Do you think this is a decent car?

Question

Okay so I've posted about similar things, but anyway. I'm a teenage girl leaving for college in a few weeks--I've been looking high and low for a good, fuel efficient car for 2500 or less since I will be attending college about 60 mi from home (living on campus during the week but will come home on weekends).

Obviously this has been extremely difficult seeing as EVERYONE is looking for a good cheap fuel efficient car right now.

I wanted a Mazda but they're really hard to come by. I have, however, found a 2000 Saturn SL1. It has 122k miles on it, has had 3 owners, drives well. I did the Carfax on it...it had 17 reports but they were almost all emissions tests, and also when it changed owners and the title transferred.

Do you think this is a decent car? I know Saturns aren't typically what someone thinks of when they think economical and good and all...but it's $2200 and seems like the best I can do with only 3 weeks left before I leave for college.

Answer 1

Saturn is a very reputable and reliable car that'll probably get the job done.

As a car dealer, I would suggest that you ask the dealer if you could get it inspected by an independent mechanic that you/your parents trust.  It would be unfortunate if the car died on you on your way to college because of some mechanical problems that weren't detected from a simple test drive.  Inspections [around my area] usually cost a mere $25 and give you an oversight into any problems the vehicle is likely to have.  Its important that you find a trust mechanic that's straight forward with you, though.

Overall, as long as the vehicle is mechanically sound, saturns have a reputation for running forever and being very fuel efficient.  I had a teacher who never shut up about his SL1