1997 Saturn SC2?

[koda6966]

Anyone have experience with these? I'm looking for a commuter that will be as reliable as the Ranger.. since it would mean a replacement.

 

[Ozwynn]

how many miles? Saturns are like cockroaches and Toyotas........

 

[koda6966]

It's around 150k, same as my Ranger.

I'd rather have a '99 with the suicide door for the back, but this guy wants a trade.

1997 Saturn Red 2dr 5spd power windows, locks, & sunroof. Cd/mp3 player 150k new tires, battery, belts, hoses, & alternator.I'm the 3rd owner so I have all the records for this car. Will consider trade for Truck or SUV?

I'm going to call him today, if he doesn't respond to my email. I want to at least check it out, and see if he would trade. If not I'll keep looking.

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

saturns are ok, i'd own one, if i had to

 

[Ozwynn]

be prepared to change the CPS if he hasn't done it already... they are failure prone starting at 120K. I have had 3 Saturn SL2 and 1 Saturn SL1..... good cars and good mileage...... the Ion is crap ........ infact all Saturns after 2003 are crap....

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

cps?

 

[Ozwynn]

crank position sensor


2 of my SL2's I got really cheap because that little $26 part made people think the engine had blown....... when it goes bad it acts like a distributor that is firing on the exhaust stroke.

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

lol the "correct" acronym for it is ckp and cam is cmp

 

[Ozwynn]

ok well ..... I have changed 2 of them and got many many more miles out of a $200 car. Learn something new everyday....... a thought on the SC/SL/SW2 .......... they like to blow holes in the 5spd transaxle..... this is easily remedied with a 5spd transaxle from an equivelent year SL/SC/SW1.

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

ummm never seen any blow holes in them, ive seen one throw a rod through the block out both sides and take out the radiator, but his gravy ladel light had been on for a month

 

[koda6966]

I'll keep that in mind. I'm going to try to call the guy tomorrow, hopefully he'll pick up tomorrow.

Maybe him not responding to emails or answering his phone is a sign I should keep the Ranger? Haha.

 

[Ozwynn]

I have seen 3 ..... and have had it happen to me once.......... big thread about this problem on one of the Saturn forums...... thats where i got the idea for using the SL1 trans ........ its got a better gear R&P anyways..........

my last one .... the 93 that my wife totaled in Wisconsin I drove all the way to salt lake city getting 31 mpg @ 90 - 100 mph..... could get 41 if I kept my foot out of it. the 2001 SL1 I drove from Seattle to my little corner of michigan and averaged 45 mpg with a best tank of 49..........

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

i just fix em man, back to stock, saturns to me arent something im gonna study on

 

[darkspork]

I remember driving one of these for a night because I was with some friends and we needed to take two cars, problem was the person who had it (parent bought it for her) couldn't drive a stick, so I had somebody drive the Nova I had and drove the SC2. Things I remember about the car: there is a lot of travel in the clutch before the grabbing point, the synchro for 3rd gear was gone, speedometer didn't really work (read 10 mph until I got on the highway at which point it moved up to 35mph), it overall seemed like an alright car and the person who owned it said they got phenomenal fuel economy with it but they land up having a lot of problems once it hit 160k:
shift linkage broke, problem with ignition system, cracked block (final straw). But they never really took care of it. I would think it should be fine if you maintain it well, just like many other cars.

 

[koda6966]

I might go more towards the route of a mistu mirage if I can find one. My brother bought one at 60k and it lasted him to 160,000 when he busted the tranny. Never had to replace a single part on it.