will it die?

i have a 1993 sl1 1.9 sohc 5spd w/182k on it i've had the tran service
,motor flushed,water pump,cts, and all that goes w/ the cooling,full tune
up,and filter,(it uses no oil)all within the last year. but w/ that many
miles i've thought about getting a newer saturn. because i'm not sure how
long it will last .should i be able to get another 20,30k miles out of it
. let me know what you all think. thanks

 

It all depends on how well you take car of the car and it's previous
history. If it's been a good reliable car and has been kept in good shape
mechanical wise, you may find it will run another 50 to 100K miles with
little or no problems. Our 97 base SL has over 200K. If otherwise, or it's
showing it's age, take a look at a newer Saturn.

marx404

 

It will not die overnight and likely has a lot of miles left in it.
One thing to consider though is the timing chain because if it has
never been replaced, it is beyond its service life and it can fail
suddenly with bad results. If you what to run the car for a while,
replace the chain and go for 300K.

 

If he's changed his oil every 3000-4000 miles it wont likely fail
anytime soon. With its age he can probably run it until the wheels fall
off for what its worth. Just stick with regular maintenance and repair
things as they come IMO.

 

No so sure. With close to 200K it is well past its prime. Normal
suggest service life is about 100 to 120K ( less if you do not change
the oil enough) He has got his monies worth out of that one. I might
not say change it at 120 K but I will say that with close to 200K as
it is not worth the risk.

 

Our local dealer has an SL1 on the showroom floor (not sure of the
year), 5 spd that has 479k kilometers on it (300k miles). I don't see
your car going all that quick...though depending on how its been driven
and serviced, it may start "nickel and dime-ing" you a bit more.

Psycho Mike

 

i'm in sales,95% of the miles are high way.i change the oil every month and
add slick 50 every other. and yes i drive 3k each month some times more
such as march when i had 2 oil changes
as far as the timming chain is that a do it your self or better to have
done? thanks.

 

There are many contradictory opinions here regarding the timing chain
replacement issue. IIRC, Most of the failures reported seem to result from
lack of proper lubrication leading to failure of the chain tensioner or
excessive chain wear rather than catastrophic chain failure. Put me in the
practice proper maintenance with frequent oil changes group, but listen for
any increase in sound coming from the front of the engine that may be due to
wear of the chain or chain tensioner or of the coolant pump or serpentine
belt tensioner. Hold a piece of 3/4" hose to your ear to help isolate the
source of various noises. It takes a minute or so (and more in winter) for
full oil to reach the timing chain and I would suggest letting the motor run
to allow oil to reach timing chain and valve train before driving. As
machinery ages it requires longer for warm-up and to allow oil to reach all
the engine parts.

Almost any automobile will give lots of very cost effective service long
past 150,000 mi. PROVIDED that you DO NOT run them low on coolant or oil.
Most really expensive repairs are caused by lack of lubrication or coolant
or by abusive operation. Check your coolant and engine and transmission oil
regularly and keep them changed at proper intervals. Change the
transmission oil more frequently than mfg recommends, (IMHO use 50000 mi
change interval) Do NOT ride the clutch. Check the CV joint boots and
investigate any unusual oil or grease leaks, (when the leak stops it is
usually because it has run out of lubricant and is about to fail.

I would also change the brake fluid by complete bleeding if this has not
been done.
Check the serpentine belt and all coolant hoses frequently.

The biggest wild card and the most likely sudden large repair you may be
faced with is the clutch. How long this is likely to last is totally
dependant on usage and any previous replacement. If you did not buy this
car new you have no way of knowing how long the clutch will last and all you
can do now is to treat it gently by shifting gently and avoiding downshifts
at high speed.

Just my .02 Good luck, YMMV

 

There are many contradictory opinions here regarding the timing chain
replacement issue. IMHO replacing components because they might fail at
some time in the future is a slippery slope as where do you stop? The
common rubber timing belts do require replacement but Saturn timing chains
are IMHO a component that should last the life of the engine and should give
warning of wear by becoming noisy before failure. IIRC, Most of the
failures reported seem to result from lack of proper lubrication leading to
failure of the chain tensioner or excessive chain wear rather than
catastrophic chain failure. Put me in the 'practice proper maintenance with
frequent oil changes group' and 'if it ain't broke don't fix it', but listen
for any increase in sound coming from the front of the engine that may be
due to wear of the chain or chain tensioner or of the coolant pump or
serpentine belt tensioner. Hold a piece of 3/4" hose to your ear to help
isolate the source of various noises. It takes a minute or so (and more in
winter) for full oil to reach the timing chain and I would suggest letting
the motor run to allow oil to reach timing chain and valve train before
driving. As machinery ages it requires longer for warm-up and to allow oil
to reach all the engine parts.

Almost any automobile will give lots of very cost effective service long
past 150,000 mi. PROVIDED that you DO NOT run them low on coolant or oil.
Most really expensive repairs are caused by lack of lubrication or coolant
or by abusive operation. Check your coolant and engine and transmission oil
regularly and keep them changed at proper intervals. Change the Dexron
transmission oil more frequently than mfg recommends, (IMHO use 50000 mi
change interval) Do NOT ride the clutch. Check the CV joint boots and
investigate any unusual oil or grease leaks, (when the leak stops it is
usually because it has run out of lubricant and is about to fail.

I would also change the brake fluid by complete bleeding if this has not
been done.
Check the serpentine belt and all coolant hoses frequently.

The biggest wild card and the most likely sudden large repair you may be
faced with is the clutch. How long this is likely to last is totally
dependant on usage and any previous replacement. If you did not buy this
car new you have no way of knowing how long the clutch will last and all you
can do now is to treat it gently by shifting smoothly and avoiding
downshifts
at high speed.

Just my .02 Good luck, YMMV

 

This is the least severe operation possible and you can expect long engine
life in this service. It is also easy on the clutch and usually on the
brakes. Hope for good luck but always be prepared for a breakdown on the
road. I like to carry a snowmobile suit and a blanket in case I breakdown
at night. I also carry a simple toolkit.

I am not a fan of any oil additives and Saturn does not recommend them.
Rotate your tires regularly.

Good luck, YMMV