From Saturn to Sonic

[MarkS]

Are there any other former Saturn owners here?

I ordered my Saturn in September 1994 and dutifully waited for the elves in Spring Hill to assemble it on October 14, 1994. With a low 192,000 miles on it (original clutch, rear brakes, etc.--never even had the valve covers off) it was traded for a 2013 Sonic LS (5 speed) on January 24, 2014.

GM Flexcard was offering an extra $4,000 rebate on the car so I couldn't resist.

So far it beats the Saturn on power, handling, and comfort. Fuel economy is about the same at 43.1 mpg.

But I'll never forget the amazing Saturn.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Welcome to the family MarkS!! :banana:

My older son managed to kill his Saturn about 8 years ago.

 

[DaBlackapino]

So your Saturn didn't look like THAT when you traded it in did it? & 192,000 Miles...& YA Got an offer...WOW!!!! Congrats on THAT.

 

[zippypcs]

I traded in a 1995 SW2 red wagon when I bought my Sonic.

The dealer had just the car I wanted.

Saturn had many miles on it.

I have managed to get better MPG from my Sonic than the Saturn ever got.

Driving 40 plus miles to work each day I average 37-38 for MPG.

My Sonic is much nicer car than the Saturn was as well in LTZ trim.

 

[MarkS]

Thanks Yosemite Sam!

I trust that your son made it out of the Saturn uninjured. I've met a few folks who defied death in a Saturn crash.

Mark

 

[MarkS]

So your Saturn didn't look like THAT when you traded it in did it? & 192,000 Miles...& YA Got an offer...WOW!!!! Congrats on THAT.

Oh no! It looked just about the same as the day it was delivered with 5 miles on it. (Except for the rusting front subframe...)

Mine is a silver Sonic, too.

 

[MarkS]

I traded in a 1995 SW2 red wagon when I bought my Sonic.

The dealer had just the car I wanted.

Saturn had many miles on it.

I have managed to get better MPG from my Sonic than the Saturn ever got.

Driving 40 plus miles to work each day I average 37-38 for MPG.

My Sonic is much nicer car than the Saturn was as well in LTZ trim.

The Saturn was the plain SL with three options: ABS, AC, and RH mirror. (The Saturn wagon was a dream car then.) How many cars out there had manual steering and ABS? MPG was 42.4 over the life of the car.

The Sonic is the LS 5 speed with zero options. MPG reads 43.1 and is still rising.

The Saturn gearbox was more forgiving but I'm adjusting. The high seating of the Chevrolet is much better than the low Saturn, especially since I'm twenty years older!

 

[$ub$onic]

The Saturn was the plain SL with three options: ABS, AC, and RH mirror. (The Saturn wagon was a dream car then.) How many cars out there had manual steering and ABS? MPG was 42.4 over the life of the car.



The Sonic is the LS 5 speed with zero options. MPG reads 43.1 and is still rising.



The Saturn gearbox was more forgiving but I'm adjusting. The high seating of the Chevrolet is much better than the low Saturn, especially since I'm twenty years older!

Your getting pretty good mpg for a 1.8.

The f17 is a good trans, change the stock fluid and it's a little happier.

My Honda wagon has power steering but non-abs brakes

 

[Sonic_Boost]

I had a 98 saturn sc2 with 36k miles on it when i got rid of it for my sonic 2 years ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Thanks Yosemite Sam!

I trust that your son made it out of the Saturn uninjured. I've met a few folks who defied death in a Saturn crash.

Mark

That Saturn saved his life. Walked away uninjured!

 

[MarkS]

Your getting pretty good mpg for a 1.8.

The f17 is a good trans, change the stock fluid and it's a little happier.

My Honda wagon has power steering but non-abs brakes

I am a conservative driver, contributing to the high mileage.

That relieves my fears about the transmission. I test drove the automatic but my driving style confounded its shift program. So once again I bought a manual.

 

[MarkS]

I had a 98 saturn sc2 with 36k miles on it when i got rid of it for my sonic 2 years ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It the front subframe was rust-free I would have taken it!

 

[$ub$onic]

I am a conservative driver, contributing to the high mileage.



That relieves my fears about the transmission. I test drove the automatic but my driving style confounded its shift program. So once again I bought a manual.

No fears about the trans, just shifts better with new fluid. I have 52k of dd and track abuse. O issues. Just avoid wheel hop

 

[MarkS]

That Saturn saved his life. Walked away uninjured!

It is good to hear that.

The Chevrolet salesman told me that he had totaled a Saturn--was hit from the rear by a truck and the Saturn was upended into another vehicle. He walked away.

Years ago the president of the local Saturn club was hit by a pickup, knocked off the road, and rolled several times. She also walked away.

Let's hope that none of us test our Sonics this way.