At least it doesn't rust (Saturn SL1)

Member Name: zaksas

Product:	Saturn SL1
Date:	25/09/01 (1745 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Handling, Gas Mileage, Cost

Disadvantages: Noise, Acceleration, Interior Ergonomics

I got my 1993 SL1 several months ago, and I've driven enough used cars to make a pretty good judgement on the Saturn.

To begin, let me say that while these cars have a pretty good resale value, you can probably get a nice deal, as long as you don't get it from a dealer. Mine was under 4Gs well worth the money.

Unfortunately, about a week after I bought the vehicle, I found black smoke coming from the exhaust. Apparently oil was leaking into the spark plugs and getting into the gasoline. To make a long story short and expensive, I spent several hundred dollars on the massive repair needed, and had I not bought the car I would have tried to get rid of it or even replace the engine.

That being said, the Saturn is still a great car overall. As you know, the sides are fiberglass so they don't rust, which is important in my area due to salting of the roads in winter.

The ride is nice and firm, good handling and braking are combined with crumple zones and an airbag to give an overall feeling of control and safety. These feelings are justified by the Saturn's reputation in statistics and spoken word, as several of my friends have walked away from massive crashes in their Saturns.

Acceleration is mediocre, some would even say poor, but there is only so much to expect from a 1.9 liter GM engine that puts out 85 horsepower. Even my old Mercury Topaz had 98.

The flip side is fuel efficiency. Saturn has designed their gear ratios to max efficiency at 45-60 mph, so if you are on the highway it is entirely possible that the engine will not pass 2000rpm. Due to this fact, I get 30-35 miles per gallon, which is pretty good for mostly city driving.

The interior is simple and one gets used to the cheap appearance that is reminiscent of old Chevys. But again, that's to be expected from a cheap GM vehicle. The controls are pretty simple, although personally I don't like the way in which the windshield
wiper controls are designed. Also, the gauge panel is tiny compared to most cars, I'm not sure why this is but you get used to it as well.

There are no cup-holders, but that doesn't bother me as much as the really tiny glove compartment and the lack of an armrest, which is replaced by a fairly useless console that doesn't really have much space for anything but some change.

The seats are comfortable, but I wouldn't drive more than a couple hours without stretching. The back seat is nice as well, and it is a split folding back seat so carrying long objects can be pulled off while someone is using the back seat.

The speakers are horrid, I have a cd player and they still can't handle any volume without rattling incessantly. That's ok, though, because the road noise in this poorly insulated car will surely offset any problems of listening to music.

What can I say, the car was made 8 years ago and needed many improvements, which the later models showcase nicely, but you'll have to go newer than 95 for that. Overall, it's still what I consider a good car, fairly reliable, road stable, and cost effective.

Summary: