Going the Distance: Duane Delegan and His 390k Mile Saturn SC2

[Charlie]

A new feeditems entry has been added:

Going the Distance: Duane Delegan and His 390k Mile Saturn SC2

Christopher Solomon from MSN: Duane Delegan isn't shy about it, he's frugal. Superfrugal. Growing up, when the family was "really, really poor," the Chicago-area man even recalls lending his parents money from his piggy bank. So when Delegan buys a car, he makes it last. In 1994, Delegan splurged and bought a new four-cylinder Saturn SC2 for $14,000.

[cris_thomas]

An alternator is pretty standard for an old Saturn as are wheel bearings but no radiator? That is surprising! He definitely has the correct year though the 94-96 SC2s where the best Saturns ever made, never should have sold mine.

I'm pushing 200K on my 2001 SC2, just lost the power window switch this week. But other than a wheel bearing, radiator and an intake manifold gasket no major issues so far. Hoping to make it to 250K.

[Saturn#5]

Amazing story! Not surprising though...83% of all Saturns ever sold are still on the road today! It is a true tribute to a great car and a great car company!

No wonder GM got rid of Saturn...it was too good!

[David 93 SL2m]

Look like Luke might some competition!

I'm also surprised that by this time both of the window regulators are working without issue.

[David 93 SL2m]

Looks like the section on Duane Delegan in the article got truncated. Bummer, as I agree with 99.9% of the missing part. No problem, here is the full version of the section on Duane Delegan:

Sticking with his Saturn

Duane Delegan isn't shy about it: He's frugal. Superfrugal. Growing up, when the family was "really, really poor," the Chicago-area man even recalls lending his parents money from his piggy bank.

So when Delegan buys a car, he makes it last. In 1994, Delegan splurged and bought a new four-cylinder Saturn SC2 for $14,000. About 390,000 miles later, the Saturn is still rolling. What's his secret?

Delegan says he once read about a short-haul railroad company that saved huge amounts on maintenance by not pushing its trains beyond 80% of their limits because the top 20% of speed was where of the 80% of the wear and tear occurred.

He took the lesson to heart. He rarely if ever goes faster than 60 mph, instead settling in behind a slow-moving tractor-trailer on the highway. "If you slow down on the expressways, you get in less accidents, you get less speeding tickets. . . . You get better gas mileage," says Delegan, who now lives in a rural area near Chicago but has put both city and country miles on his car. "I just checked it the other day, and I still get 36 miles to the gallon."

The Saturn has required very little: an alternator, some tires. "I think I had to replace the rear wheel bearing once, but other than that it's been OK." Every other time he fuels up, however, Delegan now has to add a quart of oil. The fact that a car like the Saturn has a plastic exterior has saved it from much rust, he adds.

A vehicle will last a long time if you just avoid the temptation to buy another, says Delegan. Buy something you can live with, that has more classic styling and color, he advises. (Alas, he says his gold Saturn looks "kind of like a beached whale" and has teardrop mag wheels, but could look worse for a 12-year-old car.)

"Anytime you want to buy a new car, wait 60 days, then remember each day, you are not making payments, paying sales tax, higher insurance fees, new licensing fees and not worrying about dents," Delegan says.

"The cost of a new car is $20,000 to $30,000. The cost of a high-mileage car without payments? Priceless."

More do's and don'ts from Delegan:

• Stick it. Buy a manual transmission vehicle; it will last longer.
• Keep it to yourself. Never let anyone else drive your car.
• Keep it simple. "Always purchase the most basic version of the car model. You will stay out of the dealership service department and save tons of money and frustrations. Power windows or seats and digital gauges always break," says Delegan. Those extras don't add much if at all to the resale value after a few years, but they can add to the headaches, he says.

[Highmile]

Sounds like a familar story to me...

Only real differance is that I fixed my oil burning issue.

I need to update my signature, I should be at 413k by the end of the week.

Highmile
'95 sl1 412k and counting (mine)
'93 sl2 140k and counting (daughters)

[Starduster_Sat]

Gee, I've got a ways to go... my '95 ONLY has 253k. This is still more than TWICE what I've gotten out of any previous car. Everything else (including the 2 Opels- more on those another time) either rusted out, or broke, or both.

Concern- if Mr. Delegan is dumping a quart of oil in at every fuel stop, that engine may genuinely need a rebuild...soon,

[David 93 SL2m]

I wonder how many miles are on this car now, and if the original owner still has the car. This article was written May 29, 2007.

[ausername2009]

That sounds like a joke, "adding a quart of oil every other gas fill up" lmao. A normally maintained BMW will take you 390,000 miles without adding a quart and you can go faster than 60 mph.

[ausername2009]

This is one bit of excellent advice for any car you are going to buy:
"Keep it simple. "Always purchase the most basic version of the car model. You will stay out of the dealership service department and save tons of money and frustrations. Power windows or seats and digital gauges always break," says Delegan. Those extras don't add much if at all to the resale value after a few years, but they can add to the headaches, he says."

The electronic things will break eventually and cost you the most money overall when repairing your car when it gets older.

I personally would go with: Cloth Seats (Does a cow really need to die to furnish something for your ass to sit on?), Power windows, A/C, manual transmission if you can handle it. That's about all you need. And of course a radio.

[David 93 SL2m]

Originally Posted by ausername2009

That sounds like a joke, "adding a quart of oil every other gas fill up" lmao. A normally maintained BMW will take you 390,000 miles without adding a quart and you can go faster than 60 mph.

Yawn...

[Cincy Saturn]

Originally Posted by ausername2009

That sounds like a joke, "adding a quart of oil every other gas fill up" lmao. A normally maintained BMW will take you 390,000 miles without adding a quart and you can go faster than 60 mph.

I have friends with a 1985 325... it is $800 (shop price) every 40k for a belt replacement service, which includes water pump. While wonderful to drive they are no where near a POS model's cost to operate.

The 'dynamic' oil change method on late model Saturns keeps your oil fresh... it never sours or spoils. I had a dodge truck with this 'feature'. I just spun of the oil filter every 5k and kept adding fresh quart of oil every 500 miles.

[unkle bik]

Originally Posted by ausername2009

Cloth Seats (Does a cow really need to die to furnish something for your ass to sit on?),.

Who let the freakin vegan in?

[madpogue]

Originally Posted by unkle bik

Who let the freakin vegan in?

Charlie did. Almost five years and aprx. 15000 messages ago. Hint: s/he's not the only "freakin' vegan". 'Sokay; the last time I was obliquely insulted in this way, it ended up saving me about $3000 on my SW2, and probably got a salesman fired.

[unkle bik]

Originally Posted by madpogue

Charlie did. Almost five years and aprx. 15000 messages ago. Hint: s/he's not the only "freakin' vegan". 'Sokay; the last time I was obliquely insulted in this way, it ended up saving me about $3000 on my SW2, and probably got a salesman fired.

So I can't interest you in any of that venison chili I made last night?

(it has organically homegrown onions & peppers from my garden)

[madpogue]

You have a garden in your van down by the river?

[voice="Majel Barrett"]Warning: thread hijack detected![/voice]

[unkle bik]

Nah.
I brought the river up to my garden.

(lightning strikes hijacker)