the dohc engine runs strong and with light modifying i.e better intake exhuast and ingnition coils mated to the 5spd has some real decent get up and go. As for when these cars were stock i cant complain, they have never left me stranded and aside from the neglected maintance on the first car i brought back to life (hint people if you buy used make sure it was cared for) these cars as long as they are cared for will care for you in return and any problems that i could not figure out saturn of worcester was there to help whether they did the work or helped me do the work you guys rock.

Ok all DOHC saturn owners know this car will drink oil as the milliage piles on valve stem seals are the main reason but for some who beat on there saturns the piston rings will let oil through also mine just burns due to me needing to replace the valvestem seals but eh i will do this when i do a whole performance engine build.

I have owned two saturns now one is a 91 sl2 with automatic and every option under the sun (i miss that sunroof it had) and my current saturn is a 95 sl2 with the mp3 5spd tranny no options what so ever but the 5spd more than makes up for it since this car is in the process of becomeing heavily modified. I have only had on saturn that i didnt like and thats the 91 since i bought as my first car and was on its deathbed when i got it then 2000 dollars of repairs and work before it was road worthy again i put 100,000 miles on it befor i sold it to pay for my beloved 95.

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all i have driven are 2 saturn sl2 and i love em both.

Great on gas and if kept up on general maintenance, is a long lived car - had mine for 13 years.

Too many repairs... weak seals, rattling, things falling apart, windshield frame (driver's side) blocking view ...the list goes on ...

My Mom got me my '93 Saturn SL2 back in 1995 when I was in my second year of college. At first I was verypleased to have it as it was an extremely positive upgrade from a Hyundai Excel I previously had.

Now, in 2008, that the proverbial "honeymoon" is over I can't wait to get rid of it!!! The seals on the windows leak (good luck at the car wash), it rattles like an old taxicab, and that mudflap in the front ..LORD! Did they have to make it so low?

I have spent more than what I make to repair this car and I have had it. I will say it is better then the Hyundai I had in the respect that the engine does not flood as much (if at all) as that Hyundai did.

Motor and tranny.
Good mileage.
Polymer construction.

Unreliable. Very. Unless you are a mechanic, do not buy.
Ugly as sin.

I bought this with low mileage (50k) from a well know used car retailer from Quebec city (wich I won't name). The car was supposedly inspected for safety but the whole front end of the car was so badly rusted that it broke on me two months after I had bought it. BAD.

After repairs, wich were VERY costly (tot he guy who had inspected it, but also to myself), the car ran fine for a bit. It then started to broke down: ECTS, alternator, cardan, ball joints, you name it, it needed replacing. Brake started to get stuck, the AC died, etc. Now, it still won't start and I probably will need to replace the ECTS again 6 months after I had it changed. This, people, is dodgy design from GM since pretty much any Saturn you see on the road has had this problem (erratic idling caused by the sensor malfunctionning and telling the computer that the car is always cold).

Still, it is a decent car. It gets very good mileage. When it isn't in the garage, it drives nicely, has decent acceleration and comfort.

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Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord. This car is the worse of the bunch and the Corolla is still running altough it is a '89 and has 220k km.

My mother had this car for about 4 years and even though it took her from point A to point B she really did not like the car. The ride was uncomfortable for her and in the 4 years of owning the car her car stalled and turned itself off twice (she has automatic) while at a stop light or stop sign.

Reliable
Able to accelerate well for merging
Easy to drive
Fun to drive

Cup holder just above 5th gear a bit annoying for long trips
loves oil

I love this care very easy to drive. I learned how to drive manual in this car. Although it loves oil it is very reliable. I have had this car for 3 years now and have put a good 140,000 miles on it and it still purrs like a kitten. Although I've read in someone elses review something about the car bottoming out over large bumps. I can't say that has ever happened to my car of same make and model may want to get that checked. So far over the 3 years aside from oil changes, tires etc as needed for a used car. I have replaced the tensioner and a rotor. Other than that no other major work needed. Usually it's something small and cheap to fix. I highly recommend this car to anyone who needs a reliable car. Lots of love to saturn for a great car.

-AMAZING fuel economy (38 MPG on HWY)
-Respectable acceleration
-Great handling
-Very, very reliable
-Compact size lets you park ANYWHERE

-DRINKS OIL like alcoholics drink gin
-Engine gets HOT in heavy traffic
-Fairly uncomfortable seats
-Bad cup holder location
-Bottoms out on speed bumps too easily
-No anti-lock brakes
-Annoying horn location

Never in a million years would I ever expect that I'd own a Saturn, but sometimes, strange things happen! I bought this car mainly because I was tired of dumping money into my gas guzzling 2001 Silverado(see review). My buddy desperately needed to get rid of this car because he owed DMV $500 for expired registration (it was his wife's former car), it had bald tires, and no functioning stereo. Also, it had sat for over a year and he was tired of looking at it.

Amazingly, after not starting for well over a year, we charged the battery and it fired right up. I paid $1000 cash, $250 for 4 new tires, and $250 for a stereo and speakers. I immediately changed the spark plugs, changed the oil, flushed the radiator, and changed the fuel filter.

Now, 8 months and 8,000 miles later, I'm glad I bought it. I commute to work in it every day and drive my luxurious, gas guzzling Silverado for pleasure. The car gets amazing gas mileage (averages about 24 CITY; 38 HWY; much better than 15 CITY; 19 HWY in the truck) and accelerates quite well for a four cylinder. Also, I've had it up to 110, so there is plenty of power. The five speed manual transmission shifts smoothly and the ride is pretty good as long as you don't go over speed bumps too fast; it will bottom out making a horrible THUMP sound.

The car doesn't have a ton of room but it has enough for being a commuter. The interior design is typical for a low-cost, compact car; nothing spectacular. The seats are marginal with respect to comfort; therefore, a long drive would require regular stops for stretching. I hate where the cup holders are located; right in front of the gear shifter-so when I shift into 1st, 3rd, or 5th, sometimes I hit my coffee and it spills; oh well. The horn was designed poorly; two buttons on each side of the steering wheel make it easy to honk when you don't mean to(embarassing) and tough to honk in a panic(dangerous). I rarely use it, but the A/C works great.

As for the outside, the car has literally no style, but let's be honest; IF I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT STYLE, I WOULDN'T BE DRIVING A SATURN. The dent resistant Saturn thing must work because I can't find a dent on it!

I've noticed that the car doesn't like being in traffic. The temp gauge creeps up past the mid-point if traffic stops too long, then retreats once the electric fan switches on. Perhaps this is normal for Saturns but I've never owned another car that did that. I live in So. California and have been stuck in horrible traffic on I-405; it's never overheated, but I wonder what would happen on a super-hot day?

THIS CAR BURNS OIL!!! I change the oil every 3000 and in between changes, I add about 1 1/2 quarts. I know it has a VERY minor oil leak because I can smell burnt oil sometimes. I'm sure most of the oil is consumed internally because there is NEVER oil on the ground underneath. I check the oil once a week and I keep the oil level at the top line; adding a bit now and then. So if you get a Saturn, KEEP AN EYE ON THE DIPSTICK!!!!

*****THE BOTTOM LINE*****

I paid very little for this car and the up-keep is very cheap. I drive it through the $2 car wash from time to time and I change the oil every 3000-that's it. The gas mileage is so good that this car will pay for itself within a year. I feel as though I stole this car and if it dies tomorrow; so be it.

* Very reliable.
* Rather good mileage.
* Parts are easy to find.
* Good safety rating.
* Great a/c - I'm the only person I know with a used car with a good a/c.
* Good suspension.
* Can stop on a dime.
* Plenty of space for 4 adults, not bad for 5.
* Attractive but unpretentious.
* Back seat folds down easily in two sections.
* Is not an SUV.

* Could have a better turning radius.
* Is not tolerant of being driven in the wrong gear.

This is a 1997 SL2 with manual 5-sped transmission, power locks, alarm system, and for some obsure reason, a rear spoiler.

I purchased this car used with 175,000 miles on it. (Previous owner commuted 110 miles a day.) It has needed repairs but only the normal wear and tear for a car with that many miles on it. I think the most major repair was to the heating system last year. The only current problem is that the struts are wearing out.

I've seen many reviews complaining about small plastic parts breaking off, but I haven't had that problem. The last mechanic to work on it told me, "Ah, the SL2. Keep changing the oil and it'll last forever." Considering that it's still going strong at nearly 10 years and 176,000 miles, he's probably right.

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This is my first car, but it is much more comfortable than my roommate's Metro sedan from the same year. (More powerful too, but that goes without saying since the Metro is only 3 cylinders.) The gear shift is easier to work than the gear shifts of either of the two cars I learned on.

price, dependability, gas mileage.

lots of road noise while driving, no cup holders, only 88 horsepower(but what should I expect for the price?)

First of all let me say that I love this car! My parents bought it brand new in 1994 and drove it for eight years before deciding to get another saturn and sell it to me. I have had it for the last four years and have had very little trouble with it. The alternator went bad at about 100,000 miles, and the radiator finally got a hole in it after 140,000 miles. But other than that this car has been just about the only thing I can depend on in my life. It seems that when Saturn was a new company, they had something to prove by giving people a quality, affordable vehicle for a fair, or some would say cheap price(my parents paid approximatly $11,000 for it brand new).

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1994 Dodge Neon
1995 Acura Integra

Looks, interior isn't too shabby, good on gas, heat works great! :) Good on highway, not too much noise.

Smaller pieces break easy...my stereo is missing the volume knob (but it still works...) Cup holders are in a STUPID place...they won't hold anything bigger than a medium cup from McDonalds, horn sound like the Road Runner, revs kinda funny, rattling on the inside (but the car is 8 years old...) Coolant temp heats very quick (I have had this looked at and new coolant system installed and it still does this)

I bought this car used with about 72,500 miles. It ran very well the first 1,000 miles I had it, then my oxygen sensor went bad, spark plugs went bad, EGR valve went to crap. I fixed all that ($800 including labor) only to find out that my engine was dumping oil. Needless to say, the person before me DID NOT take care of this car.
All in all, I think I have spent a good $5000 on repairs, but this car is awesome. Since it has been properly cared for, I have only had to do routine maintenance. It runs very well, gets up to speed (I have a severe case of lead foot...) and is very good on gas mileage. I average 23-26 mpg city and about 30mpg highway.
I have had no problems with rust, paint is in great condition, no problems with power features (doors and windows and mirrors). Interior is okay, the cup holders are in a rediculous spot. Leather seats are nice, but only if you do not live in a semi hot climate (mine tends to burn the skin from my back daily until winter hits)
I love this car and would not hesitate to buy another. But buyers, beware. Make sure the person who owned this before you took care of it, otherwise you will have a money pit in the beginning. Also, be careful of the sunroof. Mine does have this and it tends to leak. The seals are great...until it goes through a car wash, or a torrential downpour (not uncommon in Indiana during the summer)
I would reccomend this vehicle, but only if it has been properly maintained, otherwise, stay away.

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1991 Ford Mustang (which I loved), 1989 Pontiac Sunbird (NOT reccomended)

Gas mileage, easy to drive, plastic body panels.

stereo, interior is cheaply made

I have had this car for 2 years. It was bought at a used car lot. It has 72,000 miles on it. It now has 101,000. Besides regular maintence I have had the water pump replaced, O2 senser replaced. It is now starting to use oil and needs new exhaust system , and I have started to notice transmission is shifting weird from 2nd to 3rd gear. But, with the problems I have had this car has never left me stranded. I have read alot of people complain about parts. I have never taken this car to the dealer for service. I have taken it to a privately own shop and they have never had any problem getting parts. I ve noticed that small things are breaking. Like, the balance and fade knobs on my stereo just fell into pieces in my hand when i went to adjust them. The speakers suck. And, it rattles alot. But, I think it has been a decent car. Most all of the cars I have owned start to have some problems around 100K miles. I still drive it daily.

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2005 Pontiac Vibe
1999 Pontiac Grand Am GT (junk)
1998 Sunfire GT
1992 Honda Prelude Si
1991 Toyota Camry
1994 Ford Escort
1988 Ford Escort GT
1984 Honda Prelude
1973 VW Super Beetle