The Return of the Saturn SL2 Epinion

Remake of my Epinion of the "Best Little Wave Surfer Around" dated Sunday October 10, 1999. Though I still hold firm to my words that it is the best little wave surfer around, my green, newbie, and shallow attempt at the previous review did not do this exceptional car justice. We purchased the car well over a year ago now, traveled 48,000 miles of beautiful highway and would now like to do honor to the Sl2 Saturn.

Original Epinion: http://www.epinions.com/auto-review-76B-FEAD9F4-38016112-bd3

During the 48,000 mile history of the vehicle we only experienced one mechanical problem. Well, two...custom by crunch. I backed up and removed passenger side mirror, but I suppose that was my error and not Saturn's. The one mechanical malfunction was a leak in the canister purge solenoid which was replaced by Saturn under warranty. Other than recommended maintenance the only other time our Saturn has been in the shop was to install a trailer hitch.

The car was purchased 7/09/1998 from Saturn of Bloomington in Minnesota. We paid $13,330.00 for it It was bought new with 11 miles on it. The sales person was Terry Coltrain who was helpful, friendly and a joy to work with. It was a pleasure to do business with Saturn. It was sold with 3 year or 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. It has a 4 cylinder engine, 5 speed manual transmission, front wheel drive. One of the things that impress me the most is the extra steel braces built into the car for safety. The composite like plastic material, doors are undentable at least I haven't succeeded yet. It also comes with daylight running lights which is a nice safety feature. Saturn is one of the few companies that offers a 30 days or 1,500 miles of delivery money back guarantee, another words you can return it for any reason for a full refund.

Our choice for car color was the deep green with gold metal flaking, dark interior.

Crash test data:
Saturn S-Series
NHTSA Frontal Crash Driver Excellent
NHTSA Frontal Crash Passenger Excellent
NHTSA Side Crash Front Occupant Average
NHTSA Side Crash Rear Occupant Average
IIHS Offset Acceptable
IIHS Bumper Bash Good

Standard equipment that comes with Saturn SL2 includes 4 cyl. engine, sequential port fuel injection, 5 speed manual transmission, power disc/drum brakes, driver/passenger air bags, strut independent suspension, 2 wheel front drive, and bucket seats. The seats are very comfortable, especially the driver's seat with the adjustable lumber support.

The longer we drive the car the more we appreciate it. It is a safe car featuring duel reduced forced airbags which are designed to reduce risk of injury during inflation. Sturdy seat and shoulder belts that have a height adjuster. They can be adjusted to feel comfortable. Saturn has a number of theft deterrent features add common sense, like removing the key, locking doors, parking in well lit areas we feel relatively sure the Saturn well be there when we return to it.

The car has been driven in several different climates. When we lived in Minnesota it handled superbly in the snow and ice. On many occasions we have abused our Saturn child and have taken it off roading in many terrains and it has done just fine and doesn't look worse for wear. We pulled a trailer moving from Oklahoma and California over the Rockies on Interstate 70. We DID determine that the Saturn was not a mountain goat, trying to get up to any decent speed at all on the larger summits pulling a very heavy trailer was difficult. The air conditioning is designed to shut down for very short periods of time when the engine is under heavy load such as steep grades.

The windows and window placement offer excellent visibility with very little "blind spot" problem. All the dash controls are placed in easy to reach spots for maximum safety. The only thing I don't like is the location and size of the ashtray. It is very small and you must look down in order to put a cigarette out. We didn't order any extras such as a CD player, but the radio we do have works and sounds good for a modest radio.

Many changes were made in the 1999 SL2 Saturn. "The change of greatest significance involves vastly improved noise/vibration/harshness characteristics of the Saturn Power Module (engine). Many components are redesigned including a longer power metal connecting rods, a new eight-counterweight crankshaft, and a new piston design. The design changes result in reduced sound levels and improved engine smoothness. Other enhancements this year include a more convenient seatbelt design and an improved EPA fuel economy of one MPG on all models." (Intellichoice Care Center) For 1999, Saturn's trademark noise has been dropped in favor of customer sanity.

Saturn's have one of the best resale rates of any car. The car doesn't devalue as much when you take it off the lot. Our car currently wholesales at approximately $10,200 with 48,000 miles on it.

The Saturn handles great on the road, and around corners thanks in part to front and rear stabilizer bars. The steering system, which is speed-sensitive and provides excellent feedback around tight curves.

I will continue to be a Saturn customer, in fact we are looking into the new V6's and considering purchasing in the next year or two.


Amount Paid (US$): 13,330.00
Condition: New
Model Year: 1999
Model and Options: SL2