2001 Saturn L consumer reviews

I bought it used 2 and a half years ago. It had 76,000 miles on it. I love this car! The seats are less than comfortable on a long trip, but more comfortable than most out there. The power the engine puts out just flat out snaps my neck. Of course I mean the V6. I researched that after I bought it. Turns out the Saab used the same V6. Sure, I've had issues with my car. I've had a rogue short in my lighting system... either the driver side fog light or driver side tailight takes turns blowing. I've had just a few repairs done, though all have been major expenses. It started with a blown MAF, shredded timing belt, and most recently the oil cooler went out, spewing oil on the pavement faster than I could put it back in. The a/c went out last summer too. But it's now almost 10 years old, with 130,000 miles on it. It's going to have issues at this age/mileage. But other than that, I plan on driving the car til it just won't drive any more. It's been relaible other than that, because it's never left me on the side of the road!

This was my first car, obviously i have another car now (Nissan Cube) and i loved it. So reliable and i would recommend this to so many people looking for a bargain. Saturn, you have out done yourself.

I bought the car new in 2001 and thought I would only keep it for 5 years. I also never planned to buy an American car. The car has exceeded my expectations and been very reliable. It started needing repairs in the fall of 2008: -water pump -fuel pump -heater core -axle shaft The car now has 134,000 miles. I was hoping it would make it to 200K but now I'm not so sure. I am happy to so far have 3 more years out of the car than I originally thought. I plan on keeping it through the rest of this year.

It's not worth the expenditure. In the first 5 years, I had to put an additional $10K of work into the car on things that should not have worn out so early (like the catalytic converter before 40,000 miles and the rack and pinion assembly before 60,000). Based on the glowing reviews of Saturn, I had expected more value and reliability.

When I bought the Saturn 2001, L200 in 2003, with 16000 miles on it, the car drove great however it started to accelerate slow however after taking it to the dealership I found out about the recalls and I had many repair done at no cost. After the repairs the Saturn L200 preformed great, I now have 70,000 on it. The reason for my review is to allow owners to check for recalls. The car was a lease, used.

Appart from my volvo this is the niceiest car i have ever owned. It is safe and reliable. The car is smooth compaired to my old chevrolet metro. The contols on the steering weel are great and the leather around the E break and the shifter is lushious. When i baught it every one of of my friends said it was a sexy beast I love this car.

When I acquired the Saturn L100 a year ago from an older sibling who had purchased it new and chosen to replace it with a new Honda, I was very excited. I was hoping that the car would be a fitting replacement for my 1993 Saturn SC2 that I had purchased new in 1992. It's not. The drive train is very underpowered, and the transmission always seems to take too long to shift (both up and down). I really wish it was a manual. At highway speeds, the car vibrates. I've replaced tires and had them balanced, as well as having the alignment checked, yet the vibrations come and go seemingly at will. The interior is extremely spartan. Granted, it wasn't in the best shape when I got it, but nothing I've tried has gotten the carpet or seats clean. The plastic dashboard is cheaply made and utilitarian with absolutely no bells or whistles. The console has no storage at all and is basically a pointless shelf. The seats are hard - very hard. Like sitting on a plastic or wood bench hard. Definitely not good for long trips. The basic CD player/radio that (I think) came standard in the car doesn't play any CD past track 4 without skipping, and at least two of the speakers have blown (keep in mind that this vehicle was never owned or driven by anyone under age 50). One positive note, the A/C works extremely well. Exterior styling is extremely blah. The polymer body panels are holding up well, but the paint is not - it's begun oxidizing in the Florida sun. Unfortunately before I got the vehicle the finish wasn't well cared for, and it shows. In addition, I appear to have the only L series car I've ever seen without the reflector panel on the rear trunk lid which takes away any charm that the rear of the car might have had. There is little I can do to improve the appearance of the car, because there are no commercially available accessories for the car. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I really had thought that this car would have at least been as good as my older car, yet I could not have been more wrong. I know that this car was a compromise for Saturn, based heavily on the european Opel Vectra. Having had an Opel in the family before (a 1974 Manta) and being an Opel and Vauxhal fan I am doubly disappointed. I'm counting the days until I can replace the car with something more family friendly and comfortable. And I don't think it will be another Saturn.

I loved everything about this car until it hit 70k miles. I have now discoverd the history of what goes wrong between 70k and 80k: 1-Body Control Moduel-BCM computer 2-Water pump leaks 3-Something called MAF sensor 4-Oil Cooler 5-Timeing belt 6-Solonoid in transmission 7-Thermostat To repair these things costs in excess of $5000.00. More than the car is worth. If buying a 2001 L300, check to see if these things have been replaced. Considering I paid full retail when I purchased it new, I expected better. The car runs great for the expected first owner. Typically people take a 5 year loan and run 60 to 70k in those 5 years, then trade in for a new one. Used car buyer beware.

This is one of four Saturns our family has owned (one of two we own right now, the other being a wagon), which should indicate how highly we regard the brand. It's nothing fancy, but we're common-sense people who need transportation, not some monstrous ego-mobile that fouls the environment while calling attention to ourselves. This car handles well around town and on the open road. It performs well without being overpowered. It's comfortable on long trips and has great trunk capacity -- with a split rear seat that folds down for even more. We live in a harsh winter climate with lots of road salt, and this car has had no corrosion problems; I can't say that for the cars I've owned with all-metal bodies. My only real complaint is small: It can be difficult to see when backing up because the rear end with that big trunk is unusually high.

I have had my 2001 Saturn L200 for almost a year and it is the best car I have ever owned. It is a very low mantainence car that is very good on gas! It is very spacious that even the back seat passengers can sit comfortably, even the trunk is very spacious you can fit all kinds of things in. I would definitly recommend this car to everyone.