I know manual transmissions aren’t for everyone, and newly minted drivers today most likely don’t know how to use a clutch and never will. This beautiful, Aquamarine 1995 Saturn SL2 is posted here on craigslist in Lynnwood, Washington (of course, it is, the good ones always are!), and they’re asking just $3,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Jack M. for the tip!
Whether new drivers don’t know how to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission because they don’t care about vehicles other than having reliable transportation, or because they weren’t brought up with manual transmission vehicles in the family, I’m not sure. It may be a combination of the two, but I think that as our vehicles get more tech-heavy, smoother, and easier to drive with one finger while you text with the other nine fingers, it’s hard to explain to someone with a fresh driver’s license how much fun it is to drive a car with a clutch. That isn’t to say that it’s always fun, like on Seattle’s hills at a stop light with the hulking SUV behind you just inches from your rear bumper, or while in stop-and-go rush hour traffic.
All that being said, I’m sure glad that there are still cars like this 31-year-old Saturn out there with a 5-speed manual. That it’s a four-door sedan makes it even cooler. This car is from Saturn’s first-generation of cars, back when car companies were thinking outside the box and not just as far as how many features and functions can be connected to your phone. They were thinking about different materials, different manufacturing processes, and different ways to buy cars from dealerships. Page 7 of this brochure shows the 1995 Saturn SL2.
The first-gen Saturns were made from 1990 for the 1991 model year until the end of 1995 for those with four doors. The SC (coupe) was made until 1996. They’re known for their wedge-like shape, and the SL2 is the one you want for its fantastic double-overhead cam engine, which puts out around 25% more horsepower than the SL1 engine. This is the ideal car, in my opinion, or at least the year and model. I’d like power windows, as much as I complain about modern features… But 1995 is when Saturn did away with the creaking automatic shoulder belts. You can see the 5-speed, along with seat covers and a steering wheel cover that would go away instantly under my watch. The back seat looks perfect. We don’t get to see inside the trunk, and there are no underside photos, but this is said to be a one-owner car with just 82,700 miles, and being from the Pacific NW, I’m assuming it’s as solid as most vehicles there are.
The 1.9-liter DOHC fuel-injected inline-four has 124 horsepower and 122 lb-ft of torque, and power is sent through the 5-speed manual to the front wheels. I had a 2002 SL1 sedan with a 5-speed, and it only had 100 hp. I had to use trucker lanes on trips across the country whenever I went over mountains; it wasn’t the best. The extra 24 horsepower would have come in handy. I got 42 mpg on the freeway with mine, and this one should be in the mid-30 mpg range. The seller says it starts easily, runs great, and has regular maintenance. I don’t know how you could go wrong with this car. It looks like a fly-in, drive-home car to me. Have any of you had a Saturn SL2 from this era? If so, did yours have a 5-speed?
Someone will end up with a good solid little car in great condition! Nice find!
When I saw this on Fast Finds I immediately thought of two things. 1. I really like this Saturn, it’s in absolutely mint condition. 2. I figured Scotty would write it up, and I’m glad you did. My wife and I came super close to buying an SL 1 ( more like Scottys than this one). These are terrific cars, very well engineered, someone is going to get a great car here. Thanks Scotty!! I knew you wouldn’t let me down.
I had a ’93 SL2, as mentioned on the last Satren[sic] post. It’s not something I would normally have bought, but needed a cheap beater, the Saturn covered both bases. Cheap, $500 bucks ( in 2000), and had 220,000 miles, qualifying it as a beater. While I didn’t really care for the car, everything still worked, and still got 30mpg. I respectfully have to disagree with Dave, I thought it was a very poorly engineered car. One had to remove the right front tire to get at the oil filter, changing a starter was a nightmare, and the belt tensioner, FORGETABOUTIT. Might want to keep a spare coil pack on hand. Took me a while to find the fuel filter too, and the seats were terrible. Hardly what I’d call a “import fighter”. Then,,,I hit a turkey with the darn thing, shattered the windshield, just try and find one. When I did, it cost almost as much as the car. The motor was the best part, and I did put at least another 20K until the speedo broke. I sold the car for $450, so almost cost free driving, but I’d never buy another. Now, my daughter had a SC1, that was a much improved car, but I read Saturn operated in the red since 1998! We won’t even begin to talk about the Ion, the poster child for recalls. A pretty clear example of you simply can’t win against the big guys, but a heck of a try.
Loved the write up! Sounds like you went through it; and the poor turkey.😂
I remember one of these came into my body shop years ago for a collision repair. Needed a quarter panel replacement and I groaned thinking about the 20 hour repair job. Book time for it was under 2 hours I think – oh yeah plastic panels!
Stock up on the parts you can find now if you buy this. They are already difficult to find.
Great article Mr. Scotty Gilbertson!! Great find Jack M.!! You just have to drive one to experience the great engine! A 5 speed to boot! A beautiful car for a beautiful price! You really have to appreciate how well many people take care of thier car! This owner deserves a trophy and many thanks for taking care of thier car so well!
I bought the coupe version of this brand new (in almost the same color) in 1994 when I graduated college. It was my first brand new car, and the first that I had paid for myself. It was a great car. It took me from the middle of the country to live on both coasts in the span of 8 years, and I sold it with somewhere in the neighborhood of 185,000 still on its original clutch and second set of brakes. It probably is my third favorite car that I have ever owned and if Saturn was still around selling cars today, I would consider them for my next purchase.
Great write-up, Scotty! You know Saturns and your narratives are both accurate and enjoyable. The twin-cam and five-speed combination was fun to drive in a car other drivers often wouldn’t expect performed so well.
Regrettably, nearly every Saturn featured here prompts the same comment that asserts a fallacy about needing to remove a front tire to change the oil filter. That. Is. Not. True. Clearly someone who simply didn’t know it wasn’t necessary, and won’t recognize that.
Well, I’ll tell ya’, this according to A.I., 1) raise and secure passenger side with jack stands, and REMOVE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL.2) remove splash guard to expose back of engine 3) remove oil filter. Now my daughters SC1 had the filter right in front of the motor, but all sites I checked, said SL removal of front wheel was the easiest way.
I had a 2000 sl2 for a number of years I never pulled a tire or inner fender to change the filter. I go it from underneath. just need the right filter wrench.
Forget AI—any former Saturn tech will confirm that removing the front wheel on a S-Series is not necessary. (And, all S-Series models—SL, SC, and SW; single-cam and twin-cam—had the oil filter in the same place, toward the back of the engine.) But, if one wants to go through all that trouble when it isn’t necessary, by all means…
These were decent little cars I think GM messed up during their bankruptcy they should have merged Saturn with GMC and restyled the cars I bet they would still have been profitable today instead they used the same parts bin of every other GM company so cars like this at a glance looks like a 4 door Geo storm
Car sold, or at least Craigslist listing deleted.