1999-2009 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
Hi folks, first time posting.
There are two cars for sale locally that I am very interested in buying.
I test drove one last week at a Saab dealer, I was in the area after work and said what the heck see if the dealer has a nice used 9-5 wagon. So the dealer pulls out his list and goes through (chronologically backwards) and finds a 2001 and a 2003 Arc. I start up the 01 first, it was decent, comfy, etc. and the salesman starts up the 2003. Well he tried and couldn't, the battery was dead he had to use a portable jump start assist battery. "It's been sitting a while" he says... yeah ummmmm ok obviously :)
So after it starts I decide to sit in the 2003 Arc. Whoa, vented seats! That was really cool. I decide that he 03 is the one I will test drive :)
The V6 had a nice deep rumble that I wasn't used to (I have a 2001 Focus econobox, 130hp) and acceleration was good. The only thing I noticed was a rumble in the steering wheel when stopped at a traffic light. I suspected the power steering, having experience this in my ford sometimes, and sure enough when I turn the wheel a little the rumble turned into a groan. I also didn't like that I reset the computer and then it said average 15.5MPG while going about 40 on hilly roads and a couple traffic lights, but that was with me accelerating harder than I usually do to test it out. When I got back to the dealer I said it drove great and maybe they need to refill the power steering fluid (it was nighttime and I just went for a test drive, not a thorough inspection yet). The next day the salesman calls and said the power steering fluid was refilled and the battery replaced, now the car is good as new.
Stats: 2003 Arc wagon V6, 88,000 miles, asking price a little under 13k. Not sure if it had current state inspection. The car was serviced at this very dealer and I would be sure to thoroughly read the maintenance history before making a decision. Dealer has a 6 month "50% warranty (unlimited miles) - would this be of help for the 90k service?
Now an 04 arc wagon, in a better color (though color isnt a dealbreaker) with 55k miles is also for sale locally with the vented seats. It is the 2004 Arc I4 engine not the V6 though. Did they dumb down the interior on the 04 arc? I know from reading here that they took out the weather band radio (nice feature I travel back and forth between PA and NY a lot but it's not a reason to buy a car..), did they remove the nice wood trim in '04 too? The 04 has no state inspection sticker and is offered at 12,900 (over 30k fewer miles than the '03 I drove). I know some people say the V6 is great, is teh I4 of the 2004 Arc the same as the current engine?
Thanks for any insight you can provide. I am thinking of offering the dealer about 10k since it has more miles than other cars in the northeast that I am finding on the usual websites and I would ask for them to hold a deposit for a week until my friend, a saab enthusiast, returns from business trip and could help me inspect it.
posted by 130.76.9...
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
