Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 04:00:37 -0500 From: "hippo" <johnhnospamam.shoal.net.au> Subject: Re: Early 90's Saabs - reliable?
han_chung wrote: Hi Dave, Thanks for the tips! I haven't really settled on a particular model yet. I'm in Australia so we don't get any snow here, but the temperatures do get quite hot in summer (>100 degrees Fahrenheit). As for the engine, I'd be going for a 4 cylinder with automatic transmission. >The thing that worries me is that I don't see many early 90's Saabs on >the road in Sydney. There were a lot of them around when they first >came out though. There are still quite a few around. Important things in Sydney (& Aus generally): *Do change the oil religiously at or before the recommended interval (lots of people halve it) *Do find out the correct brand and grade of oil and stick to it *Do get to know SaabServe at North Parramatta if you're within cooee of there *Do get any prospective purchase thoroughly checked out by a dealer or a Saab specialist (doesn't cost all that much for some peace of mind) *Don't buy any Saab without a spotless & verifiable service history (unless you're like me and you're offered a good C900 turbo unregistered for $400!) *Don't use all the performance on stinking hot or high humidity days - especially with an auto. Longterm they sometimes spit the dummy! *Don't buy a V6 GN (heavy on brakes and regular cambelt changes pricey *Don't rush into a purchase because it looks immaculate Lots of people (including me) prefer the C900 to the GM Saabs, particularly for the way they look, drive and handle. With either car, I personally prefer the manual. I've never had any problems beyond clutch rebuilds with 99s and 900s. Some of the autos however ... Enjoy whichever one you get; even our disaster purchase 12 years ago was wonderful when it all decided to work properly. The others have been pretty good generally! Cheers