Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2003 14:10:50 GMT From: "William Balmer" <billbalmernopsamdnet.att.net> Subject: Might buy a Saab - advice?
I'm looking for a car in the $9-10k range. I've found several Saabs that look interesting, but I've never owned a Saab before and don't know much about them. I have not gone to see any of them yet, but I'd like to get a general idea of what I'd be getting into if I bought one. I'm selling a classic showpiece Mercedes Benz and my wife is hoping I won't buy another money pit! After a short time on the 'net, here is a list of the Saabs I have found that look intriguing to me: '96 900S turbo convertible w/ 53k miles '97 900 SE Turbo w/ 31k '99 9-3 SE w 29k These cars are all within about $1,000 of each other. I would think that the convertible would be the nicest (most comfort and safety features, etc.), but would I be better off with a younger car with lower miles? What is the life expectancy of these cars? Do the turbochargers commonly fail? Are parts expensive? Are dealers only interested in helping late-model customers (MB experience talking here)? How easy/difficult are they to work on? Also, if I buy the convertible, can I expect good insulation from the winter weather? I'm in the Chicago area, so it gets cold here. I would hope that Saab convertibles would be designed for the cold, considering their country of origin, but I don't want to make assumptions that I regret. Any other advice on these models, Saabs in general, what to look for, possible problem areas, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Bill Balmer