Why people chose Saturn S-Series cars over Japanese, Honda, and/or Civic
Ease to return/replace a newly purchased Saturn S-Series: easy as for most model years there was a 30-day / 1,500 mile period during which the car could be returned or exchanged for any reason such as wanting a different color, disliking the power sunroof, disliking the leather seats, preferring a wagon over a sedan, etc.
Cost to replace Saturn S-Series timing belt: $0 because they have long-life timing chains.
Cost to repair Saturn S-Series door dings and body rust: $0 because they have dent-free rust-free plastic polymer paneling.
Difficulty to replace Saturn S-Series automatic transmission filter: As easy as changing a common spin-on oil filter, since the filter is the same design spin-on filter too. For manual transmission models there isn't a filter and the fluid is changed 1 or 0 times depending on model year.
Difficulty to replace Saturn S-Series air filter: As easy as popping 4 spring clips.
EPA fuel economy rating for Saturn S-Series: As high as 40 MPG when equipped with the SOHC engine and manual transmission, surpassed by very few gasoline powered vehicles today 20 years later.
Availability of Saturn S-Series safety features: Air bags added in 1992 model year for driver, standard in 1993 model year. Air bags for front passenger, standard in 1995 model year. Anti-lock brakes optional. Traction control optional. Daytime running lights, standard for all but one model in 1995 model year and standard for all in 1996 model year. Alarm added in 1997 model year. Head curtain air bags optional in 2000 model year.
"Luxury" features for Saturn S-Series: Leather wrapped steering wheels for all coupes with DOHC engine. Leather seating, leather wrapped gear shift knob, leather wrapped parking brake handle, leather wrapped steering wheel optional for most models starting with 1992 model year. Radios with equalizers and CD players optional. Fog lights, power sunroof, alloy wheels, power windows, power mirrors, power door locks, remote keyless entry FOBs all optional or standard.
Worry that others bought the same Saturn S-Series car for less: Zero as they were sold at fixed prices in a relaxed setting and everybody got ripped off equally.
There are probably more reasons why approximately 2.5 million Saturn S-Series vehicles were produced and sold, but they are escaping me at the moment. Low air drag coefficients, stainless steel T-409 exhaust systems, low insurance premiums, low octane gasoline requirements, common oil weights, and two "homecoming events" come to mind...
FWIW I've been driving the same Saturn S-Series car for 18 years, have almost 200K miles, and my list of repairs/replacement is much shorter than The Critic's list.
Ease to return/replace a newly purchased Saturn S-Series: easy as for most model years there was a 30-day / 1,500 mile period during which the car could be returned or exchanged for any reason such as wanting a different color, disliking the power sunroof, disliking the leather seats, preferring a wagon over a sedan, etc.
Cost to replace Saturn S-Series timing belt: $0 because they have long-life timing chains.
Cost to repair Saturn S-Series door dings and body rust: $0 because they have dent-free rust-free plastic polymer paneling.
Difficulty to replace Saturn S-Series automatic transmission filter: As easy as changing a common spin-on oil filter, since the filter is the same design spin-on filter too. For manual transmission models there isn't a filter and the fluid is changed 1 or 0 times depending on model year.
Difficulty to replace Saturn S-Series air filter: As easy as popping 4 spring clips.
EPA fuel economy rating for Saturn S-Series: As high as 40 MPG when equipped with the SOHC engine and manual transmission, surpassed by very few gasoline powered vehicles today 20 years later.
Availability of Saturn S-Series safety features: Air bags added in 1992 model year for driver, standard in 1993 model year. Air bags for front passenger, standard in 1995 model year. Anti-lock brakes optional. Traction control optional. Daytime running lights, standard for all but one model in 1995 model year and standard for all in 1996 model year. Alarm added in 1997 model year. Head curtain air bags optional in 2000 model year.
"Luxury" features for Saturn S-Series: Leather wrapped steering wheels for all coupes with DOHC engine. Leather seating, leather wrapped gear shift knob, leather wrapped parking brake handle, leather wrapped steering wheel optional for most models starting with 1992 model year. Radios with equalizers and CD players optional. Fog lights, power sunroof, alloy wheels, power windows, power mirrors, power door locks, remote keyless entry FOBs all optional or standard.
Worry that others bought the same Saturn S-Series car for less: Zero as they were sold at fixed prices in a relaxed setting and everybody got ripped off equally.
There are probably more reasons why approximately 2.5 million Saturn S-Series vehicles were produced and sold, but they are escaping me at the moment. Low air drag coefficients, stainless steel T-409 exhaust systems, low insurance premiums, low octane gasoline requirements, common oil weights, and two "homecoming events" come to mind...
FWIW I've been driving the same Saturn S-Series car for 18 years, have almost 200K miles, and my list of repairs/replacement is much shorter than The Critic's list.
