Interested in a used 2000 saturn sl1.

[Hammerjoe]

Hi,

Due to an unfortunate accident my car a 2001 kia rio was deemed a total loss by the insurance and I am looking at buying a car.
This caught me off guard and I am not ready to buy a new car now, so I am looking to buy an used one.

My requisites is that it costs around $5000.00, around 100000km's and has decent(good) gas mileage.

This car has caught my attention:
http://www.canadatrader.com/result/detailinfo.aspx?ID=23949120&pgno=1&srt=1

It's a 2000 saturn sl1, has 103000Km and it is within my budget and according to auto123 has excelent gas mileage. :)
Before I spend my time going to see the car, I would like your opinions about this particular model.

Is this a decent car or I am prone to major headaches soon?
Thanks

[The General]

These Saturns are not the most reliable cars on the road... Ther are some of the most inexpensive and that says quite a bit about the car.

Your criteria will be very difficult to fill especially if you are looking for a "good" car.

[Hammerjoe]

Unfortunatly the car was sold the afternoon I was there.
I was running late for work and could not test drive it that morning and told the dealer that I would come the next day to test drive it.

Nobody showed an interest in the car for 60 days, and that afternoon someone came, test drove it and bought it... Talk about luck.

Anyway, I am now eyeing another one:

http://showrooms.canadatrader.com/885/376

Its the third veh on the list.

I test drove it last saturday, the car looks new, the engine looks new, it has new tires, it is a barebones car, no power locks/windows and it has only an am/fm stereo. :)

Is this a good deal?

[The General]

I test drove it last saturday, the car looks new, the engine looks new, it has new tires,

It is very easy to make a car look new...

I would suggest that you get the car independently inspected before you sign anything.

[Hammerjoe]

Thanks for the sugestion. I would certainly do that.


But still, with 45K imo it is still fairly new, and on top of that there is still some warranty left.
I am undecided about paying $8grand for it.

I just dont know saturns that well. :)
I guess I shouldnt be tto picky, I bought a 2001 kia rio when they came out and it has now 250K in it, and it`s being written off by the ins because a deer hit the car on the side and the repairs are over $3k.
Obviously kia dont hold value that well.
But my plan was not to sell the car but to drive it to the junkyard at some point. :)