Hate dealer parts markup? Get a Saab!

"Someone Else's Projects" (someoneelsesproject) 05/29/2014 at 09:30 • Filed to: None

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I'm trying to buy a front strut for my 9000, and Eeuroparts is out of stock with no ETA from the manufacturer. Rockauto doesn't have it in stock and has to get theirs from an "outlying warehouse". The dealer has them for the same price as Rockauto and without additional shipping costs, and they'll get them in at the end of the day! Mad props Charles River Saab. Apparently the way to get rid of dealer parts markup is for the parent company to go bankrupt.

dinobot666 > Someone Else's Projects 05/29/2014 at 10:17

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Dealer markup isn't that high really. It's the manufacturers who set the baseline of the cost of the part when it is sold to the dealership, markup is standard retail from there.

Nibbles > Someone Else's Projects 05/29/2014 at 10:36

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This is my biggest worry while restoring the 900. I'm so scared I'm not going to be able to find parts like the turn signal stalk detent, or one of the myriad pigtail connectors that has disintegrated while removing the wiring harness. I'm already pissed enough because I cannot find OEM driving lights to save my life.

Someone Else's Projects > Nibbles 05/29/2014 at 10:39

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Are you located near any of the Saab epicenters in the US (New England, Denver, Delaware, West Coast)? You may be SOL elsewhere but the shops in those places are both well-stocked and well-networked.

Nibbles > Someone Else's Projects 05/29/2014 at 10:42

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Denver. There's a number of shops that carry old shells, and some places I know that can get some good NOS parts from time to time, but the 900 inventory is dwindling.

Someone Else's Projects > Nibbles 05/29/2014 at 10:44

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Gotcha. Might be a perverse side effect of how many 900s stay driveable and on the roads up there, as opposed to rusting and getting parted out around here in the Boston area.

Nibbles > Someone Else's Projects 05/29/2014 at 10:48

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Exactly. There are still so many 900s up here being driven on a regular basis. There's a red SPG I get to drool over as it passes the office every morning. The RMSC has been quite helpful in getting me some of the rare parts too. Every time I look at something that needs to be replaced, though, I get that lump in my stomach

Someone Else's Projects > Nibbles 05/29/2014 at 10:53

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Interesting. Contrast that with my 9000 experience, where apart from body parts like rear wheel well liners, my mechanic has no trouble sourcing replacements one way or another. The 9000 isn't that much newer, and still doesn't share parts with other cars, so I wonder how much it's down to the overall parts situation, geography, or the possibility that my mechanic is just plain uncanny.

Nibbles > Someone Else's Projects 05/29/2014 at 10:58

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Not sure. I don't think the 9000s have that air of collectibility yet that the 900s are enjoying. That may change in the near future but, with the way broken 9000s have generally been picked apart and scavenged for parts swappable with the 900 (T5 is a big one, flywheels, seats, etc) I hope there's enough good 9000s left to become collectible :)

Someone Else's Projects > Nibbles 05/29/2014 at 11:04

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Yeah, sounds like a demand issue. Time to stockpile!

mrazekan > Someone Else's Projects 05/29/2014 at 12:01

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Just bought a new OE $240 clutch slave cylinder from www.saabpartsnw.com (Scanwest). The $74 aftermarket one failed after 2 years and less than 15k mi. John Collins informed me that Saab Parts was split from Saab when the company went under. That is why you could still get new OE parts from the www.saabparts.com network.

Someone Else's Projects > mrazekan 05/29/2014 at 12:29

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Yup, and this make sense for OE parts. What I'm impressed by is that Charles River Saab had the same availability for an aftermarket part that was identical to the OEM part, and was both better stocked than and price competitive to the online depots. They're actually making an effort to be competitive rather than just being the gatekeeper for OEM parts.

mrazekan > mrazekan 05/29/2014 at 12:44

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Just realized that sounded like a total pitch. Yikes!

mrazekan > Nibbles 05/29/2014 at 12:54

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Now you know why many of us hoard parts! I have a turbo, DI casette, APC computer, seat, countless FPRs, advance modules, and on, and on, and on. I have yet to collect transmissions. Though I should have pulled the 80k mi. one from a 92 vert I found in a yard a year ago.

The turn signal stock detent is actually a bear. There aere a number of them with and without cruise control. I just picked one up from the wrecking yard and it won't un detent with the turn of the wheel.

Best bet is find a local wrecking yard. If that does not work, join the forums. I called out for a non EGR ECU a while back and got some great response from forum members.

With respect to wiring, it's better to redo it if possible. It's hard to tell the condition of the ones pulled from the yards.

P.S. I think you'll like this . The answer to does it Baja?

mrazekan > Someone Else's Projects 05/29/2014 at 12:58

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That's great to hear. Charles River Saab is on the list of affiliates. Maybe they make it up through being an authorized service center.