2001 Saturn L100 review from North America
"Not aging well"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
65k Km air conditioning pipe 1
90k Km air conditioning pipe 2
120k Km alternator
140k Km rear passenger manual window assembly
Had to replace rack and pinion direction assembly with the power steering pump (1000$), at 165 000 Km. Now the pass-key seems to have intermittent problem at 170 000Km.
General comments?
I find my Saturn reliable and comfortable enough. Considering the fact that it was $6000 cheaper than the Accord or Camry base model, I though I was making a good deal at the time, even if I knew it would depreciate a lot.
The suspension is stiff, but the car handles well. The Ecotec engine is very reliable. I think that GM should have all their engines designed by Opel.
The thing I like the most about my Saturn is that there is very little wind noise at highway speed, so the ride is quiet. It wasn't the case with my Mazda Protege and my Honda Civic.
I was satisfied with the car until recently with the last repairs. I went to a dealer to buy a new car and they would only give me $500 for the trade in! How long will the timing chain last?
Recommended reviews
| An affordable everyday sedan with good gas mileage |
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| God bless American made cars |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 2001 |
| Year of manufacture | 2001 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.2 ecotec Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 6 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 16 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 170000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Mazda Protege |
| Date of Entry | 2nd August, 2009 |