Thinking about purshasing a used Saab.

Hello,
I'm thinking about purshasing a used Saab 9-3 SE convertable. Have not decided which year, thinking about year '00, or the '01 model. I have been reading the reviews and the discussions about owning and fixing repairs, and it's quite interesting. To any current or previous owners; I would like some advice, on what to look for, or any problems, or what to avoid in my selection. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I have a 1999 9-3 Convt. I searched for quite a while, finally deciding on the 1999, not because of the year but mileage. I was able to find one with 26k. I would have prefered the 2000/2001 but the price difference to me did not make sense. Now for your questions, what to look for.

Maintanance on these cars is very important, rather than looking for a specific year, look for the best car the differences are minor for 2000/2001. I would recommend verifying that the scheduled maint has been done and documented.

Be sure that the top performs without hesitation and locks frimly with no rattles. Watch the exhaust, any sign of blue or grey smoke, even for a short time may mean a turbo on the way out.

I would also recommend the five speed, more fun, but the auto works well. here are areas that have a high failure rate for the car:

Pullys- for the serpintine belt

DI cassette (direct ignition) this fails pretty often and at a dealer is about a 700.00 repair

A/C compressor, I have had two SAAB cont and this failed on both, so make sure that it is free of leaks and no vibration when engaged.

I would pay the extra for an extended warranty, and use only mobil 1 oil.

hope this helps, let me know if you have any specific questions. Shop around, prices vary greatly. I was able to get my 99 se with 26k 5sp for 16,900 after some dealing (sticker was 21,000)

spinny

I have a 1999 9-3 Convt. I searched for quite a while, finally deciding on the 1999, not because of the year but mileage. I was able to find one with 26k. I would have prefered the 2000/2001 but the price difference to me did not make sense. Now for your questions, what to look for.

Maintanance on these cars is very important, rather than looking for a specific year, look for the best car the differences are minor for 2000/2001. I would recommend verifying that the scheduled maint has been done and documented.

Be sure that the top performs without hesitation and locks frimly with no rattles. Watch the exhaust, any sign of blue or grey smoke, even for a short time may mean a turbo on the way out.

I would also recommend the five speed, more fun, but the auto works well. here are areas that have a high failure rate for the car:

Pullys- for the serpintine belt

DI cassette (direct ignition) this fails pretty often and at a dealer is about a 700.00 repair

A/C compressor, I have had two SAAB cont and this failed on both, so make sure that it is free of leaks and no vibration when engaged.

I would pay the extra for an extended warranty, and use only mobil 1 oil.

hope this helps, let me know if you have any specific questions. Shop around, prices vary greatly. I was able to get my 99 se with 26k 5sp for 16,900 after some dealing (sticker was 21,000)

spinny

Thank you spinny, for the info.

Some questions that I have are;

The closest dealer located to me would be Tulsa,Ok, And the drive would about and 1hour and 1/2. If the car broke down around my town, would they send a wreaker and come and pick the car up? Or would I have to get the car towed over to Tulsa? If the car is still under warranty.

If I found a Saab at another dealer, farther than I wanted to drive, or in another state,would they send it to the closest dealer to me? Or do they even do that?

How expensive are the parts on fixing a Saab? I have heard they are very costly.

And is insurance very expensive on a convertable, and being a Saab?

Honestly, I want to find a Saab 9-3 SE '01 model w/ only about 30,000 to 40,000 miles and I don't want to spend over $18,000 to 20,000. Do you think this is possible?

I have been searching the web, and the large newspapers(like Dallas, Tulsa, Atlanta, Austin) But nothing seems to be in that price range.

Overall, are you happy w/ your decision on purshasing the Saab?

Thank you again,for your info.
les24

I think that you may have a difficult time finding a 01 9-3 se for the price range you indicated. You may have to keep at it for a while, you are looking at about 22-24k now. You may have more luck looking at 99-00 years, but with the new 9-3 conv out now perhaps you will get lucky.

The service question is dependant on the type of extended warranty you end up with. if you get a car with factory warranty left, they will tow it to the closest dealer for you. Most of the extended warranty companies also offer towing. This si most dependant on the coverage that the warranty company offers, but most will get your car towed to the nearest service center, even if you did not buy the car there.

Insurance costs are not that bad, I am 36 with a clean driving record and pay 476.00 each 6 month for full coverage 500 deductable.

As far as prices go, yes as a general rule they are more than most makes but it is dependant on what you are comparing it to. I had a BMW that parts were cheaper for than my Honda. It is all relative. What is more costly is higher labor rates for Saab.

Overall I am very happy with my choice. the car is hard to beat for a convertable, especially one that can seat four people. It is a blast to drive and still very quiet and comfortable with the top up. I live in Denver and it is great in bad weather.

The best place to look for a good deal on these cars is Florida, kind of far to go but I bet you could get closer on your price.

Spinny

$700 for a DI cassette sounds expensive, list price is approx. 2500 SEK, that means that it should cost around 250 USD. The cassette sits by four screws and can simply be replaced.

The car can come with two diffrent engines, B204L or B205L. The cars got better under the years but the older ones got the B204L engine which is easier/cheaper to tune.

There are two programs the dealers use called WIS, Workshop Information System and EPC, Electronic Parts Catalog. This programs can be found on internet by peer2peer programs like DC++.

A swedish price list of spare parts can be found here:
http://www.serier.tv/aero/epc_price.php
but you will need the part numbers which can be found in EPC. Divide the price by 10 and you will have an approx. US price.

The AC compressor in 9-3 is a Sanden TRS105R 3211 and is not specificly known for failures, even tho they are expensive to replace if there are any problems like on most cars. A new compressor costs around 700 USD, but can probably be found cheaper if bought at an AC repair shop.

This should tell you something! I'd look for an older Saab before GM bought them. I can't believe a car of this supposed quality could have the engine blow up! Saab USA will not pay for the $7200.00 repair bill on top of it - adding insult to injury! New SAABS SUCK!