1995 Saturn SL review from North America
"My Saturn has the best value, reliability, and customer service on the road."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The battery fails (and needs replacing) about once every 2 years.
At 115,000 miles, the alternator went out. Cost about $250 to replace.
The brakes needed replacing at 150,000.
The alternator locked up around 200,000 miles which caused the belt to be replaced as well.
At 205,000 miles, the starter went out.
At 212,000 miles, the radiator and water pump both developed significant leaks.
At 215,000 miles, 2 valve seals needed to be replaced, and the catalytic converter broke down.
Within 3 weeks of replacing the valve seals, one of the valve rocker arm shafts broke in two places.
General comments?
This car was bought over 8 years ago and, after more than 215,000 miles, I have had only a few problems.
It is amazing that only recently has it become unreliable when I am such a poor caretaker of general maintenance such as oil changes and other servicing.
The car originally got about 38 mpg and, after recent work, it still gets up to 35 mpg.
Recommended reviews
| Great car! |
|
| I luv my little car, handles great and fun to drive, but wider turning ratio than my '95 Sonata had |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1995 |
| First year of ownership | 1994 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.9 Liter Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 400 miles |
| Most recent distance | 215000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford F150 |
| Date of Entry | 4th January, 2003 |