"Coty" (coty) 08/30/2014 at 21:38 • Filed to: None

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Someone school me on everything I need to know about SL1s, a '99 to be specific.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Coty 08/30/2014 at 21:40

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WHY?

Coty > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic 08/30/2014 at 21:44

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Winter beater.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Coty 08/30/2014 at 21:45

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Get a bug for that.

Coty > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic 08/30/2014 at 21:47

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Noooo, be good to bugs. Kill the Saturns.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Coty 08/30/2014 at 21:48

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Had an 01 as first car.

Rated at 99hp. So not very quick

Gas mpg is muy bueno

Panels are plastic so no rust and dent resistant

Overall it was a pretty reliable car

Only issues i had was idle air control valve and the EGR valve

Desu-San-Desu > Coty 08/30/2014 at 21:48

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Don't do it.

End of session.

If you absolutely must do it, get some awesome winter tires. These things understeered like you wouldn't believer when it gets slippery.

ly2v8-Brian > Coty 08/30/2014 at 21:50

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It will become you favorite because beating a beater is so much fun.

Coty > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 08/30/2014 at 21:54

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How expensive were those parts? Don't need exact numbers obviously.

Coty > Desu-San-Desu 08/30/2014 at 21:55

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Hmmmmm.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Coty 08/30/2014 at 21:55

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Pretty cheap. I just got the Napa versions for both i think.

jariten1781 > Coty 08/30/2014 at 22:00

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Our local dealer advertised them by banging the plastic panels with hammers. I imagine they've all turned incredibly brittle by now so that's probably not a good idea anymore (if it ever was ).

That's all I really remember about them.

Coty > jariten1781 08/30/2014 at 22:04

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You also know some of them are a FUCKING AMAZING SHADE OF PURPLE, as evidenced by the above photo.

Desu-San-Desu > Coty 08/30/2014 at 22:09

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Not kidding. I'm talking dangerous levels of understeer. Like, go to turn at an intersection at 15 miles per hour and the wheel is cranked and you're sitting there plowing towards headlights hoping you can slow down in time before the crunch. And that was with fresh powder, not ice.

Conan > Coty 08/30/2014 at 22:22

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Winter tires are critical for beater duties. They will do bad things in the snow. Otherwise not a bad choice. Can pull 40s on gas if manual.

Coty > Conan 08/30/2014 at 22:27

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Snow is why I'm buying it, so will I be ok with winters or will I die a horrible death anyway?

Conan > Coty 08/30/2014 at 22:36

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With winter tires it is perfectly serviceable. I think you could still run into trouble but only in serious drifts.

Birddog > Coty 08/30/2014 at 22:43

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Run. Run like your ass is on fire and your head's about to catch.

Especially for "beater" grade cars.

cbell04 > Coty 08/30/2014 at 22:46

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Had 2 friends with sl1's and 2 with a sl2's both sl1's suffered from mid rev range miss fires that even after coil packs , wires, and plugs they just learned to live with (look it up no way its not common considering 2of 4 saturn friends experienced this). They both ate spark plugs regularly to keep them running smoothly. Both sl1's were pizza delivery cars and never died but were hated by their owners and anyone else that came into contact with them. Side note I almost crashed one of the sl1's due to lack of power steering. Not a big deal but just didn't realize it didn't have it until I was pulling into a parking spot and had to instantly man up to get it to finish the turn into the spot. At the time I owned a 92 ford tempo that could be driven with a pinky finger it was so overly electronically steered so took me by surprise that a car 5-6 years newer didn't have power steering or some form of steering assist but his was a super base zero options model. Over all I personally would steer clear as that all went down over 14 years ago when the sl1's mentioned were still pretty fresh ( maybe 3-5 years old). Could only imagine the trouble they could have at this age. And slow as balllllls.

desertdog5051 > Coty 08/31/2014 at 00:13

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With all props to Desu, they are no worse than any other lighweight FWD car. My son had one for several winters and had no problems with it "understeering". You just have to learn how it drives. Which is no different than any other car. 42 MPG highway was not too hard to deal with either.

OttoMaddox > Coty 08/31/2014 at 19:08

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Hold out for an SL2, preferably with a stick.

Coty > OttoMaddox 09/01/2014 at 08:54

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I can't control what comes into the dealership. And this has a stick.

Coty > cbell04 09/01/2014 at 08:56

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Doesn't need to be fast, and only needs to make it to March.

OttoMaddox > Coty 09/01/2014 at 12:07

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If it's priced right, buy it and run it until it drops.