Cracked radiator, leaking lines, etc.. (fixed after $530)

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python newbie - 25 Mar 2005 03:19 GMT

Have you ever had service done on your SL1 (mine's a late 90's) and then,
after the service (which was over $600 for a 90,000 plus a fuel fitler and a
pvc valve), a week later you had more problems come up that you just kinda
*feel* would not have come up if you hadn't had the Service in the first
place the previous week?

A week after my 90,000 service, my battery light and the temperature
light to the left of it started flashing on the way home from work, so I
bring it in (Galpin Saturn in L.A.), and it's yet another $530 for cracked
this and leaking that. I've NEVER had that problem (cooling problem) with
the car since owning it for 5 years. I would have gotten rid of the car
instead of spending the almost 1,200 on it.

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marx404 - 25 Mar 2005 14:56 GMT

Cracked this and leaking that @ 90K doesnt sound irregular to me at that
high mileage. Hoses and tubes wear, expendable and serviceable parts wear.
What you paid mostly for was labor which can be pricy but worth it if the
originating work was done right. Having multiple things go at different
times on a car with 90k is normal. The closer you get to 100k, expendable
parts will need replacing. This is normal with ANY car. That is normal and
expected maintenance. Now your radiator should have lasted longer, but again
that depends no how well you maintained your car and the local conditions.
For 90k, IMHO, if the car is running well, you are doing good.

marx404

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shoppa@trailing-edge.com - 25 Mar 2005 16:51 GMT

You don't say what lines were leaking, but you do reveal that you're in
LA. The smog/heat/ozone in LA is really rough on rubber and plastic
hoses, and realistically they have a life of 5-7 years (this is true
independent of who made the car unless you put in aftermarket race-car
style hi-temp hoses, which won't be cheap!, don't know if they're even
available for Saturns.). I suspect they replaced your upper and lower
coolant hoses and possibly the little hoses to the overflow tank.

Tim.

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python newbie - 26 Mar 2005 01:57 GMT

Understood, ok thanks for the feedback. It's just too much of a
coincidence. Maybe it was a good thing that the equipment was forced to be
replaced before my move up North this year, so that I don't overheat on I-5.
It's that whole: Look at the good side thing.

> Have you ever had service done on your SL1 (mine's a late 90's) and then,
> after the service (which was over $600 for a 90,000 plus a fuel fitler and
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> with the car since owning it for 5 years. I would have gotten rid of the
> car instead of spending the almost 1,200 on it.

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