When Saturn was founded by General Motors, one of the goals of the company was to take the badge of quality king away from the Japanese and restore it to an American company. A Saturn was supposed to have an excellent quality motors and transmissions and last as long as a Japanese vehicle with similar maintenance requirements. In the minds of many mechanics, Saturn has failed to live up to that goal.
Saturn S-Series cars used 1.9L single and dual overhead car engines. There were no other GM vehicles using these motors , so parts – new and used – were more expensive. Engines especially have always been much more expensive on Saturns due to the unique body panel system on Saturns. You see, these cars use a special dent resistant material in their body panels. They are less likely to be totaled in an accident, so there is a smaller pool of used engines available percentage wise for Saturns than other vehicles. Combine this with the fact that many Saturn owners are high mileage drivers, and it makes sense that used engines have always been rare. The early unique 1.9L Saturn engines have and always will be rare, new or used. These cars were made from 1991-2002.
Starting after 2000, something happened with Saturn that changed things: They began to share engines and engine components with other GM vehicles. From here on, consumers have a change to save on engine replacement by purchasing used engines. Whether you have a Saturn car, SUV, crossover, or van, when engine failure happens, a used engine is often the best option.
So why is a used Saturn engine better than repairing your engine or just getting a new engine? There are three reasons: Cost to value ratio, durability, and ease of installation.
When looking at the cost to value ratio of a used engine, you will see that when you purchase a low mileage used engine, you get a high value at a relatively low cost. In other words, value is high, cost is low. Let’s say for example that you are able to purchase a used engine with 50,000 miles for $1300.00. The ratio is in your favor because you’re buying a product with lots of life left. In other words, this swap makes a lot of sense.
Durability is also a big factor in purchasing a used motor . Let me preface with a fact: all used engines are not durable! Most have more durability than remanufactured engines though. What do I mean by this (I know some of you are already cringing)? Well, with a remanufactured engine, you’ve taken a used core and machined many of the parts. Depending on what cause that engine to fail, you could have a wide variance in the remaining life on it. If the remanufacturer had to shave the crankshaft, shave the head, etc., there could be a lot of metal missing from the “reman.” A good used motor has all the original OEM parts in it. The only machining that has been performed on it is the machining that happened when the engine was originally made new. If you don’t believe me that used engines are typically more durable than remanufactured engines, ask yourself the question: If you had a bad used engine and a bad remanufactured engine, which one would you send to a machine shop to rebuild? Obviously, only the used motor would go.
Now to address the final point that makes used engine often superior: ease of installation. What do I mean by ease of installation? I refer specifically to preinstallation prep. With a remanufactured motor, your mechanic will have to swap the timing cover, all sensors, the oil pan, valve covers, throttle body, intake manifold, exhaust manifold, fuel rail, etc. With a used engine, you might have to replace some of those items, but you will come out ahead on time and the installation will be cheaper.
I hope that this has helped to explain why installing a used Saturn engine can be a great way to get your car back on the road for less. We’ve covered value ratios, installation timing issues, and product durability.
