1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
 | [Main 9000 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Re: How about 94 CSE Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Thu, 9 Sep 2004 04:34:34
In Reply to: How about 94 CSE, Cessna Pilot, Wed, 8 Sep 2004 18:52:51 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Turrbos comments are good. If the lack of remote doesn't bother you, then no problem. Frankly, I haven't seen a big difference in price between a '94 up to around '96, so again, newer is better.
A MAJOR, MAJOR point is condition. I'll take an older car in good condition over a newer car with a suspicious background. Turrbo makes the assumption that by 130K miles, most of the big items have been addressed. In the word of past leaders, Trust But Verify. Don't assume the heater core or tranny have been replaced.
With a 9000 of ANY year, if an automatic, make sure it shifts smoothly. When stopped, shift from park to drive to reverse - it should shift quickly and with no jump. Shifts under load should be quick and quiet. Find a nice long hill to drive up. Make sure you get full boost. Hit the gas harder to downshift- the downshift should be smooth, with no bang or engine revving. Shifts shouldn't occur early. Count the gears accelerating from a stop - make sure you have four. This finds cases where cars start up in second gear, a sign of a bad govenor seal. In a driveway, open the hood, start the engine, and from the driver's seat, watch the top of the engine as you shift from park to reverse to drive. See how much and how fast the engine moves. If it jerks back and forth, the motor mounts need replacement. If it doesn't move much, and the movement is slow and damped, then the mounts are probably OK.
Make sure the serpentine belt runs true on the tensioner pulley. If it's off to one side or another, it can be a worn tensioner pulley or a bad harmonic balancer.
With the engine warm, turn the vents to Defrost and the heat to HI. Sniff the air coming from the vents - it should not smell of hot coolant. If it does, the heater core is bad. Make sure switching between warm and cold on the ACC has a corresponding response to the heat from the vents. Make sure the blower motor speed can be adjusted.
Of course, check the exhaust, especially the middle muffler, where the pipes come in and out. Prime place for holes.
If the owner will let you, pull off the DI cassette (just four bolts). Best done when cold. Flip it over and look at the rubber boots where they meet the spark plugs. Look for wetness on the boots/top of the plugs, a sign of leaky coils. Finding a weak DI is hard, and this isn't a comprehensive test, but it's a start.
Open both the doors on a side and carefully inspect the "B" pillar. Does the paint look original? If a car has been hit relatively hard, that pillar is designed to buckle some. It would be hard (but not impossible) to make it look perfect after an accident. Won't catch a fender-bender, but might catch something bigger. Of course all the trim (door handles, wheel arch trim) should lie flat.
This isn't meant to scare you (if you've got two high-mileage 900s, not much will). Just a tour of the troublespots. I've been looking around a later model 9000s (96 and up), and have actually seen a bunch of decent ones in the 70-100K mile range. I haven't bought yet for a variety of reasons (no sunroof, minor ding that was rusting, somebody else bought it as I thought about it). Only one or two were "Walk Away Fast" (Oil slick in the coolant tank). Good luck!
posted by 192.249....
, Wed, 8 Sep 2004 11:13:46, Thu, 9 Sep 2004 04:34:34 <-- Viewing This Message
, Wed, 8 Sep 2004 21:29:48
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.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
