buddies car, a 2001 saturn l200 had the timing chain broke, needs basically a new engine, dealer wants $3k to fix, anyone got any ideas on how he could get it fixed cheaper?

Dont buy a saturn, this is a reoccuring problem that saturn will not pay to fix, google saturn l200 and you will see a whole bunch of results where the timing chain has broken prematurely. There is even a tsb that saturn released that states for dealers to replace the oil nozzles that keep the chain lubricated.... i even think a class action suit is being filed against saturn for this problem.....

8/7/2005 1:23:42 AM

at what mileage did it go and did he replaced it at suggested interval?

8/7/2005 1:31:07 AM

Quote :

"Dont buy a saturn"

LOL, in the Garage you are preaching to the choir my friend.

No, there really isn't anything you can do except find another place that will do it cheaper.

8/7/2005 1:32:27 AM

i like my 96 saturn. it has been very reliable. i think they vary from year to year pretty widely as far as problems like your friend's go.

8/7/2005 3:07:06 AM

Yeah I love my '99 SL1 (5 sp). I never did like the "L" series, but I like the new Ions even less.

Try 6th Planet down in Florida. It is a Saturn only used parts warehouse. They have every part you could ever want, including entire engines. He will even ship the engine up here to whoever you want to install it.

http://www.6thplanetusedparts.com/

8/7/2005 8:07:03 AM

I do engines. Whether or not I really want to do this one has not been determined. But I have done an assload of engine replacements.

8/7/2005 10:49:29 AM

in a saturn its not called an "engine"

its called a "power module"

8/7/2005 11:46:11 AM

saturn engines just don't like to not be maintained.

It's not a honda where you can let it overheat a few times and still drive it for a few years.

8/7/2005 1:49:50 PM

^Hondas are all aluminum (well, minus the cylinder liners). They don't like overheating AT ALL.

8/7/2005 2:03:16 PM

I dunno man, maybe the '91 accords were built differently, because that engine survived going 6 months w/o an oil change, overheating on the highway in the middle of the summer, and 2 years driving with a bad thermostat.

[Edited on August 7, 2005 at 2:19 PM. Reason : I'm not too savvy about other honda engines though.]

8/7/2005 2:16:17 PM

^^Saturn engines are aluminum block & head...I've run mine down to almost 2 quarts low several times, and I am at 110,000 miles with no problems (other than the standard Saturn issue of burning 2 quarts of oil every 3,000 miles )

8/7/2005 3:32:28 PM

^ You and me both on the 2 quarts of oil.

8/7/2005 5:24:40 PM

same here on the oil...btw, the l200 is not the saturn engine, the 1.9 (dual and single ohc versions) where the "Saturn" engines. I believe it was a GM 2.2l (ecotech?) the engine that was in all the cavilers and such.

8/7/2005 11:57:29 PM

it broke at 60k miles...saturn of america is trying to say it broke because of lack of maintenance, but he had his oil changed every 4k miles, but it wasnt at a saturn dealership so they said tough shit....

8/8/2005 3:17:54 PM

i love my 99 SL2.

just hit 94k, and i have not had a major problem at all...it still runs about as good as the day i bought it.

ive done all the scheduled maintence and everything is great.

8/8/2005 3:28:56 PM

^^lack of oil changes being blamed for the timing CHAIN breaking?? that's the fucking bullshit. does it use a real chain or belt?? i dont know shit about saturns except their warranty fucked my aunt all to hell and 3k to replace that motor is bullshit. they basically refused to honor the warranty if she didnt let the dealership fix all kinds of shit that wasnt covered on the warranty everytime she brought it in for the oil change and shit that they also required her to take it to the dealership to do. complete fucking bullshit. from my understand (maybe this is old news, i dont know) saturn is basically gone and all the models are just going to be GM branded instead of 'saturn'...

oh well, i'm assuming it is an interference engine or it wouldnt have caused any real damage. depending on how it broke it might have just bent a few valves. definetly not a $3k job to pull the heads, have some valves replaced and put it back together with a new timing chain, unless there's something i don't know about these engines.

oh well, ive never liked saturns, good luck with it

8/8/2005 4:08:59 PM

thats funny, because i love the dealership.

they have been ungodly cheap for the work ive had done, and never pushed to get anything extra or unneccesary. Maybe it's just because im a guy.

And SteveO you are an idiot for decreeing that an entire brand of cars sucks because of one model's problems from an engine that isnt even a saturn. I guess then no one should ever buy a Ford because the GT's were recalled.

8/8/2005 8:12:51 PM

i am an idiot for saturn choosing to put an engine in a car that breaks its timimg chain prematurley and ruins it??? Google saturn l200 problems and look what comes up...its not just one car, its many, and if the manufacturer does not pay to fix the problem, then i am not going to recommend anyone to buy this brand...how is that idiotic?

go to http://www.carsurvey.org and look up 2001 saturn l200 and look at all the reviews showing the timing chain breaking.......

8/8/2005 11:40:38 PM

I'll never buy a Saturn. You've got the questionable quality of the drivetrain, the noise and vibration harshness, the plastic panels that don't fit as well over time (due to countless expand/contract cycles), the ugly exterior designs, and interiors that are absolute shit.

THere's a reason the salespeople are so nice to you, its b/c their cars suck. They've got to have something to go on.

8/9/2005 12:27:22 AM

swap in a mouse with a 700r4 and a lil blazer 10 bolt rear.

8/9/2005 8:49:22 AM

Quote :

"^^Saturn engines are aluminum block & head...I've run mine down to almost 2 quarts low several times, and I am at 110,000 miles with no problems (other than the standard Saturn issue of burning 2 quarts of oil every 3,000 miles ) "

My brother and i drive/drove the ever living shit out of a 93 sl2 and it is still running to this day. We decided not to change/replace the timing chain and are ever so patiently waiting for the day the entire engine takes herself down. Its been 3 years and it still hasnt fallen from grace. Why the ugly as shit car you treat like crap gotta last the longest?

8/9/2005 9:35:49 AM

Quote :

"I'll never buy a Saturn. You've got the questionable quality of the drivetrain, the noise and vibration harshness, the plastic panels that don't fit as well over time (due to countless expand/contract cycles), the ugly exterior designs, and interiors that are absolute shit. THere's a reason the salespeople are so nice to you, its b/c their cars suck. They've got to have something to go on."

Yet, with all that, My total investment over the past 4 years in my Saturn, including all regular maintenance is right at 4500 bucks. That comes to a monthly cost of 100 bucks a month INCLUDING oil changes every 5k and tires every 50k.

I'e learned over the years that if you can drive a car, and over the entire time you own it, come out spending less than 200 bucks a month on it, you got yourself a reliable and good vehicle. I'm at half that and largely because I drive the everliving shit out of it. If I drove like a normal person, it would be more like 75-80 a month.

Plus I am a complete retard and run Mobil 1, with K&N filters all around. If I sprung for the bargain shit, I'd be back at 75 a month.

8/9/2005 12:23:22 PM

^thats fine if you enjoy a crappy quality interior and an ugly exterior.

I've put 110,000 miles on my GS-R (currently at 245k) in the 6 years I've owned it and have spent less than $2k on maintenance items/issues. And I drive the shit out of my car on and off the race track.

(of course I dunno how long she'll last up here. The roads up here really slam a car around )

8/9/2005 4:36:28 PM

ride the subway

8/9/2005 4:37:48 PM

^lol. Trust me thats all I do as much as possible. But, for instance, last night I had to drive a few miles away to pick up a free queen sized mattress and box spring for my roommate....


...Thats right, I had that shit tied on my roof

8/9/2005 7:03:12 PM

keepin to them southern roots, i see

8/10/2005 12:57:00 AM