Anyone know anything about Saturns?

[Hatterasguy]

I want to get a winter/school beater next year. I want something that is cheap to run small and reliable. I also want it to cost around $2k (give or take)

Now I would really like another Toyota but they have very high resale, I can't get much for $2k. But for $2k I have seen some nice clean say 1996-97 100k Saturns. Their is a clean green coupe for sale down the street from me. Are Saturns cheap to run?

I would probably keep it for 5 years max probably more like 3-4. I don't think I will put more then 40k on it since I will on drive it November through early April.

I am thinking $2k for the car and $500 to bring all the maintaince up to speed and for unexpected problems.

Any other ideas? I don't care what the car is like just that it is fwd for the snow and has heat and a radio. Newer is better I don't want to fix this one I have plenty of that with the SDL!

[KirkVining]

I think Mazda Proteges are the best 2k cars around. I bought a couple of them for my teenagers and I use one in my business. They are indestrucable. My kids abused them in every imagineable way, and they had no worse a repair record as my easy driven 98 Camry. Parts are plentiful and cheap in the junkyards, tires are cheap and the five speed manuals get phenomenal gas mileage. If you want to really cheap out, find a Ford Escort made between 90-93 - they are actually Mazda Proteges, and they have lower resale because they carry the dreaded Ford Escort badge. Don't buy any made after 93, because the cars are rebadged Hyndai, Kias, etc and are pieces of ****. The 90-93 are identical to Mazdas made those years. I picked up an 93 Escort wagon I use to haul computer parts for $1000 bucks, I have run up 50,000 miles on its still running like a top. Saturns, I know little about them, but I have heard they are good cars that don't like abuse. That might not be a good choice for a kid.

[KirkVining]

Can youn find those Suburus for under 2g?

[Hatterasguy]

Mazda and Subaru are possible. The only problem is Subaru's have high resale around here to! I would like to stay in the mid 90's or newer. I am looking for the most bang for my buck.

[sfloriII]

Can't say anything to the reliability of Saturns. But I have driven one for a while that belonged to an ex-girlfriend.

All around nice little car for the money, but one issue that I hated: the seats.

If you've got any kind of back trouble, stay away. Long trips were the worst for the lower back in these cars.

[Zeitgeist]

BIL bought one new back in '97. Fried the engine at around 85k. He used to be one of those annoying Saturn freaks that proselytized endlessly about the myriad benefits of ownership. Religiously went to their annual hotdogs n' coolaid GTG's...for some reason he don't do that no more. Caveat emptor...

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by sfloriII

Can't say anything to the reliability of Saturns. But I have driven one for a while that belonged to an ex-girlfriend.

All around nice little car for the money, but one issue that I hated: the seats.

If you've got any kind of back trouble, stay away. Long trips were the worst for the lower back in these cars.

Strange.......I have a '96 with the Leather seat option and those are the most comfortible seats I have ever sat in. The Neon and the Escort had the worst.

I routinely set in them for upwards to 6-7 hours a day at times.

Seats are all about body type and shape. They either fit you or not. No seat can fit everyone equally well.

Mine has 117,000 city miles and has been very reliable. But like every car made you will find a lemon once in a while. You can easily do far worse for a beater.

[yal]

I second the Mazda Protege. Bullet Proof!

[sfloriII]

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

Strange.......I have a '96 with the Leather seat option and those are the most comfortible seats I have ever sat in. The Neon and the Escort had the worst.

I routinely set in them for upwards to 6-7 hours a day at times.

Seats are all about body type and shape. They either fit you or not. No seat can fit everyone equally well.

Mine has 117,000 city miles and has been very reliable. But like every car made you will find a lemon once in a while. You can easily do far worse for a beater.

I think hers was a '93 or thereabouts. It had cloth seats. I'm 5'8" and about 160 lbs. Too bad she didn't have the leather!

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by sfloriII

I think hers was a '93 or thereabouts. It had cloth seats. I'm 5'8" and about 160 lbs. Too bad she didn't have the leather!

the '96 was the first year of the new body style. Don't know what the older ones seat were like.

I am 5'11" and 210 lbs every person has to see what fits their butt best. My Saturn seats fit my body perfectly.....So well in fact I tried to find a set of the black leathers from the SC2 (just the fronts) to put in my Civic. But no luck.

I love my SL2, I ordered it from the factory, was the first and may very well be the last person to drive it. Never regretted its purchase.

[Wodnek]

I have friends with saturns. They all like them. The plastic panels also dont rust so they stay looking respectable for quite a while. Plus the power window controls are where we are used to them being, right in the middle. They report good fuel economy and reliability.
Wodnek