Need input on buying a Saturn - Please!

Hi All,
I am thinking about buying a '99 Saturn SL with 119711 miles. It has a 2001
DOHC engine with 30,000 miles (the engine has a 3000 mile warranty on it). The
price is $3000. Does any one have any helpful information to help me make a
decision? Any big potential problems with this make? Thanks!!!

 

....a plain SL came with a single cam engine - wonder how they got the twin
cam to work with the single cam's computer??? I'm guessing this is a
private party sale, yes?

 

My mistake from my first post, it's a SL2 if that makes any difference. Do you
think this is a bad idea to purchase this vehicle? Thanks for your help!

 

Yes, the SL2 is the twin cam - I have the same in a 97 year model. The
price sounds good - who did the engine swap (and why)...

....what does the rest of the group think? A few of you have swapped,
rebuilt or had your engines replaced.

 

I have a 96 SL2 that was rebuilt - no no oil use, and it runs just fine.

I bought it used with 40K miles - we pull it behind an RV. and we're gonna keep
it until it is dust!!

RR

 

Sounds good. I swapped a '97 motor into a '96 SL2. Really a fairly
straightforward R&R. If the person doing the work had a reasonable
amount of mechanical ability the swap itself shouldn't be a problem.

I'd check with your bank or credit union as to what they would value
the vehicle at.

Good luck and best wishes,

Ken

 

I just put a twin cam engine in place of a single cam engine and everything
seems to to work fine so far, will know more after some miles are put on the
car...

 

....be sure to post again after you get some hours under your belt - I'm
surprised it's not throwing codes. Top speed cutoff and max rpm cutoff is
different between the two engines. I'm not a tech (nor have I ever replaced
an engine) so my concerns are totally armature.