Saturn S-Series

wwhite2 · January 2003

Many perfectly maintained saturns including mine(SC2) have developed serious /severe oil consumption problems . You sound like a service writer to pass everything off on to the customer(consumer)

saturnfreak01 · January 2003

"You sound like a service writer to pass everything off on to the customer(consumer) "

Or an INFORMED consumer perhaps with simply a strong knowledge of Saturn automobiles.

wwhite2 · January 2003

having swapped engines myself in my SC2 and having life long vocation and advocation with automobiles I consider myself to have an excellent understanding of all mechanical devices.....having disassembled my failed engine, the cause of the failure was there as plain as can be . Now compare that to someones opinion well ? I dont understand your point ?

saturnfreak01 · January 2003

".....having disassembled my failed engine, the cause of the failure was there as plain as can be "

Guess thats a scene you won't see in a Saturn advertisement any time soon huh

afk_x · January 2003

Faulty rings?

orangelebaron · February 2003

When I am in stop and go traffic, the car bogs down (feels like it will stall) when I start to accelerate again from an almost stop. It also stalls sometime backing up.
It's fine all other times.
Never, ever changed the fuel filter...will do it this weekend! Sounds difficult PITA from what I read.
What other things should I look at if it still stalls or bogs down?
Thanks

soggydog · February 2003

Change the spark plugs and plug wires (use saturn OEM wires), They often have a problem of corrision on the end of the wire that plugs into the ciol/ignition module.

jeff186 · February 2003

Question: has anyone negotiated to purchase their S-series at the end of a lease? If so, does Saturn budge on the buyout price specified in the lease agreement or not? I wouldn't mind buying mine but not for the money they want. If they budge, maybe we can strike a deal. It seems Saturn had to move these cars at the end with the $199/month lease deal and a flood of these $199 specials will be coming in.

afk_x · February 2003

If you leased through Chase you may be able to negotiate. Chase has taken to purchasing residual insurance so they may not be willing to move much.

If you leased through GMAC you can forget it. They won't negotiate with you. Yes they are taking a beating but they still won't negotiate with you. Try talking to your wall. Thats how much luck you will have.

If you do like the SL1 and your lease is over between now and August 31st you are in luck.

Many dealers have one or two or more SL1s that they are trying to unload. Its a little complicated but basically it may be possible to end your lease now with the "Pull ahead" program.

Also with a GMAC lease on a Saturn you qualify for $750 lease loyalty money. There is a 2000 rebate on any new SL1 until the end of the month. Most dealers are offering at least 1000 discount if not more on their remaining inventory.

Here is the math

SL1 MSRP 14300 - actually price may vary

Dealer discount - 1000 or more

Lease loyalty 750

Rebate 2000

So for around 10,000 you can get a new SL1. Personally I would try out the ION. 0% APR and 750 still applies...

Good luck whatever you decide.

birdman579 · February 2003

We've got about 2 feet of snow on the ground here in Maryland and have more on the way. I was dumb enough to drive home from Virginia in my Saturn. I'm pleased to report that my '93 SL2 was amazing in the snow! It got a little interesting when I plowed through a 12" drift and got sideways, but it pulled through without much trouble. I passed several Audis with quattro that had gotten stuck. Extremely impressive. The relatively new tires also help. I have Firestone SS20s, much better than the crappy Affinitys I used to have.

jeff186 · February 2003

Hey, I wish GMAC lots of luck trying to sell my car off-lease, with its manual windows and door locks. I only bought this car cause of the ultra low monthly lease, I knew it was at the end of its life cycle and not nearly as good as a dozen other cars in its class. But at the time, my finances dictated that I had to get the SL-1. It's been a fairly reliable and utterly unspectacular commuter car. But hey, for $199/month, I didn't expect much. Heck, I only washed it once a year, in April after the snows and road salting.

uga91 · February 2003

My Saturn dealer said the 60k mi service on my 1999 SL2 with manual was about $650. This seems way high considering there are no timing belt issues. They don't do anything but change the oil, rotate the tires, clean the fuel injectors, and inspect the belts, hoses and wires. What have you Saturn owners done?

birdman579 · February 2003

That seems way too expensive for a 60K mile service. It would be a good idea to call around to a few different dealers. I typically pay about $300-350 for the major services (30/60/90). The most recent service (120K miles) I decided to do myself. It wasn't too difficult. The only bad part was replacing the fuel filter.

wwhite2 · February 2003

It all simple work and huge profit for the dealer not sure how get a aftermarket manual follow all the steps including the safety stuff. Use the money saved on something else

soggydog · February 2003

You could just take $650 out into the shop and throw it up in the air, at least that way the mechanic would get more than the one hour or so labor the dealer will give him (or her). Really, if there are no warranty issues, I would shop around or do it myself.

wwhite2 · February 2003

follow the schedule do the work save the slips there can never a warranty issue

uga91 · February 2003

I will shop around a little. I called a Firestone store (I guess because of the Firestone tires it has) and they said they would do all the recommended procedures for about $400. I have about 4k miles to go, so I'll figure it out by then. Thanks for your responses.

birdman579 · March 2003

That's disappointing to hear about your story. $4500 for a new transmission is outrageous! It sounds to me like you should (maybe its too late) try a different dealer. My dealer in Maryland has been outstanding. At 45-50K miles, the alternator needed replacing, but the dealer gave a discount. At 60K miles, the sunroof and doors started leaking water, the sunroof was replaced for free. There's been a few problems with my car, but each time, the dealer has been very good with taking care of them. My car is now up to 140K miles and still running well.

neveragain7 · March 2003

My girl friend leased a new Saturn 2001 SC2 and has had major problems with this vehicle and the Saturn dealer and Saturn motor division. The 1st Problem was the recall for the fuel switch. Shortly after this was fixed the car started leaking antifreeze. I looked for the cause checking the hoses and radiator but could not find the reason for the leak. Since the car had less than 36K miles on it she took it to the dealer. The second problem turned out to be the intake manifold gasket. We were Lucky that it happened with so few miles on the car or we would have had to pay for it. Now here's where things get bad. After the car reached the 37.5K mile mark the transmission just died, AND JUST IN TIME FOR THE WARRANTY TO RUN OUT AT 36K MILES GOOOO FIGURE!!!!! Well we heard about saturn's rep. and immediately took it to Saturn of Devon where they informed us that the car was out of warranty and they didn't know if it would be covered. They said it might be covered if it was a manufacture defect,(AT 37.5K MILES YOU BET IT'S A DEFECT), but it was going to cost us $600.00 just to find out. This car HAS NOT been driven hard or abused and now we have to spend $600.00 to see if Saturn will cover a transmitsion that has only 37.5K miles!!! So much for Saturn SERVICE? So we called Saturn Motor Division and got the same reply from them about no Guarantees. We had no choice but to give them the $600.00. After the dealer took the trans out and inspected it they(in thier humble opinion) concluded that it could not be repaired and it was not a manufacture problem and informed us that a new trans would cost $4500.00!!! NOT INCLUDING THE $600.00 WASTED TO TELL US THAT IT WAS OUR PROBLEM NOR DID IT INCLUDE INSTALLATION!!!! After some words between the dealer and myself they tried to come up with some alternatives 1) rebult trans $3600.00 parts and labor 2) used trans $2450.00 parts and Labor.
Now you may think that the dealer is bending over backwards for us but REMEMBER THAT THE CAR HAS ONLY 37.5K MILES and it will cost us at least $2450.00 to fix!! This is an outrage!!! I have a 1991 1500 Chevy truck with over 160K miles on it when the trans went. I spent $1300.00 for a rebuilt trans and had someone else put it in. I asked the chevy dealer if that would effect the warranty, they said no! It cost me $400.00 to have installed bringing the total to $1700.00 With a 3 year 50K mile warranty. To put an end to this ranting we will NEVER get a Saturn AGAIN!!!!!!

birdman579 · March 2003

Very strange that your message is no longer available. If the host had removed it for some reason, he/she would have said something.

I'm sorry if this makes you feel worse, but I received a thank you note from my dealer today thanking me for bringing my car in for service. What other car company would do that? Its the little things that make me glad to own a Saturn.

neveragain: hopefully you can find a dealer as outstanding as mine (Saturn of Ellicott City).

saturnfreak01 · March 2003

I am very sorry to hear about those people that have had major problems with their cars. I myself am going on my third Saturn.

My two S Series vehicles (98SL and 01SL1) have not had any major problems. My third Saturn (2003 L200) is the best Saturn driving experience I have had yet. My retailer has been above average and as long as Saturn cars continue to have polymer i will continue buying them.

uga91 · March 2003

If you know anyone looking for good transportation to commute in or give to a teen, tell them to check out thier local Saturn store. All remaining 2002 S-Series in stock at the dealers are $4000 off sticker! We went and looked at our dealer and they had dozens of 2002 models in stock. We found a silver SL2 with auto, CD upgrade and sunroof that we like that will be about $11,800 after discounts. I think we will go again this weekend as we had just mailed our March payment to GMAC and I wanted to wait a few days to make sure our payoff is updated. We are still not sure we will trade, but if we get decent trade-in for our 1999 SL2, it will be tempting to get a sunroof and a new warranty for that kind of money.

saturnfreak01 · March 2003

Glad to hear it... don't forget to look at the ION's which are at least $ 3000.00 off, with more horsepower, and an updated suspension / interior...

uga91 · March 2003

I did not know they were at least $3k off. Thanks!

saturnfreak01 · March 2003

The rebates may vary by retailer, but most retailers nationwide are offering a $ 2000.00 Saturn rebate, plus a $ 1000.00 GM loyalty rebate on the ION... IF you can find a retailer that has way too many IONs you can also get another $500.00-1000.00 off for a market adjustment making a total of $ 4000.00 off a new ION.

uga91 · March 2003

My local dealer, Saturn of Gwinnett, has at least 100 of them on the lot. I never see any on the road or in parking lots at the store or anywhere else, either. I'm sure they would love to sell us one!

saturnfreak01 · March 2003

"I'm sure they would love to sell us one!"

Im sure they would too, and as someone who has owned two S Series vehicles I believe the ION is improved in every way at a lower price.

More power, two anti roll bars on base models, electronic steering, still has polymer, more insulation, need I say more ?

jas9297 · April 2003

I'm looking at buying a '98-'01 Saturn (and also Corolla or Sentra) with under 50,000 miles.

Can anyone shed some advice about the quality of these cars? I've read about alternators pre-1998 and motor mounts. But any other mechanical issues? How do these drive on the highway?

Thanks!

afk_x · April 2003

I think a pre-owned S series makes a very good buy. Right now the market is very soft and you can pick one up cheap. REAL cheap.

In 1998 they did redesign the altenator but one older than that probably has already had the altenator replaced anyways.

As for motor mounts it really doesn't matter what year you buy you're going to have to put on a top axis mount every 60K to keep the vibrations in the cabin at a low level. Thats the only mount you really have to worry about unless you're going to keep it for 10+ years or 200K+ miles.

The only other common problem you didn't mention is oil consuption which can happen even in the later model years but it usually fairly minimal and for most people doesn't even happen.

saturnfreak01 · April 2003

As I have owned two S Series (1998 SL and 2001 SL1) I can tell you that my experiences have been positive overall. I never had any major problems, and S Series cars are very economical to own/operate.

As for a highway ride, the SL/ SL1 have a decent ride, but the seats were a bit small for my tastes. I would suggest an SL2 for it has 24 more horsepower than the SL/SL1..

However, I have seen SL1's with around 30,000-40,000 miles with auto/ air/ cd going for $ 8000.00 or so.. A great deal less than a similarly equipted Corolla/ Civic. Let us know what you decide.

wwhite2 · April 2003

They are very good buys because of the oil consumption wild card . Most dont have that problem .....but if you are unlucky to get one . the cars are pretty solid other wise . Listen to the drivetrain noise carefully used Saturns are very loud maybe to loud to live with

uga91 · April 2003

I agree with the idea of getting a SL2 for the extra 24 ponies for your highway driving. I had a 1995 SL2 and a 1999 SL2 with no problems from either. In 1998, Saturn did some engine work, so you should be okay with the years you are looking at. Neither of my past Saturns leaked or burned oil--maybe I just got lucky! My opinion is going to be biased (since I'm on my 3rd Saturn, a 2003 Ion), but I think a used SL2 is a good idea.

ramarquardt2 · April 2003

We have a 92 SC Coupe that was purchased a few years ago for the college kids. At low speeds, we get a hesitation (Around 1.5k - 2k rpm) that goes away as you speed up. We have taken it to the dealer who has replaced the plugs, plug wires and ignition module (where the plug wires plug into by the engine housing) with no improvement. Any other ideas out there to solve this? I have tried several tanks with fuel injector cleaner, changed the PCV valve, etc... the battery is new. One posting mentioned about spraying an intake manifold cleaner into the engine by taking off the air clearner housing.

Any insights would be appreciated.

wwhite2 · April 2003

Do a web search and find the saturnfans website they have a very strong technical forum and you will get good solutions for your problem

tbear503 · April 2003

Looking at a 1996 SC 2 with 61,ooo miles. Car looks to be in great shape. Cn anyone give any insight as to potential problems or positive experiences with this or similar models. immediate respowill be highly and greatly appreciated.

Thanks

saturnfreak01 · April 2003

Questions, is the car a one owner car? does it come with maintenance records? If yes to one or both of these questions and your're in good shape (especially if it was serviced by a Saturn retailer.

I have only owned S Series cars second generation and later (1998 SL/ 2001 SL1) both with no problems. A "few" first generation Saturns, may have oil consumption problems (but most do not affect the cars normal operation) despite what some may tell you.

The best thing you can do with any used car before you buy it is do a car fax history report to start with, www.carfax.com , check to make sure the price is fair , www.kbb.com and take it to a Saturn retailer.. for 50 bucks or so they can tell you right off the bat what may be needed if anything.. good luck..

lngtonge18 · April 2003

Have you had the EGR valve checked? It could cause hesitation problems.

seal1 · April 2003

I've had my 1996 SC2 since fall 1995. I hardly ever drive, so the car only has 42K miles. I had no maintenance issues until this year. Since January I've had to get a new cam, a new motor mount, and a new coolant temp sensor.

Nonetheless, I've been pretty satisfied with this car for the seven-and-a-half years that I've owned it. Even this year's maintenance bills have all been cheaper than the depreciation on a new car would have been.

I may have something useful to say about hesitation. When the coolant temp sensor was going bad the needle would be all the way at cold and car would idle high. When driven from a dead stop when the sensor was off the car would hesitate (nearly stall, actually). Apparently the bad reading caused the car to mix a bad ratio of fuel to air, and giving it gas would nearly stop combustion. Over 10 mph everything was fine. With a new sensor it's running fine again.

sl1owner · April 2003

I purchased 2000 sl1 with 58k miles on it with all the options except moonroof for $4500. The seller gave it for the price that carmax offered him. The blue book value is over $6000. The car looks great inside out. The braking system is not very effetive. Is it a known problem or does it just need some service. The pickup is a little low which again seems normal for this model. I am not sure about its hp ratings. Can someone out there let me know if it was a wise decision to buy it? What are the known problems in this model if any..?

Thanks

saturnfreak01 · April 2003

As far as the braking system, this could be something to have checked but I can tell you the brakes on my last Saturn (2001 SL1) were very soft and required alot of pressure on the brake pedal for effective stops. My rotors warped around 8-10,000 miles.

I thought power was simply ok, but I had a five speed manual ( is yours auto box ) that will cut down on any power the single over head cam engine has. The SL and SL1 have an 8 valve engine with 100 horsepower. Moving up to an SL2 would afford you a 16 valve engine with 124 horsepower (big difference).

It sounds like a great deal thou, a three year old car for less than $ 5,000.00 that looks new. The SL/SL1/SL2 have proven engines that typically last a long time, other than my brake issues I never had a problem with my 2001 SL1 nor my 1998 SL. I hope my 2003 L300 will be close in terms of reliability.

4wheels1ride · April 2003

OK everyone, hear this one. My Saturn has less than 7,000 miles on it. I've had it since last October 2002. My gas tank makes clunking noise in it because the tank didn't come with any dividers inside it. My Saturn dealer said there's nothing they can do about it because they said it was the manufacturer's plants fault. All they said was to give the Saturn corp. a call and talk to them. Go figure....What's a big corporation gonna do for one little guy's complaint. I only know of one other person who has this problem. He paid cash for his 02 L-Series Wagon. Anyone else out there or any advice?

uga91 · April 2003

Aren't almost all defects the result of a manufacturing problem? I don't believe the dealer would not fix. That is why it is called a "Bumper to Bumper Warranty" and not a "Bumper to Bumper Warranty Unless the Part That Breaks was Made Wrong by its Manufacturer Warranty." Saturn should replace the tank and then Saturn will get a credit from its manufacturer. If your Saturn retailer really will not fix it, report it to the Saturn Division of GM, the Better Business Bureau, and your local newspaper. Here in Atlanta the TV networks all have a reporter whose job it is to publicly harass companies that do not do what they are supposed to do until the company gives in and fixes the situation. This is not a good thing, but Saturn should replace it.

sl1owner · April 2003

Thanks for your input. After two days of riding in it I feel that the engine is noisy and steering a little stiff. The combination of the two along with some minor vibrations in the cab would make one believe that its not shifting upwards even though I touch 60 mph. Do you think that's ok or should I get it checked. I hope I could address some of these issues at 60K dealer service.
I liked the other features on it and the am/fm/cd sound system is great.

saturnfreak01 · April 2003

It couldn't hurt to have it checked when you are in for your 60k service, if not sooner. Good luck.

jeff186 · May 2003

Only 15 months and 15K, mainly highway, on my leased SL-1 and the brakes are shuddering when I apply them at highway speeds. No way should the rotors be warped on this car, but it seems so. Well, i guess i get to see how good the much-touted Saturn service dept. really is. Hope this is under warranty. Well, i know which make of car i won't be getting next time.

wwhite2 · May 2003

all Saturn service departments are not the same. Anyone who makes a blanket statement about how wonderful they are just doesnt get it .

saturnfreak01 · May 2003

True, some service areas are better than others. But when comparing the worst Saturn retailer to the horrid Toyota Dealer, the difference is still clear when the name on the building reads S A T U R N .

Saturn did not achieve its number one ranking in sales and service out of luck. www.jdpower.com

uga91 · May 2003

Sorry about your warped rotors. I don't understand why you say it will cause you to not buy Saturn again, though. You will be hard pressed to find a car that does not have this issue occasionally. Even more so in the price range you were shopping in. A LEASED SL1? What are your payments--about $99/mo? Maybe your new Rio next year will have better rotors--good luck to you!

jeff186 · May 2003

Sucked in by the $199/month lease rate. No my friend, an '03 Nissan Maxima is my next vehicle, as of Saturday. The Saturn becomes my son's vehicle for the duration of the lease.

uga91 · May 2003

I hope the rotors work out better on your Nissan. The Saturn should prove to be a great car for your teen age son--big enough to get the job done yet not enough car to get him into trouble.

Saturn S-Series

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