Used 1999 Saturn S-Series 4 Dr SW1 Wagon for Sale near Birmingham, AL

Comfortable, handles well, easy to clean and I finally have a car with heat and air BOTH WORKING!!!!! Who knew the basics could be a luxury?!?

I purchased my Saturn wagon in 2006, with 52k on the odometer. I was looking for a reliable and efficient daily driver, no frills necessary. Having no high expectations for performance, style or luxury, the car suited my needs well. I routinely saw 28+ mpg in city driving. The wagon back was great when moving, or camping. Over 60k miles and five years of ownership, the car never once left me stranded. The SW1 was not without it's faults, though. While power was adequate for city driving, a little more would have been helpful for highway merging or when loaded up with cargo. In retrospect, I wish I would have held out for the twin cam engine - the gas milage is almost identical to the base offering, and twenty more horses is a substantial improvement. The interior was of typical 90's GM (low) quality, with a cacophony of squeaks and rattles. Various panels from under the dash refused to stay in place, to the point where I gave up trying to keep them affixed. While overall reliable, the car did need several repairs beyond basic maintenance - One of the headlights had a habit of burning itself out; the rear wiper motor needed replacement; the engine started burning oil around 90k miles (a common problem for these Saturns, I learned); engine mounts needed replacing at 100k; the transmission began slipping at 115k (also a common occurrence with this transmission). When the transmission started to go, I decided to part ways with the wagon. I had gotten more than my money's worth from it at that point. Overall, I was satisfied with my ownership experience. If the S-series was still in would production, I would consider owning another. As it is now though, the availability of spare parts has to be dwindling for these cars.

Good on gas doesn't seem to rust but power train probs seem common?