Stole a wagon

I wasn't really looking seriously, but I was tempted by a 94 Saturn SW2 5-speed advertised on Craigslist for $400. The manual wagons are rare - I've gotten two SL2s in the past because I wasn't able to find a wagon with a stick. I figured it was too good to be true, but for the price it was cheaper than a hardtop for the Miata I'd been planning to drive through winter. It was probably a beater, or an SW1 and the guy didn't know it.

Nope. It truly was as advertised, and for a 15 year old car it was in great shape, inside and out. Many recent parts - alternator, brake lines... Run synthetic oil since the current owner got it in 1994 with 10k miles (now 186k)... Even has a Thrush muffler with a nice rumble, and a cheap intake exactly as described in a tech article I wrote for Sixthsphere. It was too good to be true, but it WAS true. So I did what any GRMer would do - got it for $300.

The current plan is to drive it through the winter and take it from there. It has certainly occurred to me that the $1710 left in a Challenge budget is much better than the $1750 SPENT on the $2004 Challenge SL2. It's also occurred to me that perhaps a supercharger could be made to fit where the AC compressor would go if the car was so equipped...

But I do intend to keep it stock looking. The great thing about a Saturn, especially a wagon, is the sleeper value. Nobody expects it to be quick. So it's that much sweeter when it IS quick.

Nice score!

war wagons are super fun

Wow! want!

Nice

if only I could fit in a 1st gen...

You're leaving out detail- what did they do to it to make it quick?

Nice score. Post more pics. when you have a chance.

Wagon's with sticks are cool.

karlt_10 wrote: what did they do to it to make it quick?

If I remember correct, you could get them with the DOHC engine and a manual. Win in my book.

yeah, the 2 on the end says that it is DOHC, and he said it was a manual, I am trying to find a post 99 SW2 manual. Wish I could find one, I don't fit in 1st gens very well either.

Appleseed wrote: If I remember correct, you could get them with the DOHC engine and a manual.

I understand that, but new/stock it was a mid-9 0-60 car. I'm assuming he meant it's been modified to make it quick.

Minor mods. It's got a rumbly Thrush muffler welded onto the end of the stock exhaust (stock mufflerrs ALWAYS rust out). It also has a K&N style air filter clamped onto the end of the hose that normally connects to the stock air box using an exhaust adapter.

It's not particularly faster than stock, but the mods give it a little kick. That, and compared to my Miata and the Civic I just sold, the Saturn has a bit more get up and go anyway.

great deal! Looks clean under the hood too. Check the upper motor mount if you're geting a lot of noise/ vibration. The fail like clockwOrk and are an easy $40 / 5 minue fix.

What a great deal. That's such a good car(for what it is)

Back in a former life I sold Saturns for about a year. (96-97) The early SW2-- manual cars were always my favorites.

Great score!

I normally don't say this, but it would look cool lowered with some cool wheels.

lowered, some wheels and tint would make it sweet :)...

i like it man... i dig wagons though :)

I still have a spare upper motor mount from a previous Saturn (I've owned 4 now).