5th Oct 2005, 12:50

I too own a 93 SW2 (bought in April 94) - I'm the original owner and now have 121K miles on it. Haven't driven it much in last two years because the driver seat back collapses got so bad it became absolutely unsafe to drive. Problem started in 98 - 99 - Dealer denied it was manufacturer's defect and wanted over $600 to correct. Finally got the defective seat back recliners replaced so I could sell it in good conscience. Repairs cost $300. Other than that, it was a good car; amazing power and room, tho noisy. Too bad Saturn and its dealers gouge their customers and won't back their cars. Because of that lack of integrity, I'll never buy another Saturn.

28th Jul 2008, 10:55

I just bought a 1993 SW2 for 2400. It has 49000 miles on it and runs perfect.

I'm most impressed by the A/C. It's cold, and it gets cold fast.

Automatic seatbelts are annoying, but I'm getting used to it.

Overall, a great car in great shape.

7th Aug 2008, 09:05

Bought my SW1 used in 1999 with 114000 miles. Now nine years later and 225000 miles and after a fuel pump, starter, gas gage and a small cooling issue (sensor) it still is running GREAT. With preventive up keep I think it will reach 250000 with out to much of a problem. To get from point A to point B there is not a better car to do it in. IMHO.

27th Nov 2009, 12:59

I have a 1993 SW2 that I bought with 30-some-thousand miles on it in 1996. I almost never leave town, so today it is just eight miles shy of 100,000. I feel like I've jinxed myself, because I was all excited about finally having a car for more than 100,000 miles, and the poor Saturn is now sitting in a shop looking at a $400 repair bill. I took it in for an oil change the day before Thanksgiving, and the repair shop broke the bolt, and somehow the pan as well. They're blaming it on the previous lube shop. *sigh* I know I can't win this one -- they'll each just blame the other, I need a car, and I can't prove in court whose fault this was.

It has been a strange trip with "Goldie." I was glad I bought the extended warranty, because I had some five grand in engine work done during the first three years, and Saturn paid for all of it. I've had to replace the transmission. The automatic door locks have broken (though I fault a repair place with this -- the locks worked fine when I brought it in), and three out of four windows usually stick. The A/C broke years ago.

In the last five years, I've replaced the alternator, the starter, the radiator, and the brake rotors. Perhaps I should get another car, but I should think most cars have serious problems at 17 years of age. I'm not sure that the $500 or so a year I average in repairs is all that bad compared to new-car costs or the unknown liabilities of another used one.

In terms of everyday sorts of annoyance, the car is not all that comfy, it's loud, and the dealership is fifty miles away. I was told when I bought it that they were almost surely opening a dealership where I live, and that has never materialized. I do like that it's reasonably easy to make sense of things under the hood. I like that it's low to the ground. I like that it carries lots of things and people and animals. It handles pretty well. At least I like how it handles.

All in all, Goldie has been a pretty good car. I think it was worth what it cost, and I will miss Goldie whenever we say goodbye.

27th Nov 2009, 19:56

"I took it in for an oil change the day before Thanksgiving, and the repair shop broke the bolt, and somehow the pan as well."

The reason they have to replace the pan as well as the bolt, is because fixing the pan because of the bolt broken inside would probably end up costing more than just replacing the pan.