“Convenient as they may be, four doors aren’t the answer for everyone. Some people have other, more pressing needs to fulfill. Like one of those lifelong and burning desires to own a sport coupe. A vehicle known for its sleek lines, aerodynamic qualities, and ability to accentuate the pure pleasure of driving.” So says a brochure touting the 1991 Saturn line, including their SC Coupe. This 634-mile time capsule can be found here on craigslist in Costa Mesa, California and they’re asking $9,500. Here is the original listing – thanks to numskal for the tip!
Based on GM’s front-drive, front-engine Z-platform, the new line of outside-the-box Saturns came out in 1990 for the 1991 model year and they were different. As most of you know, they had polymer plastic side panels that were, for the most part, ding-free. They could still chip if a runaway shopping cart ran into your door, but gone were the days of bodywork. I had a 2002 Saturn SL-1 five-speed sedan and it was fantastic, got 42 mpg, and looked the same for years with no door dings.
The other unusual feature of this new car company would be its no-haggle showrooms. A lot of you may remember those commercials. It’s a shame that after 2007, no Saturn models came with plastic body panels, the end was near. Consisting of mainly rebadged Opels, they stopped production in 2010 when the bottom fell out of GM, and many other too-big-to-fail U.S. corporations.
I almost openly wept when I saw that this car had an automatic transmission rather than a five-speed manual. My four-door SL-1 was fun to drive with a manual, even if the shifter was a bit long and rubbery. Still, a manual is a manual and they’re more engaging than a car with an automatic generally is, especially a “sport coupe” like this incredible SC with just 634 miles on it. As expected, the interior looks brand new and I’d bet that the back seat has never been sat in. I wish the seller would have shown the rear cargo area and an underside photo, just to rub it in how great this car looks.
Four gold stars to this seller for including an engine photo in a craigslist ad! I almost openly wept yet again. This car has a Saturn 1.9-liter DOHC inline-four with 123 horsepower and 122 lb-ft of torque. Sending power to the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission doesn’t make for the sportiest drive, but this car appears to be in incredible condition and has so few miles on it to make it really interesting. Have any of you owned a Saturn?
Good thing it’s only 634 miles. Any more than that, the transmission would go out.
My cousin drove her automatic transmission Saturn past 200,000 miles and never had problems with engine and trans! She maintained her Saturn’s fluids religiously. She was disappointed when GM was forced to drop the brand.
It’s like buying a brand new 30 year old car! Where it’s been kept with so few miles is anyone’s guess, but if it runs like it did when it came out from the factory, it’s well worth it compared to the expensive, modern turds that pollute the roadways, nowadays….
Owned an SL2,burned oil like you wouldn’t believe, headliner was junk, finally sold it for $300 to a guy that needed a car for his growing family and an F350 was hard to park in a grocery store lot, and the wife couldn’t drive it….lol
Unlike Bud Lee here, I for one had a Saturn SC 2 3 door coupe in metallic blue with gray interior. It got great gas mileage and was fun to drive when bought it when gas was over 4 dollars a gallon in 2008. The only reasons why I traded it in was because of GM’s bad choice of discontinuing of the brand and wanted something better suited for winter driving.
I had over 250,000 miles on my SL-1 sedan before it started to nickel and dime ($500 to $1,000) me to death and I sold it. It still looked like new, those panels were genius, in my opinion. I can’t believe a car company hasn’t made ding-proof, rust-proof panels again, at least on a large scale as Saturn did.
A buddy of mine had a 4 door Saturn SL1 w/a manual transmission. I was always shocked he got the manual—he didn’t care for cars at all.
Bought a new 2002 SL1 sedan 5-speed for my then wife. She was an absolute butcher with cars. Full on brake, full on gas. Parked by feel and she was a well calloused woman, I tell you. I said “here, try to kill this.” Whispered a prayer for that car every time I heard it start up.
It performed Yeoman duties. No complaints. (From me. From the little woman? Oh boy!)
I was one of the first 300 engineers Saturn hired. I took out 1 and 2 year leases on on sedans, coupes and wagons for my wife and daughters. At least 12 cars over the years. Great cars and brand that was killed by GM. The Saturn Equinox SUV was the first small SUV made by GM.
That small SUV was called the Saturn VUE launched in 2001 as a 2002 model.
Son in law had a Vue and loved it. Put a slew of miles on it, never needed much.
I currently own an 07 Vue with over 267,000 miles on it and although the insurance company is probably going to deem it a total loss from a hit and run driver I’m looking for a replacement one once they finally come and appraise the damahe. I love my plastic SUV !!!
You’re right. Saturn Vue was first. Chevy Equinox was derived from the Vue. Same architecture, I worked on that program with Suzuki
Jim A. How did it work out for you? Get everything you wanted out of your career?
That sir, is a jab below the belt.
I work in spring Hill Tennessee building the Saturn, 1991 to 2009.
It wasn’t a Saturn equinox SUV, it was the Saturn Vue, I purchased one of the first black red lines we built.
Love that car, had the V6 Honda engine!
Jim, I don’t know where you worked but my Uncle Wayne Mason and his son, Scott, both worked at Saturn in Spring Hill, TN back in the day. Those names ring a bell?
I worked at Light-duty Truck at GM PG in the mid/late eighties and we shared garage space with the Saturn guys. Saw the car in development up until I left in ’91 around the time they went on sale. My personal experience with one was a ’91 SL-2 sedan that I drove when I was between demonstrators. Even at seven or eight years old the car was tight and smooth. The automatic performed well, the car got good mileage and everything worked. I enjoyed the car but probably liked the Caravan better.
Saturn donated a lot of cars to hospitals to use indoors in rehab departments for patients to practice ingress and egress. Wonder if this is one of those recommissioned.
Is it just me, or does it seem like we never get the story behind an ultra-low mileage car like this one? I’m picturing someone buying into the hype that Saturn was going to revolutionize the auto industry and stashing this one away, figuring future collectors would pay big for a pristine example of the car that changed everything.
It’s apparently never been titled, so the buyer will be the first owner. I wonder if it’s under factory warranty!
This may not be the most pleasing of posts, but the Saturn to most ferrin’ car folks, was a joke. To that I say, go eat your foreign car for lunch. I know, harsh words, and I apologize to the author, who knows full well how I feel, but to me, the Saturn was a giant middle finger to the imports, that’s right, if us Americans set our minds to it, we can win wars. I had a SL2 I got cheap, it had over 200K on it, aside from poor locations of vital things, like take the RF tire off for oil filter access and a starter, furgetaboutit, but it was a great car. Never cared for the “hangman’s noose” seatbelt, but still got 30+ mpg, and never did anything to it. After my daughters Dodge Shadow, we got a SC1, and she loved it. It was kind of an Opel GT, with none of the goofiness. For the record, this is a SC2, for the twin cam, SC1 a single cam, but,,and here it comes,, I never could excuse someone for buying a foreign car, considering what that did to our economy, when proof positive, we could do it. All you foreign car owners, hang your heads in shame. The Spring Hill facility was idled for several years, now rumored to build the hoaky Cadillac EV. What a kick in the knickers,,,
Okay then, after a little nap and a cup of joe, similar to that nap on the exit ramp, all smiles again. I apologize to the foreign car owners, again, I’d hate to derail the authors excellent post with such trivial matters. The Saturn is a classic example, of which there were many in our past, of a “can’t win, don’t try” situation, but you have to admit, Saturn gave it a shot. Foreign cars weren’t the only cause, fact is, the Ion was the poster child for recalls. Did you know, the main reason for failure was Saturn operated in the red since 1994, and by 2000, was losing $3000 on every car it built. The Asians did it for half the cost INCLUDING shipping. That,my friends, was mighty hard to compete with. Sometimes the “old man” spills out, and I apologize, although he never did, and think of it this way, this site is saving the state of Colorado thousands in psychiatric costs,,, peace all.
There was a coolant issue with a batch of Saturns back in the early 90’s. Saturn ended up quarantining about 1000 cars that were supposed to be crushed. Got to see them before they were crushed and lot of them had the headliner separating from sitting in the Tennessee summer. I wonder if one got away?
By the way, Saturn was a great company to work with back then. I had a feeling it couldn’t last because they didn’t do things the “GM” way. GM reeled them back in about 1996 and…..
I had one of these given to me,with a blown head gasket,if you’re over 5’8,forget it, I’m 6′ and could barely get in it,I donated it to a rescue facility.
I’m 6’3″ and I’ve owned multiple Saturns (SL’s and SC’s). What are you talking about? I fit in them fine.
When you’re taller/bigger you learn to adapt. Regular size people have the world revolve around them.
My experience with a Saturn was all positive. Bought on a no-dicker-sticker it worked great until sold. I STILL see it running around. I was really surprised that after they figured it all out, they dropped it.
With the cheapest new car at 30K this is probably a good deal relative to that, but a lot for a Saturn.
I would drive it I think it’s overpriced $5k at best but just like other older cars simple parts are getting harder to find
It’s like buying a brand new 30 year old car! Where it’s been kept with so few miles is anyone’s guess, but if it runs like it did when it came out from the factory, it’s well worth it compared to the expensive, modern turds that pollute the roadways, nowadays….
Saturn died a slow death because GM, in usual stupid form, decided to pour money into Hummer instead of proper development of Saturn. Thery went for short term big profits over building reliable affordable cars they were more practical. They are doing it now as well. Next time they fall on their ass financially, I do not want to bail them out again. The Asians will run the car biz in the near future, any maybe thats okay.
Have disagree with Mr. Lee…I bought a ’96 Saturn SC-2 in ’97 with 10,000 miles on it. Never had any problems with the automatic transmission and that engine was still running strong and getting 36 mpg when I finally sold it in 2016 with 272,000 miles on it. Got a whopping $350 for it. For all I know, “Susie” might be still on the roads somewhere around Orlando…
My sister bought one of the early year 4-door models and loved it for the dependable use and fuel efficiency. Later she bought the wagon and I bought it from her with over 100k miles and drove it for awhile before selling it to our nephew who needed cheap transportation in college. I was super impressed with the amount of HP that the 4 cylinder developed with the 5-speed manual transmission and initially thought it was a 6 cylinder engine. Great vehicles in my opinion!
Saturns weren’t bad cars, but were not competitive with Japanese cars of the time.
Thanks to all during my rant and not judged too harshly. Two topics in the automotive world that gets me into that funk, are AMC and Saturn. I realize, it’s not fair to compare our world with the Asians. I read, the typical hourly pay for an Asian assembly line worker, is about 1,248 yen, or about $8 bucks an hour. They live in 600sg. ft. apartments, and ride motorized suitcases to work. Compare that to OUR world, where hourly wage is almost triple, we must, for some reason, live in mansions the King of Siam would like, and drive $50,000 dually pickups 3 miles, something had to give. It’s why we’re in the global jam we’re in today. I suppose we can drive what we want, and not “ordered” to buy a GAZ or a AvtoVAZ. USA, USA,,,,
had a 98 sl2 and it was indestructible that is why GM stopped production
not mine but the same great car