Used 1997 Saturn S-Series Consumer Reviews
Good if not perfect commuter car
I just got this car no problems yet got it for 3000 dollars and worth every penny.
I love it!
I've owned 3 Saturns in my life, and I will definitely buy another when the time comes. Great gas mileage, fun to drive, well put together, and the people at the dealership are always very helpful.
Good Car
I've driven my Saturn SL2 for 7 years with no major problems beyond minor repairs. It's never broken down on me except one time when the battery needed to be replaced. I started with 64,000 and now have 189,000 miles on it, driving through rush hours traffic every day to work. It has been a good and dependable car. I've taken it on multiple long distance trips without any problems. The road noise is not very good in this car and the only annoying thing has been that my power locks and windows have not worked correctly (some not at all) for the last couple of years. Besides that I would say this is a good and dependable car that doesn't cost too much and hasn't required much maintenance
Great Commuter No problems Cheaplybuilt
Bought new after college, wanted something with a warranty and reliability that wasn't going to drain my wallet. This is what I got, I now have 84K mi on mine with NO problems. I did replace a front axle, but only after hitting a huge hole in the road. Everything else has been routine maintence. If you can drive a standard transmission, the 5sp shifting is smooth and you'll need it on hills + hwys w/only 100 hp. Down side, handling is average, stlying average, "fun to drive" factor is low and the fit and finish are below average ("sweaks", enough that I installed an aftermarket stereo system)
Runs good!
Overall I am very pleased with my Saturn. It's the second one I own along with the Vue. The major problems were the alternator going out at 65k, and having my front rotors ground every 12k. Other than that I have had good luck with the car and it's really easy to work on. I am also running Amzoil so I change my oil once a year which is great.