Faults:

Headlight failure (due to faulty wiring during manufacturing. Dealer fixed within days of buying the car, no problems since).

Transmission leak (caused by dealership service dept mistake. Messed up filter causing transmission to leak, which resulted in damage due to low fluids).

ABS module went bad (Somehow the dealership broke it while fixing the transmission problem, although they deny it!)

O2 sensor went bad (I guess just an old age thing).

Wiper motor died (we had a bad winter with tons of heavy snow, no surprise here!)

Engine mount bad (Was told this normally breaks with age... I've never heard of it before... so maybe just a story they told me?)

Gasget on engine leaked causing one of the cylinders to lose pressure and fail. Caused the car to run bad until we got it fixed (expensive fix!! $640!)

General Comments:

Great car when we first got it! Ran good, looked great!

I love the plastic body, because its resistant to dents and dings. My kids have hit it with everything from balls to bikes! Not a scratch on it! Still looks like it did when it pulled off the showroom floor!! They use good paint, no problems with chipping! We wax it about once or twice a summer only.

The car is built in such a way that it's very difficult to do your own work on it. The car is not set up like other cars. No such thing as "standard"! Little fixes end up taking a long time! Cheap fixes end up costing a ton more on labor costs since most things you can't do yourself. (by design) I am a DIYer and I can do very little of my own work on this car. : (Not even the oil changes, because they have the filter hidden and almost impossible to access without a lift.

If you buy this car, don't expect it to be your baby for many years. Use it for 4-5 years then trade it in before things start going wrong!! Mine is a 2001 and I have already put THOUSANDS of dollars of work into it! It shouldn't be having these problems yet... it's only 2007!!!

Faults:

Nothing ever went wrong during my lease.

General Comments:

Great mileage. Engine was a little buzzy, but what do expect at this price range. Very reliable small commuter car.

Two things I didn't like.

The drivers seat was positioned too low for a comfortable seating position. My knees felt like they were up to my chest. The seats did not travel back far enough and the steering wheel dragged on my thighs. I am only 5 ft 10 and 200 lbs.

When I traded the car in at 60,000 k the car looked brand new thanks to the polymer panels.

Faults:

Everything is great with my new Saturn so far. Hopefully everything will stay this way, and in the future I would consider to buy another.

General Comments:

My 2001 Saturn SL1 is great. Its 4 door, with a nice blue colour. When I test drove the car the firsy time I feel in love with it. The car drives smooth and handles well. If your looking for a car with lots of power this isn't for you, but has some spunk when needed ie: passing. Some things I would have liked, but got over where: power windows, power locks, and AC. The interior is very comfortable and a nice colour. The body and engine look really good. I love the look of the front end, it looks sporty.