1996 Saturn SL SL2 review from North America
"Get rid of yours before the warranty runs out!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Last Spring a mechanic noticed rust on the frame and urged us to get rid of the car. I wish we had followed his advice.
Last April, the alternator went out. That cost $570.
In the middle of last summer the engine died at 73,000 miles. Saturn told us that we couldn't get a used engine. They were going to charge us $2800 to put in a new one. Fortunately, I talked to a friend who works at a Ford dealership, and he managed to get me an engine with 23,000 miles for $1400 installed.
Last month, the ignition cylinder cracked. That cost about $500.
We currently have a problem with the fuel injection. I'm not yet sure how much that will cost.
It turns out that all of these things started happening shortly after the extended warranty ran out. Before that we didn't have any problems with the car.
General comments?
Anyone want to buy a car?
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  | What a piece of junk! |
| Avoid Saturn |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 2/10 |
| Reliability marks | 2/10 |
| Comfort marks | 3/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 37000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 78000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Impala |
| Date of Entry | 24th February, 2003 |