Saturn vs other Compacts

[PandaBear]

Nissan and Mitsu are not as reliable as Hondas and Toyotas.

With the same amount of $ spent, nothing beat a good reputable reliable domestic used car. I would rank late model Focus the same level as Saturn as well.

 

[PandaBear]

Also if you can afford, Acura Integra are extremely reliable (people usually blame the owner than the car when things went wrong), more so than Civics, but at a higher premium due to thefts and the rice car reputation.

 

[labman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Michael Wan:
Labman,
Still factory ATF, and air filters on there?

MW

---

GM does not recommend changing the manual transmission fluid and the air filter still looked good last time I checked it. Don't see many dirt roads. I have always stuck to the factory schedules and never had much trouble keeping a domestic 10 years and over 150 K. If I had a Honda, I would be due a timing belt change.

 

[brianl703]

quote:

---

Originally posted by labman:
GM does not recommend changing the manual transmission fluid

---

Neither does Ford, however, I've noticed that changing the manual transmission fluid makes for easier shifts during cold weather if the old fluid has been in there a while.

 

[Tosh]

quote:

---

Originally posted by brianl703:
I realize that some people have a notion that machines are "alive" but that's taking it a tad too far.

---

If only ex-rental cars were alive, a little psycho therapy to combat the low self-worth and some immuno boosters, and they'd be wholesome again instead of scarred for life.

 

[brianl703]

Nahh, they'd always have emotional damage, and some of those STDs cannot be cured at all.

 

[Tosh]

Did you mean STPs or LTDs?

 

[Colt]

Although US car companies econo boxes are better than in the past,they still aren't as good as the Honda or Toyotas.
The company I work for has a bunch of '04 Ford Focus wagons.
Though the engines are running well at 45K mileage,the rattles,rough noisy suspension ride and lack of solidness when closing doors shows where the big 3 are still far behind in building a Honda or Toyota quality economy car.

 

[brianl703]

You can change the STPs for a WIX and the LTDs are a long-discontinued model..

 

[GreeCguy]

Howdy fellow oilers -
Former Saturn owner here as well. (Well, really, I still have the Saturn, it's the big, purple potato chip in the backyard).
A little over a year ago, I bought a '95 Saturn SC1 for my daughter - her first car. When I bought it, it had 120,000 miles on it. It now has 135,000 miles. At the time, I knew nothing about Saturns except they are made in Spring Hill, Tennessee. I asked the woman I bought it from, "Does it burn oil." "Not at all," She replied. What I discovered is that Saturn's are famous oil burners. The purple people eater drank one quart every 700 miles. During the year I owned it, I replaced the clutch, pressure plate, throw-out bearing, master and slave cylinder for clutch, (I should say I had a shop do all this work at two different times - clutch stuff one time, master/slave cylinders another - total bill was $1,100 bucks). I personally replaced the top motor mount, new plugs, wires, PCV valve, changed the oil, changed the oil, changed the oil, (did I mention I changed the oil?) Did a Marvel Mystery Oil soak, a combustion chamber clean with both water and Seafoam. Used a coffee can full of screws to re-attach the interior panels where they had come loose. Stuffed foam insultation between the windshield and dash to cut down on rattling noise, (previous owner had used cardboard). I had to jury rig the trunk latch as the metal is so thin, it finally split at the latch point so that the trunk would not close. All this and more - then my daughter wrecked the car a week ago today, (I praise God she is okay).
As this is an oil forum, I will add that changing the oil is a breeze on a Saturn, provided you are one foot tall, as thin as typing paper and have three hands that are triple jointed. The oil filter is on the backside of the motor between the motor and the firewall. Pulling the oil filter is a bugger to say the least. The position of the filter causes oil to run all over the CV joints every time you change the filter. Having said all of that, I will probably buy another Saturn, simply because I now have a wonderful parts car with plenty of new parts. Egads! Whoever said life was easy never owned a Saturn!

 

[GreeCguy]

One thing I will add, there is a great web-site for Saturns called "Saturnalia." A great bunch of people who are very helpful. You might want to check them out for more info on Saturns. The irony is, it was through them that I found you guys. It was through you guys that I found a great site for the Ford Taurus - my daughter's "new" car, '93 Ford Taurus GL known as "Rita."
Daughter says: "Daddy, do I have to drive that?"
"Not at all," say I, "you can walk to school any time you like."

 

[brianl703]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GreeCguy:
The oil filter is on the backside of the motor between the motor and the firewall.

---

The Honda Civic is similar. On that one there is NO getting to the filter from the top, you MUST jack it up and crawl under it. I don't remember what it is that the oil spills over when you remove the filter, but it does spill over something.

The Saturn L-series (and the Malibu) with the Ecotec 2.2L is much easier. The filter comes out from the top..and if you're reasonably careful, you can get it out without spilling any oil (it's a cartridge filter). The drain plug is accessible without jacking the vehicle up.

 

[Bill in Utah]

quote:

---

Originally posted by labman:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Michael Wan:
Labman,
Still factory ATF, and air filters on there?

MW

---

GM does not recommend changing the manual transmission fluid and the air filter still looked good last time I checked it. Don't see many dirt roads. I have always stuck to the factory schedules and never had much trouble keeping a domestic 10 years and over 150 K. If I had a Honda, I would be due a timing belt change.

---

I just changed the Transmisson oil in my Corolla with 23k on it and IT WAS UGLY!

Toyota says at 100k change it. It had so much metal in the oil that a magnet held on the side of a clear bottle you could see the movement of the metal in the oil.

And the car is 10 months old and spends 90% of it's life on the freeway in 5th gear..

(never been on a dirt road either)

With my 2000 Silverado 5 speed transmission it came out @ 24k miles and was a little cleaner, but needed to be changed.

I'd change it if I was you. Cheap insurance IMO..

Take care, Bill

 

[eljefino]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GreeCguy:

As this is an oil forum, I will add that changing the oil is a breeze on a Saturn, provided you are one foot tall, as thin as typing paper and have three hands that are triple jointed.

---

Incidentally, saturnalia= saturnfans

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

I've gotten the Saturn S-series oil change experience down to 40 minutes. That includes removal of the right-front tire.

You'll need these things next to you as you "assume the position" at the right side of the vehicle:
--Hydrualic jack
--Y-jack stand just for added safety
--needle nose pliers to pull the splash shield off
--oil change wrench
--several paper towels so the oil filter doesn't leak on the CV joints
--a can of brake clean
--tire iron
--14mm socket to remove the drain plug
--and of course, the oil & filter
--Nice weather, and a radio with your favorite station tuned-in!

 

[bulwnkl]

That's a great story, GreeC. Had you bought a Honda or Toyota from the same owner, you'd probably have had basically those same expenses, but you'd have paid twice the money for the car in the first place.

That's my point, above. I could replace half the car at dealer prices if I didn't know how/where to shop for parts for the money I saved by buying a lightly-used American. I still have no squeaks, rattles, or junk because I DO know how to shop.

If my little rule of thumb applied to Drew99GT (which is doesn't; it only applies to me), or I should maybe say if I was in his situation, then I'd be a fool for spending about twice what what I should have for what I got. Not talking about feeling good, bad, or otherwise, nor personal preferences (which are all perfectly honorable and valid), just talking about a transportation unit. This is all I see the original poster asking about.

 

[Tosh]

TnS: You forgot wheel chocks and a drain pan. I guess the 14mm socket is their form of tamper resistance?

 

[brianl703]

14mm is a common size for oil drain plugs these days. EDIT: No it's not, it's 15mm that's the common size. Still: If they wanted tamper resistance they'd have used a Torx...

(My socket set has a 14mm socket in it).

 

[kingrob]

That is the single biggest gripe I have with that car or any 2.2 in general, the d*mned oil filter location. However, on the Saturn I changed the oil every 4k, which translated to once a month, so I got it down pat and had the oil completely changed in under 15 minutes. Still, it only takes me five on a 3.1 and on a Crown Vic.

 

[brianl703]

Which 2.2? The Ecotec 2.2 has the filter on top. Other than the expense of the cartridge filters (which isn't that bad anymore) it's the perfect setup.

There's another (now out of production) GM 2.2L out there which is the one I think you're referring to.