Faults:
My door seal leaks slightly.
The padding in the driver seat has worn out.
The O2 sensor needed replacing once at 100,000 miles.
The clutch plate needed replacing at 170,000 miles.
Cracked catalytic converter at 200,000 miles.
It eats oil (as expected from an older engine).
Other typical stuff - brakes, tires, exhaust, etc.
General Comments:
This is probably the most reliable car my family has ever owned.
I'd like to address one point people have been making - they claim the interior is made of cheap materials. This is indeed true, but it is not something wrong with the car. Every car buyer knows what the interior materials are when purchasing the car, you cannot fault the car for that.
Despite being 11 years old and taking 201,000 miles of abuse, my Saturn still gets 40 mpg on the highway.
My Saturn has needed very few repairs. Most everything is standard on any car. For instance, I replaced my clutch plate at 170,000 miles. Most manuals need their clutch plates replaced at 100,000. And my Service Engine light only went on once about 100,000 miles ago - well below par from what others I know have experienced.
I just got T-boned on the highway last week and there was only $900 in damage. I decided to get the repairs despite the fact that Kelly Blue Book told me that my car was totaled because I know I can never find a more valuable car out there.
After renting another car while mine was in the shop, I quickly realized that I missed my Saturn's visibility. The rear windshield wraps around and eliminates all blind spots.
My 5-speed manual is a little slower in acceleration than many other cars on the highway, but dropping it down a gear tends to do the trick.
Many people tell me that having plastic side paneling doesn't seem safe. Let me address this issue - a 16th of an inch thick piece of aluminum is going to crumple like tinfoil if you get hit from the side by a 2000 lb. car going at anything over 5 mph. It will not add any safety value anymore than plastic does.
In fact, I love my plastic side paneling. 11 years and not a dent, ding, or spot of rust.
Bottom line - my '95 Saturn SL is still one of the safest, least expensive, most reliable, and best aesthetically looking cars out on the road today.
My next car without doubt will be a Saturn.
