Low Mileage Cavalier vs. Current Saturn

I was just given a 2001 Chevy Cavalier with 12,000 miles and am trying to decide if I should sell it or sell my 1998 Saturn SC1 (I only have room for 1). Here's why it's a tough decision:

Cavalier:
- Has 12,000 miles (my grandfather's car)
- Surprisingly, needs new brakes
- Has trouble starting (already replaced battery)
- Gets 33 mpg highway (automatic transmission)

Saturn:
- Has 167,000 miles (I'm the only owner)
- $0 spent on repairs to date
- Has had some trouble shifting and burns a little oil (has not gotten worse over last 50,000 miles)
- Gets 43 mpg highway (manual transmission)


I'm leaning towards keeping the Saturn due to the fuel economy (I commute 100 miles per day). Am I dumb to consider this?

Hell no. Screw the cavalier. I believe Saturn is the much better and more reliable car, especially if you do your own repairs cuz the Saturn will be easier and will run better. My dad gets that mileage on a daily basis in his o2 sl2 and has gotten as much as 50 mpg at times. Plus Saturns are pretty worthless in terms of resale so you'll get more from the Cavalier, especially with that low mileage.

For your oil burning, may want to consider an MMO soak.
A helpful, informal site for saturn owners, which has the MMO soak instructions: www.saturnfans.com.

Don't go anywhere near a Cavalier unless you're wanting endless bills for stuff that just wouldn't fail on anything else (Plus are a pain in the ass to work on).

I have both. Keep the saturn