do your saturn right

I purchased a 2006 Saturn ion 3 manual after countless hours or research on the car. Everyone seems to have complaints about the car, but if you do it right and take your time there is no reason to not like or even love this car. I upgraded to the 2.4 170 hp engine and matched it to a 5 speed manual. I also drove the automatic and I have to say that it is well worth the extra $995.00 as you get 16 in alloys, sport tuned suspension and a few other goodies. The car has awesome acceleration even at high speed rollovers, I was able to overtake a truck without downshifting on the freeway with no problem. The suspension grabs and holds like if it's on rails (yes I know a cliche) but it is true. The ride is smooth and tight and holds its line fine. The cluth takes little time to get used to (I had not driven a manual car steadily in over a year) and it feels fine. I used to drive a honda civic ex with a sohc v-tec engine and I gotta say it outperforms that car by miles.(and yes I loved and still do love that honda-wrecked in the rain last year) Side by side I would have had to spend at least an extra FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS to get a similar car with comparable features at the Honda dealer, not to mention the fact that Honda salesmen's attitude is for crap(If you don't buy the car someone else will). I was even able to take a "nice" chunk of change from the sticker. I walked out very happy with 6 cd changer, mp3 player, xm radio, sunroof, onstar for a year, built in voice activated phone(if you want to keep it active you just buy prepaid minutes)16 inch alloys, fog lights all well under $16000.00. I am not blind, we will see what the future brings, but for now I'm ecstatic, but even then I extended to the 100,000 mile warranty. I expect the car to make it for I just stopped driving a 1994 saturn sw2 with no major problems and it has 199985 miles logged on the odometer--time will tell.