1998 Saturn SC SC1 from North America - Comments

Engine consumed motor oil.

Windshield wipers occasionally stopped working.

Valve cover leaked, even after having the mechanic try to repair it twice.

Cylinder head cracked at 115000 kilometers causing oil to mix in with the engine coolant. Replaced by a mechanic with a rebuilt head that had the same problem right out of the box. Replaced a second time with a supposedly good cylinder head – which lasted until 175000 kilometers, when it cracked in the same way as the other heads!

Original Belt tensioner for accessory drive belt would squeal, replaced with a dealer part that also started to squeal shortly afterwards.

Muffler Hanger Bracket rusted off – Dealer wanted $140 for replacement hanger. Replaced with a wire coat hanger.

Front Brake pads worn out at 120000 kilometers.

Rear wheel bearing assembly failed at 100000 kilometers.

The paint on the car looked nice when I purchased it, but stones and road debris chip it very easily. The front of the car looked like it had been sand blasted by 150000 kilometers.

The car handles like a go-cart with a different set of wheels and tires on it. With the stock tires and wheels it does not handle nearly as well however.

The car never left me stranded, but it did cost more than half of the initial purchase price for repairs within 16 months of buying it.

The seats are very uncomfortable for me, however I am 6 feet 2 so this is an issue in many cars.

The dashboard and console look cheaply made, mostly because they ARE cheaply made! The plastic surrounding the radio is held on with 2 plastic clips which break off quite easily, leaving the plastic parts to shake around freely.

The car squeaks and moans a lot in cold weather, I attribute this to the plastic body construction.

The rear defroster is next to useless, although I never did have it checked out to see if there was something wrong with it.

The car was religiously maintained in the time I owned it and I still had many problems. I would not buy another Saturn with a 1.9 liter engine. Had I realized the oil consumption and cylinder head problems that seem to plague the older Saturn cars, and the kind of money it would cost me to keep this car going, I probably would have spent my money somewhere else.

Who ever wrote this review needs their head examined. I am at 100,500 miles and I have only put oil and gas into it. This car is a tank that from my driving experiences has topped out at over 145 miles an hour. Safe, quick, dependable, and a beauty to work on. Thank You Saturn...T_Fraun12.

Who ever wrote that last comment should have their head examined too... Although I am glad you have had good luck with your Saturn, you need only to read many of the other bad reviews on these cars regarding oil consumption, head cracking problems, and the variety of other woes that plague saturn owners. Also, it is interesting how you were able to get a stock saturn to 145 MPH when the stock saturn computer is governed to 105 MPH.

Safe? Yes. Quick? Fairly quick, yes. Dependable? Not so sure on that one! Beauty to work on? Yes, pretty easy, considering you will be working on it often!

DL.

I had the same problem with the rusting muffler bracket at around 140,000 km. I also had clear coat start peeling from the spoiler at the same time. Other than that, the car has nothing more than regular maintenance. Second owner @ 50,000 KM Currently 178,000 km. Feels down on power. Looking to replace.

1998 Saturn SC1 55,600 miles

Cracked Head, broken emergency brake, peeling paint on the rear spoiler, brakes that squeak (Saturn told me that's how they were made), sluggish engine, bad wipers, plastic bits pop off every year...

You get what you pay for. I'm getting a Honda next time.

Also had problems with head cracking on my Saturn. After numerous other problems, junked it and bought a Toyota.

I'm a 18 year old girl, so I don't really know much about cars so please try to deal, but I got a used 1998 saturn sc for my 17th birthday. it had 83,000 miles on it and I've had it for a year now. I've only recently started having problems. like these: my front two wheel bearrings are about to fall off costing about $500 to fix both, my oil leaks from my muffler, along with gas too, my breaks are really loud, my starter is going, and my battery hookup pieces aren't on tightly and won't screw on any tighter so from time to time, my car won't start, and I have to pop the hood and mess with the battery hookups untill it gets started. but other than all that, I like my little car :) maybe because its my first one haha.

My 98 sc2 was bought with 58,000 miles with new Dayton tires.I repaired the valve cover gasket at 62k. I had to adj. the rear brakes at 68k.[the pedal was getting low].The car failed to start twice. Once after a fill up and another when the temp. was 32deg f. I replace the exhaust system at 75k.The brand new Dayton tires cupped at 77k.The car gets 35mpg.

I would like to know if would be OK to change the tires to say a 195/65/15 or taller.I don't like the 195/60/15s that are on now. Maybe even if you could put 205/70/15s???

I bought my SC1 at 98,000 miles, the only things that needed replacing were the spark plugs and the wires. Other than that, I've had no problems at all with the car; though the oil filter is a pain to remove...

I have a 98 SC that I got from my wife, it has 148k on it and I drive it everywhere. It's been from the east coast to the west coast 10 times, and the only problem that I've had is the spoiler peeling, and the brake pedal dropping down low to the floor.

It's an American Mercedes, and I've topped out at 118 mph, so who ever wrote that it's governed for 105 is wrong.

Thanks Saturn for building a very dependable car.

Hi, I bought a used 1998 Saturn 4 door plain Jane off of a relative and love the fuel economy compared to my Chevy pick up at 12 miles to the gallon. The problem I have with it is it will start fine about 10 times and then out of no where it won't start. The engine will turn over fine, but won't fire or start. I can go out the next day and it will start right up and run great. Might start and run fine for a few more days then the same thing happens. Engine will turn over fine, but won't try to fire. Some times it will do that for the first 2 or 3 tries and then start right up.??? Outside of the starting problem,it's a great car. It's been in the shop for 3 days now and they can't find anything wrong. It has started every time they have tried it. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

I am the owner of 2 Saturns - 1998 SC2 - fully loaded and 2000 SL2 - I love both of them. My 2000 was purchased new with 7 miles on it - it now has 218,000+ miles - no major repairs just regular maintenance. My 1998 was purchased used and I did recently put a new motor in it - but same thing - no trouble just a great little car.

Front Brake pads worn out at 120000 kilometers.

That's not too bad, they use cheap pads, install good pads, they will last 3 times as long.

"Hi, I bought a used 1998 Saturn 4 door plain Jane off of a relative... "

To the poster of the above comment, in regards to the intermittent starting problems...

I've done some reading around and found a few people with this same problem. Check out this article for the answer to your frustrations! (I hope it's the same for you, LOL)

http://www.aa1car.com/library/saturn04.htm

Hope that helps!

I have a 98 saturn sc 1 series it's a pice of junk the exhaust is done at 75000 km the wipers broke and have been replaced, it barely starts when its cold because of the gas tank being plastic, windsheilds done, cracked and peeled paint, its still runs but it's a piece compared to my toyota tacoma. and the person over sizing the tires I do have the big set that you had sized out and it drives fine. oh ya I also have to do the oil weekly it seems and the my water pump broke last year also so for a 5000$ iill have to sel it for 10,000$ to make my money back and it won't happen.