car made today that is most similar to the Saturn Sl1 series?

[southernnaturelover]

My sister had a '95 Saturn SL1, it was a good little car but man was it sloooow. I think it had only 85hp, and you could tell it, I'd surely never try to pass someone in it.

[sunburned_in_seattle]

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

My sister had a '95 Saturn SL1, it was a good little car but man was it sloooow. I think it had only 85hp, and you could tell it, I'd surely never try to pass someone in it.

OH, that might explain why I am the slowest car on the road...Lol.

[sunburned_in_seattle]

Originally Posted by phlinak

One of the two biggest automotive regrets I have is not disregarding my ex-wife's objections and paying to have my mom's 1994 Saturn SL1 shipped up here to Alaska.


That vehicle had close to 350,000 miles on the odometer when she sold it for $600 in 2011.


I put about 300,000 miles on it driving up and down I-95 between Philly and DC, with occasional trips down to southeast GA and up to the VT/Canada border.


It still ran like a relatively new vehicle because I followed the recommended maintenance schedule and the only reason she sold it is because she did not need three vehicles, so it was very rarely ever being driven and was just taking up space.


Boy, I miss that car.


That was one of the best (if not the best model) that Saturn ever made, but I digress.


In my opinion, the most similar vehicle (in some respects) to an SL1 is the base model Subaru Legacy because:


1) It's relatively compact,


2) It's fuel efficient (especially for an AWD vehicle), but


3) No carmaker makes a vehicle with dent-resistant panels anymore, so this attribute is a wash.

Yes, I have heard the SL1 was the best one Saturn made?? Later models had issues? (that is what I have heard)

I decide I will probably keep it, since it is still running, after I test drove practically everything, lol.

I have some frustration with the modern interiors = so cheap looking. My '99 bare bones Saturn looks better on the inside than some of the new models, particularly the new Civics. Ugh.

[POS VETT]

The current car in production that has "anti dent" body panel is the Corvette. In a way, they both share one similar concept in body-chassis construction.

[WyoNewk]

Originally Posted by POS VETT

The current car in production that has "anti dent" body panel is the Corvette. In a way, they both share one similar concept in body-chassis construction.

I don't think it's the same material in them, however. Unless it's changed, Corvette was always fiberglas. The Saturn is something different.

My wife has a '97 SC2 that she bought when it was a year old. She noticed that it had a "scratch" on the rear quarter panel when she bought it, but it seemed to be a minor scratch and she didn't think too much about it. Turns out the panel was cracked, apparently from being in a fender-bender before she got it. I took it to my favorite body shop for an estimate. (I think I believed it was a scratch at that point.) I can't recall the exact quote, but it was in the $1000+ range iirc. He said the panel would have to be replaced, or at least removed to be repaired.

Sometimes "anti-dent" materials aren't that great. It's got no door dings, but that "scratch" is a bugger.

[djmilf]

There is one vehicle sold in North America that uses plastic body panels - the Smart ForTwo.

The orange body sections are plastic.





$14K-$18K base price range, 34/39 mpg, but only a 200 mile range on a tank of gas, no rear seat, less than smooth engine, jittery ride due to short wheel-base, unknown reliability as the 2016 is a redesign. Probably not the car to take on a long trip, more suited to city/commuter driving.