Looking to buy an SL2, any suggestions? reviews? good/Bad? anything would be greatly appreciated. th anks
anyone own a Saturn? i'm looking to buy an SL2
- Thread starter bonk102
- Start date
Are you buying new? Do you have a deal on one already?
Have you considered a new Hyundai Elantra? Personally, I'd take the Hyundai...
Have you considered a new Hyundai Elantra? Personally, I'd take the Hyundai...
New, used, what?
I've got a 94 SL2. It's nothing great. I only paid $250 for it. It's got over 203,000 miles on it and doesn't use much oil, so they're durable enough cars, but they were cost engineered, and it comes through. The basic design is 11 years old. May I suggest you try a Sentra GXE, or a Civic LX or EX before you spend too much. I never would have bought mine if I wasn't getting a good bargain. They're not bad cars, they're just kind of lame.
I've got a 94 SL2. It's nothing great. I only paid $250 for it. It's got over 203,000 miles on it and doesn't use much oil, so they're durable enough cars, but they were cost engineered, and it comes through. The basic design is 11 years old. May I suggest you try a Sentra GXE, or a Civic LX or EX before you spend too much. I never would have bought mine if I wasn't getting a good bargain. They're not bad cars, they're just kind of lame.
i'm leaning towards saturn because of 0% financing and i get a good deal after being referred to Saturn by my friend who bought her's new a year ago. and yeah, i'm going new, first brand new car of my life, it's going to be my first major investment
Freejack2
Diamond Member
- Dec 31, 2000
- 7,751
- 8
- 91
Buy a 2000 or 2001 model. Being a Saturn is a domestic it loses it's value incredibly quicker. If you bought a 2002 SL2 today for say $14,000 and wanted to trade it in a year from now, the dealer would only give you $7000 to $8000 for it.
The general opinion on Saturns is once you get all the kinks worked out in the first year they work great for years and years to come.
A used one would be a great deal though. If you tend to push a car get an extended warranty though.
Also if you push a car get some real tires, the SL2's come with firestone touring tires. They'll wear ok and have decent traction but tend to give up easily in the turns. Even if you just get a better fireston tire like the Firestone SH30's you'll find the difference in handling is night and day! Factory tires on most cars are designed for the best fuel economy and don't have much in the way of handling capabilities. Even the factory sports car tires aren't always the best.
By example my last car came with Firestone Firehawk GTA's. They were sh!t, when they wore out in 25,000 miles I went to the firestone store and I saw that for $10 more a tire I could get the SH30's instead of the GTA's. Turned my car from a mediocre handling car into a demon that glued to the roads in turns. Tires do make a LOT of difference.
Check your local rags and the local Saturn dealers for used SL2's. I'm willing to bet you could pick up a fully loaded, low mileage 2000 or 2001 SL2 for less than $9000.
The general opinion on Saturns is once you get all the kinks worked out in the first year they work great for years and years to come.
A used one would be a great deal though. If you tend to push a car get an extended warranty though.
Also if you push a car get some real tires, the SL2's come with firestone touring tires. They'll wear ok and have decent traction but tend to give up easily in the turns. Even if you just get a better fireston tire like the Firestone SH30's you'll find the difference in handling is night and day! Factory tires on most cars are designed for the best fuel economy and don't have much in the way of handling capabilities. Even the factory sports car tires aren't always the best.
By example my last car came with Firestone Firehawk GTA's. They were sh!t, when they wore out in 25,000 miles I went to the firestone store and I saw that for $10 more a tire I could get the SH30's instead of the GTA's. Turned my car from a mediocre handling car into a demon that glued to the roads in turns. Tires do make a LOT of difference.
Check your local rags and the local Saturn dealers for used SL2's. I'm willing to bet you could pick up a fully loaded, low mileage 2000 or 2001 SL2 for less than $9000.
my price range is somewhere around $10,000 for financing around 5.9% but with the Saturn i can spend a bit more because of the 0% financing and the amount i can put down. hmmm
my classmate have a saturn and she loves it.... what she finds best was the post-purchase customer service that the Saturn dealer provides. they will teach you how to take care of your car with free lesson (meal included). she was highly satisfied.
my two other high school buddies (who are brothers) seem to voice the same opinion... (they BOTH bought the same seden (LS?) and same color, talk about brand loyalty) but for me, I hate Saturn
my two other high school buddies (who are brothers) seem to voice the same opinion... (they BOTH bought the same seden (LS?) and same color, talk about brand loyalty) but for me, I hate Saturn
I was in the same boat.
On the SL2 the Power Convenience Package: Includes Cruise Control, Dual Power Mirrors, Power Lock Control, Side Doors, with Remote Keyless Entry and Anti-Theft and Panic Feature, Power Windows are all optional.
For $240 more this was all standard on the Nissan Sentra GXE and the Sentra is just that much more solid. I feel more comfortable in the Sentra than the SL2. I'd recommend that you check out the Sentra GXE first.
When I test drove the GXE that was it, I never turned back.
On the SL2 the Power Convenience Package: Includes Cruise Control, Dual Power Mirrors, Power Lock Control, Side Doors, with Remote Keyless Entry and Anti-Theft and Panic Feature, Power Windows are all optional.
For $240 more this was all standard on the Nissan Sentra GXE and the Sentra is just that much more solid. I feel more comfortable in the Sentra than the SL2. I'd recommend that you check out the Sentra GXE first.
When I test drove the GXE that was it, I never turned back.
Oops, here's the SL2 review, also not at the head of the class in its segment :
SL2
Also, in Consumer Reports, the Saturn SL2 gets a "fair" rating, and places below the Daewoo Nubira CDX. The Focus, Civic, Elantra, Jetta, Protege, Sentra, and Neon also place above it.
The SL2 hasn't been updated in a while. CR also cites "the car's lackluster handling and unsettled ride. Seating and controls are wanting, and a low roof makes access awkward... Attempts at quieting the buzzy four-cylinder engines haven't produced the desired effect. Resale value is no longer as high as it used to be."
Ok, that should be enough info In short, skip it, unless the deal is amazingly good.
SL2
Also, in Consumer Reports, the Saturn SL2 gets a "fair" rating, and places below the Daewoo Nubira CDX. The Focus, Civic, Elantra, Jetta, Protege, Sentra, and Neon also place above it.
The SL2 hasn't been updated in a while. CR also cites "the car's lackluster handling and unsettled ride. Seating and controls are wanting, and a low roof makes access awkward... Attempts at quieting the buzzy four-cylinder engines haven't produced the desired effect. Resale value is no longer as high as it used to be."
Ok, that should be enough info
In short, skip it, unless the deal is amazingly good.
The Stigenator
Lifer
- Oct 9, 1999
- 15,216
- 3
- 81
We have a 1999 Saturn SW2 (SL2's extented Wagon). For the most part I love the car, the engine is really smooth for a 8 yr old engine design however this car is a manual tranny and the gear shift is the least bit of my liking.. the clutch is too soft and has no feel and the stick is too easy to move. On top the stick doesnt give you feed back that you would expect when you gun it. Also teh manual tranny is badly matched with the engine, espeically in higher gears, the auto version is much better when it comes to this aspect. I find myself constantly trying to be in the powerzone trying to shift between 4th and 5th gears. The gears seem to be too low a ratio. The first gear is too tall and then last gears are too low. Over all teh car car's handling is really good, the stock wheels do its job though newer tyres really help, we replaced it with some better michelins and it really hugs the road. Oh the engine does sound " OH SO GLORIOUS" when you go past 4K on the tach..
My biggest bug with the saturn SW2 (SL2 doesnt have it) is that the rear seats dont have a head rest.. the SL2 being a sedan is better but the SW2 is horrid.. for a guy my height its quite uncomfortable. The rear seats are much to be desired.. teh SW2/SL2/SC2 all share the same type of rear seat, its too less on the bottom end and hence you end up in a cramped position., the SC2 is the worst of the lot.. The other complaint I have is with their signal stalk, its too "blooby" in feel.. you got to hit it hard to change indicators and the stalk is too rounded and not easy to use.. they should change that design, I complained about it a long time back. On the interior I must say our SW2 has seen a lot of wear and tear.. but I dont know about the "exposed" screw heads in the "arm rests" and the sunshade that popped out of its housing.. We have also had problems with electrical stuff.. mostly with the alarm not disengaging the doors and the windows that goes down but wont come up. My friends 1997 SL2 had a short last year but thanks to an extened warrenty we only paid 50 bucks. The wiring hardness was shorted.. they had to take the car apart to take it all out.. in my opinion that's too much work.. especially for one cable that controls everything.. i mean your fuel tank to your lights to your engine to your switchs.. its a bad design.
I also have a complaint about the front driver seat, its too cramped to get into .. its too low to enter.. once you settle in it gets comfortable and makes you feel that your a F1 driver but the rather grubby lumbar support lever and the support it gives is horrid.. they should have got rid of it..
with that in mind the interior really needs a new perspective..
I could keep ranting.. but this should do for the moment..
Saturns are nice cars and they are relaliable for the most part, just that i dont know how long the interior will last in daily use when the engine seems so bullet proof.
By the way we have about 80K miles on the saturn and the engine is still going strong..
My biggest bug with the saturn SW2 (SL2 doesnt have it) is that the rear seats dont have a head rest.. the SL2 being a sedan is better but the SW2 is horrid.. for a guy my height its quite uncomfortable. The rear seats are much to be desired.. teh SW2/SL2/SC2 all share the same type of rear seat, its too less on the bottom end and hence you end up in a cramped position., the SC2 is the worst of the lot.. The other complaint I have is with their signal stalk, its too "blooby" in feel.. you got to hit it hard to change indicators and the stalk is too rounded and not easy to use.. they should change that design, I complained about it a long time back. On the interior I must say our SW2 has seen a lot of wear and tear.. but I dont know about the "exposed" screw heads in the "arm rests" and the sunshade that popped out of its housing.. We have also had problems with electrical stuff.. mostly with the alarm not disengaging the doors and the windows that goes down but wont come up. My friends 1997 SL2 had a short last year but thanks to an extened warrenty we only paid 50 bucks. The wiring hardness was shorted.. they had to take the car apart to take it all out.. in my opinion that's too much work.. especially for one cable that controls everything.. i mean your fuel tank to your lights to your engine to your switchs.. its a bad design.
I also have a complaint about the front driver seat, its too cramped to get into .. its too low to enter.. once you settle in it gets comfortable and makes you feel that your a F1 driver but the rather grubby lumbar support lever and the support it gives is horrid.. they should have got rid of it..
with that in mind the interior really needs a new perspective..
I could keep ranting.. but this should do for the moment..
Saturns are nice cars and they are relaliable for the most part, just that i dont know how long the interior will last in daily use when the engine seems so bullet proof.
By the way we have about 80K miles on the saturn and the engine is still going strong..
so basically the car will last forever, but i wont enjoy it? hmmm
and what is the price range on the sentra and civic? comparable?
and what is the price range on the sentra and civic? comparable?
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