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Here's my thoughts (v. long): Posted by vsfoxe [Email]  (#1025) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from vsfoxe) on Sat, 5 Apr 2003 16:58:53
In Reply to: Test drove '90 SPG, some (actually alot of) questions.., Alex Athanasiou, Sat, 5 Apr 2003 14:17:03 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
First, your Independent Saab Technician can see a lot that you or I cannot see, no matter how deeply we poke around. Power steering leak, brake leak, oil leak, suspension condition, brake condition, A-arm area rust or cracking, rusted floorboards, exhaust system and on and on.
Can you & your brother perform some of your own work? It seems Saabs need some support & maintenance. If something is going wrong, don't ignore it - it WON'T go away. Parts can be very pricey, but the sponsors here are very helpful. Sometimes you can use "aftermarket" parts, but there are occasions when you should use only OEM Saab parts, which ONLY come from Saab franchised dealers, {not Pep Boys/etc}.
I personally use a 2-page checklist (in MicroSoft Excel) whenever I check out a Saab 900. I'm on my 8th & 9th C900 Turbo (4 SPGs), and currently have 2 1990 SPGs. My checklist was developed/edited/added to over the years. SO:
-108,000 is pretty low mileage (mine both have +/- 170,000 miles). Talladega red - I have one and love it!
-As far as the "whine", I've never had one with that noise, I don't think. It's not radio ignition whine is it? Perhaps alternator? Don't know. I do think it is NOT normal, since neither of mine have it.
-Neither of my 90 SPGs have a "rough" idle. They both idle smoothly, no roughness, no fluctuation, just a nice throaty idle exhaust note. Vacuum leak?
-Rust bubble on right rear wheelwell? I don't know what area you're from. One of my SPGs (red) is a California car - NO rust, nice underneath, no flaking rusty bolts and so on. Other is from Chicago and has a few rust problems, as I would expect. I once had an 89 SPG, had rust on a front wheelwell. A local body shop cut the old metal out, welded in new metal, painted it. A year later a little bubble came back. The body shop repaired it again, and it didn't return before I sold the car 3 years later. It is still nearby, and looks fine. YMMV! I'm not a "body repair" person, but I think a body shop, welding, and fixing is the way to go - NOT body putty and painting (it cracks/shrinks).
-Power antenna? Don't really know. I see replacement elements on eBay, they're not very expensive. Surely someone on the B.B. has used these, and can suggest a brand/type/procedure?
-Of 7 C900's I've had with "working" air conditioning, they've all been excellent systems. I've never felt that it should be better. A properly working system is a very good system. I think if this system works, but not very well, it is defective. I tried out one car, and the seller said the A/C didn't work very well - the truth was that it didn't work at all!
I think $3,000 is a very decent price, based on what you know so far. The rust WILL be a problem (remember - I'm not a body repair person). If you get it fixed, the repair will need to be repainted, and I think that panel leads to the roof, which leads to the left rear quarter panel for paint purposes. Can a good body shop blend without painting the whole roof/quarter panels? I don't know. The engine whine might be okay. See what the inspector says. The Talladega red SPGs are GREAT LOOKING autos!
My overall impression is that these cars are virtually indestructible, with a reasonable amount of maintenance, if you start with a decent base unit . I would not hesitate to go anywhere I want to in my red SPG. The black one, I bought off eBay (from Chicago), flew out, got a motor mount replaced, and then drove back to Maine (1300 miles) without a worry. Not a problem.
It's a difficult choice! In most cases the 90 SPG will be fine, with class and safety. A Toyota Solara is more likely to do the job with only oil changes, but it's not as much fun! SO: Where is this SPG, and what's the Seller's phone number??
Enjoy yourselves. LONG!
posted by 216.164.128...
, Sat, 5 Apr 2003 16:58:53 <-- Viewing This Message
, Sat, 5 Apr 2003 18:54:58, Sat, 5 Apr 2003 23:06:55, Sat, 5 Apr 2003 23:02:10
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