1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
first off, these are very different than a honda or toyota. They do require more care + feeding, but the rewards are many. These cars are addictive.
The first thing I'd look for is rust (on any car this age - Saabs are far better than most, but rust is the biggest enemy unless it is southern/garaged every winter). You might not see any on the exterior + still have issues to contend with. Check under the carpet in front of the drivers seat. in the bottom of the trunk, around control arms, battery, shocks, etc. Cosmetically, the first to go is usually one or more fenders (look for little bubbles... if so, there will be more under the trim.
Transmission is the next weakest link. Though fixable/swappable, it is usually a big costly chore (though clutch is easier to do on the 900 than many cars). if the body is good and tranny is working well, you're off to the races. Oh, and for the vert, convertible top condition. The top can be an expensive repair if it is in poor shape. Other than that, lots of other little things to look out for, but mostly all correctable, so they just affect the valuation. If you have a Saab indy nearby, get them to do the inspection. Then just go through the systems one at a time (in priority of weakness) to make it right... hoses, battery cables etc that are still original are often deteriorating by this age + overdue for replacement... if you can get maintenance history from the seller, it's a big help! Most parts are readily available (several site sponsors here are great sources of parts).
All that said, I have 2 classic 900s and they really are not hard to keep running at all. There has been the occasional "maintenance hump", but I haven't had anything major on either of them in quite a while now + I've spent very little on them in the past couple years... maybe I'm due! ha!
good luck!
James...
posted by 216.59.22...
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