[Griffin]

Hi guys. I've been lurking around this forum for a while as I am interested in purchasing a Sky in the near future. I have a couple questions about reliability however:

Firstly, a little background. I'm a teenager who is very into cars. I am highly mechanically inclined and enjoy working on cars. I've been driving an automatic civic for the last couple years and want a convertible for my next car. I keep trying to tell myself that a gen 3 Miata is the better choice but I just can't get past the look of the Sky.

I have been reading about the car and from official reviews like Consumer Reports, the car doesn't get a very good reliability rating, but I presumed that that was partly linked to the small volume production. The one I want to purchase in particular is a midnight blue base naturally aspirated car. I'm looking at some with about 70k on them because I can't really spend more than $7500 for the car (aside from some little repairs here and there that it might need). With a car like that, are there any real issues? How reliable are the engines in the long term? I presume that I will probably run it for at least another 30 or 40k if possible.

I also want the 5 speed manual. Automatics do nothing for me and I love when I get the opportunity to drive a good old manual. Are there any issues with the transmission in general? Clutch wear and feel?

I just want to know that its not going to be a car that I am going to have in the shop all the time.

Thanks all,
Griffin

 

[Yogi]

Other than routine maintenance, my Sky Redline has been in the shop twice. Once for a High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) replacement and then the ignition switch replacement. Since you are looking for a NA, you needn't worry about the HPFP as that only comes on the Turbo equipped R/L.

Overall I am very satisfied with the Sky's reliability.

Yogi

EDIT: I forgot to mention that my Sky has 70,000 Mi. on the clock.

Yogi

 

[Gabes Redline]

My best advice for you...

1. Get yourself an old Miata that's been taken care of.
2. Work on your Miata while finishing college.
3. After college, sell the Miata and get a Sky.
NA's are known for having less reliability issues than Redline's but either way, my opinion is at your age, you'll get a good base knowledge of 2 seater cars with the Miata and be in a more advantageous position financially in a few years to purchase and maintain a Sky. Hope this helps.

 

[Robotech]

Generally speaking either car is good. The biggest issue with the Sky with 70K on it is the water pump and read differential if it is an LSD diff. The 07s had some differential issues, though not many and not any major failures. Most were probably serviced in warranty.

The water pump failures are also not that common but can occur. Mine showed signs of leaking at around 50K but plugged along without any major failure for another 25K miles.

You could wait a few years but the reality is you're talking about at least 5 year old cars that are no longer in production and not getting any younger. If the cars were still made, I'd say get a Miata and wait. However, if you really want a Sky, get a Sky. Just keep in mind that there are fewer aftermarket parts for the car than the Miata, spare parts may one day become harder to come by, and some parts...like front fenders which can e easily damaged, are not cheap ($400 a fender for reproductions).

Personally I like the 07 Midnight Blue NAs. But I'm partial.

 

[Griffin]

Thank you for the response. I think I will wait a little bit longer till I have the funds to buy one with lower mileage.

I definitely agree Robotech, I love the midnight blue.

I'm glad to hear that this car has a fairly good track record. People tell me "you want a saturn???" while they drive their G37's and I just nod yes haha. I feel like this car has all the key points of a roadster: looks, handling, quirks. It reminds me of my father's TR6.

 

[Robotech]

I guarantee you now that all those people saying "You want a Saturn?!?" are going to say "THAT'S a SATURN!?" when they first see the Sky.

 

[Wind Restrictor]

I guarantee you now that all those people saying "You want a Saturn?!?" are going to say "THAT'S a SATURN!?" when they first see the Sky.

VERY true there ^^^ Actually, I think I said that the first time I saw one. LOL

 

[Griffin]

Found this thread as I was googling "Saturn Sky Redline Reliability". Funny enough it was mine from back in the day. I ended up taking the responsible route and getting a jetta to get me through college which is still my daily driver. Finally back in a place where I can look for a Sky, this time as a weekend car. Hope everyone's is still running as well as it did in 2015!

 

[JohnWR]

Found this thread as I was googling "Saturn Sky Redline Reliability". Funny enough it was mine from back in the day. I ended up taking the responsible route and getting a jetta to get me through college which is still my daily driver. Finally back in a place where I can look for a Sky, this time as a weekend car. Hope everyone's is still running as well as it did in 2015!

Mine are doing fine!

 

[rjgramps]

Hi Griffin,

I enjoyed reading through this 6 year thread.

Two years ago we bought a midnight blue Sky base n/a roadster with manual transmission and 119,000 miles, drove it 800 miles home to Dundee, IL, from a small dealer in Georgia who owned it a while himself, a car for his wife to enjoy with their grandkids. Our Sky's cosmetic condition was honestly poor to me, but at least it had no rust or body damage, and paint damage was minimal, 99% of which I was able to take care affordably through buffing and a tiny paint touch-up bottle. The 4 previous owners didn't worry about "pretty" like an enthusiast would. At least our Sky showed promise and also was mechanically sound. I put a lot of time and money into the car to bring it up to my standards cosmetically, but I also did some mechanical work like installing 4 new shocks, a new valve cover gasket, new serpentine belts, spark plugs, and I changed all fluids.
CLICK HERE FOR MY VIDEO ON FRONT SHOCK REPLACEMENT
CLICK HERE FOR MY VIDEO ON REAR SHOCK REPLACEMENT
I consider everything I did to be "anticipated" work considering the car's age and miles. I also used the opportunity to make some tasteful minor deviations to make the car work better for my wife and me, most notably related to interior lighting. The base model 2.4L naturally aspirated engine seems to be very solid, and the manual transmission as well. I love how the engine and manual transmission work together. I found it so much better than the base automatics that I previously test drove. Our base 2.4L-M/T Sky simply "feels right" and we are entertained from all the comments received by other people pulling up next to us at traffic lights.

CLICK HERE to review many pictures of my work completed.

If you search my forum name, you will read through all the challenges I went through to make the car what it is today. If you buy a higher mileage Sky, keep in-mind, many Sky owners are "not" Sky enthusiasts who keep it pristine. Many live in apartments who keep their Sky out in the elements in a community parking lot.

About the Miata. We owned a 1992 m/t in 2005/2006 so any memory would not be a fare comparison. I am not very familiar with the later Miata except what I read. A personal feeling.....the Sky outshines the Miata in curb appeal, hands-down. The Redline far exceeds the Miata in performance. The base 2.4L with m/t is comparable to today's Miata.

 

[Griffin]

Hi Griffin,

I enjoyed reading through this 6 year thread.

Two years ago we bought a midnight blue Sky base n/a roadster with manual transmission and 119,000 miles, drove it 800 miles home to Dundee, IL, from a small dealer in Georgia who owned it a while himself, a car for his wife to enjoy with their grandkids. Our Sky's cosmetic condition was honestly poor to me, but at least it had no rust or body damage, and paint damage was minimal, 99% of which I was able to take care affordably through buffing and a tiny paint touch-up bottle. The 4 previous owners didn't worry about "pretty" like an enthusiast would. At least our Sky showed promise and also was mechanically sound. I put a lot of time and money into the car to bring it up to my standards cosmetically, but I also did some mechanical work like installing 4 new shocks, a new valve cover gasket, new serpentine belts, spark plugs, and I changed all fluids.
CLICK HERE FOR MY VIDEO ON FRONT SHOCK REPLACEMENT
CLICK HERE FOR MY VIDEO ON REAR SHOCK REPLACEMENT
I consider everything I did to be "anticipated" work considering the car's age and miles. I also used the opportunity to make some tasteful minor deviations to make the car work better for my wife and me, most notably related to interior lighting. The base model 2.4L naturally aspirated engine seems to be very solid, and the manual transmission as well. I love how the engine and manual transmission work together. I found it so much better than the base automatics that I previously test drove. Our base 2.4L-M/T Sky simply "feels right" and we are entertained from all the comments received by other people pulling up next to us at traffic lights.

CLICK HERE to review many pictures of my work completed.

If you search my forum name, you will read through all the challenges I went through to make the car what it is today. If you buy a higher mileage Sky, keep in-mind, many Sky owners are "not" Sky enthusiasts who keep it pristine. Many live in apartments who keep their Sky out in the elements in a community parking lot.

About the Miata. We owned a 1992 m/t in 2005/2006 so any memory would not be a fare comparison. I am not very familiar with the later Miata except what I read. A personal feeling.....the Sky outshines the Miata in curb appeal, hands-down. The Redline far exceeds the Miata in performance. The base 2.4L with m/t is comparable to today's Miata.

RJ,
Loved your reply here as it’s quite good timing. While I wanted a Sky quite badly at the time of my original post here, my dad convinced me to get a practical car (Jetta) instead as I was going off to college.

Fast forward 7 years and I’m now a full time Mechanical Engineer and just picked up a midnight blue 98k miles ‘07 2.4L 5MT myself a few weeks ago.

Was looking at getting a new Miata but saw a Midnight blue sky sitting in the square I live in in GA during the winter and the look instantly stole my heart again.

Mine sounds like it is in similar shape as yours- last owner kept up great with it mechanically but didn’t care about it aesthetically. My goal is to basically restore it to its former glory.

It’s not as fast as a lot of other cars on the road, but I love the looks and way it drives so much that I don’t care. Very glad to finally be an owner of one.

 

[rjgramps]

There is "something" about the midnight blue metallic in bright sun as you have pictured. But it is even crazy more awesome parked under a street light or gas station lighting that is "daylight" colored. That was in-part, an inspiration to convert my interior to daylight LED.