How similar are '96 and '99 Saturns?

How similar are '96 and '99 Saturns?

I've had a '96 SL-2 for a couple of years, and bought a full set of factory
service manuals for it almost immediately.

Just bought a '99 SL-2 earlier this week, which is obviously a very similar
vehicle. My question is, *how* similar? Certainly the '96 manuals will be
adequate for at least some repairs on the '99, but I don't have a feel for
whether that portion might be 5%, or 95%, of the tasks.

Any guidance would be appreciated. TIA.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Re: How similar are '96 and '99 Saturns?

they should be comparably similar, not much different at all, same 1.9L
engine and same trannys in both..
--
marx404

"Doug Miller" <spambait@milmac,com > wrote in message
news:PDIzj.5818$pl4.3816@newssvr22.news.prodigy,net ...
> I've had a '96 SL-2 for a couple of years, and bought a full set of
> factory
> service manuals for it almost immediately.
>
> Just bought a '99 SL-2 earlier this week, which is obviously a very
> similar
> vehicle. My question is, *how* similar? Certainly the '96 manuals will be
> adequate for at least some repairs on the '99, but I don't have a feel for
> whether that portion might be 5%, or 95%, of the tasks.
>
> Any guidance would be appreciated. TIA.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
>
> It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Re: How similar are '96 and '99 Saturns?

In article <47d09b33$0$22889$4c368faf@roadrunner,com >, 404@404,com
says...
> they should be comparably similar, not much different at all, same 1.9L
> engine and same trannys in both..
>

IIRC 'Lane' knew most of the ends and outs of the changes in the S-
series. I dont think he has posted here for some years. I think there
were a number of changes in 97 and I think the heads were altered as
well. Also at some point the resistance for the shift solenoids changed.

Re: How similar are '96 and '99 Saturns?

You can refer to the ultimate swap guide for engine/drivetrain differences:

http :// www .saturnspot,com /performance-modifications/15149-ultimate-swap-guide-thanks-tsn.html

I was in the same boat with purchasing the correct service manuals for a car
when I had some that were a few years different. I decided that no matter
how similar the cars were, it would only take one difference to potentially
mis-diagnose or fix something incorrectly. I sold my old FSMs to a friend
and bought the correct ones.

Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic,com ]
---
Visit my Saturn Car Audio and Performance Page at http :// www .evilplastic,com


"marx404" <404@404,com > wrote in message
news:47d09b33$0$22889$4c368faf@roadrunner,com ...
> they should be comparably similar, not much different at all, same 1.9L
> engine and same trannys in both..
> --
> marx404
>
> "Doug Miller" <spambait@milmac,com > wrote in message
> news:PDIzj.5818$pl4.3816@newssvr22.news.prodigy,net ...
>> I've had a '96 SL-2 for a couple of years, and bought a full set of
>> factory
>> service manuals for it almost immediately.
>>
>> Just bought a '99 SL-2 earlier this week, which is obviously a very
>> similar
>> vehicle. My question is, *how* similar? Certainly the '96 manuals will be
>> adequate for at least some repairs on the '99, but I don't have a feel
>> for
>> whether that portion might be 5%, or 95%, of the tasks.
>>
>> Any guidance would be appreciated. TIA.
>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>> Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
>>
>> It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
>
>

Re: How similar are '96 and '99 Saturns?

Doug Miller wrote:
> I've had a '96 SL-2 for a couple of years, and bought a full set of factory
> service manuals for it almost immediately.
>
> Just bought a '99 SL-2 earlier this week, which is obviously a very similar
> vehicle. My question is, *how* similar? Certainly the '96 manuals will be
> adequate for at least some repairs on the '99, but I don't have a feel for
> whether that portion might be 5%, or 95%, of the tasks.

Any suggestions on where to get a set of manuals (or DVDs?) for a 98 SL-2?

Thanks
David Ross

Re: How similar are '96 and '99 Saturns?

In article <7ba5b$47d0c700$d1aa8d95$10012@PORTBRIDGE,com >, DLR <news23@raleighthings,com > wrote:
>Doug Miller wrote:
>> I've had a '96 SL-2 for a couple of years, and bought a full set of factory
>> service manuals for it almost immediately.
>>
>> Just bought a '99 SL-2 earlier this week, which is obviously a very similar
>> vehicle. My question is, *how* similar? Certainly the '96 manuals will be
>> adequate for at least some repairs on the '99, but I don't have a feel for
>> whether that portion might be 5%, or 95%, of the tasks.
>
>Any suggestions on where to get a set of manuals (or DVDs?) for a 98 SL-2?

I got mine on eBay. You might also be able to order them from a Saturn dealer.
IIRC, I checked into that, and went the eBay route after finding that they
were indeed available from Saturn, but at a price higher than I was able to
afford at the time. I paid about $75 for a three-volume set of printed manuals
in three-ring binders. These are Saturn factory service manuals, the same ones
used in Saturn dealership service departments, not Haynes or Chilton manuals.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.