I have a list of repairs from the dealer and am wondering which are essential. I drive the car about 4 mi a day and it serves as a “backup” for our Forester
- EGR Valve Stuck Closed
- Decarb on Throttle Body
- Power Steering Pump seal leaking
- Coolant inlet pipe leaking
- Coolant hoses soft - recommend replacing and flushing
- Rotors are grooved (inc sanding pads)
- Air Dam is missing
- Oil Pan and Front Crank Seal are leaking
1999 Saturn SL2
Why take an 11/12 year old car to the dealer? Find a good (non-chain) independent mechanic. All of the things you list can be put off if you watch fluid levels and if the leaks aren’t bad.
If there are no emissions tests where you live, you can ignore the EGR issue. The down side is that you won’t know if the check engine light would be on for a more important reason.
The Decarb throttle body can and should be skipped if the engine is running okay.
Power steering pump seal: depends on how much is leaking. If it’s just seeping, then forget it.
Coolant inlet pipe leaking: If it’s plastic and cracked, I’d replace it.
Coolant hoses soft: If they’re original to the car, it’s time to replace them.
Rotors are grooved: I’d replace them. Don’t sand the pads down, replace them too.
Air Dam is missing: Not a big deal if your not seeing any overheat problems. It probably doesn’t reduce your MPG enough to worry about.
Oil Pan and front crank seal: If they’re just seeping then leave them alone.
I pretty much agree with tardis…if the brakes are working ok, a few grooves won’t hurt anything…They make PS fluid with stop leak . “High Mileage” motor also contains seal conditioners that may cure the motor oil leaks. The bolts that secure oil pans can be tightened a little for little money…
The air-dam becomes more important with high-speed driving, for both mileage and cooling…
Thank you Both! This info will make the decisions a lot easier.
I’ve tried a couple of independent mechanics but they turned out to be more expensive (and less reliable) than the dealer in the past. It’s been a few years, so I’ll try again.
Do try again. Ask around, family, co-workers, neighbors etc. You should be about to find one. It would be a very rare dealer who was cheaper as good or better than a good local independent.
Dealers are usually more expensive because they prefer replacing rather than repairing. They also tend to have higher overhead cost so you pay more.
Does it actually have any running problems.
Personally I would just keep adding whatever fluids leaks(standard fare with Saturns S series) and keep going for a 4 mi/day.
That car is not worth putting any money into.