I can't escape the Saturn S Series xD
 

My story begins a short while after getting my learners permit. My brother had aquired a 1995 Saturn Sl1 from our step-mother for his first car, and this was what both he and I learned to drive a manual in. I was enthused by the idea that this car was so much more fun and intuitive to drive, and at the same time I could achieve a better mpg with a manual. I was instantly convinced that I would never own an automatic vehicle, and so far, I haven't. :D

Fun fact: my dad had his cousin, Tony, replace the motor, in this car due to horriffic Saturn oil problems, with a '96 motor.

So I actually got my lisence when I was almost 19, and shortly after I turned 19 I aquired a 1996 Saturn Sl(as in the base model with rack and pinion steering that I miss so...) that was reconditioned. This car, when I got it, was a complete mess... It burnt so much oil that my brother and I started cleaning the spark plugs daily. At it's worst, I was refilling my oil before every start and using approx 5 qts/week. I was using a tank every two weeks, and still getting 30 mpg through all of that crap, and through all of that crap, I formed a bond with that car. When my brother found stopleak chunks and water on the dipstick one day, I promised her that I'd give her the rest she needed, and restore her to working condition, and with my next income tax check, I did just that. I bought a 95 SOHC, and Tony replaced the motor in my car for me.

Fun Fact: what Tony's computer program said was a 16 hour job, he accomplished in 4. I love my mechanic. :D

All of the love that I had put into my car was now returned to me in it's reborn state. I instantly saw my gas mileage increase to around 37-38/tank, and instantly, I wanted more. I began coming up with my own hypermiling techniques. The entire time I owned this car, I was completely oblivious to the hypermiling community. In the slightly rolling hills of northeast Georgia, I was able to achieve 42 mpg on a regular basis. Unfortunately, this reconditioned car was bound for the scrapyard, as I am a self induced insomniac... you can deduce the rest. T-T

A few years later, I'm living in the High Rockies of Colorado, and a few months ago I bought a new car. 1995 Saturn Sl1(see the pattern forming xD). The owner of the car was very upset that it was sitting, as he had lost hisd lisence to a DUI. He had apparently formed the same relationship with this car that I had formed with mine. He decided he wanted me to have it, after a conversation we had about the research I was doing on HHO(DON'T SAY IT! I have already learned my fallacies). I also told him about my background with Saturns, and he was instantly convinced that I was the only one he wanted to sell it to, and I took it off of his hands for a measly $500.

After learning about my fallacy in HHO, I began looking into proven ways to increase efficiency, and this website is what I found. With the reletively few mods and the driving habit adjustments that I have done, so far, I am getting 40 mpg. Pretty impressive considering my house is at about 8.4~k feet above sea level and cross winds, steep grades, and weather are inevitable. I also live off of I70, so timely acceleration to interstate speeds are also something that I cannot avoid, more often than not.

I'm already becoming very ambitious, and one day, I hope to be the first member of Team Cummins, with an eco modded Semi truck! \m/ I am lisenced to operate class A vehicles, so owner operator is definately a possible future for me, although I havent held a CDL job yet in the year I've had the lisence, due to the aforementioned wreck(which comes off of my 3 year record 2 days from today!!!)

On a side note, I'm also a computer gamer, and have long wanted to enter the case modding community, so this kind of stuff looks like a bigger version of that hobby with a lot more return. xD Look forward to seeing an aero S Series coming from this direction sometime in the future, as I plan to make the Aquajet live up to the name the previous owner gave it. :D

Phew... Glad I got all that out. Sorry about the long windedness.

Welcome! I'm getting above 40mpg in my 95 sl2 so you'll be able to do better than what you have once you learn a little more. Does your car have the air dam under the front for cooling? Mine didn't so I added it and taped over the entire front end and have been able to get about 2 more mpg. I've been dreaming up an adjustable hot air intake but that will never happen as I've just picked up a new car and the Saturn isn't going to be in my stable much longer. There are "hacks" to the IAT and MAP sensors you can read up on on saturnfans.com posted by member DIYguy. Plus arcosine on this site has a heavily aero modded sl1.

Join team Saturn! We'd love to have you :-)

That's quite the Saturn intro.

My sister's first car was the sport version of the original sedan (SL2?). I'm curious about the base manual car, but have never driven one.

Welcome to the forum!

I'm definately learning a lot, although I'm also fairly confident that if I was back in Georgia, I could already be getting 45 or more; considering warmer weather, flatter terrain, and the fact that I already know my old Sl1 could get 42 there with no mods and less eco-driving tricks.
My car does not have the air dam, but I was planning to do a grille block anyways, and figured that with all the open space, I'd need to fab at least a partial belly pan for this to be effective.
Definately gonna look into those hacks and the aero Sl1 as well. Thanks for the advice!

Sl2 would be correct with the L indicating sedan and the 2 indicating DOHC and possibly a turbocharger. I actually know a lot about the S series cars, so if youve got questions, feel free to fire them off. If theres something I don't know, then I guarantee you I can find out. :D