[1994SC2]

Well I have had the old girl for a few weeks now and all the driving has pushed me to the millenium mark and I believe qualified for the...

(may contain some mild language)

Now... keep in mind I may focus on completely mundane or insignificant issues in this post, but all the same I think some of you may appreciate this one Sky owner's take on the first thousand.

First off, I do love this car. Beyond the compliments, attention, residual women it brings - I love this car for myself and no one else. I have waited years and years for a convertible Saturn and even offered my SC2 to "Monster Garage" if they promised to make her go topless. The day the Sky was announced, my dealer knew I wanted one, and he kept his promise that I would get one the moment it arrived to the lot.

The pro list is the easier one to compile... PROS:

1. Looks: Are you kidding me? You wouldn't be here if you disagreed.
2. Feel: This car "feels" right; this car pulls you (this is hard to explain so I will try with an analogy... it’s like the difference between skiing and water skiing. With snow skiing you kind of just slide down the mountain and control your moves. With water skiing you are getting pulled along for the ride and every turn and increase in speed really gets felt over your entire body... the Sky is my water-skis). My SC2 had a similar responsive feeling; very few cars I have driven have it.
3. Shape - Its like a glove -- from the cockpit style seating that invites you to just drive to the fact that the entire car is devoted to making the driver happy - screw the kids, give me that third cupholder, no your golf clubs wont fit also, get out of my car. When I’m sitting in my Sky I feel like I have slipped in to a perfect leather chair to watch a Sunday round of golf for 5 hours.
4. Drive - It is smooth as butter, and as other posters have mentioned I agree, as you drive it more it gets even smoother and softer between gears.
5. Handling - The car really doesn’t flinch around turns, go ahead and double the recommended curve speed limit, the Sky will laugh at said signage.
6. AC/heat - Very strong and able to keep you warm even when the top is down in 40 degree weather
7. Engine sound/exhaust note - Its as if angels are humming under the hood

Cons... This list may be in more detail but that doesn't mean that they are that glaring of issues:

1. Windshield - Okay, I don’t know if this is just a change from my last car, but EVERYTHING hits this windshield. 50 miles on Route 81 gives me a Golden Corral buffet of bugs splattered on my windshield, but what is more scary is that rocks seem to like it as well. I got a nasty hit on the WAY HOME FROM THE DEALER that actually left a little chip missing from the glass (I miss that lil guy).
   
2. Cup holder ejects on its own - I have trained myself... but damn that was annoying...
   
3. Plastic forming (airbag panel) - Okay, I know it was a first 500 off the line, but the panel on the airbag is not completely form-fitting with the rest of the dash. I was going to complain but I think its the one little piece of the Sky that reminds me of my old 1994 SC2 (see my avatar) FIXED!!!! VERY SIMPLE TOO!!! See this post: http://www.skyroadster.com/forums/showpost.php?p=48747&postcount=40
   
4. Weather-stripping on trunk - This never seems to be just right, you slam it shut and it may be perfectly down in some spots and not in others. If it’s ever bad you can poke it with your finger back in and... WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!? GRRRRR...
   
5. Horsepower/Acceleration - I am new to the stick shift -- but I do think the lack of acceleration is something that the Redline will be great for. I personally DO NOT trust myself with anything faster, so I will be fine with my Standard Sky, but It might be nice to just get that extra push every now and then.
   [*]Stereo - Okay, it is a GOOD stereo (I bought the 6 disc w/ XM) but the lows and highs aren't too fabulous and I heard such RAVE reviews on the Sol site that I was expecting the king enchilada but instead got the Crunch Wrap Supreme... still good, but its no Chipotle. Oh, and why does the XM reset to a nonexistent station 19 every now and then? Like it matters, good luck reading what crappy song isn't on the phantom XM19 in the bright sun...
   
6. Glove compartment - Why even open your mouth Saturn... what the hell am I supposed to put in there? No amount of substantial wads of cash, drugs, beer cans, Girl Scout Cookies, or Bad Jokes can withstand that tiny space.
   
7. Blind spot above windshield - Somehow the distance from the stoplight to the front of the Sky when you are sitting at pole position at a stoplight is JUST PERFECT to have the entire light blocked by the windshield's top panel. Thanks for nothing Pythagorean - jerk.
   [*]Trunk space - I had this coming when I got a roadster... but it doesn’t fit a standard carry-on airplane roller.
   

Okay... Ill stops there and will add more as they come to me...

Ill close with my "WHAT THE?" MOMENT of the review...

DID THEY ACTUALLY PAY SOMEONE to place a safety release latch in the trunk? If you get stuck in the trunk of a Sky you have a lot more to worry about than these insignificant crappy things I have listed for one of the greatest cars in the world.

Thank you Saturn for ANOTHER great car, hats off. Goodnight and Good Luck with your Sky!

 

[eldeeko]

Great post! Really enjoyed reading it. I did like your title shot. good editing.

 

[richmcc]

Thanks for the review, I thought the same thing when I saw the trunk release! :lol:

I gotta tell ya that passenger air bag opening looks pretty ugly to me!

 

[SkyPup]

Thanks for the review, I thought the same thing when I saw the trunk release! :lol:

I gotta tell ya that passenger air bag opening looks pretty ugly to me!

Thanks for the review, sounds like the little problems new model cars have. We all know we can't expect too much room in either the glovebox or the trunk. Or we would'nt be buying a Sky.

 

[nscrbug]

Thanks...great and honest review! I think the only thing that would really bother me enough to want to get resolved is that passenger airbag panel...it would drive me nuts having to look at that...and believe me, my eyes would immediately travel right to it every 5 seconds! :lol:

 

[Kustomkaps]

Very good review job, well balanced. I laughed at the trunk release too- can you imagine trying to actually lift someone into the trunk??? They poor guy would simply laugh.

 

[Stu's Sky]

Fantastic review and thanks for your time and effort. Pics are great. I give you an A+.

You hit it right on the money on many items. :thumbs:

 

[Rick Tinley Park]

Good review and a nice heads up to us Sky Waiters...:cheers:

One little thing though 1000 miles is NOT the century mark -- 100 miles is -- you hit the Ten Century mark!
:thumbs:

 

[1994SC2]

Good review and a nice heads up to us Sky Waiters...:cheers:

One little thing though 1000 miles is NOT the century mark -- 100 miles is -- you hit the Ten Century mark!
:thumbs:

Point taken! Edit made. Basic math skills revisited. Thanks!

 

[Delnari]

Check my post from, oh say 8 months ago about the stereo. It was on my list being not up to snuff either. Sorry you spent all that money on it when you could have purchase a really nice aftermarket unit for just a little more.

Don't order the upgraded radio, please save your money for something better!

 

[NC Sky]

Awesome review! Very informative and funny! :lol:

I love hearing about other people's experience so I know what to expect when mine comes. Thanks so much!

 

[TexSon]

Good write up. Got to remember, this is a small car and small cars have little space. My '71 Vette has limited space, so I have a pretty good idea what I in for, and the motorcycles I have had have had even less, so I have a good handle on making the most of the available space.:thumbs:

 

[1994SC2]

Check my post from, oh say 8 months ago about the stereo. It was on my list being not up to snuff either. Sorry you spent all that money on it when you could have purchase a really nice aftermarket unit for just a little more.

Don't order the upgraded radio, please save your money for something better!

Yeah, the stereo isn't all that I hoped it would be... I think i was involved in a few threads about aftermarket stereo options and I do think for over 95% of drivers the premium stereo will be MORE than enough. Leave it to audio snobs like us to complain.

I will say the benefits of having the stock radio include the wheel controls (this can be made custom to aftermarket however), auto increase in volume with speed change, decent interface that blends well with the dash and the fact that the sub is such a unique fit it seems easier to just go with the Monsoon option.

Currently there isn't much that has been custom fit to the sub opening behind the passenger seat. Though, I'm sure you can get a good kit for a single DIN head unit but it will most likely stand out as a contrast to the nice layout of the dash. But the main reason I went with the stock and will keep it for at least a short while is that I didn't want to attract someone to slashing the soft top in an attempt to steal a 1000+ stereo system.

If you do go with the premium audio system you can always make almost all of it back by selling the components on ebay as I saw a Sol owner did and got 650 for the setup.

 

[Stu's Sky]

When I have the radio up, I get a vibration from the sub behind the passenger seat. It is not too loud, either. Sort of not happy about that.

Also, if you have a passenger and they sit in the passenger seat and have it all the way back, their body will vibrate from the sub. Sort of uncomfortable for them.

 

[Freakazoid]

When I have the radio up, I get a vibration from the sub behind the passenger seat. It is not too loud, either. Sort of not happy about that.

Also, if you have a passenger and they sit in the passenger seat and have it all the way back, their body will vibrate from the sub. Sort of uncomfortable for them.

psht passengers just make unnecessary weight

 

[IslandHopper]

I want to say that review was right on the money!!! The cup holders get on my nerves as well. Some of my CONS: no place for loose change for those that travel toll roads--why not a power antenna--why no indoor button for gas latch-- why cant window controls be by gear shift or higher on door panel. Maybe GM will invite some current owners to assist on future SKY productions. Other than those observations, I love my new car and my new car loves me

 

[MCW Sky]

Trunk release

I believe the trunk release handle is there to satisfy a federal law - I am sure it is easier to put it in then to try to get an exception from the FTSB to leave it out based on the improbability of anyone actually being able to even fit in the trunk with the lid closed. I believe this was in part in repsonse to a number of cases where kids got themselves locked in car trunks and died as a result.

 

[Stu's Sky]

I want to say that review was right on the money!!! The cup holders get on my nerves as well. Some of my CONS: no place for loose change for those that travel toll roads--why not a power antenna--why no indoor button for gas latch-- why cant window controls be by gear shift or higher on door panel. Maybe GM will invite some current owners to assist on future SKY productions. Other than those observations, I love my new car and my new car loves me

As I read, I am nodding my head. :agree: The window switches are not easy to access.

 

[SKY Spy]

Check my post from, oh say 8 months ago about the stereo. It was on my list being not up to snuff either. Sorry you spent all that money on it when you could have purchase a really nice aftermarket unit for just a little more.

Don't order the upgraded radio, please save your money for something better!

Who offers a better aftermarket stereo??? I would love to know since I was set on the 1CD Monsoon with the XM option... :banghead:

Any info would be greatly appreciated... :thumbs:

Regards,

:willy: BA :willy:

 

[Rick Tinley Park]

You know THIS is when being a member of this site starts making sense. It is great to get reviews (honest and well done too I may add -- Oh and with humor! ) presenting all the good stuff :cheers: and the bad:banghead: . I knew going in that a first year car was not going to be perfect. So far I see no deal breakers :nono: - but I certainly LOVE the heads up stuff...
Keep it up and I promise to post reviews as well.:thumbs: