1996 Saturn SL SL2 review from North America
"If you're looking for a nice, deep hole to throw money into, this is your car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The driver side door and the sun roof leak water. I took it to a Saturn dealer 8 months ago, and paid good money to have them both sealed. Well, it didn't last long, and water literally pours through each whenever it rains hard or I go through a car wash.
The sun roof motor went out two months after I got the car from the dealer.
The oxygen sensor under the hood went out three months ago.
The manifold absolute pressure sensor (MAP sensor) went out 6 months ago.
The catalytic converter went bad last week, and will cost about $1,000 to replace.
It burns through a quart of oil every 500 miles or so.
General comments?
I thought this was going to be a great buy when I got it, but it has turned out to be quite a hassle.
I regularly change the oil (every 3,000 to 4,000 miles) as well as add oil between changes (see above).
However, the amount of little things that are always going wrong make me very against ever buying a Saturn again.
Reading the other peoples' comments makes me realize how this just isn't a very well built car.
My next car will definitely be a Honda or a Toyota.
Recommended reviews
| What a piece of junk! |
|
| Avoid Saturn |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.9 liter Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 6 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 87000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 131000 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 25th April, 2004 |