Faults:

The one thing that I can agree on, with everyone, is that the car guzzles oil to the tune of about one quart every thousand miles. It seems to get even worse if I drive over 65 MPH. I don't know where the oil goes because the car doesn't seem to smoke at all.

I keep track of my mileage and in that department the car is superb; it gets about 34 MPG on the highway. I would be extremely pleased with the car except for the electrical problem that I have been having that the mechanics haven't been able to fix or even find.

The battery warning light starts to flash once the car has been on the rode for over 15 minutes, especially at a speed of 50 or more MPH. It doesn't flash steadily, it sort of flashes in an erratic fashion (almost as if it is a loose wire) and will stop momentarily... especially if I slow down. Eventually it seems to kill the battery and I have to replace it; then the new battery doesn't flash for about 6 months before the problem returns.

Because of this phantom electrical problem, I have been spending too much money on inspections that can't seem to find the problem, and I am considering getting rid of the car. The mechanics tell me that the car passes all of the electrical system tests; I don't know what else to try.

General Comments:

If you don't want to buy a new hybrid, but still want good gasoline mileage this is the car you want. It does seem to burn oil to the point that on long trips it is wise to bring along your own to keep the oil topped off.

I find the car interior to be quite comfortable and on long trips I can stop at rest stops and recline the seats for some nap time.

If you are a do it yourself fixer, the car is not for you. Even the simplest of things are difficult to do on the Saturn, and at the rates that are charged these days by auto repair shops, you had better have a big bank account.

Faults:

EGR valve needed to be fixed twice.

Horn stopped working toward the end (probably my road rage).

Replaced the slave cylinder on the clutch (appx 135k miles).

General Comments:

Gas mileage was terrific. 40mpg on a car from 1995 is amazing.

Still runs and starts like a champ, but little things (plastic) have broken over the years.

I've owned it since college, and began to feel inadequate being the overachiever in a group of flunky friends with the oldest car.

It is has been what GM set out to achieve... a reliable and inexpensive American car. I don't like what they've done to Saturn in recent years, but that's another story.

General Comments:

I have owned 2 Saturn's. My first was 1996 Saturn SC2, automatic. A good little car with no problems. The only thing I had to replace on the car (when I drove it) was the radiator. My 16 year old daughter then inherited this car and flipped it on its top. She was at least smart enough to shut the engine off before she climbed out of the window. So when the tow truck brought it home, my husband started it, and oil blew out of the top of the engine, but it can be repaired. (thank goodness I married a mechanic/body man) My husband found me a 1995 Saturn SC2 at a Salvage yard. It had rear ended another vehicle and the front was damaged and air bags deployed. I purchased the car in November of 2005, because as soon as I saw it I feel in love with it! It came with electric windows, sunroof, leather interior, cruise control and only had 58,000 original miles! We rebuilt my car and I began driving it. We have taken it on road trips with no problems whatsoever. I literally wash my car once a week, by hand. My children think I am obsessed.