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, Sat, 11 Aug 2018 23:03:25
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I have had one as my primary vehicle for 15 years now. Over the years I've helped friends and family who have (rightly or wrongly) decided they want to try it. My conclusion from these endeavors is that you either need to be a good mechanic or you need to know one and have a lot of money if you want these cars to be reliable. They do not thrive on neglect. Keeping up with preventative maintenance makes the difference between a reliable car and a tow truck magnet. I have a Honda I never touch except to change the oil. I repair the 900t probably three or four times a year. Like this I'm never stranded. Most DIY jobs I do in a parking space on the street, but I have a friend with a lift I can visit if things get more serious. I spend a few hundred dollars a year on parts, but I also have an entire room in my basement devoted to parts so I can buy things at a nice price and then store them until I need them. I also have access to a machine shop. My cost is very low because I never let anyone else touch my car and I have these luxuries. I hate to think how much a normal person with no mechanical knowledge or facilities would have to pay!
Nobody says hi because of my car, except for other Saab people, which are fairly rare, and hipsters who might lob a lowball offer my way thinking they can have something 'grammable for cheap. The majority of normies have no sense to distinguish a classic 900 from any other '80s car. Many people even call my rust-free European-market turbo five-door a junker or a beater. Among Saab people you will always have friends. Some of my best friends come from the Saab community, so it is a good way to make lasting friendships.
If you want a hobby to meet nice people and for your own satisfaction, then you should get one. There is some sort of self-involved allure (to which I am definitely vulnerable) in doing something fairly hard which nearly nobody notices or cares about. If I have to justify it rationally, I will say it's made me good friends and it's taught me a tremendous amount about how everything works. I can do transmissions (manual and automatic), A/C, ABS, air bags, power steering, suspension, no mechanical problem scares or surprises me anymore. That is a valuable skill. And the internet community always has your back if you can't figure something out.
posted by 75.69.61...
, Sat, 11 Aug 2018 23:03:25, Sat, 18 Aug 2018 08:12:28
, Sun, 19 Aug 2018 03:17:40
, Sun, 19 Aug 2018 08:36:27
, Mon, 13 Aug 2018 10:15:02
2, Sun, 12 Aug 2018 12:07:05
, Sun, 12 Aug 2018 17:51:14
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