1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
In general, in '99, the manual/5-speed SEs had the 200hp engine, while the automatics had the 185. Get the VIN to be sure. All SEs had 205hp from 2000 on.
No 9-3 SE coupes were produced (coupes were base model only).
Recalls were only for missing safety stickers on the side airbags, as far as I know. If there is a recall that was not done for your car, take it to any dealer, and they'll do it. They are required to by law.
DI cassette is the replacement for the distributor and wiring. It's a $300 part that takes about 10 minutes to replace...easier than changing a tire. Most of us carry a spare in the trunk if the DI has more than 60k on it. Or you can wait till it dies, have it towed to a dealer, an end up spending $800+.
The later cars have a new engine management system which doesn't lose power in hot weather (turbos are generally more powerful in cooler weather). It also can not be modified as easily to get more power, as Dean pointed out. The 2000+ cars also get a new DI cassette which has about half the life of the '99 cassette.
The later cars also seem to have fewer problems with the manual HVAC controls (which break on the '99s and can be expensive to repair) and with leaky head gaskets, although this problem was not completely eliminated. You should still check the torque on the head bolts.
Don't rule out a base model too quickly. The extra 15hp of the SE (manual transmission) doesn't come in until high rpm. At lower rpm, the smaller turbo is just as good. In '99, there were no styling differences between the two levels. Most of the base models have the sunroof and leather from the SE, so the only distinction is the ACC/manual HVAC. If you do get a base model, make sure the HVAC knobs turn smoothly and don't fall off. If they're stiff, you're looking at a few hundred dollars easy to fix them when they eventually break.
See my post on '99 9-3 problems, link below. The last one, the power steering, doesn't seem to be a common issue, so you can ignore that. However, there have been a few reports of problems with the driver's side inner driver. Drive the car with the driver's window down and a wall or other sound-reflecting surface to your left. Make sure there's no funny rattling noise.
Good luck, and let us know if you buy one.
Matt
'99 base
posted by 65.106.18...
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