Powar wrote:
What's the story with the Saturn? I just bought one that needs some love.
It's a 2000 Blackberry (very, very deep purple, looks black much of the time- was the 'unique' color in 2000) SL2. Has around 175k on the odometer and has been my primary/daily driver for the last 14 years. I'd always said that I planned on driving it until it fell apart (which given its composite body panels would probably be quite a while...).
But earlier this year when all my tools were in a storage unit and I couldn't really work on it, I had to take it in and have some work done on it, in particular having a ball joint replaced. A short while after I got it back from the shop (who I'd had issues with before- I'd previously had to send the Saturn BACK to be properly aligned because they'd not been able to get it right the first time) it started doing something really weird when turning under power involving the steering suddenly 'slipping' further past where I was holding the wheel.
We had just moved into the new house about that time, and I had been planning on trying to start back up with commuting to work via bike- which I did and have done for the last 4-5 months since, driving the DeLorean when I've needed to drive someplace. I only this weekend got the garage cleared to the point of being usable and was able to investigate the Saturn's problem and found that apparently the shop had neglected to install the cotter pin on the castellated nut that holds the bottom of the hub to the LCA- and the nut had worked its way about 2/3 of the way up the stud, so under load the hub could 'slip' up the stud. I'll be picking up a cotter pin later this evening to make sure the nut stays in place and the car should be good to go.
But I've realized that the Saturn is no longer necessary- whenever SWMBO and I go someplace, it's almost always (and was even before the issue that caused me to park the Saturn for months) in her Mariner, and with the nicer bike commute at the new house I don't really need a 'commuter' car anymore. And honestly, we only really have room for 4 cars at the moment- so if I want to get anything else to play with down the line (like a Miata like this one...) I will need to lose one of mine. The DeLorean's not going anywhere, and I want the El Camino (currently barely running) around for hauling/towing. So, the Saturn is likely going to be the one to hopefully go to a good new home.
It runs quite well though like any Saturn of its vintage it does burn a small bit of oil. It's a 5-speed and being the SL2 has the alloy wheels and higher-output engine. The paint is in good shape overall- there are a few places it got nicked up that I touched up a few years back. The touch-ups are noticeable from reasonably close but look far better than the nicks/chips. It's currently sitting on KYB GR2 struts and lowering springs whose origin I've forgotten- it sits a few inches lower than stock but is by no means stanced/slammed. I basically replaced the whole front suspension & the rear struts/springs 3 years ago. It has professionally applied tint on all the side windows, the back window, and a strip at the top of the windshield. It currently has a high-flow cone filter intake, but I have the stock airbox someplace in the garage.
The interior is a bit worn from use but is overall in good shape- there are no tears in the seats and the headliner is still holding on as it should. It has an aftermarket 'mechless' head unit in it that forgoes at CD player in favor of a fold-down dock for 30-pin iPods/iPhones and has hands-free bluetooth. I've had a bass tube sub in the trunk for a while but was planning on selling it separately if I don't decide to use it elsewhere. Speakers are all stock but sound good. Does not have a spoiler or sun/moonroof, but I do have a spoiler off another SL2 that I would be including that I had been intending to repaint and install.
It's always been a very reliable car and I have no doubt that if someone else keeps up on maintaining it (mainly making sure it always has enough oil) it will run for another 175k- and get 35mpg on the highway for all of it.
