About to buy a 9-5 (1999)

[BigMac]

Hello everybody!

My first post is about buying a Saab; I'm seriously considering this one from Japan:
http://www.beforward.jp/saab/9-5-ser...925/id/592423/

What attracted me to it was the low mileage. I have owned a Saab before, but it was a disaster...let's just leave it at that...

However, this will be for my fiancee as much as me, and will basically be a daily commute city car, with occasional drives into the country at weekends, so intensive traffic most of the time What I am asking for is basically how do I avoid buying a pup (which I did with my last car - been in the garage 3 months, had to replace all valves, crankshaft bearings, and even eventually the crankshaft itself - on a car that had only done 56,000km...). I've read all your helpful posts about looking out for sludge etc., so that will be the first thing I tackle. Maybe I'll get lucky and this one will have the PCV kit fitted, but somehow I doubt it....and can't tell from the photos.

I'm basically buying this car blind from Japan, and there are no Saab garages to do any servicing in Rwanda. In fact, like a number of African countries, if your car is not a Toyota, finding parts and servicing - very expensive. I will however find somewhere a trusty garage mechanic to do all the necessary - I'm pretty hopeless at anything other than basic DIY (no tools, no garage)

So, any advice on what to do/check as soon as I get my hands on it? Maybe I should travel to Mombasa or Dar Es Salaam myself to pick it up, and get it serviced in Kenya or Tanzania before importing to Rwanda - it was idiots driving my other car whilst over-heated and low on oil that wrecked the engine on the road from Dar Es Salaam to Rwanda

Assuming of course, everyone agrees I should buy it in the first place!

Any and all comments gratefully received.

[BigMac]

OK...I can now see I've probably posted this in the wrong forum..my apologies, perhaps admin can move it...?

I have to proceed to buy this car, if I want it, within the next 24 hours, so any comment at all would be nice...like, does the car look in a decent state to you? All the pixels seem to be there on the SID...looks a bit scruffy on the outside, but inside seems clean...??

Thanks!

[nordwulf]

I moved your post to the 9-5 forum so hopefully will get some more responses.

It's a big gamble to buy a 17 year old Saab without having driven or even seen it in person. The earlier 9-5 models usually have more problems than the later ones (especially the sludge issue). Mileage is very low so it either has been sitting for a long time or perhaps the mileage is not correct.

It sounds it will take considerable efforts, time and money to get this Saab from Japan to Rwanda so personally I would never even attempt this. As you can't do most of service and repairs yourself, it may get expensive to have it done at a mechanic. However, I am not familiar with the mechanic rates in Rwanda so it may be much different than Europe or North America.

You also have to consider availability of parts so expect to buy them form European or American suppliers. However, some may not be willing to ship to Africa and it may take quite some time.

If you really want to drive a Saab, consider buying one from Europe and have it as an extra car. Buying a 17-year old Saab 9-5 and expect to have it reliable running as a daily driver without much costs and downtime is not something you should count on.

Wish I could give you more positive advice..

More info about Saabs in Africa: http://saabworld.net/content.php?r=1...aabs-in-Africa

[BigMac]

Thanks for the advice, Wulf.

I was thinking that with such low mileage (if real), there was less chance of there being a sludge issue, and furthermore, being aware of the possibility, I could have it corrected quickly, and enjoy all the benefits of a low mileage car...

It's not just Saabs that are unsupported in Rwanda; it's practically everything except Toyota - there are very few main dealers here, which is rather odd. All cars are imported, and taxes etc. usually double their cost. Consequently, most cars for sale here are old, high mileage, and very expensive. 20 year old Toyota Corollas sell for anything up to 4 or 5,000 dollars. 15 year old RAV 4's, with say only 130,000km on the clock, sell for in excess of $15,000. And this is supposed to be a poor African country!

Finding a garage that will do the work is easy enough...quite what the quality of work will be remains to be seen. I've had my other car, bought from Japan as well, in the garage since December 10, as the idiots who drove it from the coast to Rwanda managed to wreck the engine - overheated, & no oil I suspect. New valves, and even a new crankshaft - unbelievable on a 56k km car, they must have kept driving it till it gave up. (Chrysler 300M). It takes weeks to get parts from America, is expensive, but still about a third what I would pay if the garage sourced the parts! The Rwandan Revenue Authority charges 25% import duty, then another 18% vat on top on all imports - for cars, they charge even more, using the CIF price at the port as their base - so you pay tax on the carriage costs as well! Buying a car here is a lottery, unless you can afford the Toyota main dealer rip-off prices - a Toyota Fortuner with automatic box costs $62,500 new - about 3 times the price in, say, Dubai.

But....I'm going to take your advice and leave it alone...I'll go for a Mercedes or maybe a trusty old Galloper Exceed (which is an old Mitsubishi really) instead. Thank you!

John

[nordwulf]

Thanks for the detailed explanation about buying cars in your part of the world. I have never been there but I think my choice of transportation would be a Landcruiser/4Runner or Mercedes W124. Probably not the cheapest vehicles but they will last a long time.

If you have your mind set on a Saab, I think the 2004+ 9-5 with the 2.3T engine are the most reliable and best choice. But still, only buy when you can inspect them yourself.

Good luck with finding the right vehicle, let us know what you end up getting.

[Mike Brennan]

Tempting as those low miles are, my guess is that given so few miles the motor is likely vunerable to sludge building up. However damage normally occures after 50000 miles. Japan is mostly stop and go and if the owner did not up date the PCV system and change the oil with Mobil I A LOT my guess it may have a risky motor. However the mileage is so low it may still be ok. The Japanese a very fussy about their cars and this one looks well cared for so it may be just fine.
You need to order the PCV Crankcase update #6 if not done and a DIC for later on.
That said, it is a very clean car with cloth upholstery which I would prefer in a hot city environment. If you take all the tutorials here and on Saab Central my guess is that you can get any wonk done including getting the pan dropped properly. If you are any good with a wrench, go for it, if not, I suspect labor costs where you are are very chep so go for it anyway.

[Rofa]

I bought a MY 2000 Griffin with 80k km one owner from Japan last year for import into Finland. Previously bought a .BMW. The whole procedure ran like clockwork. Japan drives on the left (RHD) of course, but quality one owner low mileage cars with LHD are around and are always special orders so they are generally well cared for by their owners. Nonetheless, my Saab developed almost all the predictable faults within a few months. Fuel pump, heater flap and motor, CPS, cam covers and one or two others. The cam belt needed changing and the tires were shot as was the battery. The DICs had been replaced fortunately. I'm now very happy with the car, but it's easy to get fixed in Finland, parts are not expensive here and can be got quickly and it is excellent in snow and ice. So no worries buying from Japan, but if I lived elsewhere I'd have to think carefully. A Merc might be a better bet in your circumstances, that's for sure

[BigMac]

Mike, Rofa: Thanks for the advice. As it happens, even though I reserved this car, the web site still managed to give priority to someone else, so I guess we'll never find out if it was in good state or not

Personally, I was very tempted to take the chance on it, seeing the mileage was a paltry 35k...and I think that might even have been kilometres, not miles

I just checked the link again - it appears as if the car is back on sale..? Hmmm...I can get most of the parts I will need on-line, even if I have to wait say 10 days for delivery. Is it possible that the engine is damaged by sludge at such low mileage - does time also count as a factor rather than simple miles? Presumably, even if there is some sludge build up, it can be relatively easily cleaned up, no? Or is there a chance that the engine is beyond saving?

[Mike Brennan]

I doubt the engine is bad at that mile level. I would get it and have the pan pulled. I also suspect it will be more that 10 days. Are you sure this is a legit site. Do you have to wire them money first?

[Rofa]

Don't know anything apart from the V6 I'm afraid - but it is almost certainly km not miles. I paid €1500 for a MY2000 Griffin - shipping doubled that of course all the way to Finland. Just for your info, this is the company I used http://www.tradecarview.com/used_car...=5500&eds=6000.
Be interested to know how you get on.