Are Saturns Reliable? A Complete Breakdown
Saturn Sky Redline by Reedred — CC-BY-SA-4.0
Despite being out of production these days, the demand for Saturns is still surprisingly high. A brand name under General Motors, Saturns were relatively well known and relatively popular while they were in production, and a lot of Saturn owners are still driving their vehicles today – years after the brand ceased to exist.
That says a lot about the reliability of a Saturn but may not be enough if you’re thinking about buying one used.
After all, the best-used vehicles are the most reliable ones and the ones that last for a long time without needing a ton of extra maintenance.
Here’s what you need to know on whether Saturns are reliable and whether it’s worth getting one these days.
Is The Saturn Reliable?
The fact that we’re still talking about Saturns, now more than a decade after the brand was taken out of production, should tell you a lot about the reliability behind the vehicles.
Saturns were in production for more than 20 years, but they weren’t ever profitable at that time. A lot of people dismiss this brand because of its low profitability but forget that one of the ways a vehicle can be unprofitable is if its parts are worth more than its selling price.
When it comes to a lot of Saturns, the problem was never with performance, but because General Motors couldn’t sell enough of them to match the costs of production.
That might not have been a great business decision, but it doesn’t mean that Saturns were ever unreliable.
In fact, the number of Saturns still on the streets is an indication that Saturn is one of the most reliable brands out there.
However, with most Saturns now aging and older than most popular vehicles, they may not be as reliable today as they once were. Let’s take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Saturn brand now, rather than just when they were being produced a decade ago.
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Strengths Of The Saturn
Saturns, when they were in production, were incredibly vulnerable. They are hardy vehicles that can handle a lot of driving. Like a lot of small to medium-size cars, most Saturns could be driven for a lot longer than larger vehicles.
The engine system is well designed, and most Saturns don’t have engine trouble for a lot longer than their competitors. They don’t tend to have oil leaks, and even the transmission system often needs less maintenance than average.
Saturn clutches are long-lasting. They were known to be a little picky on the manual Saturns, but their longevity more than makes up for the increased difficulty of driving a vehicle with a picky clutch.
Saturns are also still warranty protected in a lot of cases and offer impressive fuel efficiency for their age. In fact, many Saturns are on par with the fuel efficiency of much more recent models, if not quite as efficient as today’s hybrids and electrics.
That said, let’s take a look at Saturn’s weaknesses, especially given how old most Saturns are today.
Weaknesses Of The Saturn
Some of the most common weaknesses in Saturn reliability are the internal components and comfort features. While Saturn engines, transmissions, suspension, and brakes have tended to hold up well over long use, the seals on their doors, seats and internal finish haven’t always held up as well.
In fact, it’s common for a lot of the cabin seals and other features of a Saturn interior to have been replaced or upgraded. If that hasn’t already been done, it will likely need to be done soon.
Most Saturns on the road today are also dealing with the effects of high mileage and sensor failures. That comes with reduced fuel efficiency, a slightly rougher ride on the road, and higher maintenance costs if you want to keep your Saturn in good condition.
The last major weakness of Saturns is that we can’t really count on these vehicles to last more than a few more years, likely not more than a decade, before they start to break down in ways that can’t be easily repaired or then cost more than the vehicle is worth.
So, for all the strengths Saturns have and the famous Saturn reliability, they’re likely short-term investments and need to be priced lower because of their age and wear and tear.
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How Long Should You Expect A Saturn To Last?
Most Saturns on the road are already at least 10 years old. Vehicles that have been used for that whole 10 years are starting to show their age, and vehicles that were sitting for a significant part of the time still need maintenance and repair related to sitting idle.
Unfortunately, that means that most Saturns only have a few more years left in them, even though Saturns can function well past 200,000 miles on the odometer.
Older Saturns, especially the ones that are approaching 20 years old or older, should only be expected to last for another 3-5 years at most. Saturns that are only 10-11 years old will likely be good for 5-10 more years, but they will have slightly increased maintenance costs that whole time.
How Can You Increase A Saturn’s Reliability?
At this point, Saturns need a fair amount of care if you want to keep them reliable. They’ll need regular oil changes and may need certain sensors replaced to help keep the vehicle working well and reliably.
Driving smoothly, getting regular brake and suspension maintenance, and keeping the battery in good condition, are all important for extending the life of existing Saturns.
You should also consider replacing any cabin seals that are starting to fail since a failed seal can drastically decrease the aerodynamic efficiency of the vehicle, decreasing its fuel efficiency and putting more pressure on the brake and suspension systems.
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Final Verdict: Are Saturns Reliable?
The truth is that Saturns have already proven that they are incredibly reliable little cars, just through their continued popularity and how many people have refused to get an upgrade. However, their age means that Saturns will likely get less and less common and less and less reliable as time continues.
Buying a Saturn is still a good option for drivers who love their brand, but it may not be the best long-term option.
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