Which Saab model should I buy? / Bringing the old car back to life

[Dave T]

I'm considering buying a used Saab. How to do it? What model should I buy? I was considering the following models: 900 (classic), 900/9-3 1994-2002, 9-3SS.

900 (classic): Advantages is that I am familiar with the car. Disadvantages include that it may not be a good choice as a daily driver. I also am pressed for time and buying a 900 takes time. It might take an out of state trip. Conclusion: not too likely as a daily driver.

900/9-3 (1994-2002): This might be a choice for a temporary car that I'd keep for a year or so. I am generally unfamiliar with this model as I skipped from the classic 900 directly to the 9-3SS. It seems to be easy to buy this type of car because I would not be keeping it too long. The end of the Saab era for me with this choice would be less shocking since it would be planned.

9-3SS: There are many in sad shape compared to mine. Some have multiple owners. I think it just takes time to search for a car. That might be half the fun? One possibility is to buy a Saab clunker and then slowly look for a 9-3SS.

Any used car buying advice appreciated. Any advice for a 1994-2002 900/9-3 also appreciated.

Should the ownership history matter? Is it better to buy a one owner car? Some cars are on their 3rd or 4th owner. I suspect that encourages neglect if you only plan to keep the car a year or two, but that is not always true. A few Craigslist ads sound like scams or are very poorly written. One says to have cash on hand. Should that be phrased "bring a big bag of money, no bodyguard, meet me at this corner in the middle of the night."?

[Burnsside42]

c900 - nice car - hard to find a nice one which could work as a daily driver. Even harder to find one priced fair and local. People who have these cars for sale often know what they have and are in no rush or need to sell.

NG900 - meh just get a 9-3 lol

OG9-3 cars can be nice - BUT you will need to watch for RUST as these cars are all at that point now where they are getting really crusty if they were not cared for (washed) often and lived in a rust belt region. Their suspension is a bit - old fashion - but works OK. Sport struts and springs will make the difference however. The braking systems are rather simple and easy to diagnose/repair. Boosters go bad often enough. Rear calipers get crusty and need cleaning and de-rusting every now and again. Worst case new calipers. Exhaust systems hold up better on higher mileage highway driven cars - as any other car this is true too, but they always break or rot @ the flex pipe first. Pixels are an annoying thing which require repair to know what ales your car sometimes. Parts are easy to come by and are usually rather affordable. Lots more common issues I could drag on about.

9-3SS era - nice riding cars - springs break often in rusty area's. Fairly easy to fix/maintain. 2007-2008MY 2.0L cars between 60-90K which have not had Premium fuel used have sticking valve issues in the heads. 13 hour labor job plus machine shop and parts to repair. Turbo's don't often crap out - electronics are so so. I'd personally look for a 2007-2011 9-3 if the funds are available. I don't recommend those 2.8T cars either. They run great when they are taken care of and are running right - but there is more to go wrong and when it does it costs more money to fix. Rear control arm Cross Stays wear out above 60K usually. 3 hours for both sides parts are like $250 for the pair. Earlier cars wear out brakes faster - and the rears before the fronts. 2003-2006 cars are fiber optic cars - AMPS fail often. Again - I could troll on for hours about these cars pros and cons.

As the "Saab Master Tech" my advice is to find another 4 cylinder Saab with as little mileage as possible that you like and has ALL the options you NEED. Have a qualified Saab tech check it out for you per a pre-purchase inspection. Get a 9-5, 9-3 SS or a 9000

The Good years;

9000 - 1995-1998
9-5 - 1999 - 2009
9-3 SS - 2007-2011

[Burnsside42]

Here are 3 eBay examples of a 2010/2011 9-3 which could be yours

Saab : 9-3 Aero Sedan 4-Door in Saab | eBay Motors
2010 6 Speed Manual 2.0T AERO FWD


Saab : 9-3 Turbo4 in Saab | eBay Motors
2011 Turbo4 FWD Automatic



Saab : 9-3 Aero in Saab | eBay Motors
2010 AERO Automatic 2.0T FWD

[Dave T]

There's a 2004 9-3. At $9700 it's more than the insurance company wants to pay for my 2005 Linear. Replacing the front brake pads that early is surprising.
.............
Selling my 2004 Saab 93 2.0 liter turbo. This Saab been very well taken care of and has VERY low miles...just now approaching 33,500. Most cars this age usually will have 120k miles or more. Exterior is a dark blue, "Nocturn Blue Metallic". It has pretty much everything that Saab offered in 2004.Options:>grey leather interior>heated front seats>pwr driver & pass seats> pwr auto up/down windows>steering wheel controls>5 speed Sentronic automatic>16" wheels>cd player>dual climate control>sunroof>xenon lights>tinted windows>spoilerThis car drives very well in the snow and cruises easily down the highway. With the high pressure turbo engine (210hp) it has good acceleration and still gets decent fuel economy... mid 20's in town, mid 30's on the highway. Recently replaced the heater control module and blower along with the steering column clock ring. Also replaced the front and rear brake pads last month. The all season tires are in great shape and have 70% tread left. I will included a new set is Blizzak studless snow tires with about 98% tread remaining...a $700 value.

[nordwulf]

Have you ever driven or even considered a 9-5? Any 2004 and up with the 2.3T engine should be a good choice. You can find a good one with reasonable miles for under $10K.

With the awesome deals on new 9-3, I really wouldn't pay $9,700 for a 9 year-year old car, even if it has low miles. You can get a brand new used 9-3 with 45 miles for $18,988. 2011 Saab 9-3 in Scottsdale, AZ VIN YS3FA4CY6B1302723

I don't know your financial situation but you'll be spending money on maintenance and repairs for an older car that you could put towards a monthly payment on a new car if needed. A brand new car will likely require just maintenance for the next 5 years.

This one is from March 2011, one of the last Saabs made as they shut down production soon after that. It will still look good in 10 years from now and is $19,988. Has the Comfort package, moonroof, Bose audio and nice 17" wheels with a MSRP of $35K. http://buymbz.com/cars/2011+Saab+9-3+561638

[euromobile900]

What about a 9000? They've fully depreciated; the only way the value can go is up! I got a pretty nice '98 CSE for $1250 (with four good spare rims and four unused snow tires!). I drove it home and have been commuting with it ever since. Adding new CV boots, rear brake lines, a caliper, a few interior parts, and a fender (all while driving it daily) put it into good shape to last a few years.

[Burnsside42]

What he said. If you drive a 9-5 and like that - a 9000 is where it really started from and you just can't out due the original

[Dave T]

The insurance company proposes $8,500 +/- a few dollars for my 2005 9-3 Linear. They justify it based on the selling price, not the asking price. The selling price is harder to find out than the asking price. Still, if a dealer is listing the car at $10,995, I am not sure they will sell it for $2,000 less.

Advice?

[Burnsside42]

Keep arguing- contact Julie @ Kelly Saab in Lancaster and ask her what cars of equivlent have been sold for. Perhaps a dealer who can boast actual numbers could help your case.

[Dave T]

It is still not resolved if my 9-3 will be repaired but I see it is being less and less likely. I've done some analysis about what I want and have made some conclusions.

99EMS - not for me. This model is what caught my eye at first but I was not totally convinced that Saabs were for me in those days. Besides, I was just a kid.

classic 900 - A nice car but modern cars have wider tires and traction control and other things that weren't around with the 900. The 900 was a pioneer in its days and my first Saab, but this is not for me. Besides, I'm a DIY as far as maintenance and minor repairs, not troubleshooting or transmission work.

NG900 - I never had this car. Going back in the past doesn't appeal to me.

9-5 - is probably a good choice but I have to get out of my head the "it's for rich folks" mentality. When I had a 900, I thought that rich people had a 9000. The same was when I had a 9-3 and the 9-5 was being sold.

This leaves the 9-3SS. I know that some think as the 900 as the real Saab and the 9-3 as barely a Saab. To me, a 2005-2007 is the years that I think I want. It's possible that it could be a daily driver but also a better chance that it won't. I've gone through a number of ads and a lot of 9-3's are neglected. That makes it a search.