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Today I did it... bought a friend's '96 900SE Turbo 2-door. He has kept it in great mechanical shape, I have all records, etc. He changed the oil religiously every 3000 miles, which I intend to keep up. The car drives great.
I am a bit concerned looking at the dealer's records, however; major service was done, but it doesn't seem to exactly coincide with the service called for. For example, fluids have been checked and not necessarily replaced at the 35 and 65K intervals.
So my question is - should I start with the whole shebang? The car had its major services at 35 and 60K miles - here's what was done:
35K:
MAJOR TUNE AND SERVICE
Change engine oil & filter, check other fluid levels, replace air & fuel filters, inspect valves, brakes, tires, suspension, exhaust and cooling systems. Inspect/adjust ignitino and fuel systems. Safety inspection and road test. Turbo checks good, road test okay, rotated tires, all worn.
[Parts: air & fuel filters, sparkplugs, oil filter, Castrol, drain plug washer, cabin filter, bulb). Also seat relays replaced.
50K:
Replace sparkplugs, replace R/F lens, change oil & filter, check trans oil, coolant and other fluid levels, safety check. supply remore and program.
Also: Check Engine light/low power. Engine misfire cylinder #4. DI Cassette replaced.
[Parts: sparkplugs, Lens R/F, oil filter, Castrol,n drain plug washer, remote transmitter, DI Cassette]
53K:
Replace defective clutch cable. Right rear wheel seems okay & true, (bent rim). Change oil and filter, check trans oil, coolant and other fluid levels..
[Parts: Clutch cable, oil filter, Castrol, drain plug washer]
60K:
MAJOR TUNE AND SERVICE
Change engine oil & filter, check all other fluid levels, replace air and fuel filters, inspect valves, brakes, tires, suspension, exhaust and cooling systems. Inspect/adjust ignition and fuel systems. Safety inspection and road test.
Also: adjust shift linkage, road test, no problems with shifter noted. Mount and balance new Falken 502 tires.
[Parts: air & fuel filters, sparkplugs, oil filter, Castrol, drain plug washer, cabin filter, Weatherpro coolant, Multidrive 4cyl Belt (is this the Serpentine???), Castrol P/S fluid, Castrol Trans Oil, Falken 502 tires.]
65K:
Reinstall seat relay. Antenna mast. Front brake pads.
Phew. He has obviously also gotten oil changes outside of this, but not at the dealer. There was also a pre purchase inspection by another guy looking at the car done at PlanetSaab (here in SF). The verdict was brake pads and the clutch didn't have a lot of time left to it. He took it into the dealer to get these things fixed and the dealer said the clutch was fine, might need to go in a year or so but not slipping. He left it up to Tim whether to fix it or not.
Here's the list of things I was going to ask a mechanic to do (thank you REM in Seattle), but it seems some of it is redundant, particularly if the fluids were all replaced a year ago at 60K (low mileage this year). Many say they prefer to change all the fluids, etc, when they buy a car so they are starting from tabula rasa, but I have very limited funds (I'm a student) so I don't want to reinvent the wheel if I don't have to. Here's the list:
Check serpentine belt tensioner, pulleys, and belt condition.
Check engine cooling system, hoses, and cap.
Inspect brake hoses and brake lines.
Inspect exhaust system.
Check fuel system including tank for leaks and damage (fuel filter replaced 60K)
Check ball joint clearance, outer and inner steering joints, and their rubber boots.
Inspect brake calipers and brake pads, noting pad thickness, while tires are off.
Inspect/Replace serpentine belt, drive belt tensioner, and pulleys.
Check clutch, clutch cable, and transmission seals
Please make sure all hoses and belts are solid and replace any that are weak.
Check suspension - shocks and struts.
Check brake discs.
Check timing chain.
Check electrical system.
Check A/C and Heating.
Change engine oil and filter, using Mobil 1 5W-30 or 10W-30 Synthetic motor oil.
Replace spark plugs - NKG
Change power steering fluid using Pentosin CHF 11S synthetic hydraulic fluid.
Flush the cooling system and refill with 50/50 mix of Havoline DEX-COOL extended life anti-freeze/coolant.
Replace the cooling system thermostat.
Change brake fluid and bleed system.
Check front wheel alignment, toe-in only. If out of specification, perform front-end alignment.
Inspect shock absorbers and bushings for tightness and condition.
Check headlight, fog light aim.
Fix passenger seat handle so that right back seat is accessible
Make sure that rust cannot get into Tim’s fix of parking scratch
Road test. Check performance of drive train, steering, and brakes, and verify tire balance. Check function of instruments and controls, including horn, windshield wipers, cruise control, and climate system. Note any noises or problems for correction.
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Would appreciate any comment on how much all of this might cost and how redundant most of it would be... want to start off on the right foot, but also don't want to spend unnecessary money.
I am confused about whether I should switch to synthetic oil or not. It seems I probably should not at 65K. Is this right?
Any idea how much it would cost to replace the handle on the passenger seat that lifts forward so that passengers can get into the back. The one on the left side of the passenger seat works, but no the outside (righthand) one. Not crucial, obviously, but I'd like to start out with everything working perfectly, if possible.
Thank you for all of the help! Reading this board and hearing everyone's answers to my questions have been very helpful.
posted by 207.217.146...
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