Jump to content
LegacyGT.com

Saturn Ion Redline


Recommended Posts

that i did not know...knew the vue got one and assumed the other redlines lucked out to...have a buddy with a viggen and that is quick! but i want to say it is a 2.3t and way more then a Saturn...still think i would go with the neon though...cost to benefit analysis that and i have ownd a Saturn; was not impressed
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
The dunlop sp 9000s were a popular choice with the money conscious 2.5RS crowd in 98/99. Good tire for the money then and should still be today.
No, the name has nothing to do with bragging about 20 inch wheels...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We still haven't raced, but here's a little update. Last night, my friend's Ion was parked at an arcade around midnight, and some idiot 16-year-old girl side-swiped his PARKED CAR while backing out of the parking spot next to him! He has some minor scrapage on the lower rear-quarter panel now. Man would I be steamed!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
[font=Times New Roman][size=3]I had to take my SCCA STS class ’97 Saturn SC2 autocrosser to the dealer (the closest shop that I actually trust) to troubleshoot its lack-of-starting problem. While there, I decided to take a good look at the ION Red Line and see if I could take one out for a test drive, they had 4 sitting either in the showroom or on the lot, a crying shame. I had to take the sales guy with me, and it is a personal challenge for me to get the poor souls face to go white. I beat that little car unmercifully. Red-headed-stepchildren felt sorry for it. The sales guy stumbled out of the car breathless, glad to be back on solid ground and possibly sporting a few more white hairs. You know what? That car took everything I did and begged for more. Asking for a track, open highway, back road, parking lot, full tank of gas and warm tires. Its power delivery was spot on and massive, handling was taut, minimal body roll, and it’s lithe on its feet. It only stumbled once, in a sharp left-right transition with a downshift and WOT the open differential became apparent as the left tire scrambled for traction, but not until then or after. Oh, and supposedly it has a CD/radio too, but I wouldn’t know. This car is a monster! I want one in addition to my LGT! It doesn’t help my case that the dealer keeps finding money to throw at me to take it off their hands. If I had the money I would replace my SC2 with this freak of the open road. People who will love and flog this car like a masochistic mistress need to buy it and treat it like the bad boy it is.[/size][/font] [font=Times New Roman][size=3][/size][/font] [color=black][size=3][font=Times New Roman]While it does have less power it has a better power to weight ratio than a stock SRT-4 does, with the S/C it has no turbo lag, and it does have better suspension dynamics. This will allow more negative camber to be set making this a much better autocrosser and road racer. So, yes the SRT-4 does post better 1/4-mile times, but drag racing isn't the only racing.[/font][/size][/color] [color=black][size=3][font=Times New Roman] [/font][/size][/color] [size=3][font=Times New Roman][color=black]I don't live my life a quarter mile at a time.[/color][color=black][font=Verdana][/font][/color][/font][/size] [size=3][font=Times New Roman][/font][/size]

Martin Luther - "Who loves not women, wine and song remains a fool his whole life long."

 

EL4NFZT7

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I test drove a couple of the Ion Red Lines before I bought my Leg. Not to dog them, but I preferred something roomier and a little more......upscale, dare I say. Imo, the dash needs to be "freshened up", but I thought they looked pretty good and really didn't drive too bad either.
:orly:YA RLY!!! Home of +2500 useless posts!!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[color=black]My opinion is that the Red Line is in a completely different category than the Legacy and thus allowances and differences can be made. The ION Red Line should be comp aired to the SRT-4, Focus SVT, Civic SI, VW GTI and other hopped up economy cars, not the Legacy GT. It's just apples and oranges then.[/color] [color=black] [/color] [color=black]Oh, and you actually get used to the center mount gauges relatively easily, if your open minded to it.[/color]

Martin Luther - "Who loves not women, wine and song remains a fool his whole life long."

 

EL4NFZT7

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Tommyh'][color=black]My opinion is that the Red Line is in a completely different category than the Legacy and thus allowances and differences can be made. The ION Red Line should be comp aired to the SRT-4, Focus SVT, Civic SI, VW GTI and other hopped up economy cars, not the Legacy GT. It's just apples and oranges then.[/color] [color=black] [/color] [color=black]Oh, and you actually get used to the center mount gauges relatively easily, if your open minded to it.[/color][/QUOTE] how about this: the chevy cobalt ss - which is built on the delta platform in which the saturn ion was the first to be built on, starts at $24,995. Thats around the same price you're looking at with a manual gearbox LGT. they share the same motor, however supposedly the trannies are different, as the ones on the RL's have issues. the cobalt is a little shorter, and comes with a couple more amenities. point being, in terms of price range, it's in 'competition' with the leg. however, having had a roomate who adores caviliers, being in one, as well as being in several other chevies, i'll take the suby over the cobalt any day. it's apparent just by build quality alone. his '91 and '94 cav's interiors were just plain cheap. my girlfriend's malibu, though slightly better in quality, still feels cheap. my brother in law's decked out tahoe, is somewhat decent. chevy could have a great product on their hands, they just seem to stop short with the quality of their interiors. plus, at the same price point, you're getting AWD with the LGT. anyway, i'm rambling....
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='dv8ingvector']the ion has the ecotech motor...there will be some sick mods for those...they have a drag one pushing 1300hp out of boosted 2.0L...granted we will never see that power but it shows they mean busies...GM is trying to make that "the new small block"[/QUOTE] hopefully they wont have the same issues this guy has been having [url]http://ionredline.com/showthread.php?t=265[/url]
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[QUOTE] '91 and '94 cav's interiors were just plain cheap. my girlfriend's malibu, though slightly better in quality, still feels cheap. my brother in law's decked out tahoe, is somewhat decent. chevy could have a great product on their hands, they just seem to stop short with the quality of their interiors. plus, at the same price point, you're getting AWD with the LGT.[/QUOTE]that reminded me... I went to a manufactures auto show in Boston a week ago and was all excited when i saw the CTSV the 4dr caddy with the vet drive train "i am a sucker for fast family cars" can't you tell...anyway it's MSRP is around 50k...well i sh*t you not a base model civic has a better built interior...this was so full of hard black monotone plastic i got mad sitting in it...you would have to be a shmuck to buy that instead of a BMW used to be a huge GM fan but man are they slacking [QUOTE]hopefully they wont have the same issues this guy has been having[/QUOTE] heh i would not hold my breath for a good high HP capable manual FWD tranny from GM. i bet they just borrow from the auto Aurora/Caddy technology for the application but they have always been more about drag then autoX or rally...i guess we will see...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='dv8ingvector']that reminded me... I went to a manufactures auto show in Boston a week ago and was all excited when i saw the CTSV the 4dr caddy with the vet drive train "i am a sucker for fast family cars" can't you tell...anyway it's MSRP is around 50k...well i sh*t you not a base model civic has a better built interior...this was so full of hard black monotone plastic i got mad sitting in it...you would have to be a shmuck to buy that instead of a BMW used to be a huge GM fan but man are they slacking heh i would not hold my breath for a good high HP capable manual FWD tranny from GM. i bet they just borrow from the auto Aurora/Caddy technology for the application but they have always been more about drag then autoX or rally...i guess we will see...[/QUOTE] they actually had a 270 hp cobalt ss at SEMA. as for trying to keep those cheap ass tires planted to the ground, they're either including, or making available an LSD. its nice to see the engine get somewhat of a boost in performance, but the cobalt still looks plain and uninspired. the RL looks a little better than it, but i dont know how i'd feel about driving a piece of plastic around.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Drift Monkey']Great...a whole slew of SRT-4 wannabes is all we need now...:lol:[/QUOTE] funny you mention that, because at the cobalt forums, they were talking aboot trying to make peace with the srt-4 boys and form an alliance to go out there and smoke imports. if by imports they mean honda civics, then they can have their little clubs. but i highly doubt stock for stock that an srt-4 or a cobalt ss will be handing say a lotus elise, or ferrari it's ass anytime soon.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use