1996 Saturn SL SL2 review from North America
"I love this car. That's all I can say about it"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Starter, Alternator - I'll consider these normal wear & tear on the car. The neutral stop switch was intermittently working, which caused starting problems at about 100K miles. I had it replaced (about $70). Then later I continued to have problems starting. It finally stranded me a few months later. Had it towed. Ended up being a flat spot on the starter. No big deal, but I wish the dealer would have thought of that earlier.
General comments?
I purchased it to get me by until I could afford a real car, and now all my friends who purchased "real cars" are on their 2nd or 3rd car.
It's my daily driver with over 150K miles. I'm starting to burn a little oil, but it just passed emission here in NJ, so I'm good for another 2 years. I get about 31mpg in mostly highway driving.
Car is noisy, rough ride and not refined as other small cars. But, you get what you pay for. I'd buy another one if I had to.
Recommended Reviews:
  | What a piece of junk! |
| Avoid Saturn |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model Year | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.9L Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 6/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Distance when acquired | 20000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 156000 miles |
| Previous car | Cadillac Cimarron |
| Date of Entry | 6th June, 2006 |