"Manny05x" (Manny05x)
12/18/2014 at 20:13 • Filed to: None
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"Manny05x" (Manny05x)
12/18/2014 at 20:13 • Filed to: None | 1
| 12 |
are they difficult to maintain? Expensive?
Are they hard to find a mechanic for?
Fun?
I know very little about these cars but I see one on my block and it's been growing on me.
jkm7680
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 20:15 |
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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Your boy, BJR
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 20:16 |
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I've owned 2 900Ss, my dads had a 900S, a 9000 Aero, and a 9-3 Viggen.
Be prepared for.....weird problems
RallyWrench
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 20:20 |
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Pre or post-GM?
thereisnospork
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 20:30 |
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Depends a lot on what generation(s) you are into, but above else saabs are weird. Not wrong, but weird. Certain years have issues, the later T7+ motors have sludge problems, and some of the early cars have glass transmissions.
In my experience though, I've never had issues with both a saab 900 turbo ('85) and a 9-3se ('99) that couldn't be done in a garage or curbside, including swapping a head on the 900. Parts aren't too bad either, I was able to keep the 900 on the road on a college student's budget.
Little Black Coupe Turned Silver
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 20:38 |
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I know a guy who has like, 5 of them at a time. I think 3 are his and his wife's, and then he flips the rest. There's always new ones every time I see him. He does all his own work, so that helps him. He also has taken to blaming all of the Saab-quirks on "Sven", who has over-engineered many things that didn't need it. They seem to be fun little cars, but weird.
davedave1111
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 20:39 |
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I like Saabs, but if you listened exclusively to people round here you might get the wrong idea. They're often fun to drive, but that's relative to their segment and era, not an absolute. What's true for a Sonnett definitely isn't true for a 9-5, for example.
They can be quite interesting to own, as in there are lots of little unusual features about them. At the end of the day, though, they were still a mass-market manufacturer and didn't do anything really whacky any time recently.
Much the same could be said about the mechanics and repair costs. They're not wildly different from what you'd expect for the sector.
It depends on prices round where you are, but generally I find Saabs are usually decent value viewed objectively, so you get a bit of free funkiness thrown in.
Alfalfa
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 20:43 |
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Generally speaking: yes, no, yes, and yes. The main thing to remember is that they're just different. One might say that when you buy a Saab, you are committing to a lifestyle. As you learn to fix it, you learn things that aren't really useful in most other cars. So when you're done with that Saab, you don't want that knowledge to go to waste, so you replace it with another one. It's a vicious cycle.
Or so I've heard from many Saab owners, anyway. Never owned one myself. Maybe everything I've said is worthless. Maybe you're wondering why you bothered to read this post.
I'm sorry.
I own dead car brands only
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 21:11 |
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Had two and currently on my third. All I have done is oil and brake changes.
If its well-kept, no issues should pop up.
Two were tuned and producing nearly twice the boost. No issues. Would buy more but I really like my current 2011 9-5
cberg
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 21:12 |
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I've had a 900SE b204l and a 9-3 high output b204r. Some stuff is flimsy (dashboard switches, spoilers, oil return hoses (fix these, avert sludge)) but the monocoques and suspensions are really tough. They may be FWDs but I enjoy the handling more than stage 1 WRXs, find a shop to do the big stuff but DIY all the top end stuff. B series motors are Triumph slant 4 variants, they're about as simple as twincam i4s can get. My 9-3 was in 3 feet of floodwater, lost the ECU and kept running with working cruise control. Manual boost management is all they really need. I strongly reccomend Forge Motorsport diverter valves & Viggen clutches.
Bottom line, they're built for the arctic circle. NG bodies will take a LOT of abuse.
AMC/Renauledge
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 21:41 |
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I had an '89 900 about 6 years ago. Fun to drive, fanatically practical, and quirky. Loved it. It was old, though, and gave me all the typical 20 year-old car troubles.
I would buy a newer one if SAAB were still around with a dealer network and reliable parts supply to support it. As it stands, though, getting a 2008-ish 9-3 for $9k... I wouldn't feel super comfortable with it.
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Manny05x
> I own dead car brands only
12/18/2014 at 21:47 |
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what to look for in a use 9-3
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I own dead car brands only
> Manny05x
12/18/2014 at 22:40 |
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The basics first: if it looks well-kept, great, continue to the next steps. If it looks like its been beat to hell, move on.
Looks well-kept? Great!
03-05 9-3SS sometimes suffer from porous blocks so check the coolant tank for low antifreeze. Sometimes it can be fixed with those sealant tabs. I did that for my 05 just to make sure. Check the basics, oil, belt, leaks, etc.
06-11 have an issue with the intake valves prematurely wearing out resulting in loss of compression, rough idling, starting especially from cold start ups so if possible start it when the engine is cold and look for rough start, extending starting, and rough idling. Check to see if it has been serviced (repair involves replacing the intake valves with Biopower valves (harder seats)) if not, budget for a repair just in case.
All Saab's will require premium gas period. It just perform better and get better mpgs. There are reports it also helps prevent said intake valve issues.
All Saab's are creaky, rattly, and clunking. Those are just noises from the cheap interior. I didn't do anything about it since I'm Deaf.
The 2.0T is 210 HP and the 2.0t (note lowercase) is 175 HP. They require 0W-40 syn oil. Cheapest is from Walmart, Mobil 1, 5qt jug. You need six QTS. Too much oil and you'll blow out the power steering seal. Don't ask how those correlate.
06+ Aeros up to 08 are 2.8T V6. Loves to eat coils. Misfiring will be your primary symptom.
I think that's the basica