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#11
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DAW wrote:
> Buy a VUE V6 which has Honda V-Tech engine. Best of both worlds (sort of). > > "Blue Dragon" > wrote in message > ... > >I drive a 1997 Civic, never any problem other than replace timing belt, > > tires etc. Now have 180,000 miles and considering a Saturn. Honda gets > > about 36 MPG, Could I expect the miles and this type of problem free > > driving > > with a Saturn? > > > > Thanks in advance for your thoughts. > > > > |
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#12
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David wrote:
> We have a 2000 Saturn LS2 (SAAB V6 and 400 lb 4-speed auto) and 2 > Chevys with 3100 V6 and 4-speed autos. We mostly just drive; repairs > are few and far between. Can't find anything to fix on the 2000 > Malibu or the Corsica (with 250,000 km on it). According to all the usual industry surveys, the Malibu is actually the most reliable car sold in N. America -- even better than a Corolla or Civic. Then again all of 'em are pretty good these days. Personally, I'd rather have something with better seats, like a Saturn. Matt O. |
#13
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Rev Turd Fredericks wrote:
> I got about 32mpg on a recent trip in my new 2004 Saturn coupe and > that was in rather hilly terrain at 75-80mph (cruise control on most > of the trip between Irvine CA and Laughlin NV ), so it isn't that > bad. If the original poster wants to look at getting an ION he should > definately consider the leather interior, it makes a huge difference > as far as comfort and overall feel of the car. 32 MPG on the open road in a modern small car simply stinks. A Corolla or Civic will do nearly 40. A BMW 3 Series can do 34 MPG, despite being much larger and heavier, and having 50% more horsepower. Heck, my '85 325e with over 300k on it did that well. The ION has not advanced technologically at all since the original S-Series. > This is my 3rd Saturn and I have never had a speck of trouble with any > of them, a very reliable car IMHO. We've had 3 in our family too, and they've been mostly trouble free. The only problem we've all had were alternators, which go out every 70k like clockwork, and window regulators on an L-Series. Lots of others seem to have the same problems. At least the alternators were cheap to fix, probably half the cost of other makes'. >> Most cars will go 300k with little trouble these days. I'd just >> keep the Honda until it looks and feels so shabby you can't stand it >> any more. > Or starts belching blue smoke as Hondas tend to do after awhile. Just from reading these boards I've learned that Saturns are the oil burning champs of the modern age. My brother's dealership (where he worked for 3 years) has seen the same thing. While there are many S-cars with half a million miles on them, there are also plenty that needed new engines. The new engines in the ION are probably better -- I hope so. I still think Saturn has lost its edge. The competition is better these days, even for the money. If you need a larger car, you can still score a great deal on an L. Matt O. |
#14
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Matt O'Toole writes:
> The only problem we've all had were alternators, which go out every > 70k like clockwork, and window regulators on an L-Series. Yep; I've had to replace the driver's side (most frequently used) window regulator, and I've replaced the battery twice now, with the service advisor claiming that the "generator" was also bad and had to be replaced (both times). The second time was too coincidental for my tastes, so I demanded to see the evidence that the "generator" was bad. Voltage was okay, diode was okay, and output current seemed okay, though I don't have a good feeling for how high it should be. At any rate, I decided against replacing the "generator". Service advisor warned me that I'd just drain the new battery, and even put it in writing on the service order. Here I am, a year later, still running with that allegedly bad "generator". Battery hasn't been drained at all. |
#15
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"Matt O'Toole" > wrote in message ... > Rev Turd Fredericks wrote: > > > 32 MPG on the open road in a modern small car simply stinks. A Corolla or Civic > will do nearly 40. A BMW 3 Series can do 34 MPG, despite being much larger and > heavier, and having 50% more horsepower. Heck, my '85 325e with over 300k on it > did that well. The ION has not advanced technologically at all since the > original S-Series. I thought mileage was more a function of weight and aerodynamics rather than technology. The ION is more than 300 pounds heaver than the S, and bigger, so it seems obvious that it would get worse milage. > > We've had 3 in our family too, and they've been mostly trouble free. The only > problem we've all had were alternators, which go out every 70k like clockwork, 70 ? boy are you lucky. I only got 31 on each of my first 2. > > Just from reading these boards I've learned that Saturns are the oil burning > champs of the modern age. My brother's dealership (where he worked for 3 years) > has seen the same thing. While there are many S-cars with half a million miles > on them, there are also plenty that needed new engines. The new engines in the > ION are probably better -- I hope so. I though the problem was the rings rather than the engine in general. Anyone know if Saturn is using better rings these days? > > I still think Saturn has lost its edge. It sort of looks like the S was beginers luck, Although I sort of regret not getting an 4 cylinder L wagon. > Matt O. > > |
#16
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#17
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Blah blah > wrote:
>> > We've had 3 in our family too, and they've been mostly trouble free. The >> only >> > problem we've all had were alternators, which go out every 70k like >> clockwork, >> >> 70 ? boy are you lucky. I only got 31 on each of my first 2. > >This has more to with habits IMO. You batteries become to discharged. > What kind of habits? My '93 SL2 with 137K miles never needed an alternator replacement. Replaced 2 batteries over 11 years. Are you saying failed alternators are a result of frequent heavy use of the battery without the car running? >... the older 1.9 burn oil. The Ecotecs are by far probably the best 4 >cylinders on the market now. > As a 1.9L oil burner lottery loser, and new owner of an ION2, that's good to hear. Bill Davis |
#18
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In article >, Bill Davis <>
wrote: > What kind of habits? My '93 SL2 with 137K miles never needed an > alternator replacement. Replaced 2 batteries over 11 years. Are you > saying failed alternators are a result of frequent heavy use of the > battery without the car running? Or frequent driving with bad batteries. Few look at the battery as a 'wear item', and fewer replace it on a regular schedule, though there's convincing evidence that it's at least somewhat useful on saturns I don't think Saturn alternators are any more/less defective than any other GM ones, rather that they're marginal for the application. > As a 1.9L oil burner lottery loser, and new owner of an ION2, that's > good to hear. Beats me - mine leaks more oil than it burns. Some 1.9s were actually decent, I guess. Or, built on a wednesday? |
#19
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On Mon, 6 Dec 2004 17:28:23 -0500, "Matt O'Toole" >
wrote: >Rev Turd Fredericks wrote: > >> I got about 32mpg on a recent trip in my new 2004 Saturn coupe and >> that was in rather hilly terrain at 75-80mph (cruise control on most >> of the trip between Irvine CA and Laughlin NV ), so it isn't that >> bad. If the original poster wants to look at getting an ION he should >> definately consider the leather interior, it makes a huge difference >> as far as comfort and overall feel of the car. > >32 MPG on the open road in a modern small car simply stinks. A Corolla or Civic >will do nearly 40. A BMW 3 Series can do 34 MPG, despite being much larger and >heavier, and having 50% more horsepower. Heck, my '85 325e with over 300k on it >did that well. The ION has not advanced technologically at all since the >original S-Series. > You have obviously never driven in California. You climb to 5000ft, then go down a bit and then up another 1000ft down to 900ft etc. all at 80+ mph, 32mpg is pretty good. Maybe if driving in, say Iowa or Michigan it might not be good to get 32mpg but it's pretty good in California. >> This is my 3rd Saturn and I have never had a speck of trouble with any >> of them, a very reliable car IMHO. > >We've had 3 in our family too, and they've been mostly trouble free. The only >problem we've all had were alternators, which go out every 70k like clockwork, >and window regulators on an L-Series. Lots of others seem to have the same >problems. At least the alternators were cheap to fix, probably half the cost of >other makes'. > >>> Most cars will go 300k with little trouble these days. I'd just >>> keep the Honda until it looks and feels so shabby you can't stand it >>> any more. > >> Or starts belching blue smoke as Hondas tend to do after awhile. > >Just from reading these boards I've learned that Saturns are the oil burning >champs of the modern age. My brother's dealership (where he worked for 3 years) >has seen the same thing. While there are many S-cars with half a million miles >on them, there are also plenty that needed new engines. The new engines in the >ION are probably better -- I hope so. I have never seen a Saturn belch blue smoke, or one stuck at the side of the road. Fords and Jaguars seem to have a lock on that. > >I still think Saturn has lost its edge. The competition is better these days, >even for the money. If you need a larger car, you can still score a great deal >on an L. I have no complaints. I liked my L-series but the leasing company wanted too much money for me to purchase it at the end of the lease and I couldn't get an L with leather interior. What actually lead me to the L-series to begin with was the trunk, the S just didn't have a big enough trunk. The ION is pretty decent in that respect. |
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