Just bought a Saab - any advice?

[Rusty Shackelford]

This is what I got.

I never owned a Saab before, what should I be keeping an eye out for, given the age/milage?

Also, I think his mpg's are a bit optimistic - but it'll be better than what I get now. It is my new commuter car (45 mile round trip) and now I can wax the Rover and encapsulate it in mylar until I can afford a TC with diff-lock (then the build and the madness will begin!).

thanks

 

[asmith996]

I think the MPG's should be right on for a highway commute, unless you are beating the shit out of it. It's a stick shift 4 banger after all. Sounds like you got a good deal, I have heard good things about saab's longevity wise.

 

[flyfisher11]

I had one just like that. We sold it with 185k on it and it was still running strong. The only issue we had was rotors and brakes. For some reason the brakes wore out quickly and the rotors were easy to warp. We tried just about every brand out there. With that said, we lived in the mountains and my wife had a 90 mile round trip every day in it. Great cars. Oh and if the sunroof ever gets stuck you can use your key to crank the glass closed. Pretty smart. Have fun.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[RoverArmy]

www.saabcentral.com, is a great resource I've used for all my own repairs on my saab 900s.

The na 2.3l is a very tough motor. The only real issue I think associated with it is the ignition cassette (DIC). Easy to replace if it ends up needing one. The part is pricey, but coming from rovers most things will seem cheap.

I picked one up in January of this year, it's a 94 900s v6. If I stay around 65 on the highway with the air running I can pull 30-31 mpg so getting mid 30's out of the 2.3 is very likely. The one I picked up hadn't been maintained all the well but has been very solid and reliable as a whole. I had to do a cv shaft when I first got it, 2 months down the road the maf went out. Other than that it's just been normal maintenance and she's been chugging along great. Of course what do you expect for a car I picked up for under $500. Even adding in the cv shaft, maf and tires(replaced but weren't needed yet) I'm into my Saab for less than $750. They are that easy to work on yourself.

If you run into anything you have questions on let me know, I'll do what I can to help.

Here is a link to some great starter FAQ's for people new to the Saab 900 NG.

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53523

 

[jackp]

As mentioned...saabcentral.com is a great resource. I've found that the 2002 and older Saabs are pretty easy to work on, and pretty reliable and economical. I recently replaced a throttle body on my 9.3 for $220. It's remanufactured with a lifetime warranty from a reputable company - the new OEM part from Saab is close to $900:ack: There are plenty of ways to save on repairs and parts if you shop around.

My wife and daughter just drove 500ish miles round trip in our '01 9.3 Viggen. She said she cruised between 75-80 miles an hour and the computer shows an average MPG of 31.9.

This is my second Saab - the first was a late 80's model. Although my current Saab was produced after GM owned them...it's still very 'Saab-like' in it's simplicity and utility.

Enjoy your new used Saab, it sounds like a good car!

Edit: I think his estimate on MPG is skewed a little, but I have seen 33MPG in ours when we drive the speed limit - which is hard to do sometimes!

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

WOW!

Thanks for the replies - looks like I'm gonna be happy with it!

Thank you for the links (and the offer of help!!!) Army, I guess I have alot of reading to do - which is fine, I can't pick up the car until Mon. or Tues. because the seller is installing a new radiator due to a small leak that was not in the original description (See Tony S.? That's how it's done!).

With the money I'll save on gas and DIY repairs, I might have that diff-lock by the end of the year!

 

[Slappy]

173K miles? That Saab is a baby! I had a 91 9000t when I sold it, i think it had something like 230k on the clock and was still running strong. Your new car has a lot of life left in it. plus they're fun to drive.

 

[series3guy]

Good deal on a great car! I have had several Saab's in the past. The 900's were my favorite! My last Saab was the 9.5 aero. I lost the LP Turbo on the Highway at 90mph a week after I bought it. The Dealership was ,of course.very helpful. I bought the car used with 38k on the clock and they were so upset at the fact the car went south the offered me an option to either have the same car with a new engine with a 3 year warranty or a new demo car 2 years newer for the same price as before.
Unbelieveable customer service.However....I would never take your car to the dealer as they are obscenely exspensive!!
The 900's I have had have been super reliable and have had no issues. Good luck!