mid 2000's Saturn VUE?

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Huie83

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The lease on my car is up soon and I've decided to change priorities and dump my car payment/rent depending on how you look at it and use it to pay off school loans and what not.

I have saved up around $3K for a A-B/Get me to work type of vehicle.

There are numerous mid 2000's Saturn Vue's with the 2.2 Ecotec and 5 speed for cheap, like $2K cheap. All have around 100K-130K miles and look to be in really good shape. I Know the 2.2 won't win any races but seems to get around 26-28MPG's in that platform which would be nice.

Are these pretty reliable? They seem very simple. I am very mechanically inclined but don't want to have to work on it every weekend during my free time.

I don't want a car as I have a few kids to tote around every once and a while and I also would like something to make Home Depot runs in when need be.

Opinions, any other ideas in that price range? I know $3K in this used car marked doesn't go very far...
 
The 2.2 Ecotechs aren't fancy or fast but they are extremely reliable. I have 160k on my Malibu without any mechanical issues or oil consumption. I can't speak for the vehicle as a whole but the engine is bulletproof.
 
The 2.2 Ecotec/Getrag 5 speed combo is bullet proof. VUEs ride good and handle pretty well, too.

I would have no reservation getting one used.
 
Up thru 2004 they had timing chain problems.

Supposedly you can change the tensioner from outside the engine and fix it from that point forward.

Look for undercarriage rot on brake lines and rear subframes.

Also consider LW200s, 40 cu feet of cargo space, maybe even more than the VUE. Same brand, same engine.
 
Also, has anyone ever replaced a VUE's body panels? One is fuly loaded, leather, sunroof, just over 100K miles but has a 4" crack in the drivers rear quarter.

Looks like other Saturn's you can just unbolt the panels and bolt a new one on?
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Up thru 2004 they had timing chain problems.

Supposedly you can change the tensioner from outside the engine and fix it from that point forward.



I just read that also. The one I am seriously looking at is a 05 so we should be ok there.

That brings up another question. If I find a 04 or older, is the timing chain issue good leverage for a bargaining point to bring the price down further or would that [censored] a seller off?
 
I had a 2005 Vue with the 2.2 Eco-Tec and a 5 speed manual.

-The engine is GUTLESS, but otherwise reliable. Was starting to see some oil consumption (about 1qt per 2k) over the last 10k or so I owned it. Manual transmission is a must to keep the revs up for any kind of power.
-The transmission is vague feeling when shifting, but also otherwise reliable
-I had many small issues in the 5 years, 100k I owned it. Rear wiper motor, radio/CD unit, gauge issues. All fairly easy to fix or replace.
 
Funny, I was just looking at a couple of Vue's on CL myself. I suspect all the CVT models have been turned into razor blades by now--but if you see one, RUN don't walk. Later V6 models used a Honda engine, which would be timing belt; but I don't know if the earlier 3L Saturn V6 is belt or not. Just stating, I know you are after I4's but I also know how car shopping goes.

I'd look into the timing chain tensioner issue. I don't know if youtube has a vid showing how to do the job on a Vue specifically, but I know I've watched one or two on the Cobalts.
 
Originally Posted By: Huie83


That brings up another question. If I find a 04 or older, is the timing chain issue good leverage for a bargaining point to bring the price down further or would that [censored] a seller off?


It's difficult to bring reasoning like this into a used car purchase. "One assumes" the market will price a car for its average faults, timing chains included, then the seller could counter with "well I have receipts for 5K OCIs and never had any problems." Then you're stuck with a car that runs, doesn't make any noise, and you both admitted is better than average and worth buying.

If I were selling an 03 VUE, I'd say it runs fine, never had any trouble, always did the maintenance. If you don't come within a couple hundred of my asking price I'll have you walk and let someone else, not as into cars, buy it because it has a 1/8" jack on the radio or whatever.

Maybe you could find a consumer reports with black dots for 04s and red dots for 05s and just casually mention you're looking at an 05 the next town over and they get better marks. But it is hard coming across as not offensive. Try saying, "well it's really clean and I really want to buy it, but..."

You could also find ecotecs in early (2006) HHRs in your price range. They're total turkeys of cars (wife has one) and are due to drop precipitously in price.
 
04-06 2.2L 5spd is the way to go.

Supposedly the timing oiler was fixed by 2004+ models. Rare reports of timing chain guide/tensioner issues pop up here and there on almost all years, but '05-06 should be fine. You could likely find a replacement used engine for the cost of doing preventative timing chain work, so why bother. (listen for timing chain noise at cold start and just don't buy a suspect vehicle)

Easy to tune up. Sometimes random misfire codes will have you replace the coil pack and/or Ignition Control Module when you do the plugs. Both very easy. Cheap to find parts.

Yes panels are easy to replace also.

Great vehicle for the low price they sell for. I agree the shifter is horrible in feel. If it is VERY hard to shift, you'll need to replace the cables at ~$220-250 and 2hrs DIY.
 
Either v6 or 4-cylinder VUE, you are going to have quirks.

I just inherited my parents 2003 VUE AWD 3.0L v6, they bought it new in August 2003. It had 144,000 miles on it when I inherited it in May.

I've been a maintenance FREAK on this car since my parents bought it, and they purchased a 70k mile warranty of which I brought it in for every squeak, rattle or anomaly. I changed the oil myself and the trans fluid starting at 36k, when the dealership "Free" oil changes ran out and have used full synthetic in the engine, and Toyota trans fluid directly from the dealer. We had the timing belt, tensioner and water pump replaced at 70k miles and again at 130k. The VUE has been nothing but dead nuts reliable. It has never broken down and hasnt had any issue since the warranty ran out at 70,000 miles. The V6 is VERY powerful, the AWD works great, and it still looks great. I average 24mpg on the highway, and usually about 19mpg around town.

I have also had a Saturn L200 with the Ecotec 4-cylinder, the same one in the VUE. It was also a very reliable unit. Timing chain/tensioner problems were common with this engine but I never had any.

I HAVE heard bad things about the 5-speed manual though - the clutch seems to be a high maintenance point, namely I think it was the slave cylinder or what not (sorry, not well versed with manual transmissions and its peripherals). However, I spent many many years on saturnfans forums and remember reading about it frequently.

If it has a VTi transmission, RUN like heck. Manual, walk. Automatic, go for it. Personally, I'd get the V6.
 
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Thanks for all the input! I can't see any reason not to buy one, I'm going to pursue a few 05's on Craigslist.

One of my sons starts to drive in 5 years. I'll take care of it until then and pass it along. I rack up a whopping 5500 miles a year so it'll still have low miles.
 
Friend had a Saturn VUE Redline with a Honda V6 under the hood. Not sure what year it was but it was a smooth ride.
 
Dont be afraid of a 2002-2004 VUE with the 3.0L V6 - it has an Aisin 5-speed auto trans and is a very powerful combo.

Plus, right now you can find them all over the place for $1800-$3000! And thats fully loaded with leather, moonroof, etc...
 
Apparently they make good tow rigs?

3ymx2uw.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Apparently they make good tow rigs?


Sure. When the front tires try to lift off on a bump, the trailer tongue is so low to the ground that it effectively acts as a wheelie bar.
wink.gif
 
I towed my ~4500 pound boat all over the midwest with a Saturn Vue Redline AWD. All I added was a tranny cooler and yearly trans fluid swaps. It was traded away during a transition in my life. One of the favorite cars I have owned, only problem I ever had was a bad right front wheel bearing.
 
Originally Posted By: DriveHard
I towed my ~4500 pound boat all over the midwest with a Saturn Vue Redline AWD. All I added was a tranny cooler and yearly trans fluid swaps. It was traded away during a transition in my life. One of the favorite cars I have owned, only problem I ever had was a bad right front wheel bearing.


Very interesting, as Saturn felt rather differently about things:

IDRwEPp.png


http://www.saturn.com/content/dam/saturn...ners-manual.pdf
 
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