Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Saturn S-Series

1…5681011…28

Comments

  • norbert444norbert444 Member Posts: 195
    Thanks! I'll talk to my mechanic this weekend. Will let you know the results.

    It is nice to know that there are people for whom Saturn has been a completely or nearly flawless car. I think my string of bad luck started with the fact that I had to go to the dealership early on for warranty repairs. First repairs were done in such a sloppy way that I had consequential problems and it snowballed. I have gone to the dealership a lot during the first 3 warranty years.

    Now after 5 years, the car seems to be generally OK but I do not feel that it is a reliable car any more. Although I have been doing all my maintenance when called for and I know I have been doing it right.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    I agree with goldstrom there. I have checked the oil in my new Hyundai 2 or 3 times and it only has 2500 miles. It is always a good idea with a brand new car to check the oil once a week because they tend to use a little oil when breaking in. Mine has used only a miniscule amount of oil, so I haven't added any yet. I am still keeping an eye on it though. Once the break-in period is over, there is no reason why you shouldn't check the oil at least once a month. I shudder to think what would happen if ewesson ever bought a Mazda RX7. That car burns oil by design and REQUIRES an oil level check every 2 weeks. I usually have to add a half quart once a month. I guess some people feel they should never have to look under the hood, but it is just common sense. I do it just for peace of mind. I hope you have learned a valuable lesson ewesson!
  • fredfred3fredfred3 Member Posts: 73
    I think the entire service cost about $60. It cleaned the fuel injectors and the carbon from the motor. Actually it wasn't called a "powerflush," I just have been using that term because I can't remember the name of the service. I only had about 40,000 miles on the car at the time. I was having the injectors cleaned just as routine maintenence and they suggested I have the complete service done. The car wasn't pinging or anything but I did notice an increase in power. I was very satisfied with the service and plan to do it at routine intervals from now on.

    Ingtonge: About cars using a lot of oil during break in, yes I have noticed that too. My new Ford Ranger also has about 2500 miles on it and has used maybe a 1/2 quart so far. Don't they usually use thinner oil during the break in period? I know when you have an engine rebuilt they do. I have also had two new Hyndai's in the past and never had to add any oil to either.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    How were those 2 Hyundais you owned? Which models were they and were they a nightmare or a reliable car? Just curious if you ran into any major problems with them. So far I have had no problems with mine and it seems to be built very solidly, so I think it should be a reliable car for a long time.
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    What was the additive you used to reduce oil consumpotion? Must it be used in every change, or is it something you use once then consumption is reduced? I would love this because with my very high mileage, I dump in a quart every 2 weeks or so.

    dave
  • sloan2sloan2 Member Posts: 8
    Dave,

    I don't remember the name of the additive. I first read about a similar product in Car and Driver, then I looked for it and found this at Wal-Mart. Next time I'm there, I'll look for it and let you know. It was only about $4.50, but it does recommend repeating at each oil change. I'm hoping it will last longer. My car has now gone 3,000 miles without adding any oil. But it didn't use as much as yours to begin with. I've only been adding about a quart every 3,000 miles.

    I almost killed my engine too when I first realized it was consuming oil. It had been 6-7k miles since an oil change and it started losing power on a trip. I continued to drive another 50 miles before I thought to check the oil. It only had about a quart left in it! I think the reason it didn't burn up is because I use slick 50 at recommended intervals. Supposedly, a car can run with no oil for a while if you use it.

    To the ewesson: No one should have to worry about their engine using 4 quarts of oil in 4,500 miles. That is outrageous for a low mileage car. At the same time, I understand that it was your responsibility to make sure your car is full of oil. If you'd noticed the oil consumption before 36K, the warranty would have covered any cost to repair the oil consumption (one would hope).
  • ewessonewesson Member Posts: 24
    Goldstrom et al: Fortunately for me I don't have to check the oil every time I fill up with gas, as I sold my Saturn a long time ago. I still do occasionally check the oil in my vehicles, but definitely not at every fillup. So far not a drop drank.

    I am perfectly aware where the oil dipstick is, and even commented in one earlier posts that I changed the oil myself. I do care about my cars. So no need for your sarcastic tone. In fact, you would realize your sarcasm was misplaced had you read the earlier posts.

    I repeat one of my earlier points: the problem is not so much that Saturn makes an engine that drinks oil; it's that they don't take any responsibility for it. I would be a lot less irate if Saturn had informed me that it was important to check the oil frequently. How about putting "Check oil" as a 500 mile service interval? Or, for that matter, putting in an oil pressure sensor that actually warns of oil pressure low enough to result in engine damage?

    If I had bought a RX7, I hope I would have been made aware of its oil consumption tendencies. I might anticipate oil consumption with the rotary engine, but Mazda shouldn't expect I would become aware of it by osmosis. As it was, the first I heard of these tendencies was after the engine blew.

    For perspective: I owned, drove, and raced a Datsun 510. It had in it a used, lightly modified motor, and I put additional miles on it to bring the total to around 80K. I drove this car very hard, frequently running the 1.8 liter motor to 7K rpm. The car was totaled (not by me, another story there), and I sold the engine for several hundred bucks. The guy checked the compression on my garage floor and it was still quite strong. And the motor still didn't drink any oil.

    So you can perhaps understand that I was surprised to find that my Saturn motor had an appetite for oil. It's just not something you expect in a new car.
  • fredfred3fredfred3 Member Posts: 73
    Both Hyundai's were the Excel model, which they don't make anymore, and were bought brand-new. The first one one was a 1990 and never gave me any problems. I put 130,000 miles on it in 4 years and the car ran great, but I was hit at a stop sign one day and, although it was a very minor accident it totaled the car.

    The second, a 1994, wasan't as good. I had to have the transaxle rebuilt at 40,000 miles and by 80,000 miles it needed a valve job and a whole new wire harness. THe dealer told me it would cost more to fix it than the car was worth. Both car were very well maintained. The 1990 I believe had a Mitsubishi built motor and the 1994 had a Hyundai built motor. But at that time they only came with a 36,000 mile warranty, not the 100k one like now.
  • fredfred3fredfred3 Member Posts: 73
    I have to agree with you about the sarcastic tone of goldstrom's post. Saturnboy used to do the same exact thing which is what I found so offputting about him. And, as you observed with goldstrom, he also had a knack for putting his foot in his mouth. Somehow, I just can't shake the feeling that goldstrom IS Saturnboy, since I know he can't really bear to stay away.
  • norbert444norbert444 Member Posts: 195
    welcome back! I admire your bravery and the zeal for Saturn. You will be subjected to personal attacks because of it, but rest assured that there are some people who will still like your contributions to this forum - because your convictions are important. And make this forum an interesting reading.
  • ewessonewesson Member Posts: 24
    Yes, it does seem silly to be spending your time defending or attacking (offending?) a marque. Personally, I used these forums as a sort of catharsis, to help me heal from my feelings of betrayal. So it's like group therapy, and I apologize if I have offended any Saturn afficionados.

    The only recommendation I make to both defenders and offenders is to avoid anything resembling a personal attack. Note I never said you're dummies for buying Saturns, but just said I feel hurt and betrayed by the company's behavior.

    To repeat: those of you who are successful Saturn owners, good for you. Nothing is better than loving the car you drive. Just try to understand the anger that some owners may have. Pity them, as they are not as well off as you.

    Interesting reading is what makes me keep coming back to these forums.

    That and that I'm in the last days of a job and don't have much to do.
  • travelertraveler Member Posts: 67
    So far I have almost 30,000 miles on my 99 Saturn. The only maintenace above routine that I had done was a muffler replacement under warrany because it cracked. I like the car as so far it is economical to drive. It has automatic and air and the gas mileage varies from a low of 32 to a high of 38. It is lower in summer cause I use the air a lot at freeway speeds. Will be replacing the trans fluid and filter soon. As I have said I plan on driving this car for at least 150,000 miles.
  • fredfred3fredfred3 Member Posts: 73
    Hi Saturnboy!

    If you don't mind me asking, if it is "over," what are you doing back. Isn't this the third time that it has been over now? Or is it the fourth? I've lost count.

    You claim you don't know who Goldstrom is yet you read enough of his posting to know what kind of cars he has.....interesting.

    Oh well. Glad to see you are back.
  • taluga62taluga62 Member Posts: 1
    We've owned two Saturns, a '96 bought new in February 1996 and a '97 bought used in January 1998. We bought the second one after our 91 Cavalier began camping out at the mechanic's with 90K on the meter (my 83 Cav went 130K before I donated it to the Salvation Army.). We were looking at other makes, notably a Plymouth Neon (noisy and small) and a Breeze (the engine sounded as if it was working too hard). Still, the Breeze was tempting, but when we heard the price, my wife simply said, "Shoot, at that rate, why don't we just get another Saturn?".

    We've both been very pleased. My wife's '96 with auto has a sunroof and power door locks, neither of which she will ever do without again. She gets about 28 mpg in mostly 2-10 mile trips here and there in traffic to both of her jobs. I get 33-35 mpg on mostly Interstate highway driving in my 5-speed (which also has a sunroof).

    Neither of us has had unusual problems. Her brakes went south at about 36K, but the replacements are doing well at about 60K. My wife will definitely replace this car with another Saturn, changing only the color (from the Red to a green) and adding a CD player and possibly cruise control.

    Mine has 57K and I have no complaints. I love the handling and the cruise control (never thought I'd use the latter, but it's very handy when Smoky's out in force.) The interior trim, while uninspiring, is holding up, although the sunroof panel (the opaque shutter) gave some trouble a while back. Oil consumption for both has been average or better; in fact, this week is the first time I've had to add oil between changes, and I've gone about 3500 miles.

    Question: Has anyone had problems with the 5-speed as the cars get up in miles? I'm not, yet, but I want to be prepared.
  • rdeschenerdeschene Member Posts: 331
    As a rule, GMs have very reliable transmissions and manuals last longer than autos (ignoring the clutch, which can be subject to abuse). I hate for this to sound like "trite common knowledge", but there's a definite paucity of transmission problems among GMs in these various websites and forums and newsgroups and people I speak to.

    As opposed to (e.g.) the Taurus and LH autoboxes, where considerable time is spend arguing whether 'x' number of transmission failures is significant or not. Why is it even brought up as an issue?

    It would be fabulous if truly independent third party were to dig into the objective facts (i.e. not self-reporting, so not Consumers Reports or AutoPinion) and determine why this is.

    As in many fields, there are occasional revolutions and perpetual evolutions in transmission design, so often the techniques and suppositions are carried over from one generation of Automotive Engineers to the next.
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    Are of of the things GM does really well. Even BMW and Volvo buy GM automatic trannies for their cars. Now, if they could just make nice interiors and give the cars sporty rides...

    dave, who just drove a '97 M3.

    dave
  • travelertraveler Member Posts: 67
    In the upstate New York area,along the NY-Pennsylvania border, I see enough Saturns of before and after 96 body styles on the road. But I hardly ever see any Saturns on non Saturn dealer lots. Do the other brands not want to handle a Saturn thus wholesale them off and if they do, where do the Saturns go that people trade-in? From the posts it seems there are enough dissatisfied people that switch to another brand.
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    Well, for one saturn dealers give good trades on their own cars, and even do things like buy the good ones people advertise in the paper, to keep more of them on the road. This is to keep the used prices up, and keep the pool of used ones suppsedly of better quality. This is from a mechanic friend, who was also complaining that they don't sell the parts cheaper to shops then to ordinary customers.

    OTOH, maybe you don't see them on the used lots because they get snapped up, eh? :)

    I was talking to a lexus dealer and he said when saturns get traded in, all the college kids come up to get 'em. Personally, i'm surprised the lexus dealer sells used saturns.

    dave
  • whybotherwhybother Member Posts: 1
    Talk about a waste of time! I came here looking for frank and honest opinions from Saturn owners. I did not come here to get caught up in trashing and bashing people because they are being enthusiastic about their cars. It seems as long as you hate your car, you get all the support in the world, but if you have a good story to tell about it, you are either ignored or ridden out of town on a rail. Thank goodness Dave seems to be the voice of reason, although I can't really see why he bothers coming back here. This board reminds me of a cock-fight. I will just have to rely on my own intuition and that of the sane people I have spoken to regarding their true experiences and not those who seem to have a vendetta going on. Get real, one posting should be sufficient to get your opinion across. The rest is just mindless babble and hate mail.
  • afk_xafk_x Member Posts: 393
    Wow this is an interesting place. I personally am shocked that this is a group of mature adults! WHOA!

    In anycase, I sell Saturns. I try to be as unbiased as possible, because it gives me crediblity with my customers.

    With any car is possible to have problems. Go check out the Honda or Toyota threads and you will see what I mean. The nice thing about Saturn corporation IMO is that if you do get a problematic car they have a good track reccord of resolving the problem.

    The one thing about people tho is that if they are mad, they are going to get even madder if they have happy Saturn owners in their face. I understand that.

    In anycase I'll be checking out this thread for a while. If anyone has any questions they are welcome to ask me. I'll try to give the best answer I can.

    BTW - Just so you know where I stand, I really don't like the S series saturns, except the SC2. The L series are VERY nice however.
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    And then you posted!

    Sorry, too easy!

    dave
  • travelertraveler Member Posts: 67
    To say that there are posts that are not honest is poor judgement. If someone writes in about a Saturn and they are not the owner but giving second hand information about a problem, I take it with a grain of salt as I would rather hear from the owner. Myself, I've posted my own experience with my Saturn. I've only had mine for 14 months and 30,000 miles. So far only only two problems,a muffler that developed stress cracks naer the outlet pipe and a rear passenger door outer plastic panel that broke and both repaired under warranty. My next major maintenance will be replacing the transmission fluid and filter. It is still tight with no rattles or squeaks. I only tell people that I like the car and with my limited experience with the car that it is a nice car. If they want one, test drive one and see how they like the car.
  • iwntoneiwntone Member Posts: 1
    I currently have an Eagle Talon that I am quite attached to, but is costing me a pretty penny. I have also added a child to the picture and now need a reliable, cost efficient, roomier car. Do you think the Saturn meets the above?

    What other cars do you check out before going for your Saturn?
  • fredfred3fredfred3 Member Posts: 73
    Saturnboy, you are fooling nobody. You were not ridden out of here on a rail. You attacked everyone that had a negative experience with a Saturn, and when people had enough and started to defend themselves you couldn't deal with it. Get Over It.
  • afk_xafk_x Member Posts: 393
    The fact that you like your Eagle Talon tells me you like performance. Obviously you are concerned about reliablity and safety as we all are. The LS2 is an incredible performer and I have seen almost 0 problems with them (after the initial quality issues got resolved)
  • nmapesonmapeso Member Posts: 1
    I bought a saturn SL 92 (CDN $ 12000). The first saturn that came out. Until now I'm driving the car 182,000 kms on it & still going. Its a manual transmission and I don't have any major problem with the engine or the transmission (problem free).
    Except for brake pads rotors replace/filer Oil & Air, EGR valve. Other than that its still running very well.
    Its not a perfect car but has serve me very much for 8 yrs. Sure the engine is noisy, but hey the car is reliable, haven't had towed or stuck on a highway or in the driveway.
    I drive the car everyday to work & pleasure, thru all summer/winter in Toronto.

    The car still looks (new) good when polish, no dents or whatever on the side. All cars should have dent resistant.
    And the car is easy to repair and very practical. I would buy another Saturn until this thing stop running.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    The Golf does not have poor reliability! It has average if not above average reliability. Mechanically, the Golf is one of the soundest cars on the road. Power accessories is where the Golf has problems, namely power windows have a high rate of failure. If it weren't for VW's less than stellar electrics, the Golf would have superb reliability. As far as high maintenance, I don't believe that for one minute! I own a 15 year old Rabbit with 200,000 miles and it is far from high maintenance. I have spent more money repairing accident damage than I have on anything else on the car. The engine is very durable and shows no signs of its age. It is super cheap to keep on the road and is very reliable too.
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    Well, I had looked at quality surveys quite a bit a year ago when car shopping, and one reason i was set against the VW is that they were close ot the bottom in almost every quality and reliability survey, they were endless topics on "my vw died at 10K miles" on the 'net, etc. Plus our '90 passat would break down every 2 months, and had a lot of defects that we just lived with because they cost too much to fix. And i have a relative with a brand-new passat and it's broken down numerous times in the first 2 years.

    In fiarness, i don't think what VW is building today has much to do with your 15 year old rabbit. I heard those are bulletproof. Remember, the golf has changed quite a bit in the last 15 years.

    Beleive you me, if I thought it would be reliable, I would be thinking VERY seriously about getting a new GTI right now.

    Getting a bit off-topic here. If you want to talk to me more about this, let's go to a VW topic, or e-mail me ( address in profile )

    dave
  • travelertraveler Member Posts: 67
    I test drove the following cars all in the same day; (all were 99 models equiped nearly the same)
    Escort, Cavalier, Neon and Stanza. The Saturn I drove a couple days later. Neon and Stanza in my opinion, were very niosy inside when accelerating. The Escort did not have decent acceleration. The cavalier was the winner for me at the end of my own testing but no dealer in a 35 mile drive had a Cavalier LS. My wife saw a Saturn ad and suggested I drive one. I drove the SL1 and then a SL2. Again in my opinion the SL2 had a more comfortable drivers seat and better power on hills than the SL1. I gave the chevy dealers still another chance to get me a Cavalier LS. One had one but would not even deal with me (I had the edmunds printout and their only response was I did my homework and basically refused to sell a car a real shocker). Back to Saturn and I was able to get one with what I wanted; ac, auto, ps, pb, cassette, (next time it will be a cd player). My reasoning in test driving as many as possible in one day was I felt I could compare them better.
  • travelertraveler Member Posts: 67
    Forgot, also have ABS with traction control. The traction control works quite well in slippery conditions. It prevents excessive wheel spin.
  • jrallyjrally Member Posts: 3
    I'm probably gonna go to a Saturn dealer tomorrow to check out a '96 SL2 that they advertised to fit my preferences*. I know that Saturn's policy is the "no hassle" or "hassle-free" when it comes to purchasing a new car from them. But what I don't know (and in hopes that someone would help me) is if that policy also applies to their used and/ pre-owned cars, too!?!?
    Another thing is , I can't quite figure out or understand why most of the Saturns advertised '4sale' in newspapers,mags,etc. are not equipped with ABS & Traction-control*? I mean, this "pkg" is one of the most important safety feature/option on a car that no one should neglect!?
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    Well, the used cars are supposed to be no haggle as well, though i bet you have more latitude to ask for stuff. I got a used sw2 from the dealer with my mom, and we got free floormats, a few extra things, and a saturn shirt. Not much, but we didn't try *that* hard.

    As for abs/traction, etc, on the S cars, well, most cars in that range don't have it standard, and it would make them look more expensive. But i think it should be standard on the higher-end cars like the sl2. Also, in some areas, like the southwest, they are mostly useless features.

    dave
  • jrallyjrally Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the input , Dave!
    I'm located in NYC and the ABS/Traction Control feature(in my opinion) is a necessity. But unfortunately, most of the SL2s(90%) sold around the tri-state area do not have the feature/option.
    Do you also know if a Saturn dealer can install this option for a pre-owned SL2?
  • siamesesiamese Member Posts: 3
    I am looking for a newer used car-probably a 1998. My current top choices are a Saturn SL2 or a Dodge stratus (cirrus is the same car). Other possibilities are the Pontiac Grand Prix and ???? Please give me your input-what car do you think is best? What other cars should I look at? This car buying project is ready to drive me to drink-I need help. Don't laugh but I currently drive a 1990 Pontiac Grand Am and want a car the same size or slightly smaller if the trunk size will fit a wheelchair. I will think about and consider carefully all of your comments. Thanks
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    No, i'm pretty sure you can't retrofit ABS/traction control. It's a not insubstantial amount of plumbing.

    I'm not sure what price range you're looking for, but saturn has very low financing as well as special lease deals right now, so getting a new one is not so bad, and then you can get the options you want. If i lived in ice country, i would insist on abs/traction as well. I'm surprised they don't sell more of those though. When I was in chicago in winter last time, I drove my rented grand am like a mainiac, constantly flooring it on the icy ground, and doing parking brake skides. I think I burned out the "traction" light. :)

    siamese:

    Hmmm... I'm not sure how big a wheelchair is when folded up. All I can suggest is trying out several cars. Maybe hatchbacks would be good for you? Some of those can be small, but still lug a ton of stuff. I'm thinking then wheelchair + other cargo. Our saab hatchback is awesome at hauing stuff. The cirrus i hear awful reliability reports about.

    dave
  • travelertraveler Member Posts: 67
    I agree with dhanley in that it is a considerable amount of work and extra brake lines to retrofit ABS and traction control. It takes a different computer and wiring to the wheel sensors also.

    Siamese;

    Instead of just looking at sedans, check out the wagons that are available. Should be able to find Saturn and Escort, or as he suggested the models that offer hatchbacks. I know that the folding strollers (for grandkids) takes up most of the trunk on my SL2, so I feel a wheelchair would fill the trunk.
  • jrallyjrally Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the input, everyone!
    FYI: Looking to buy not lease. I don't believe in the concept, lease.
  • saturnlysaturnly Member Posts: 2
    i keep a wheelchair (folded, of course) in the trunk of my SL2; it fits fine, leaving room for a hang-up suit bag on top plus a couple smaller bags on the sides.
  • siamesesiamese Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the input. I only put my mom's chair in the trunk once a week but my current car is such a hassle. I have to tie down the lid with a bungie cord.
  • saturnlysaturnly Member Posts: 2
    i just remembered--when i first got the Saturn the wheelchair was tight against the back of the rear seat--until i realized that the footrests on the chair are removable! made a huge difference, those 3 or 4 inches...
  • johnv10johnv10 Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone had the following problem and know a solution? -
    Today I purchased a 97 SL2 for my son to commute to school. When the car is stopped and in gear, we hear a loud vibration. It seems to come from the whole dash board and/or from under the floor. It is only noticeable inside the car and is very annoying sound. We did not notice the vibration in the test drives, probably because the AC was on.
    I will be bringing it back to the dealer tomorrow and may have to take advantage of the 3 day return policy!
  • chasmalachasmala Member Posts: 14
    I purchased a 1999 Saturn for my mother just as the '99 models came out. It is now just a month and a half short of being two years old.
    I periodically drive it when she comes over to my house to make sure there are no rattles or funny noises and because I enjoy checking it out and driving it. I am so very impressed with this little car. It's an SL2 and only has 8,500 miles on it and I think, for the money, it is a great car.
    It rides great and there have been absolutely no problems with it to date. The people at Saturn were a pleasure to deal with and I really feel she is in good hands if ever she needs to have anything done to it. I would like to get one myself but I am tempted to wait until the 2002 model because I understand there may be a major face lift and would like to see if it has even more appeal. Does anyone have any inside information as to what the 2002 SL model will look like compared to the present model? In some ways I hope it doesn't change too much.
  • travelertraveler Member Posts: 67
    Your best way to find out what the 2002 saturn looks like is to peruse the car magazines (motor trend, car and driver etc) as they do show 'spy' photographs of the coming years models. Probably be a year before any 2002 pictures are printed by them. The latest issue of popular mechanics has a picture of the saturn suv. The picture is quite small so hard to tell just how big it is.
  • sorcerersorcerer Member Posts: 28
    Does anyone know where I can go online to order stuff for my Saturn?

    Specifically, I am looking for touchup paint for my '95 SL2 (med Blue Green)

    There are a couple other things I need, but this is the main one, & the dealer nearest me is only open during the hours I work, & is 50 miles away...

    They do not want to send me the paint in the mail, (actually expect me to take a day off of work just to drive over there!)

    Any help would be great!

    Stephen
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    Well, as long as you want the dealer to mail it, it doesn't matter which dealer it is, right? You can call out of state ones, whatever.

    dave
  • j_colemanj_coleman Member Posts: 143
    This topic has been pretty quiet lately, what gives?

    Has anyone had a problem with a cracked cylinder head on their '96 SL with the SOHC engine? This was the problem that Saturn sent letters out about a year or two ago. Our SL's coolant is still clear pink and the car is not losing oil, so I think we are safe for now. Of course she only has 49K miles on the car, so the problem could still develop. I would be interested to hear from someone who has been through this, and how it was resolved.
  • chrissy6chrissy6 Member Posts: 1
    I have been test driving cars for awhile now under the 15 grand range and my fav's have been the focus and the saturn SL2. Until I just read a bunch of posts about saturns cookie sugar coating the buying part and turning around and giving people a hard time when something goes wrong. Honestly, now I don't know what to think! I loved the way the SL2 handled..the power..the clutch..the layout. Only thing I'm uneasy about in buying a car is that I want at least 150,000 miles out of it. I own a 92 Mercury Tracer LTS with 158,000 miles on it..original clutch and all and it's still going great and I want to be able to put that kind of wear and tear on my next car. I'd appreciate any input as to how the Saturn's really hold up after putting on some hefty miles. Thanks
  • saturnboysaturnboy Member Posts: 89
    Chrissy6

    If I were you I wouldn't put too much faith in a messege board where mostly people only come to complain about a car, and thier unfortunate experiences. In some cases, in this room and others at edmunds.com, stories from supposed owners often cannot be proved as to thier authenticity.

    As for Ford, if you liked your tracer so much why not give the Focus a whirl. On the other hand, for 2000 Saturn achieved a number 2 Spot in overall Customer Satisfaction from JD Power & Associates, www.jdpower.com Saturn did better then BMW, Mercedes, Acura, to name a few. In the end, some Ford's will hold up better then others, and Some Saturn's will hold up better then others.


    Keep in mind that the Saturn was rated a best overall value by Intellichoice, www.intellichoice.com under 15k. The Saturn also received the highest Crash Test rating possible from www.nhsta.com. At this point you might as well flip a coin to decide :) good luck.
  • afk_xafk_x Member Posts: 393
    Saturns have had some minor reliablity issues. You could pretty much count on a Saturn needing a new alternator around 80K miles. Also due to vibration you usually need an engine mount replaced about the same time. The average life expectancy of an S series vehilce engine has been between 150K - 200K, but a rebuilt engine actually doesnt cost very much.

    The new Saturns have signifigantly less harsh engines than prior years and I would expect that the need for replacing the engine mount is over. Also they have made changes to to increase the life of the alternator.

    All that being said, I would not buy an SL2. I would spend a little more (very little) and get an LS. Its not much more and its WAY better in every way. Although it doesn't have a long track reccord I can point to, they are fantastic cars.

    Whatever you decide, good luck
  • ken1776ken1776 Member Posts: 41
    A lot can be learned from how Saturn has handled those unfortunate customers who have not had the greatest Saturn experience in the world. Although it might be true that this board is over negative because angry people tend to voice their opinion more often then happy ones, just remember that most of us are angry because Saturn made us angry. And if you think our opinion is biased, well think twice about the opinion from someone with "Saturn" in his name. And I am of the opinion that although Saturn is probably a better built car then many, it's still just another division of GM.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles