a bit cold in the winter. But the beer is a reasonable price, and Mac's Gold is on tap. The real seller here is the staff. They are friendly, and know a lot about Canada and Canadians (In fact, I think there is a Canadian working in the Kitchen). The food is good, but a bit on the higher price side. Also, if you like gambling, there is a sizable gaming room in the back.
Finally, the last place I will mention is:
Verve Cafe311 Parnell Rd.
Parnell, Auckland City
Verve is not really so much a pub as it is a (duh!) cafe. But, I felt it deserved to be listed here, as it was one of my favorite places to visit. I had breakfast here more often than not, and I recommend getting the Eggs Benedict and a cup or two of flat white. This place is ALWAYS busy, but if you get there around 9 or so, you should be able to get a table. The patio is the real gem at this place, as it is large, always in the morning sun, and is warm, even in the winter, partially because of how it is covered. The staff is great, and there IS table service! Simply a great place, and nothing to complain about. One warning: plan on $45 for breakfast for two.
So I hope this helps any of you folks out there planning to visit Auckland. Take my advice or don't, but just make sure you enjoy yourself when you are there.
Peace
Rainn
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