1994 Saturn SW1 needs good home
 

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sat...217f7693fd.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sat...8993f6108b.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sat...6ac780666e.jpg
This may be a repeat post. I could not find my original post. I have a wonderful 1994 Saturn SW1 Manual that needs a new good home. I have been the only owner since I drove it off the lot in 1994 and have maintained it religiously. It continues to run very well and the body looks fantastic.

Sadly, I need a need a newer car that I can rely on for long trips and I do not want my Saturn to end up in a junkyard or with someone who does not appreciate and love it like I do.

The odometer has been broken for about 10 yrs, but when it broke it had about 166k miles. Since then, I have retired and most of my driving has only been around town. It has been the best car I have ever owned.

I am much more interested in a good home for it than I am in the money. I would be glad to sell it to a loving home for around $250.

Please email me at vfowler@live.unc.edu if you might be interested. I live in NC.

I am posting some recent pics. Thank you!
Vicki

That's a nice looking car. If I lived closer and had the money, I'd sure give you that for it. I'd love to have a little project car to play with without putting a TON of extra money into it. Good luck with the sale as I'm sure you'll move it pretty quickly. I sure hope it's to someone on this forum. I have exactly $158 to last me until August 3rd. Gonna be quite a challenge as I need to get groceries and the wife and daughter have multiple doctor appointments. Oh well, God has always come through for us and I'm sure we'll make it.

Thank you!
 

Thank you for the reply and kind comment about my Saturn. It's the best car I have ever had. I, too, wish you were in a position to adopt it. The price is certainly negotiable, but if you live a long distance, that might be a problem.

Do keep an eye on this thread, and perhaps things will work out later if I do not find a home. I will only sell it to a Saturn lover like yourself! Thanks again and good luck with your current situation. Things almost always change for the better!

I live in Florida. Just a little south of the center of the state. I will keep an eye on your post and MAY BE getting some better financial news by the end of August. Who knows? I might be able to grab that beauty after all. And I wouldn't even try to beat you up on the price. It's slightly more than you'd get if selling it to a scraper, so it's a fair price. Don't let it go for any less than that.

Wonderful!
 

Thank you so much for your interest! I hope we can work it out! I love it that you might want it to love it...not to scrap it. Pls keep in touch! My son lives in FL so we may be able to work out some details with him.

nice job keeping the paint nice n shiny.
How often do you wax it?

Dang even your cement garage floor is spotless

Thank you!
 

Thank you for the nice comments about the shiny paint job.....and garage floor! Actually, I have NEVER waxed my Saturn! I, too, have been amazed at how it has kept its shine and luster for over 25 years! I always hand wash it when it needs it, but it never goes through a car wash nor has it been waxed. It a natural beauty! Haha!!

It has always lived either under a carport or in a garage, so that may have helped. As for my garage floor, that is my Saturn's bedroom so I like to keep things as clean as possible! Lol. Thanks again!

Don't hold on it just for me. If someone else expresses an interest and has the cash, let it go. I can't make any promises. Whereabouts in FL does your son live? I hope for his sake that it isn't in Polk County like me. This is a very crime ridden county. Not so much where I live out in the country, but inside the city limits is just ridiculous. I get news out of both Tampa and Orlando and it seems like every night, there's something going on here. Drugs, murder, car jacking, bank robberies. There's just no end to it.

Thanks
 

I will keep you updated on this forum if someone else expresses interest etc. I would love for you to have it, but I understand your situation. I will only let it go to someone like yourself, which this forum has many. We'll see what happens.

My son lives in New Smyrna Beach. I think that is Volusia Co. He has not mentioned much crime there, so hopefully it is not bad like where you are. Then again, I doubt he would tell his mom if there were! Haha!

Thanks again and keep in touch!

That's about 130 miles or so north east of where I am. Ironically, I used to live in Smyrna, TN. Been a long time though.

Ironic!
 

That really is ironic! If I drive my Saturn to NSB, FL, I will let you know in case you want to meet it, but at this point I have no plans. Stay in touch!!

Will do. I'm on this forum every day. I have no life! LOL

I love this forum!
 

Haha! I am on it almost daily too! I wish I had found this forum earlier. It is SO refreshing to hear positive remarks about Saturns (including mine) instead of disparaging remarks! It's so nice to be among other Saturn lovers....I no longer feel like I'm the only one!

NEVER waxed? Cmmonn now.... ??? Never parked in the sun?

True!
 

Honest! Never been waxed! I am amazed too! Whatever they put on the original coat was amazing. Perhaps it was for Saturns for just that year (1994) or something, but it never dulled. I was so busy through the years raising kids and animals and such, that it never dawned on me how nice it still looked after all these years with only a wash when needed.

For the first 13 years, it had a carport, but I worked during the day, so it did sit out in the open sun most week days in the hot NC sun. For the last 13 years, it has had a garage in my new home, and I am retired, so it seldom sits in the sun for long, but those first 13 years should have been pretty rough on the finish a good deal of the time. But it withstood it beautifully!

I really have not even thought about that much until you brought it up. I wonder if anyone else has experienced such a lifelong exterior durability with no waxing?

And I thought I could not love my Saturn any more than I do....but this has given me yet another reason!

I will soon be getting a new car, which, sadly, will take over Saturns garage, so Saturn will be sitting outside again. I hope his durability continues!

You solved the mystery with your own post. Only washed as needed. People wash their cars way too often with respect to erosion of the clear coat finish. Touchless car washes blast at it if there is no wax. Washing it at home leads to you physically wearing some of the clear coat off. 13 years in the garage does wonders. 13 years less of ultraviolet rays, tropical storms, hail, hurricanes, little Jimmy down the street with his BB gun, etc.

Anything you take care of will take care of you. Unless it's a Chevy cavalier from the 90s or a 1980s Ford product

Or a late 80's to mid 90's Mopar. Terrible clear coat problems! Don't ask how I know.

Interesting!!
 

Since this was first mentioned, I have been thinking about it a lot! I think you are right about my washing it only as needed, and parking it in a garage for half its life might be a reason for it's nice looking exterior.

I have always been, and still am, fanatically religious about keeping it on schedule for mechanical maintenance, but not so much about the exterior. I often considered it being in a rainstorm a fairly good wash. Haha. And because it never lost its shine, I saw no reason to wax it.

As a side note, my daughter has a 10 yr old Toyota Camry and has never waxed it and seldom washes it. Yet, the exterior looks new! Hmmmm..

Anyway, thanks for all the nice comments and plenty of food for thought!

Now I am thinking of renting a garage space for it after I buy my new car, so both cars will have their own protected rooms!

Hey, VFowler, do you still have the wagon for sale? Is so, are you coming to visit your son in New Smyrna Beach anytime soon? It's only about 150 miles from where I live. I'll have the money by the end of October and would still LOVE to have that car. I promise I'll take good care of it. Just let me know. If you're not coming to Florida, maybe I can get a buddy to go to NC with me and pick it up.

Wonderful!
 

Hey! Yes,my baby Saturn is still looking for a good home, and I know that you would take good care of it!

I have not yet made plans to visit my son in New Smyrna Beach, but that is certainly a possibility! I can start working on that, or you are also welcome to come to NC anytime.

I'm sure we can work it out some way! Thank you! My email address is vfowler@live.unc.edu Feel free to contact me there as we make more detailed plans. Thanks so much!

I sent you a PM so we can take this off the forum. Thanks

Still have this car?
 

Do you still have this car?
I would definitely be interested in it as i6can fix the odometer easily.

Hi Toddman! Thank you for your interest in my 1994 SW1. I do still have it; however, I am hanging onto it for a while longer. I was re-homing it because my grown kids thought I needed a newer car, so I bought a 2020 Toyota Corolla. After driving the new Toyota for 8 months or more, I decided that I still prefer my Saturn!! So I use the Toyota for long trips for reliability, but all in-town driving is with my beloved Saturn. Crazy, I know, but I'm sure all Saturn lovers understand. 🤣🤣.

Also, I promised Rubehayseed first choice when/if I do decide to give it a new home. I will also get in touch with you when the time comes.

It still runs great. Only problem is I have to recharge AC once a year, or it will overheat and AC will not work. Other than that, it has no issues.

Thanks again for your interest, and I will keep you updated!

Get in line Toddman, I've still got dibs and V and I are buddies! LOL You keep taking care of my car, V. I'm a lot closer to it now that I'm in Alabama!

🤣🤣🤣 I've got you covered, Rubehayseed!

Wow somebody with scruples in today's day and age. I guess if it would be anyone it would be Vicky.

It's your car overheats when the air conditioning system pressure is too low for the compressor to turn on, it means your cooling fan under the hood is not coming on based on the temperature of the coolant.

It is however coming on when the air conditioning engages as that is by design.

Since the car does not overheat with the air conditioning functioning it sounds as though the fan under the hood is functional.

I would start by checking the connector on the ects which measures the temperature of the coolant. Do you know if it has ever ever been changed? If it has not it has certainly failed. Even if it has, it can still fail

Also measure the resistance across the two ects pins at operating temperature and when ice cold.

It is very easy to replace and cost about $45 with quality parts.

Thank you for the very kind words, derf! Same goes for many people on this forum including you and Rubehayseed!

And thank you for the great info re my beloved Saturn overheating periodically! I did have the fan replaced last summer, and I think the connector was changed at the same time but I will double check that.

I doubt, however, that they measured the resistance across the 2 ects pins in both scenarios you described. That could be the problem! I will certainly ask these questions and have them to do it when I take it in for maintenence in July! Thank you so much for that information! I want to do everything I can to keep it running well! 😊😊

The corollas aren't that impressive. Camrys are a bit more fun. But still ehhh.
Now the TRD Camry and TRD Avalon with the v6 is super fun.

I did not test drive those, DropDead, or many others, but I'm sure you are right. But for me, nothing can beat my old Saturn. ☺☺ it's the only car I feel I have control, can see all around me, etc etc. And I love the simplicity....less things to go wrong. I'm a real Saturn die hard! 🤣🤣

My son got rid of his 2019 Corolla and bought a 2013 Ford F-150 with the 5.0 V-8. Gas prices keep going up and he's going to regret that move. I did NOT like his Corolla. I'd rather be in my Forte. The seats in the Corolla are not comfortable at all.

I totally understand, Rubehayseed!!

Good to see someone else that gets it, Vicky! When moving things from FL to AL, my son drove the moving truck and I drove his car. I had to stop several times and get out because I kept getting a cramp in my low back and left leg do to the uncomfortable seat. NO LUMBAR SUPPORT and I have two bulging discs and a cyst on my lower spine. No picnic.

I totally agree.
All cars have to much that can go wrong these days. It's quite a turn off.
But there a a reason im leaving Toyota and either going to GM or an independent shop.
I dont like all the extra stuff

Where you been wrenching?

Currently at a yota dealer.

Didn't know you know that much about cars... 🤪

They always said fake it til yuh make it.
but in all seriousness. 2 of are 3 techs only know Toyota's. So they come to me quite often. Then our master tech has been wrenching for 30+ years. Hes my go to.
I'm talking to a caddy dealer on Saturday about switching. Closer to home. Less hours. And more money. Its a win win win.