SW1/SW2 advice?

We have had good luck with our '92 and '00 Saturn SL1's, both bought new.

My '88 Chevy Celebrity station wagon is now in its death throes, and one of the
cars I am considering to replace it is a Saturn wagon, either SW1 or SW2.

Though they do not appear to be very different from the SL1/SL2 models on which
they are based, I wonder if there are any special concerns with either of these
models as a used car.

Any owner experiences, suggestions or other advice regarding used Saturn
station wagons would be appreciated.

TIA,
Christopher Platt

 

I have a 1998 SW2 with ~113k miles and it's been a wonderful car.
I've done no major repairs and the car has never left me stranded
or died when I was on the road. (flat tires or me leaving the
dome light on and killing the battery don't count)

It's basically the same car as the 1998 SL2. Other than the
obvious difference (two extra side windows and taller cargo
space behind the back seats... duh, it's a station wagon) the
only differences I'm aware of are that there was no factory
sunroof available (apparently the roof is that different) and
the 60/40 split fold rear seats have a crossbar attached to
the 60% side so you can only fold it 40% or 100%, not 60%.
You get a rear wiper and matching extra switch up front,
and a cargo cover for the back. The SW2 is a few pounds (60?)
heavier. Also, chicks dig station wagons. Well, at least
they won't accuse you of compensating for something.

-DanD

 

I had a '97 SW2 and now have a '01 SW2. Both were bought new and were
manual shift.
On both cars, the battery went bad within 3 years or 36k miles. The
'01 battery also corroded the positive cable to the extent it needed
replacement.
Both cars are sensitive to out-of-balance wheels.
The '97 had pulsing brakes due to warped rotors. Fixed under
warranty. My '01 pulses and shudders under some braking conditions
and it depends to some extent on the road surface. Very unpleasant. I
think one or more of my wheels is damaged but I haven't gotten around
to checking them out or replacing them.
The '01 had a leaking exhaust manifold gasket at 24k miles and a
leaking clutch slave cylinder at 21k. The computer module had to be
replaced at 37k (out of warranty, ouch) when the temperature and tank
gauges began persistently reading at maximum.
The stock Firestone tires were pretty bad- rough and and noisy ride,
prone to squealing around corners. I bought Goodyear Weatherhandler
LS tires which I'm quite satisfied with. I bought the set in '00 for
the '97 and then transferred them to the '01 when I bought the newer
model. I have about 49k on them and they still have several thousand
miles left.
My mileage per gallon is excellent. I've gotten as high as 40 mpg on
the highway. Around town the mileage is probably in the upper
twenties.
In general, the ride is a bit rough, since the cars are essentially
inexpensive compacts. I would get more comfort with a larger design
wagon, though I would have had to spend more money. The wider tires
with the SW models help a little.
I hated to see the odometer reach 36k, when the warranty expired. I'm
not all that impressed with SW2's, although they are more or less
cheap to own. I follow the maintenance schedule religiously.

r.b.

 

I've got a 2000 SW2 automatic with 69k km. It has been reliable, except
for the common leaking intake manifold gasket. The car was out of
warranty, but Saturn Canada paid for the repair. It gets excellent
highway gas mileage. The stock noisy Firestones were replaced early on
with Goodyear Aquatred 3's. Much quieter and no more hydroplaning. Would
I buy another? No. I'd get a Mazda3 5 door or Focus wagon. The SW2 is
truly an economy car. It's noisy and not particularly well assembled.
Parts are horrendously priced at the dealer.

 

I bought a 99 SW2 when it first came out, and have had good success
with it so far. It's a bit small for me at 6'6", but sufficient. I've
only replaced some sensors so far, but aws the other replies suggest
your experience may vary. It's a good car for the value from what I've
seen, if you take care of it. I plan to get a Scion xB soon to replace
it due to seating space, but my wife has the Vue and it has done very
well over the last year or so. Saturn is still offering 0% financing
in my area, I'd suggest you look at a new ION1 instead of a used SW,
repair costs could add up quickly.