I bought a '87 900 Turbo that had rust problems, but the seller made me aware of the problems up front and the price reflected that. He could not get it to pass state safety inspection. After I bought it, and got it to my house, I crawled under it and got a good look at the rusty parts. Where the lower control arms mount to the frame was rusted almost straight througho n the passenger side. I pulled a very large part of the frame off down there with my finger tips by wiggling it around! I could probably have found some state inspection station that wouldnt notice or care, but I decided that I didnt want to trust a car that wasnt fully structurally all there. Also it was a pain to work on (I did change a wheel bearing and some other stuff beforehand) because if there is rust, it changes the rules a bit. Try jacking up a car on a somewhat rusted frame, and those jacking points push straight up into the doors. Not fun.

What I ended up doing was taking the car apart and boxing up all the good stuff, interior, electronics, etc. Including engine, etc. Then I cut the car up and was amazed at how much rust there was that I would have been able to see otherwise. The arms rests in the back seats.... you know, those big plastic molds that form the arm rests? I pulled those off and I could see straight through the body down to the ground. There was nothing separating it. I took apart all of the trunk to (read: used an exhaust grinder and totally dismantled it) and there was so much stuff that was just rusted straight through.

Granted this car had some very noticeable rust on the outside when I bought it, but the Saab I am driving now has Zero rust on the outside anywhere, and even though it has twice the miles of the rusty Saab I had, it is easier to work on and just so much more peice of mind knowing that you car does not have this cancer and the car is structurally all there (in case of an accident, or spirited driving, etc).

Rob

posted by 216.164.23...

• Looking at a 90 900 non turbo.......PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!, Mr. Need a new car, Sat, 30 Mar 2002 02:01:02
  • Re: Looking at a 90 900 non turbo.......PLEASE HELP!!!!, Chad, Mon, 1 Apr 2002 13:29:50
  • I agree.... NO WAY!, jim, Sun, 31 Mar 2002 00:06:51
  • my experiences with rust, Rob 85 Turbo, Sat, 30 Mar 2002 08:41:26 <-- Viewing This Message
    • Run, do not walk, away from this car >, ChipJ, Sat, 30 Mar 2002 09:14:27
  • a few things......, geoffh, Sat, 30 Mar 2002 02:32:26

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