SW1/SW2 advice?

I have a 1998 SW2 with ~113k miles and it's been a wonderful car. I've done no major repairs and the car has never left me stranded or died when I was on the road. (flat tires or me leaving the dome light on and killing the battery don't count)

It's basically the same car as the 1998 SL2. Other than the obvious difference (two extra side windows and taller cargo space behind the back seats... duh, it's a station wagon) the only differences I'm aware of are that there was no factory sunroof available (apparently the roof is that different) and the 60/40 split fold rear seats have a crossbar attached to the 60% side so you can only fold it 40% or 100%, not 60%. You get a rear wiper and matching extra switch up front, and a cargo cover for the back. The SW2 is a few pounds (60?) heavier. Also, chicks dig station wagons. Well, at least they won't accuse you of compensating for something. :)

-DanD

I had a '97 SW2 and now have a '01 SW2. Both were bought new and were manual shift. On both cars, the battery went bad within 3 years or 36k miles. The '01 battery also corroded the positive cable to the extent it needed replacement. Both cars are sensitive to out-of-balance wheels. The '97 had pulsing brakes due to warped rotors. Fixed under warranty. My '01 pulses and shudders under some braking conditions and it depends to some extent on the road surface. Very unpleasant. I think one or more of my wheels is damaged but I haven't gotten around to checking them out or replacing them. The '01 had a leaking exhaust manifold gasket at 24k miles and a leaking clutch slave cylinder at 21k. The computer module had to be replaced at 37k (out of warranty, ouch) when the temperature and tank gauges began persistently reading at maximum. The stock Firestone tires were pretty bad- rough and and noisy ride, prone to squealing around corners. I bought Goodyear Weatherhandler LS tires which I'm quite satisfied with. I bought the set in '00 for the '97 and then transferred them to the '01 when I bought the newer model. I have about 49k on them and they still have several thousand miles left. My mileage per gallon is excellent. I've gotten as high as 40 mpg on the highway. Around town the mileage is probably in the upper twenties. In general, the ride is a bit rough, since the cars are essentially inexpensive compacts. I would get more comfort with a larger design wagon, though I would have had to spend more money. The wider tires with the SW models help a little. I hated to see the odometer reach 36k, when the warranty expired. I'm not all that impressed with SW2's, although they are more or less cheap to own. I follow the maintenance schedule religiously.

r.b.

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (ChrisPlatt) wrote in message news:...

I've got a 2000 SW2 automatic with 69k km. It has been reliable, except for the common leaking intake manifold gasket. The car was out of warranty, but Saturn Canada paid for the repair. It gets excellent highway gas mileage. The stock noisy Firestones were replaced early on with Goodyear Aquatred 3's. Much quieter and no more hydroplaning. Would I buy another? No. I'd get a Mazda3 5 door or Focus wagon. The SW2 is truly an economy car. It's noisy and not particularly well assembled. Parts are horrendously priced at the dealer.

I bought a 99 SW2 when it first came out, and have had good success with it so far. It's a bit small for me at 6'6", but sufficient. I've only replaced some sensors so far, but aws the other replies suggest your experience may vary. It's a good car for the value from what I've seen, if you take care of it. I plan to get a Scion xB soon to replace it due to seating space, but my wife has the Vue and it has done very well over the last year or so. Saturn is still offering 0% financing in my area, I'd suggest you look at a new ION1 instead of a used SW, repair costs could add up quickly.