[00:02] always wanted to get behind the wheel of. This is a 2008 Saturn Sky Redline. of. This is a 2008 Saturn Sky Redline. We have the 2 L Ecote Tech LNF turbocharged 4-cylinder stock. It makes what about 260 horsepower, 260 lb feet
[00:16] >> This is tuned. It's got some modifications. Probably making around 330 to the crank here. I'm with my buddy Skip. We've got >> A bunch of cool modifications to this. You've owned this for how long? Uh, four
[00:30] another one before this that met an unfortunate end, but you put all those >> Sweet. All right. Well, let's start it up. We'll walk you guys around it, and Skip will give us some of his ownership driving impressions, and uh we'll take
[00:45] it out on the route, do the thing. We've got a 5-speed automatic transmission. They made a few of these, but not a ton. >> Right. About 35,000, I think, was the >> Yeah. >> Not a ton. And this kind of came out
[00:58] around the time of the NC Miata. What was the first year of the Sky? 2006. >> 2006 was the first model year. Okay. >> It only ran till technically 2010 model those. >> They were cool cars. They kind of had
[01:12] baby Corvette vibes. Mallet put some V8s in them. There's a couple of them running around here to the Metro Detroit area still, but uh yeah, let's walk you area still, but uh yeah, let's walk you guys around this
[01:29] intake. What else am I missing? >> Uh new intercooler from uh RPM Motorsports. They um they've basically supplied all the engine stuff for me.
[01:41] >> Um I did a a couple of things underneath just to give it a little bit of a stiffer frame, which is pretty standard for most CAPA drivers who want to >> Yeah. >> Um but nothing major. stock suspension,
[01:55] >> Um but nothing major. stock suspension, stock wheels, which are heavy. Um, and uh, nothing on the outside. >> Cool. Good sidewall for Michigan Roads. >> Uh, techno gray. >> It looks great.
[02:07] >> It's actually a pretty rare color as far as um, the Saturns go. I mean, when I edition. They have a couple of those out there, but >> Okay. >> Um, nothing in particularly fancy. The
[02:22] first first one I had was black and I did some striping on it, but I'm going >> Sweet. It looks great. I've always loved the back here with the There's very little trunk space. Pretty much all of
[02:34] >> none >> with the top. Is there a Is there a bun do it from the inside? >> All right. It's in the glove box. Look >> None. All right. So, it's just for the top. But with the top up, you probably
[02:47] >> Well, you would think. >> You would think. Oh, nope. No. Just kidding. All right. Gas tank. >> That's [laughter] all you get. >> All right. Well, packaging maybe wasn't GM's forte with the Saturn Sky or the
[03:01] Pontiac Solstice, but that's okay. >> One thing they did do in the trunk, they left just enough space for is a pump and a can of slime because there's no spare. >> Okay.
[03:14] >> the plugs. >> Yeah, that's a good idea. good to be prepared. >> All right, sweet. Let's pop the hood. I want to
[03:27] forward >> just like the vets. >> That's awesome. Yep. Good. Don't want to pinch you there. So, this is basically the same engine that is in Substitute Cobalt SS just
[03:41] longitudinally mounted here. And you've got some ZZP ignition coils. Intake looks good. It sounds fun. It is fun. It's It's just It's a spirit of car. The
[03:53] >> um with the uh the downpipe that I've got on there, the the turbo is almost a little some somewhat unpredictable. The spoolup hits, it's quick and hard kind >> Cool. >> You can have fun with it.
[04:07] >> These were reliable engines. They're fast. They make good power. I purposefully didn't really get on it on my way out here so I can be surprised >> All right. Uh, one of the things when this came out, this was the most
[04:21] this came out, this was the most horsepower per liter stock that GM ever time. >> That's amazing. Yes. >> Per liter. It was the the most powerful they have done. And then you could get a
[04:34] GM PP tune from the dealership which would take it from 260 and 260 to I think it was 290. And I can't remember what the torque spec was. faster than some Camaros. >> It's It's It's quick. Yeah, back then.
[04:49] >> Back then. Not Not now. >> No, not anymore. But >> Well, now there isn't a Camaro until they announce the next one. >> Yeah, that's true. That's true. >> Well, cool. Yeah. I mean, so as far as
[05:01] road. We'll talk about it some more, but really the biggest gotcha with these cars is finding replacement body panels. And is parts availability relatively >> Body panels. >> Okay. side panels are notoriously hard
[05:16] um especially front ends front end stuff because they you can't the visibility is >> So there's a lot of people smacking the front ends. Rear ends if you hit your everywhere online. >> Um
[05:30] >> the biggest thing for these is uh fiberglass and if you don't use pucks >> You have to have them rebuilt cuz there's there's like none left. It is uh it is tough
[05:45] engine stuff. This most of these most of the parts that they've got on this car are just off the shelf. >> Nothing crazy. But the body panels, no. If you wreck a body panel, you're there's a guy named Norm's fiberglass.
[05:59] You can get totally crazy stuff like a Viper hood on these things. [laughter] Um and they're pretty cool, but notoriously slow like years sometimes. Look at those. It's all just bespoke stuff. Yeah.
[06:12] 35,000 is a good number. >> Yeah. It's It's not like, you know, 3 to 5,000. No, it's not super rare. You You saw a bunch of them back in the day, Well, let's take it out for a drive. >> Let's do it.
[06:33] >> 93 octane tune. Yep. >> Uh, typically the gentleman who tunes these uses 91 and I told him I live in Michigan. 93 is where I want it. >> I don't really go anywhere outside of Michigan too much. So,
[06:46] interior because we've got the typical GM steering wheel from this era. Saturn logo. A lot of like old hard GM plastics. Everything's aged pretty well this car. The red seats, the red steering wheel. Kind of cool. It's
[07:01] actually I drove my Viper to your house when I when we picked this up and took it here. Same steering wheel as the Viper. Same red outline on the sides. >> Red and black. >> Red and black. And I like your fisheye
[07:13] >> So, actually, those were those came with the car when I got it. >> Very helpful. [laughter] >> We're going to do a three-point turn here. A little Austin Powers action. These came in five-speed autos and
[07:26] These came in five-speed autos and five-speed manuals. >> It's long. And uh there's a lot of times you get chin damage on these things
[07:38] >> Yeah. >> Very long hood for such a small engine. >> I like the fender line though on both sides. Like it it makes you feel like more special, a little bit more sporty. >> Yes.
[07:58] era. Of course, tons of Miatas. This feels like a very different flavor of roadster sports car. Definitely more power than the Miata ever had.
[08:11] >> 30s. >> Yeah. Yeah. 30s. model. Those were the fast ones. Those are the ones you wanted. It's funny is the the displacement on the non on the normally aspirated is 2.4 L and it is
[08:26] >> I think it's a dog. The guys who own them or the people who own them, them or the people who own them, >> they say, "Oh, it's good enough." But
[08:41] these potholes here. It's a comfortable convertible to cruise in. You got this big wind blocker back there. All right. So, that one I made. >> Okay, cool. >> Um,
[08:54] >> they have this silly thing called a fly swatter. That's what everyone calls it. swatter. That's what everyone calls it. >> And, um, $900 >> Oh, wow. >> And it clips into these clips to the
[09:08] between the seats. Most people don't have that. Mine came with it. I hated it. So, I uh built my own brackets. Okay. >> cool. >> Never mind the airplane. It's that's
[09:23] just who I am. I'm an airplane guy. So every car of mine has an airplane on it somewhere. >> Why the Saturn Sky? >> Always loved it. Um it's such a cool looking car.
[09:36] >> When it first came out, I was I had had three different Saturns. Saturn has this came out, I'm like, man, someday I want to own one. And so I did. Um I
[09:48] don't know what my draw was. You know, every time you get in a someone has a had to have. >> Yeah. Yeah. The right time. You know, you kept seeing on the dealership lot. Yeah. I was kind of like that with the
[10:01] NC Miata, you know, the C6 Corvette, the Viper back in the day. It's It's good. you've got some time and that little bit of extra income and, you know, get your
[10:13] like high school or college. >> Exactly. excitement. >> I grew up wrenching on on uh GTO's at my >> 60s GTO's 6869s.
[10:26] into it. >> The Saturn was just always something that I wanted to have. Yeah, a 68 GTO would be sweet. I would love to have something like that, but this is affordable.
[10:38] affordable. >> Yeah. little bit more expensive for this still just because not as common, but you Tech. >> Yep. Yeah. The engine stuff's easy to
[10:52] >> Yeah. I mean, you can get a used Ecote Tech 2.0 at the LNF. I think like 1,500 bucks, 1,700 bucks. Woo! It's healthy. It's so linear in its
[11:07] power delivery that it doesn't feel as fast as you look down at the speedo and see that you're going. It's quick. This has kind of an old school turbo character to it, too. It's a little bit more charming and just interesting than
[11:22] modern turbo engines. >> It's got a twin scroll, so it has It the bigger one. >> Yep. Um, I've contemplated getting what they call the the the big wheel. Yeah, the big turbo kit.
[11:37] Yeah. I don't know if I want it. This is a nice balance. It is. It handles well. Steering is nice. Brakes feel good. I mean, this car feels really tight. It drives awesome. >> And the gearing with the automatic is so
[11:51] long that you can kind of ride out of gear a little bit. It's not always earlier it'd be nice to have this new 10-speed in here, but >> I wish it had paddles >> um take advantage of a lot more. They
[12:04] intermediate and low and >> That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's just not quite the same. >> Sure. [laughter] shifters, flabby paddles. Ferrari was doing paddle shifters in '08. No one
[12:21] >> Yeah. I guess a little bit of Porsche, PDK. It would be really nice to have. >> Yeah. Yeah.
[12:34] for traction control, which is nanny's always on. So, you turn it off, then turn competition mode on, which >> Oh, double a little bit. Actually, like >> and then Oh, sorry. Double press. And then a long press is
[12:48] >> competitive mode. Yeah. >> Is no technology. And with the old tires dangerous. >> Sure. >> Uh they were 10y old tires. The rubber was hard. Um and yeah, once I put the
[13:03] new meats on, it hooks up a lot better. they work well in the in all conditions. They're fantastic. >> Every car in my fleet at home has Continental Extreme uh contacts on them.
[13:18] that doesn't they don't make them for that size. >> No, they had some cool stuff with traction control back in the day. I know no lift shift. They had they kind of
[13:30] I know Chris's Cobalt SS had something along those lines and that was all stock. And the competitive mode was good stock. And the competitive mode was good for this class of vehicle in the day. It
[13:43] didn't intervene too much, but it let you have some fun and utilize the speed usually where I'm at. I'll just get in the car and I'll double tap it and just >> Yep. >> Um only because it does let you have a
[13:56] experience. >> Sure. >> Let's take this out to some better roads. We've got a feel for it and uh >> Sounds good. And it's nice there's an aftermarket for
[14:10] for power mods on these cars cuz all the EcoTech stuff. Yes. Thankfully, they didn't go crazy with the motor being some oddball motor that they suck in that you get no support for. It's hard enough to get support for anything else.
[14:23] There's maybe a couple of different suspension kits you can get out there. Nothing that's great for the the stock. They did a good job. >> Stock suspension feels really good. >> Lutz wanted a a two-seater roadster.
[14:35] >> This is what he came up with. I mean, it's kind of just it's a split between like baby Corvette and rear wheel drive Cobalt SS. >> Yes, >> it really is.
[14:55] Turbo spools up nice and quick on initial tip in
[15:14] >> That's pretty nice for for an old car. >> That's great. Imagine it's a 20-year-old design that they didn't do anything. One model, that was it. They didn't make any improvements throughout the years. Um, only there's only really four model
[15:28] >> Yeah. >> So, uh, if they had had a second edition, I think it would have been a much different animal. much different animal. >> Front end feels good.
[15:49] >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. >> Um it it uh it really makes it kind of a quiet quiet girl. Um everyone just takes that box off. Not everyone. Most people do just to give it some noise.
[16:11] >> Okay. Faster shifting. It seems like it's shifting a little bit quicker than I would expect it to. >> It does shift much quicker. Um, I want to say a half a second was what the guy basically advertises. Okay.
[16:24] between shifts. It's almost kind of power delivery. >> Increases the red line. >> Okay. Tune does pretty standard. There's a couple of tuning companies out there.
[16:36] >> Yep. >> RPM. We did this one. Uh they do it and do a bunch of drives. >> You said they're out of Arizona. >> Okay. >> Uh and then Trifecta, they do a tuning.
[16:49] Um you can get a a canned tune, which I tried once. A lot of people love it. I being thrown. >> Custom tune with specific mods always
[17:02] >> And so I did the custom and it wasn't anymore. Um and Martin at RPM just does >> cool. >> Can't can't complain about a guy who enjoys his job. >> This is fun, man. We've been talking
[17:16] about this car for years and it's great to finally get a chance to drive it. >> Just leave it in low. >> Leave it low sometimes. Okay. takes care of itself. >> Nice.
[17:42] >> That's usually where I'm >> It's holding revs. >> It's holding revs. >> Yep. at that. >> Well, enjoy it. [laughter]
[17:56] >> Yeah. Sweet. >> It's almost like it just entered a totally different shift program.
[18:11] >> It is. It is a This is where I [clears throat] like when when I'm doing >> Cool. And then you can go intermediate if you want to just kind of cruise at a mid RPM. All right.
[18:32] All right. Let's go back down there. >> With the um the old the I think they were Eagles that that originally came on this and they were old. You could you could get loose and drift a little bit. These tires don't do it very well.
[18:45] >> Yeah, I know there's a lot of grip here. There we go. A little kick out. What's the limited slip differential situation? >> LSD. LSD. All there is to it. Okay, cool. >> That was great, man. The balance is
[18:58] >> That was great, man. The balance is awesome. >> that front end just kind of tucks in and it rotates really nicely. >> I think it gets a little pushy sometimes. Um, but it's it is a fun
[19:13] >> It's okay to have some safe under steer. You can always dial that out with a, you you're not tracking, you don't need to worry about it. I'm not doing that. >> Yeah. >> Cool. Well, all right. I'm impressed.
[19:27] expected it to be. for, you know, what articles I read back mean, the Red Line's kind of the one to get. But, uh, yeah. What What are these
[19:39] >> Teens 20. >> I bought this in the high teens. >> Um, >> you got about 20,000 miles, you said. >> Okay, cool. >> I'm going to say, yeah, I had 25 when I
[19:54] bought it. >> I would rarely are you going to see one that goes over 20. That's one of those that has maybe a thousand miles on it. Some of them just garage kept it. Yep. Which I think is a shame. And I'm sure a
[20:06] lot of people have they've only summer driven them. You know, could be a mixed mixed? >> Much older. I'm the youngest ones in the >> Are you okay? Just like just like Viper ownership, Corvette ownership. Same
[20:22] >> All right. So, I'm sure they've been really well kept. They're pristine. you of maintenance here and there, but I think it's a really fun alternative to
[20:34] maybe the more, you know, pnicity German options and more power than the Miata. I don't know. It's it's an exciting package. The was going to be. And of course, you can always go 5-speed manual and then, you
[20:50] know, couple supporting mods, couple bolt-ons. You've got a pretty nice power package, too. What's really easy is the bolt-on package with with the tune. I probably put 2,400 bucks into this thing to wake it
[21:04] >> That is nothing. >> Really cheap to buy yourself about uh what is it? 60 crank horsepower >> for sure. It wakes it up. You get a little bit different transmission programming.
[21:18] That's all good stuff. It's not an easy top to put up and down. Oh, this has the buttresses, so it's even more >> Butresses are they look so cool, though. And that's always been kind of the thing
[21:32] too. >> Yes. >> right? >> And I love it when cars do that. I mean, collectively, you could fit some very creatively shaped items in the truck.
[21:47] things back there. >> Um, we've done a weekend trips with it. People do it all the time. You just you basically don't bag anything. You take a bag with you into the hotels, but you don't put it in the bag.
[22:01] >> You just basically shove it around all the spots in the trunk. >> Um, yeah, we've had we've had plenty of um time trips doing that. So, it works. >> Is there another compartment?
[22:16] keep sunscreen, right? >> Good. Yep. You need that. Good. >> Um, cup holder is This one is >> Everyone breaks them. Can't believe I I >> Okay, good. >> Some guy does these.
[22:30] is >> Oh, holders. >> Yeah. >> You want to roll up your window, you like you have to get alligator arms to get it or you just use your other arm.
[22:43] Cross over. Only so much you can do with cup holders in a roadster. Yeah, holder here and I've thought about doing it. It's like 350 bucks for that thing that people make. I'm like, "Yeah, >> but I rest my elbow there on longer
[22:56] >> Yeah. >> Not. >> It's funny because I mean this was I assume it was designed for the American uh >> Opal GT.
[23:10] >> Opal GT. That's right. And >> the badging is nice on it. too. I always thought the Sky was probably the best looking version elements. >> That's what they call it. They said
[23:22] >> Yeah. >> So, [laughter] it is it is that especially back then they uh that was still the C6. >> Yeah. >> Just the C7 was about to start and so um
[23:36] yeah, it definitely had some of that flavor. everything. >> An amazing car, but I like the C7. >> C7 is a good looking car. C6 was kind of what I grew up with. C5, early early
[23:52] what I grew up with. C5, early early childhood magazine flipping memories. >> The only other car I would probably try to potentially get would be one that >> Oh, yeah. >> Don't ask me why. That's the year I was
[24:08] born. But just some love. >> You know, I want the chicken on the >> You already got the stash. You just need to grow a little bit more of a mullet. to find the right >> until my senior year of high school in
[24:21] to god mullet. >> I can see it now in my mind's eye. Oh, that's funny. >> Yeah, this is new. >> The stash is new. >> I dig it.
[24:36] >> I was just messing around. >> [laughter] beard. >> Actually, my wife when I when I came down for dinner after I gotten done with the workout, I showered up. She looks
[24:51] >> "What the did you do to your face?" [laughter] >> Yeah. >> She woke up, looks over, and goes, "Kind of like it." [laughter] Yeah, you do.
[25:04] Yeah, you do. >> Can't say no to the stash. >> Would you get the Trans Am to replace this or in addition to >> Yeah. >> You've dialed this car in. You've made
[25:20] >> It is kind of mine. Like I said, >> great. >> Really, if I was going to do redo something, it would be a put a V8 in an >> Stuff a V8 in the front. >> Yep.
[25:33] >> They It says super easy. What's the mallet conversion cost on these? >> No, they don't do it at all. Uh they they only did it for a couple years and wasn't enough made. >> Um
[25:48] ordeal. >> That seems about right $60,000 car on the end if you bought it new and had converted. >> uh more than what a Corvette. Yeah. Yeah. Might
[26:01] >> That's right. That's like a Z06. >> It is pretty sweet. And [clears throat] has a V8 in that thing and you hear the rumble, you're like, "This is that's >> You see them. They come out of the woodworks.
[26:19] one with like It has yellow interior, yellow engine bay stuff, and that's could be. >> I know that guy. He's a he's he's a cool guy. Um there's a couple of them that show up at the some of the Kappa drives.
[26:34] involved. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. Very >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. Very >> um King Kingpin Saturn Sky. [laughter] >> Final boss. >> No, it's funny when GM Performance puts
[26:47] their brains together to to do something, they always come out with something a little bit more special than you would expect, right? >> And they kick above their their weight class in some respects. And this is a
[26:59] nice, you know, it's not it's it's unique in class. It's not trying to copy anyone. Yes, it was kind of the same time and size and era as the Miata, but point. They took the Miata and kind of, you know, they added stuff and and
[27:12] changed it and did it differently. So, >> someone put it very nicely, very >> someone put it very nicely, very succinctly. This car is like bringing a bringing a butcher's knife to a surgery, whereas the Miata is like bringing a
[27:25] >> Yeah. This is a bit of a blunt hammer, but it still can dance. Yeah, it's a it's a lightweight, agile blunt hammer. [laughter] >> So, uh, >> yeah. And on that note, I think we'll
[27:38] >> Thanks again. We'll do >> This is This has been fun. if you got time. >> Sweet. Hell yeah, [laughter] dude. >> Thanks for watching, guys. Hope you enjoyed the video. We'll see you later.