Daily Driver

[clemsonfor]

After piling 43k miles on my 2012 chevy 2500, i've finally got a little beater car. It big enough to carry the junk I need each day and gets 30 mpg.

Its a 1996 Saturn wagon, auto with 182k miles. I'm totally new to Saturns, so any tips would be great.

What do you guys think?

I have a 97 i still drive everyday in the same way. I get 32mpg. Again like DP said watch the oil they drink it. Also dont pay much attention to the engine light and all the idle and hesitations you may get if you dont have them now. These things are made with tiny little wires to all the sensors that vibrate and make bad connections. I get little hesitations and increased idle speed every now n then, sometimes the temp sensor dosent read and if i dont clear the codes for a few months i have trans temp sensor voltage codes, Map volt codes, TPS voltage codes and on and on. Does not ever effect mileage and it will still drive fine, just stumbles every now n then and sometimes has a super high idle???? But they are know for this.

Oh mine is right at 230,000 miles on it. Its the twin cam and is an auto. Tires are cheap(compared to others, i still remember when tires this size were easily $45) and it gets good mileage for a DD.

 

[amigauser]

I picked up a 1990 Suburban with only 90k about a year ago. You can climb right in the engine compartment and the 5.7 TBI (350) is very easy to work on. Only downside is around 190 HP vs. what trucks today push out and no modern safety stuff like airbags, ABS, Etc. I love the older body style to. I am getting around 15 MPG around town which is not bad with the crappy ethanol laced gas they use in Connecticut.

 

[clemsonfor]

I picked up a 1990 Suburban with only 90k about a year ago. You can climb right in the engine compartment and the 5.7 TBI (350) is very easy to work on. Only downside is around 190 HP vs. what trucks today push out and no modern safety stuff like airbags, ABS, Etc. I love the older body style to. I am getting around 15 MPG around town which is not bad with the crappy ethanol laced gas they use in Connecticut.

Not bad if you want or need a giant vehicle but if i can cut my fuel in half for my 50 mile round trip commute each day i will glady drive my saturn. my other vehicle is a 90 ranger and it gets 22ish and i rather drive the saturn over it.

 

[jwstewar]

We have 3 vehicles. A'99 1500 Silverado that I bought new. We use it to tow our camper with and other towing. Then we have our 2008 Suburban bought new at the peak of GMs crisis so they practically gave it away. I used to drive the truck to work then when Monica and I got married I started driving her '97 Accord. Put 252k miles on it and then smacked a deer in December 2007. Then we bought my current daily driver. A 2000 Accord that we bought from my buddy with a garage/junk yard. He had bought it wrecked at auction with 71k miles on. He fixed it and sold it to us for $5500. It now has 205k on it. Only things I've done 2 sets of tires, brakes on the front once, brakes just recently on all 4 wheels, battery, and 2 sets of plugs and cap. For a vehicle with a salvage title I think it has done ok. It does 31-32 compared to the '97 that did 33.

 

[CLinton_in_FL]

I am with you guys. 1997 Honda Accord. Purchased it from the original owner in 2008 with 145K on it. It now has 217K trouble free miles on it and I plan to keep it till 300K (which at this rate will be 10 more years). It gets 26-29mpg all the time, and is cheap and easy to fix. So far, new tires, new muffler, oil changes. It is a DX so no power lock or windows. I love it! My truck just sits until i need it, which is why i went the V10 route.

 

[Soundguy]

Watch the oil closely. I have had two and they drank a qt every 600 miles. I used to joke it used more oil than gas.

Google Saturn oil consumption.

Chris

wait.. that sounds like my ykon.

it hasn't used any oil in a week mind you ( been partked )

on the saturn note. I have a buddy that used to swear by them. until last monday he was on his second one. it was a 98. developed deep engine problems with timing that caused a new car loan to appear...

too bad too.. i just did his brakes a while back..... i know he was pretty bummed about it. he ran syn oil in his since new.

 

[clemsonfor]

I just did a trans fluid and filter change in mine. I dropped the fluid and filter thursday but could not get back to it till yesterday afternoon. Filled and installed a new filter then dropped the oils as i was due for a change and it was needing a quart or more added to top up i am sure. Thought i had the oil, checked and i had a filter for it (i have 3 things that take that filter so i almost always have one). Put the plug in went to get the "oil" and noticed it was oil for the tractor and lawnmowers that i bought!! So i am in scrounge mode. I was able to come up with 2 qts of supertec 5w30 and one qt of shell 10w30 and then used Rotella 15w40 for the last quart. That is the most random oil change combo i have ever put in. If this had been in anything besides the saturn or my old ranger i would not of done it. But in a few weeks i will have added 2 more qts anyway!!

 

[case245]

I HAD A 1997 SC1 IT never used oil at all I beat the crap out of it

 

[crashz]

This little car seems to be getting better and better. I replaced the back two tires ($98 each) had an alignment done, got the state inspection and changed the oil this past week. So far so good. Been driving it locally and took a trip with it over weekend. All is good. Just maintenance so far.

 

[crashz]

Thanks for the info clemsonfor! The idle is a bit finicky, but no stalling. Gonna replace the trans filter and fluid as well. Slowly changing out the PS fluid with a baster, as that was pretty gross. Fixed a leaky trans cooler hose as well.

Its still a bit strange to be driving this vs the truck, but spending $30 at the gas pump vs $80 is nice. Thats $100 per week in fuel savings. So in 20 weeks, and assuming my paid company mileage covers only the fuel I use when driving my truck, I'll have paid for the car and maintenance so far.