Newspaper Interview

[Ernest]

It all started when my salesman sent a letter to Jill Lajdziak becaus of my many years/purchases of Saturn's. Well, I get a call from Saturn Corporate and they asked me how I liked my Sky and other questions. Well he asks if I would mind being interviewed by the Detroit paper. I said okay, and lo & behold I gets a call from the reporter at the paper. We talked a lot about the SKY and Saturns in general. Seems thy are a couple who do car write ups for this paper.. To make a long story short, this old country boy was interviewed by this here newspaper. They said it will be in this weeks paper.
They are going to send me a couple of copies. I can't wait to read it..
Any SKY people in Detroit? I forgot the name of the paper. I also received a personal letter for Jill Lajdziak, signed and everything. 11 Saturns in 10 yrs counts fer something I reckon! Motor City meets Ernest

Could this interview be posted on the forum? Brentil/KappaMan or any moderators please advise.

[ineedmorebotox]

Oh my gosh! You are FAMOUS!!!! how cool is that. Yes, we all will want it posted so we can read the interview. Did you ask Jill for a frequent buyer discount ????

[V8 SKY]

Ernest -

Would be Detroit Free Press or Detroit News, our only papers. I am sure it will run on their websites as well.

http://www.freep.com
http://www.detnews.com

I have had 3 Saturns in 14 years - not nearly as many as you! Of course, my SKY is the favorite.

[Ernest]

Thanks. But I will wait for the article to be sent as I don't know what day it will run, but I could check daily. Appreciate the info.

[todaresqSL2]

Ernest Goes to Camp (1987)
Ernest Goes to Jail (1990)
Ernest Goes to School (1994)
Ernest Goes to Africa (1997)
Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain (1989)
Ernest Goes to the Window (2003)
Ernest Goes to Detroit then Wilminton, DE (2006)

[ineedmorebotox]

Originally Posted by todaresqSL2

Ernest Goes to Camp (1987)
Ernest Goes to Jail (1990)
Ernest Goes to School (1994)
Ernest Goes to Africa (1997)
Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain (1989)
Ernest Goes to the Window (2003)
Ernest Goes to Detroit then Wilminton, DE (2006)

Hey the famous HollyWood Oscar winning actor Ernest is my 2nd cousin twice removed Everybody in Arkansas is related ya know

[lchrisns]

Originally Posted by ineedmorebotox

... Everybody in Arkansas is related ya know

As my daughter said when I pointed out that her cousin was incredibly cute.... "Dad, if I go that direction then the family tree won't fork." Aaaah, wisdom of youth.

[SkyHope]

http://info.detnews.com/autosconsume...x.cfm?id=22772

[agirltrucker]

Hey, we really do know someone famous. I hope you can post it here. Way to go....

[Barry]

Originally Posted by Ernest

It all started when my salesman sent a letter to Jill Lajdziak becaus of my many years/purchases of Saturn's. Well, I get a call from Saturn Corporate and they asked me how I liked my Sky and other questions. Well he asks if I would mind being interviewed by the Detroit paper. I said okay, and lo & behold I gets a call from the reporter at the paper. We talked a lot about the SKY and Saturns in general. Seems thy are a couple who do car write ups for this paper.. To make a long story short, this old country boy was interviewed by this here newspaper. They said it will be in this weeks paper.
They are going to send me a couple of copies. I can't wait to read it..
Any SKY people in Detroit? I forgot the name of the paper. I also received a personal letter for Jill Lajdziak, signed and everything. 11 Saturns in 10 yrs counts fer something I reckon! Motor City meets Ernest

Could this interview be posted on the forum? Brentil/KappaMan or any moderators please advise.

I know the feeling. To date we have our 12th Saturn since 98 and are patiently waiting for our 13th and 14th. My wife's Sky is the 12th and my son and I have ordered the Sky RL. In terms of interviews w/ the media none yet. Saturn Signatures magazine sent me a email 2 mos ago saying they would like to do a story about us, but I haven't heard from them since. Last year our dealership had us do a tv commercial and that was lot's of fun. I have emailed Saturn several times with notes about our Saturn Experience and always get the same response.."thank you for buying Saturn's".

[Axel]

Well-tuned Saturn Sky roadster drives as good as it looks

By Anita Lienert / Special to The Detroit News


ANN ARBOR -- When James McCarroll runs an errand in his silver pearl Saturn Sky roadster, he always allows extra time.

"Anywhere you're parked, people will strike up a conversation about the car," said McCarroll, a 57-year-old retired electrician from Arlington, Texas. "You've got to plan for delays."

The 2007 Sky is McCarroll's 11th Saturn. Fitted with a red leather interior and loaded with options, it cost $33,000. McCarroll purchased his first Saturn, a 1997 SL2, nearly a decade ago and since then has sampled everything from the Relay minivan to an Ion Red Line coupe that he bought for one of his sons.

"My first Saturn was dependable, peppy, economical and maintenance-free," McCarroll said. "But the Sky is probably going to put Saturn on the map. When I drive it, people in Miatas and BMWs stare."

The Texas retiree says he will order a Sky Red Line, the turbocharged 260-horsepower model, when it goes on sale in September. It's for his wife Kathy, so the couple can have his-and-her Skys. When we asked McCarroll if the Sky had sex appeal -- a phrase almost never heard in the same sentence as Saturn -- he demurred.

"A woman might describe it as sexy, but I'm a country boy," he said. "Let's just call it incredible and awesome."

Amen.

We had a chance to preview what the McCarrolls are about to experience -- his-and-hers Sky roadsters -- for a week in late May.

We test drove a $27,000 Sky, forest green with a black-and-tan cabin and $3,310 in options, including an $850 five-speed automatic transmission and $795 18-inch chrome-plated aluminum wheels.

Our second test Sky was a $26,425 black-on-black model with a five-speed manual transmission and $2,735 in options, including a $275 decklid spoiler and a $590 premium Monsoon audio system. Both prices include a $575 shipping charge and both vehicles were built in Wilmington, Del.

Unlike McCarroll, we aren't afraid to say the Sky is not only sexy, but also it gives the once-dowdy General Motors Corp. brand -- known until now for its top-drawer service , no-dicker stickers and boring products -- some much-needed swagger.

The Sky is the brand's first rear-wheel-drive model and first true sports car. Just now reaching Saturn dealerships, the popular two-seater is also sold out for the rest of the year -- the first Saturn in our memory to achieve that status.

For the most part, the Sky drives as good as it looks.

The new Saturn, with its all-independent suspension, hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering and Bilstein monotube shocks, handled beautifully for us, especially on curvy and scenic Huron River Drive. The Sky has a bit more suspension travel than its mechanical companion, the Pontiac Solstice, which makes the ride more supple and compliant.

The Sky, which comes for now with only a DOHC 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine, also gets decent gas mileage for a sports car. According to the EPA, the model with the automatic transmission should return 22 miles per gallon in city driving and 26 miles per gallon on the highway; with the manual transmission, 20 miles per gallon in city driving and 28 miles per gallon on the highway. We averaged in the mid-20s on both models.

The standard 2.4-liter engine in the Sky makes 177 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 166 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. It feels a bit on the sluggish side, with an exhaust note that sounds vaguely agricultural. Those hoping for a boost in power will want to wait for the Sky Red Line, which will be equipped with a more powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (shared with the Solstice GXP) that cranks out 260 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm. The turbo engine should dramatically enhance the car's personality, not to mention its overall performance.

The Sky has an eye-catching exterior and is set apart from the Solstice with different sheet metal, wheels and exhaust tips. The Sky also gets one unique exterior color -- "bluestone," a blue-gray shade. Another interesting detail: the Sky's low backup light, which gave designers the freedom to create narrow taillights.

The instrument panel in the Sky is different, too. The one in the Solstice wraps around slightly toward the driver, while the one in the Sky features a straighter, more symmetrical design. It's also better-looking in the Saturn, with a striking piano-black finish -- basically high-gloss black lacquer paint -- that dresses up the instrument panel, parking brake, door trim and gauge cluster.

Like other two-seat roadsters in this segment, including the Mazda MX5 and the Honda S2000, the cabin of the Sky is fairly cramped and short on space.

The Saturn designers tried to incorporate storage areas in unusual spots, such as a net behind the driver's seat, pockets on the fronts of the seat cushions and tiny storage trays by the sill plates, but all of these are limited in what they can hold. With the top down, the trunk is virtually useless, too. On one of our sojourns, the front-seat passenger was forced to hold a tray full of ornamental grass plants in her lap because there was no other place to put them; next time, we'll know to take both roadsters to the greenhouse.

And the Sky is still somewhat of a work in progress, with Saturn adding features as it goes. A standard seat-height adjuster will be added in July, for example. On the plus side, the Sky is equipped with a number of standard features, including antilock brakes, air conditioning, power accessories and remote keyless entry. It even has a glass rear window with a standard defroster.

Besides the cramped cabin, the Sky has some other negatives -- especially in the critical area of safety.

Like its Pontiac sibling, you cannot get side air bags or stability control (the latter will be offered, however, on the Sky Red Line). Saturn also skipped adjustable pedals and a power convertible top. The manual cloth top, with its stylish but weird "flying buttresses," is a bit clunky and awkward to operate, especially when you're trying to put it back up. The canvas tops on both the Miata and the S2000 are much simpler.

As we finished our week in the twin Skys, we noted with some amusement that the roadster is included in Saturn's 30-day, 1,500-mile vehicle exchange program. That means if you aren't happy, you can return it. Fat chance. We're betting it will be the rare person who decides to give back the keys to this memorable Saturn

[agirltrucker]

Wow, great article, thanks for posting it.

[IslandHopper]

My vote for Sky Family President is Ernest. Congrads once again and keep the interviews going. Newspapers today, television tomorrow We can get you some custom-made SKY overalls--now that would be COOL

[ousoonersgirl]

Originally Posted by SkyHope

http://info.detnews.com/autosconsume...x.cfm?id=22772

The Sky in the Sky...AWESOME picture

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

My vote for Sky Family President is Ernest. Congrads once again and keep the interviews going. Newspapers today, television tomorrow We can get you some custom-made SKY overalls--now that would be COOL

It sure would, and I'd wear 'em everyday

[Ernest]

Without all of my forum family, this would not have been possible!!!! Thanks to all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[marklynn70]

Way to go Ernest. Thats the way to keep them thar city folk straight.