Faults:

Transmission went out 4 times in a space of 1 year.

General Comments:

I purchased this car because I had 100,000 miles on my Ford Escort, and was worried about the car giving up on me. I traded the Escort in for the Saturn. I had always wanted one, and had heard about their great reliability.

Well, that reliability was a bit short lived. I purchased the car with about 13000 miles, and was very happy with it for about 2 years. Then as they say the buck stops here, so did this car. The transmission started acting strange - shifting hard, popping into gears. I took it into the dealer and was told I just need a transmission checkup, you know, fix the gaskets, the fluid. .etc. Well, I paid 500 dollars for that.

About 2 months later, the transmission stopped shifting. If I had not driven a manual before, I would have have been in deep trouble driving off the interstate. I took it straight to the dealer. They kept the car for 1 month. The car was fixed and back on the road I go. After another 500 dollar payment, thank God for warranties.

About three months later, it went out again. I brought it back to the dealer. This time it stayed for four months. Luckily, my dad was able to let me use his car for that time, because car rental was not included. I got the car back, and drove it off the lot. We are now just at 38000 miles, a factory refurbished tranny, and another 500 dollars down.

Three months later, I left on an overseas trip to Aussieland and returned 6 weeks later. I drove the car for 3 weeks, and parked in a parking spot the tranny refused to reverse. I finally popped it into reverse with powers of persuasion, and drove it to the dealer once again. They looked at and said, we can fix the tranny, but you have to pay for the labor because it was less than a year since it was fixed. I was completely flabbergasted!!

They had kept my car for months, and fixed, only to find out that the parts they used were refurbished badly!! I walked out of the service department and up to a salesman. I explained the problem, and he put me in a new Saturn ION3. That car was a dream. NO problems and drove like a dream. I traded it in about a month before the company went bankrupt because of my previous services issues.

Faults:

Starter failed.

Wiper fluid doesn't spray (motor works, though).

Water pump failed.

General Comments:

Very basic car, manual everything except transmission.

Good gas mileage.

Easy to find parts and to repair.

Very slow to accelerate, but can get you from A to B.

Faults:

Tires, brakes, alternator in the first 200,000 miles.

Struts at 231,000 miles.

General Comments:

I give my cars good routine maintenance, and drive them moderately.

I get 35 mpg, even after 231,000 miles.

Without a doubt, this has been the best car I have ever owned. I cannot find a vehicle currently made that I would want to replace it with, so I will drive it until it can no longer be repaired. I am sorry that neither management nor union wanted to continue to prove just how good a car we could build in the US. To those who built my car, thank you. You did a great job.