Time to Sell my SL1

[sparksals]

I have a 99 SL1 that I absolutely love. It only as 48K miles on it. Yes, you read that right. I bought it and a few months later, went overseas for only one year that turned into 4. I am now a housewife and don't drive all that much except for daily errands etc.

While I love my Saturn and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, I worry if something serious goes wrong with it, parts will not be available and I will be stuck with an unsellable car. I figure get some money out of it while I can.

Husband and I went shopping for cars yesterday and the dealership said they would take it in trade, but I expect I won't get much for it. I thought I would do better trying to sell it on my own. He told me they wouldn't be able to sell it on their lot, but on one of those wholesale lots where people with poor credit go.

I saw the bonehead thread, and I am trying to prevent being profiled in there (lol).

I went to a few websites to get an idea of what I can ask for it, but I just have no experience in something like this. Hence why I came here.

I live in Minnesota, the car is originally from Canada, so the speedometer and odometer are in KM, with MPH in smaller numbering. I figure I could try selling it to a parent wanting a good, safe car for their HS or college bound kid.

So, where do I start? I am really sad to have to get rid of this car. I'm sure it has lots of life left in it. The age and the longer Saturn has been defunct, the more I worry about a shortage of parts. I have maintained it, and the only things I had to replace were tires, battery and general inexpensive maintenance. This car has cost me very little money in repairs over the years.

[Midnight13]

Why look at new cars, when you pretty much have one already!!! The way these S-series last as seen here by alot of members, you would definitely have many years left with this car.

You can still find almost every part you need, be it ebay,craigslist, junkyards, or a forum with countless number of s-series enthusiasts.

What are you really worried about that your afraid you won't be able to find???

You really want a new vehicle payment and don't want your Saturn..this is the Kelley Blue Book link for your car and it's mileage.

http://www.kbb.com/saturn/s-series/1...=private-party

Depending what proof of service records,and if it's in as excellent condition as you say it is, start at $3400, and don't budge more than a couple hundred.

Myself, I have 149K miles on mine. In the past 5 1/2 years, I replaced a battery, an o2 sensor, thermometer,ects, battery cables and normal maintenance stuff, i believe one tie rod, brakes a couple times, and tires. Most stuff you can get at your local autozone! Getting a new car doesn't mean you won't have to replace normal things like those on it anyways.

I still say keep the Saturn and drive it to the ground, all the while saving for a new car..which would be at least 10 years if all you do is local errands,lol

[sparksals]

Thanks for that KBB valuation! Huge help! I had no idea I could get so much for it.

I really don't want to get rid of it, but age and comfort (both mine) are factors here. I would like a roomier car. We have two dogs, two crates and while the gas mileage is awesome, room is a factor. My husband's vehicle is a Ford F150, so the opposite extreme of gas mileage. I just need more space. I have a small business and it would be much easier. I also don't want to spend time searching for illusive parts. If the car needs fixing, I just want to be able to take it to the shop and get it fixed, no worries of obsolete equipment.

I am worried if I need something major, say a tranny, that I won't be able to find it and then I will have a car with zero value and unable to sell. If I can get $3K for it now, I'd rather do that and apply it to a vehicle more suited to my current lifestyle. Looking at a Hyundai Crossover - either Santa Fe or Tucson. I hear Hyundai owners are very loyal, much like Saturn people.

[sideup66]

Not an S owner BUT I will say you wont have the trouble of service on that car. The reason being gm used some pretty generic parts in the Saturn S, which was shared with many other GM platforms. Therefore, parts are plenty abundant. Also, if a mechanic needs parts, all he has to do is toss a rock in a scrapyard. He will hit an S series probably. So no worries on parts

[SC2BuzzBomb]

Originally Posted by sparksals

Thanks for that KBB valuation! Huge help! I had no idea I could get so much for it.

I really don't want to get rid of it, but age and comfort (both mine) are factors here. I would like a roomier car. We have two dogs, two crates and while the gas mileage is awesome, room is a factor. My husband's vehicle is a Ford F150, so the opposite extreme of gas mileage. I just need more space. I have a small business and it would be much easier. I also don't want to spend time searching for illusive parts. If the car needs fixing, I just want to be able to take it to the shop and get it fixed, no worries of obsolete equipment.

I am worried if I need something major, say a tranny, that I won't be able to find it and then I will have a car with zero value and unable to sell. If I can get $3K for it now, I'd rather do that and apply it to a vehicle more suited to my current lifestyle. Looking at a Hyundai Crossover - either Santa Fe or Tucson. I hear Hyundai owners are very loyal, much like Saturn people.

Many people simply outgrow Saturn S-series cars, much like you have. You should be able to get $3K out of it on a private sale and then you'll be able to buy the SUV you desire. Automobile design and performance has come a long way since 1999, so you may give up some fuel economy but will pickup a much better vehicle overrall.

[sparksals]

Originally Posted by sideup66

Not an S owner BUT I will say you wont have the trouble of service on that car. The reason being gm used some pretty generic parts in the Saturn S, which was shared with many other GM platforms. Therefore, parts are plenty abundant. Also, if a mechanic needs parts, all he has to do is toss a rock in a scrapyard. He will hit an S series probably. So no worries on parts

That makes me feel better if I were to keep it. Someone told me a few months ago she had a Saturn SL1 and they couldn't find the part so she couldn't sell it. Maybe she was full of it. lol

[sparksals]

Originally Posted by SC2BuzzBomb

Many people simply outgrow Saturn S-series cars, much like you have. You should be able to get $3K out of it on a private sale and then you'll be able to buy the SUV you desire. Automobile design and performance has come a long way since 1999, so you may give up some fuel economy but will pickup a much better vehicle overrall.

Considering it took me 13 years to outgrow it, I think I did pretty good! lol

Thanks so much for the info. I had no idea I could get so much for this age of a vehicle. If I get this ballpark, it will make a big difference in the new car payment... which I have never had before. lol

[Tethys]

The reason sparksals would get such a resale value on her car is due more to its lack of mileage than its age.

Sideup must have meant the Ion, which shared some parts with some other GM vehicles during the 2000s, when he or she replied. The S-series was a unique car, built at a time when it shared very few parts with any other GM vehicle (the rearview mirror was one). Since so many S-series were made and so many still exist, Sideup is correct that finding parts for them isn't an issue; junkyards or parts stores are two ways.

Besides the Kelley Blue Book, the North American Auto Dealers Assn. and Edmunds also offer trade-in values for used vehicles:

http://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/Research-Center

http://www.edmunds.com/used-cars/

By the way, have you considered looking at a used Chevy HHR Panel Van? The HHR rode on the same platform as the Ion and used the same base engine. The panel version was geared (pardon the pun) for small business owners - no back seat, sliding door like a minivan and a flat cargo floor. The only down side is that the center and rear-most side windows are filled in with painted metal, restricting visibility.

http://www.chevrolet.com/hhr-panel/

Good luck with your decision.

[sparksals]

Originally Posted by Tethys

The reason sparksals would get such a resale value on her car is due more to its lack of mileage than its age.

Sideup must have meant the Ion, which shared some parts with some other GM vehicles during the 2000s, when he or she replied. The S-series was a unique car, built at a time when it shared very few parts with any other GM vehicle (the rearview mirror was one). Since so many S-series were made and so many still exist, Sideup is correct that finding parts for them isn't an issue; junkyards or parts stores are two ways.

Besides the Kelley Blue Book, the North American Auto Dealers Assn. and Edmunds also offer trade-in values for used vehicles:



By the way, have you considered looking at a used Chevy HHR Panel Van? The HHR rode on the same platform as the Ion and used the same base engine. The panel version was geared (pardon the pun) for small business owners - no back seat, sliding door like a minivan and a flat cargo floor. The only down side is that the center and rear-most side windows are filled in with painted metal, restricting visibility.



Good luck with your decision.

Thanks so much for all that info. Will give me a great solid foundation for preparing to sell and know what to expect to get.

I already put a feeler on Facebook and have 5 people literally arguing over it.

Thanks for the suggestion of the van... Not my style. Looking more for a family style for when we travel. I sell Scentsy, so I don't need that much cargo space.

ARe they any other GM Crossovers that you can recco? I'm looking at Toyota Rav 4 tomorrow. I admit, I've almost 90% decided on the Santa Fe unless something else really grabs me.

[irish56]

Originally Posted by sparksals

ARe they any other GM Crossovers that you can recco?

You might test-drive an '06 or '07 Buick Rendezvous. My wife has one and she loves it. It's tall and wide, but not very long, so it's easy to park for a vehicle with so much room inside.

You want the '06 or '07 because they had the 3500 V6. The older ones had the 3400 which had a problem with leaky lower intake manifold gaskets, and weren't quite as smooth-running or powerful as the 3500.

[SC2Sick]

I live in Minnesota and just sold my 99 SL2 from Canada Tuesday. I just put out feelers among friends to spread the word. I found someone of reasonable intelligence I could explain kilometers to. Got fair price for it too.

An option would be to get a gauge cluster from the junkyard and set the miles to match and explain that the buyer that you've switched gauges but they are correct.

[sparksals]

Originally Posted by irish56

You might test-drive an '06 or '07 Buick Rendezvous. My wife has one and she loves it. It's tall and wide, but not very long, so it's easy to park for a vehicle with so much room inside.

You want the '06 or '07 because they had the 3500 V6. The older ones had the 3400 which had a problem with leaky lower intake manifold gaskets, and weren't quite as smooth-running or powerful as the 3500.

Thanks for the info. Looks like I'm going to choose the Hyundai Santa Fe. I test drove the Rav4 and Honda CRV, both 4 cylinders. I was originally going for the SF V6 for more power, but I can do just fine with the 4 cylinder. For my purposes it will be perfect.

I didn't like the RAV4 b/c the seats were REALLY heavy to put back up to seated position. The interior wasn't as roomy. The Honda was really nice, but way more expensive for essentially the same thing as SF.

[sparksals]

Originally Posted by SC2Sick

I live in Minnesota and just sold my 99 SL2 from Canada Tuesday. I just put out feelers among friends to spread the word. I found someone of reasonable intelligence I could explain kilometers to. Got fair price for it too.

An option would be to get a gauge cluster from the junkyard and set the miles to match and explain that the buyer that you've switched gauges but they are correct.

Wow! I thought I was the only one with a Canadian Saturn here! lol Makes me feel better it won't be a battle to sell it.

Thanks for the suggestion about the gauge.

[XRL]

Originally Posted by sparksals

Thanks so much for all that info. Will give me a great solid foundation for preparing to sell and know what to expect to get.

I already put a feeler on Facebook and have 5 people literally arguing over it.

Thanks for the suggestion of the van... Not my style. Looking more for a family style for when we travel. I sell Scentsy, so I don't need that much cargo space.

ARe they any other GM Crossovers that you can recco? I'm looking at Toyota Rav 4 tomorrow. I admit, I've almost 90% decided on the Santa Fe unless something else really grabs me.

The 04-07 Vue V6 comes with a Honda powertrain. Plastic panels, and a reliable powertrain, can't beat it.

I'd look at the Pacifica. My family had one of those and it was a great vehicle. Really comfortable, great quality, and was very reliable.

For dog crate, look at the Honda Element. It's very much a function over form vehicle, but if you want decent economy and to haul dogs, there's nothing better. They even made a special dog friendly model at one point, that came with a little ramp and fan in the back for the dogs (among other things).

We bought a Mitsubishi Outlander after outgrowing a PT Cruiser. It's been a fantastic vehicle, very roomy, very safe, decent fuel economy (we got a V6 FWD, but the 4 banger has even better fuel economy), very comfortable and great on road trips, with a pretty damn good warranty (with Hyundai and Kia you only get the bumper to bumper warranty on a non-CPO vehicle, Mitsu doesn't offer a CPO so you only get the b2b warranty). Got a LOT of vehicle for the money too, and it was a top safety pick to boot.

FWIW, a lot of older crossovers and SUV (GM especially, but not exclusively) have absolutely terrible IIHS safety ratings. Something to think about, when we bought my Vue and her PT Cruiser we didn't (we were much younger), but now I see no reason to buy a vehicle that's NOT a top safety pick.

[adventureoflink]

Originally Posted by XRL

FWIW, a lot of older crossovers and SUV (GM especially, but not exclusively) have absolutely terrible IIHS safety ratings. Something to think about, when we bought my Vue and her PT Cruiser we didn't (we were much younger), but now I see no reason to buy a vehicle that's NOT a top safety pick.

heh wow... so much for SUVs/trucks being safer and built better when they have terrible IIHS ratings eh?

[cdp326]

sparksals -

Did you look at the Tucson as well as you mentioned it? You might also look at the Kia Sportage (similar to the Tucson), or the Kia Sorento (similar to the Santa Fe, although a newer design). GM-wise, they have the Chevrolet Equinox

I second the Element mention above as well, you might find a good deal on a leftover 2011; they stopped making it but based on the CR-V so parts are shared. The seats swing up against the side though, which you might not like since you mentioned the weight of the RAV4 seats.

Originally Posted by XRL

FWIW, a lot of older crossovers and SUV (GM especially, but not exclusively) have absolutely terrible IIHS safety ratings. Something to think about, when we bought my Vue and her PT Cruiser we didn't (we were much younger), but now I see no reason to buy a vehicle that's NOT a top safety pick.

GM was about par for the time with most models; since the OP seems to be looking at mostly new models, it probably doesn't make much of a difference anyway since most new models are safety picks.

Originally Posted by adventureoflink

heh wow... so much for SUVs/trucks being safer and built better when they have terrible IIHS ratings eh?

That doesn't have much to do with it. The image of safety came from their weight and the "see over other cars" driving position. Other than differences in body construction, safety standards for trucks and SUVs were usually behind the timeframe of passenger cars, which had to meet standards earlier. Now most all vehicles are about similar, whatever the type.

[XRL]

The Buick Rendezvous was mentioned, which was one of the vehicles that had very poor IIHS results for its time.

You have to also look at the results for cars of that era, which were as bad or even worse. I can't say that I agree that cars are as safe as SUV nowdays, but they are much safer than before.

The IIHS also tests with VERY small dummies, they're meant to simulate the absolute worst case scenario (their dummies basically mimic a 5 foot tall 100 pound woman driving in the worst seating position for her height), and in many cases the issues with SUVs tends to be that the dummy, when placed in the worst seating location, can have its head collide with the barrier that's hitting it. A normal sized person with their seat at a reasonable height would not have the same issue.

A lot of earlier generation SUVs can trade their roots back to trucks or minivans, which largely can trade their roots back to work trucks that were not designed recently with modern safety in mind. Modern crossovers and SUVs are built on newer platforms that are designed with safety in mind, and so they predictably are largely top safety picks.

I would almost say it's harder nowdays to find a newly redesigned crossover/SUV that isn't a top safety rated vehicle by the IIHS than one that is, and many of them are basically rolling tanks. The XC90 for example, is likely the safest vehicle on the road. I can't even imagine what the next-gen will be like, the current generation is nearly indestructible from a safety cage point of view and has some of the best crumple zones out there. I just hope they don't get carried away with this "pedestrian safety" crap they're on a kick with lately. It's honestly pointless in the US except for a few select metro areas, and frankly, at the speeds Americans drive at, those systems won't help at al.

[cdp326]

Originally Posted by XRL

The Buick Rendezvous was mentioned, which was one of the vehicles that had very poor IIHS results for its time.

I know, but an "Acceptable" rating (not "very poor") wasn't unusual for the time and like I said I think the OP is looking at nearly/new vehicles anyway.

You have to also look at the results for cars of that era, which were as bad or even worse. I can't say that I agree that cars are as safe as SUV nowdays, but they are much safer than before.

A lot of earlier generation SUVs can trade their roots back to trucks or minivans, which largely can trade their roots back to work trucks that were not designed recently with modern safety in mind. Modern crossovers and SUVs are built on newer platforms that are designed with safety in mind, and so they predictably are largely top safety picks.

When the IIHS tests first came out, yes, but by the early '00s most cars had improved a good bit. SUVs weren't updated as frequently but when they were redesigned/replaced they generally jumped to scoring well in tests.
Many of the safety standards came earlier for cars (like the mandate for airbags), but in the past several years consumer demand drove the improvements more, especially in cases like stability control and SUVs.

I would almost say it's harder nowdays to find a newly redesigned crossover/SUV that isn't a top safety rated vehicle by the IIHS than one that is, and many of them are basically rolling tanks.

Agree, but would say it's vehicles in general, and many of the ones that aren't are only not top picks because of things like rollover safety or rear crashes, and even those aren't terrible.
The new thing is the revised and more stringent NHTSA tests, the results of which have been interesting to look at.

I just hope they don't get carried away with this "pedestrian safety" crap they're on a kick with lately. It's honestly pointless in the US except for a few select metro areas, and frankly, at the speeds Americans drive at, those systems won't help at al.

I'm sure we'll see some influence here out of globalization but generally I agree, it isn't as significant here.

Anyway, sorry to take your thread a little off topic, sparksals

[tiggerkanga]

I have a 99 SL1 that I absolutely love. It only as 48K miles on it. Yes, you read that right. I bought it and a few months later, went overseas for only one year that turned into 4. I am now a housewife and don't drive all that much except for daily errands etc.

I can't imagine having to sell my Saturn Vue, she just turned 12, with very few problems. I wish you all the best with your new car (this was the right place to come for questions!). Also I’d like to thank for you service and sorry it took you away from the many things you loved including your Saturn. THANKS!

[sparksals]

Originally Posted by tiggerkanga

I can't imagine having to sell my Saturn Vue, she just turned 12, with very few problems. I wish you all the best with your new car (this was the right place to come for questions!). Also I’d like to thank for you service and sorry it took you away from the many things you loved including your Saturn. THANKS!

No thanks necessary for me. It was my husband who served in Korea twice, Kosovo and Iraq. We happened to meet in Korea when I was teaching there.

A bit of an update. Quite a shocking one. I proposed to my husband we trade in his 2004 Ford F-150. At first I was met with a firm no and how dare I suggest such a thing - reaction. I used logic about how it cost over $90 to fill up his tank and my tank costs $36 and goes over two weeks on that, if not more. Left it alone and then he came to me and agreed it was the best thing to do.

We were pretty much ruling out the Hyundai, because even though they are a fabulous vehicle, they don't offer many deals in terms of rebates. There are tonnes around here right now with the Auto Show, which we happened to attend on Thursday.

Looked at the Ford Escape, checked with the USAA auto buying program, they put me in touch with a dealer and we came home on Saturday with a 2012 Ford Escape Limited. We got an INCREDIBLE deal and a very fair trade-in for DH's truck.

All told, with the USAA discount ($1700), $4500 in rebates, Trade-in, we financed half what we would have had to if we bought the Santa Fe. We would have been dumb not to buy this vehicle with the deal we got.

We wouldn't have been able to get the leather seats and other plum features in the SF either. We got everything we wanted, including a beautiful steel blue colour and light colour interior (most places only had black leather and we may move back to AZ, so we need a light colour).

Happy. Would post a pic, but it won't let me!