My first american car ;-)

Yes, I finally bought a new (used) car. It is a 1999 Saturn SL. It’s not particularly fancy (looks like an Open Astra) but the 1.9l engine with 124 horsepower and its incredible torque turn it into a little beast. I think I made good deal (it was about the same price as the MacBook ;-)).

Some random facts:

  • it’s a second generation SL
  • Saturn is actually a brand of General Motors (a truly american car :))
  • oringinal list price: $11.995 in 1999
  • mileage: 116360
  • engine: 1.9l, 4 cyclinder L4
  • KBB private party value today: $2400 (I don’t tell you how much I paid)
  • 5 speed manual transmission (yeah, I love the stick shift)
  • very spartanic (no power steering, no cruise control, no automatic locks, no nothing :))
  • at least dual airbag, A/C, heater
  • 6 month insurance is about $200 (and covers nearly *nothing*)
  • title + tax + license plate at the BMV in Bton are about $100 (valid for 1 year)
  • one is allowed to drive a car for two working days after purchase without a valid license/insurance in Indiana (weird!)
  • I’ve got two license plates in the car currently *g* – the old one is hard to remove
  • reviews are pretty twofold, but most seem to be satisfied
  • it’s weird, there is nothing like the German AU or HU aka TUEV *hmm*
  • I don’t even have a document that compares to a “Fahrzeugbrief” or “Fahrzeugschein” with the technical specification (i.e., I can modify the car as I wish and no policemen can ever say something???)
  • it is also weird that the BMV is going to (hopefully) mail me the title later. I.e., I do currently not have *any* proof that I own this car (weird). And a friend of mine told me that she is still waiting for her title (since August last year!!!!). Hmm.

Anyway, here are some pictures. I still have to figure out how to mount the German license plate at the front without destroying too much. But I think it’ll be an electric drill and pure brutality :).