Saab 2001 Saab 9-5 Arc Engine Type 4 Cylinder Turbo Body Style Wagon / Estate Color Sun Green Updated 2012-12-04 23:40 Mileage 85,000 Miles Price $8,500.00 United States - Dollar Purchase Date 2007-05-18
This 2001 Saab 9-5 was offered by a used car dealer near the airport. This was the first car I ever bought long distance so everything could be wrong with it. But it turned out to be a very nice car and it was in good condition. When you look on eBay for a while, it becomes easier to separate the good companies from the bad. A Carfax or other history report is always a good idea to have. The car spent all its life in Florida so no issues with rust. I think it had about 75,000 miles and was $8,500. A good price for a great car.
The color was Sun Green and the interior beige. The wood interior accents (steering wheel, shifter and door pulls) made it look very nice. Together with the leather and ventilated seats, it was quite the luxury car. The drive back to Michigan took a couple of days and was a great opportunity to get familiar with the car. And it was quite a bit more comfortable and more fun to drive than the big moving truck.
I had to do some maintenance and repairs. The oil sump was dropped and there was quite some sludge in there. There was also a puff of blue smoke at start-up which is a sign of a failing turbo on this engine (2.3 lpt). I found a refurbished turbo for about $400 and installed myself. It wasn't very difficult and was a good way to get familiar with 9-5 repairs and maintenance.
The first experience with the 9-5 was a very good one but I really wanted to try out the newer Aero's. So the 2001 9-5 went on eBay and was eventually bought by a lady in Montana. She didn't pick up the car herself but had it transported to Montana. Without ever having driven or seen the car herself. I suppose my eBay history of 10 years, many pictures and a very detailed description was good enough for her. It took actually about 8 weeks for the car transporter to show up at my house because of scheduling issues. I suppose northern Michigan to Montana is not a popular car transport route. This was around May of 2007 so about 8 months of ownership and another great car adventure.
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