2005 Saturn L-series Consumer Reviews

I bought this car as a temporary car when my SUV broke down and it's had been a surprisingly great vehicle. It handles well, doesn't eat up the fuel, and never gives me any issues whatsoever. Who'd have thought my temporary fix would have ended up being such a great little car?

Bought our L300 in April of 04 and it just keeps on going! It has a 4-cylinder 2.2 Liter ECOTEC Engine and does 20 MPG stop-&-go-in the city and as much as 32 MPG (or better) with cruise control on the open highway. At around the 140,000 mile mark, I had replaced the radiator and hoses, the catalytic converter, fuel pump, fuel filter, and transmission fluid (even though it is a sealed system). It amazingly ran like new after that! This year, at around 150,000 miles, I had to recharge the freon in the AC for the first time in 13 years. It still cools very well, and the engine is as strong as ever, and the seating, especially for long drives more than two hours, is way much more comfortable than my leather-seat appointed 2011 CRV. I have driven the family from the San Diego coast to Big Bear mountain and back (7 hours) with no problem. I like the suspension system. The car handled the zigs and zags on the mountain roads admirably. On the downside, the pesky radiator fluid warning light stays on even though the fluid level is normal. I read online that this is symptomatic of many Saturn L series vehicles and can be resolved by removing, and washing out the plastic reservoir with detergent. It is simply a fouled sensor problem. But I have not had the time to take on this task myself. Why pay somebody else 220 to fix it when I can do it myself, right? And when I brake at speeds between 30 and 50 MPH, the front seems to vibrate. I might have to take the car in to my local mechanic to have the front rotors replaced. Other than that, I ve kept up with the maintenance. I aim to keep using this car for another seven more years! I love not having to pay a monthly bill for another car, especially when I have an old but reliable one that I use everyday. Its a crying shame that GMC shut down the SATURN line of cars. SATURN has been my best and longest running car yet. And it was made all right here in the US of A.

I bought this golden whip at 23,000 miles and put 147,000 on it driving across the country twice without problems. Recently, however, it's starting to show it's age with busted CV joints - which some parts for this procedure are hard to find in Asheville. It also seems like every few thousand miles my tires become unbalanced and the thing shakes violently between 50 and 75, sometimes more or less. I guess it's not meant for the dirt roads of Pisgah National Forest, but I think I've definitely gotten my $7000 worth. Other negatives - the drivers seat foam padding has caved in and hurts my back now, the temperature gauge sensor has been broken for a while and is hard to replace, the catalytic converter as well, the spare tire well in the trunk likes to collect water when it rains - which was unbeknownst to me until I needed to use my spare tire and found that my jack and tool were rusted beyond use and the tire was flat, also - don't sit on the trunk with a wet bathing suit because the paint will proceed to bubble right off! The good - great riding when everything is balanced. Enough power to get up mountains with no problem. Pretty good fuel economy for a v6 sedan. I can get from the beach to the mountains on a single tank with leftovers when all is right in the world. It had low miles and was pretty cheap when I bought it. It might not look like it has a lot of room, but I packed 3 people (myself included) and all their gear into it and moved 2 out of those 3 people to California. Roof racks work wonders. When you put some non-ethanol gas in it it really purrs and you can tell it loves you. So yes, I would recommend this car, but probably take better care of it than I did. Watch for potholes and stay off them dirt roads!

While only a Saturn L300, it delivers beautiful handling and acceleration through all speed ranges. Braking system handles very nicely, nothing over the top on interior but a solid car in the upper mid range category. Took many trips from NJ to FL in car and very pleased with performance. At 140,000 miles we still have original transmission, engine, exhaust system and no rust. Premium wheels however did decay somewhat but 19 inch wheels made the difference in all categories of performance. Engine runs excellent and shows no sign of slowing up. Headlight covers have yellowed and cloth interior on ceiling is drooping. All in all a great investment that has delivered many safe miles with no breakdowns. I guess we are very lucky in that way. Except the company no longer exists, LOL. Who could have ever guessed that would happen?

Everyone knows the best trait in a man's soul is his family. My family love the Saturn for its reliability and its awesome simplicity. It's a simple car for a simple daily use. As long as you follow the maintenance schedule, clean and wax your car, and take care of the interior, you will really appreciate the Saturn L300.

Have owned this car for nine years, bought it new. Tow car for my motorhome plus great on gas for running errands. 65,000 miles and no mechanical problems, GM should have never stopped making them.

This is my second review on the 2004 Saturn L-300 sedan series. I have driven the vehicle 87459 original miles. I did some maintenance on it less than 100 miles ago. Tune-up, injector cleaning, oil change. Not long after the maintenance I replaced the catalytic convertor. The car is running very strong. I still feel it to be responsive, with one of the best engines GM and others have produced, the 4 banger 2.2 The car had suffered reviews where I feel it might have been compared to more expensive vehicles not in the same class. For what is is a $16995 product that came with many extras that would cost a pretty penny on some cars. Overall I plan on driving it until I don't want to drive it anymore, besides, it's paid for.

The engine in this car is still good. I've had several electric type problems. Overall pretty satified.