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1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
I too have a '97 900S 5spd which I have owned for a year (currently, 70k miles). To date it has been reliable, having only let me down once when the crankshaft sensor died ($CDN250).
I think that the general opinion is that these cars are well built and generally reliable, although on-going maintenance is important to prevent costly repairs. The cars are well designed (mostly!) and are not too 'technical', meaning that a lot of home repairs / maintenance can be done by your average home mechanic. If you are adept with a spanner, or are willing to learn, then running costs will be much reduced.
Some issues that I have faced over the past 12 months which seem to be reoccurrent themes amongst owners include:
1.whistling from windshield during warmer weather - caused by defective windshield sealing strip - easily cured by getting the seal glued down.
2. Handbrake lacking bite - a common assumption is that this just needs adjusting. In reality, it is common that the handbrake shoe mechanism lacks lubrication and requires greasing.
3. Inboard rear brake pads siezing in calipers - this is I think quite common and resulted (in my case) in the need for new rear rotors (new rotors and pads $CDN350 - easy home repair). The inboard brake shoes need regular lubrication to prevent them corroding and siezing in the caliper - especially if you live in a northern climate with road salt.
4. Slow coolant leak - again, this seems to be quite common and has variously been reported as poor hose clips, leaking heater core, or in my case, a leak from the cylinder head gasket caused by improper torquing of the cylinder head at the factory.
5. Another quite frequent problem reported seems to be related to the gear linkage and difficulty in engaging some gears. The '97 and '98 cars had an 'updated' linkage, so this (hopefully) will be less of a concern.
Remember, when you read the bulleting board, that these are guys who have had problems - you don't tend to hear from those who haven't!
The V6 engine seems to be a significant liability and I know I wouldn't go near one.
In conclusion, if you want metronome reliability, then go for a Toyota, but then you get anonimity too. If you want a car that is a bit different, is well built, well equipped and feels solid (re. quality), then I would go for a Saab. Having been an owner for 12 months, I am contemplating a Saab as being my next car.
General thoughts on the NG900 - the rear legroom is a joke, they should all be 2dr in my opinion! In addition, the 900S lacks power and I rather wish I had gone for the turbo SE, although as a used buy, I suspect that a non-turbo is a safer bet re. running costs.
Good luck,
Quentin
posted by 24.157.64...
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