1994 Saturn SL 1 review from North America
"Not a terrible car for the money, but you can probably do better over the long term."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The fuel pump went out at around 60,000 miles.
The alternator went out at around 120,000 miles.
The radiator sprung a large leak at 125,000 miles.
The driver's seat is in terrible shape and badly worn.
The headliner is peeling off and regularly sends little flakes floating around the car.
At around 50,000 miles the gas mileage dropped significantly and it started burning a lot of oil.
The ignition is faulty; my key is stuck in the ignition and the bell to remind me to pull the key out therefore dings whenever the door is open. This is true even on the (rare) occasions the key pops out. This first happened at around 115,000 miles.
The car overheats in traffic despite having plenty of coolant. This problem commenced at about 125,000 miles.
The odometer and trip meter are broken and froze at approximately 132,000 miles, though they were intermittent before that.
General comments?
I loved this car until around 75,000 miles, and now I'm really fed up. I have taken excellent care of it, service every 3000 miles, and I don't feel that it has held up well at all, particularly by comparison with my previous car, a Mazda 626, which didnt' begin to experience similar problems until around 200,000 miles. I'm a big believer that cars should last 10 years with care, and this one isn't quite going to make it. I'm off to buy a Civic this weekend.
I have also been quite dissatisfied with the dealership for about the last 5 years. They were terrific for the first 5 years though.
Recommended reviews
| Solid! |
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| Actually, I would have to say this car has been about the most reliable one I have owned |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 1994 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 42 miles |
| Most recent distance | 135000 miles |
| Previous car | Mazda 626 |
| Date of Entry | 27th April, 2004 |