I cannot trust a Saturn transmission
The transmission totally failed at 82,000 miles. No towing or difficult driving was ever done.
The car was always responsive although resale seems to be a problem.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 23rd August, 2007
Too bad I didn't catch the bad valve guides before I completed the purchase
Bad valve guides found after I bought it.
Blue smoke came out of the exhaust pipes when started after the car sat for a few hours.
Was covered under dealer warranty.
Car is sound and feels safe.
Front windshield has good visibility.
Power steering is great.
No ashtray option for after purchase for those who smoke.
Cigarette lighter slot is a charger plug not a lighter plug.
Cup holders would be better farther away from the driver.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 24th May, 2007
So far reliable car, but very very wary.
Brakes wore out at only 30,000 miles.
Tires wore out at only 30,000 miles.
Ticking noise coming from engine. I was told it was a tapit(?) valve. Eventually went away.
Slight coolant leak, but I haven't fixed yet. I just keep an eye on it and add coolant as needed.
Throttle valve stuck at 75,000 miles.
Brake lights go out regularly.
Front transmission mount cracked at 42,000 miles.
Low maintenance costs so far. Tires, brakes, front mount ($400), throttle valve ($90), clean injectors and 30,000 mile service ($300).
Noisy ride. Fan is noisy. And starting to rumble at higher speeds.
Hope to make last for many more miles, but other reviews are scaring me.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 28th March, 2007
Good vehicle to lease, if only leasing it for a year
12/6/2004
1) Left strut had to be replaced, made "popping" sound.
2) Lamp assembly had to be replaced, lights on both the inside and outside of the car flickered on and off.
12/30/2004
1) Front strut had to be replaced, vehicle made loud knocking sound when going over bumps.
2/19/2006
1) Links on the sway bar and torsion bar support had to be replaced due to loud knocking sound.
3/14/2006
1) Tires had to be replaced (2nd time replaced due to uneven wearing of tire). They didn't document the first replacement, my wife simply noticed that they had been changed out during a routine oil change. The dealership didn't document why they were replaced, but advised verbally that it had to do with a sway bar in the rear not functioning properly.
8/29/2006
1) Battery replaced (2nd time replaced). First time wasn't documented by dealership rather they simply advised my wife that there was some unusual corrosion noticed so it was done free of charge.
2) We were advised during this visit that all 4 tires needed to be replaced due to uneven wearing (at our expense). Note: this will be the 3rd "replacement" of these tires and vehicle only has just over 55,000 miles on it. Reason for uneven wearing was blamed on driver error. Essentially they stated that my pregnant wife (with a one year old in the back seat) was slamming on the brakes frequently causing the tires to skid across the pavement. Interestingly enough the brakes are fine so I'd give them a 10/10 on a quality scale.
You get a lot of "extra" features for the money on this make and model; however, the overall quality of the vehicle doesn't come close to comparing to that of some of its foreign competitors (previously owned a Honda Accord which is far superior in all categories, but you pay for that quality on the front end).
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 30th August, 2006
Looks great, but repair cost is ugly
Rear brake dome light detaches from mounts occasionally.
Leak in engine coolant/heater core at 10,000 miles.
Malfunctioning water pump at 10,000 miles.
Popping/grinding sounds in steering column when turning. Repacked the column under warranty, but the problem has returned.
Tires replaced at 25,000 miles due to excessive wear. Required realignment.
Recall on the rear lights.
Leaking power steering unit at 67,500. Uneven tire wear noted - requires realignment.
When I asked about having the steering wheel checked for the popping noise the Saturn service manager told me that it is a common problem on the L300. When he saw I had the water pump replaced he said that was another common problem!
At 67,500 miles the service manager recommended a special alignment kit to make future realignments easier! Sounds like they know this is a problem with the L300, too.
You MUST have the oil changed at Saturn because of the "special" filter. Many quick change places won't touch the L300 because the filter is known to leak.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 3rd July, 2006
12th Nov 2010, 10:30
My 2002 L300 lacks a transmission fluid dipstick, so there is no convenient way to check on the level or condition of the transmission fluid. Hard to maintain the car correctly when lacking such a simple check on the condition of the transmission fluid.