I need information on a Saturn SW station wagon?

Question

I'm about to buy my first car in April, and I have about $5,000 to spend. I saw a Saturn Twin Cam/SW at work the other day, and I think it would be a nice first car. What kind of mpg does it get, how much do they cost, reliablity?

Answer 1

As an owner of a 98 Saturn SL2 (sedan, dual cam) and something of a Saturn expert, I can say expect anywhere between 23-28 MPG city diriving. Manual transmission should add 1-2 MPG, depending on your driving habits. Depending on the year you saw, you should be able to get up to a 2000 model for less than $5,000. Saturns (at least the older S-series models) are NOT full of common GM parts. The 1.9L LLO motor (Dual Cam) provides 124 HP, which is enough to scoot the average Saturn at a decent clip. They do have problems (as do all cars, yes, even Hondas have issues), namely the differential pin in the transmission and oil consumption. Check the tailpipe and area of the back bumper near where the tailpipe exits for a black, oily substance. The oil control rings weren't the best design, and if the oil isn't changed at 3,000 miles the rings will gum up and it'll start using oil.

The good news is that forward of the windshield, all three S-series models are basically the same car. If MPG is your promary concern, look for an SW1, which is the single cam model. Less power (85hp for 93-94 wagons, 100hp for 95-newer), but they didn't seem to suffer the same oil problems as the dual cams. Generally get an extra 2-3 MPG over a similarly equipped dual cam. Most of all, ENJOY your Saturn, should you end up with one.

Answer 2

Reliability has been average
expect about 28+ mpg
they are relatively inexpensive - www.kbb.com
-private party value - good condition

Overall it really was not all that competitive in it's market segment. It was usually at the bottom of comparison tests.

-poor fit and finish inside and out
-cheap feeling interior - hard plastic, wide gaps, exposed molding
-lots of squeaks and rattles
-loud, buzzy motor
-ride can be busy
-depreciation high
-basically went unchanged for 10+ years

-cheap to insure
-fairly reliable
-strong following for some reason
-decent MPG and feels peppy

You would be somewhat better off with a Toyota or Honda. Unfortunately there are not a lot of wagons out there if you have your heart set on one.

Answer 3

Without knowing the year, mileage, etc., there's no way to say.

Saturns are average as far as reliability goes -- nothing exceptionally good or bad. Fuel economy is OK but again nothing particularly noteworthy. Repairs are generally reasonable as most of the parts are common GM components aside from the body and trip pieces.

Answer 4

Take it from someone who used to work in an AutoAuction. DON'T BUY A SATURN. I have seen about 100-150 of them come through in a months time and would have anywheres from 45,000-90,000 and everyone of them was crap. Some of them we couldn't even keep started long enough to hear the "gavel" hit.

Answer 5

Dude, you won't be able to make love in a station wagon. you could *uck in a station wagon. i could *uck in one, even even though it could would desire to be on a cliff surrounded by miles of wooded area, overlooking the city with a huge finished moon.