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http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...320672293&Log=0 Saab goons...tell me this car would be a complete basket case and has all sorts of hidden problems before I go do something stupid...  I guess basic things I should look out for are the general suspension bushings, etc.; timing belt (are these interference engines?); and mostly the power top operation (I get the impression it's big $$ if it fails. What else should I come armed with if I went to check out this car? Previa_fun fucked around with this message at 05:17 on Sep 12, 2012 |
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Sep 12, 2012 05:06
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Previa_fun posted:http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...320672293&Log=0 Be sure it has the updated PCV. And if it doesn't have immaculate service records I'd pay a good Saab mechanic to drop the oil pan and see if it is filled with sludge.
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Sep 12, 2012 12:04
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Kim Jong III posted:Be sure it has the updated PCV. And if it doesn't have immaculate service records I'd pay a good Saab mechanic to drop the oil pan and see if it is filled with sludge. I found a great Saab shop not too far from that dealership. I spoke to them on the phone and they were able to pull some records of the car based on the VIN: it had the fuel pump replaced in June '09 after a no-start situation and a basic service done. That was the only time they had seen the car, however.  I guess the next thing to go bad would be the DIC? The above shop quoted me $80.00 for a pre-purchase inspection, which seems really reasonable.
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Sep 12, 2012 20:43
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Previa_fun posted:I found a great Saab shop not too far from that dealership. I spoke to them on the phone and they were able to pull some records of the car based on the VIN: it had the fuel pump replaced in June '09 after a no-start situation and a basic service done. That was the only time they had seen the car, however. Buy a spare DIC - if it hasn't failed it will  Be sure that $80 covers looking in the oil pan as well. 1998s - 2003s are known to sludge if the owner didn't use full synthetic every 6K miles at most! Contact your local Saab dealer and give them the VIN. See if they can give you a full IRIS report - that'll give you the details on all warranty work. I don't think it covers maintenance, but I might be wrong... The SID looks good in the picture, which is good, as those can get a little wonky. You've got manual ACC so if you find the fan only works on high settings you'll need a new blower resistor. I've never replaced one but I don't think they're too difficult or expensive. A new hood emblem will run you $50 or so  That tends to be what most people bitch about, but I know more about the NG 9-3, so someone else might be more helpful. Seriously though get the oil situation checked because you don't want to buy a 9-3 filled to the gills with sludge.
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Sep 12, 2012 21:51
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Kim Jong III posted:That tends to be what most people bitch about, but I know more about the NG 9-3, so someone else might be more helpful. Seriously though get the oil situation checked because you don't want to buy a 9-3 filled to the gills with sludge. Pretty much this, and the PCV update. Miles are higher, but obviously if the car has been taken care of this is not an issue. Try to find a SAAB indy with IRIS access to look up the cars' history, and as mentioned, make sure it has a onceover. That is a beautiful '99. Despite the age and mileage, it seems rather cheap. I'm a bit wary..
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Sep 12, 2012 23:43
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I'm wary, too. Other examples seem to be going for considerably more. Let's hope it's a case of a the dealership wanting to get rid of it more than underlying problems.  drat dealership hasn't gotten back to me on the car, either. Going to bug them again tomorrow and drive down Friday to get it checked out if they still have it on the lot tomorrow. I've been bitten by the Swedish car bug, guys.
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Sep 13, 2012 00:48
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Got my NG900 completely fixed, or so I thought. Had to take it in and get it smoked. Fixed all of the leaks, and now the ignition switch is acting up.  Previa_fun posted:I've been bitten by the Swedish car bug, guys. I guarantee that the DI pictured is aftermarket, it's a Beck/Arnley (part 178-8485). I bought one for the NG900, because it was half the cost of an actual SAAB DI and this is a bare-bones project. Many of us don't trust aftermarket DIs; I don't completely trust it to run for several years without issue; it only has a 1 year/10,000 mile warranty. This means that there may have been other cheapest-means-to-get-to-work work done on this car. It may not. It has the proper cassette for the year, so someone at least made sure to put the right one in. The SID isn't dead, so it doesn't seem as though the car has been neglected. I'm not sure why they wouldn't pony up a few bucks to fix the drivers' seat, since the leather appears to be in good shape. v vLook for this to see if the PCV update has been done when you go look at the car: 
Viggen fucked around with this message at 01:26 on Sep 14, 2012 |
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Sep 13, 2012 20:52
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Thanks for all the information. In the past couple of days I've learned that Saab people are super, super helpful and I've learned a lot.  Unfortunately, the dealership seems to be dodging me on basic questions like whether the car is even still available or not. (In line with their reviews, unfortunately...)I'm going to bug them once more tomorrow and at best try to get down there this weekend. I'm not in any hurry to buy anything, but the price and (seemingly) good condition of that car stood out to me, even if it needed a few hundred dollars of basic maintenance. I was originally looking for a nice later Volvo 240, but that was quickly shot down because according to my girlfriend they are "gross" and "I don't know what looks good." She'd drive it at least as much as me so...
Previa_fun fucked around with this message at 05:11 on Sep 14, 2012 |
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Sep 14, 2012 05:06
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Previa_fun posted:I was originally looking for a nice later Volvo 240, but that was quickly shot down because according to my girlfriend they are "gross" and "I don't know what looks good." Get even. Buy a 9000. Well, the NG900 is completely done as far as I'm going to do. No more leaks, it now boosts like hell, it runs like a dream, and has two repaired headlights.. The Valeo ones are simple to fix when they refuse to stay stationary - just pop the glass off, unthread the screw in the back and check for the reflective mount points. There's one stationary, the pivot for up/down, and the screw for the left/right. I was lucky enough that one was still attached to the left/right pivot, but I didn't know how it was broken. Of course, I fixed that first. All it would have needed was a good smack to re-center the cheap copper thread inlay into the base. The other one was off the left-right pivot, and I ended up taking the whole thing apart and reseating it. Replaced the memory buttons on the drivers' seat, and now it goes back and forth properly, and doesn't smash you into the console when you start the car.
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Sep 15, 2012 21:14
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Well the Auto trader page is still up but the dealership can't get their heads out of their asses for long enough to tell me things like "Is the car still on the lot, or has it gone to auction?" Looks like this one might fall through guys. Maybe a dodged a bullet though.
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Sep 17, 2012 12:57
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Previa_fun posted:Maybe a dodged a bullet though. You have no idea.. even if it was a perfect car.
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Sep 18, 2012 00:36
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$700 Non-Turbo 900 Hatch. Don't let the no-reverse phase you. It's probably just a grounding problem.
Viggen fucked around with this message at 01:57 on Sep 20, 2012 |
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Sep 20, 2012 01:51
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Viggen posted:$700 Non-Turbo 900 Hatch.  says it's the shift linkage. I bought mine with a busted linkage and both reverse and 5th were unusable. It can be checked pretty easily too if you know where to look.
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Sep 20, 2012 02:23
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Mario posted:
At first, they said it was an auto. Being in a wet area with such low miles, I figured it was that good old NG900 grounding issue. Then, I spoke with the person who actually drove the car. It's a manual, you win the cupie doll!
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Sep 20, 2012 17:06
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Awesome, a SAAB thread! I drive a 1995 900-S, and I've thrashed the poo poo out of it. Learnt manual on it, and love every inch of the car and its quirkiness. Unfortunately parts are not cheap in Australia, and repairs are becoming more frequent and expensive. I can't see myself carrying it too far into next year
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Sep 21, 2012 15:11
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Lacklustre Hero posted:Awesome, a SAAB thread! The B204 is actually pretty nice. The rest of the car is generally poo poo, though. Time to upgrade to a B235E 2000 95 base.  Ordered a $40 (total) stereo replacement for the NG900. Found passenger wiper does not like to always return to original position. Trying to decide how much more time I want to spend on this not-for-profit mobile. Dog's decided that she hates it. I don't know why. I have to drag her into it, where she will hop into ANY other car. Not sure if she is gun shy from the mute-to-eleven stereo, the 'they get warm' seats, or the fact that I whip it around corners with less compassion than the 95. She's not saying, either.
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Sep 24, 2012 07:50
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Either I clean out the cabin sensor to get it to stop whining, or I buy a used one for $30 which is 'as-is' but 'doesn't make noise'. Gee.. maybe I'll get a forums upgrade and a bit of 3-in-one oil, instead. 
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Sep 25, 2012 01:29
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Definitely the right choice. Mine has worked well for years after a cleaning and a drop of oil. Are you talking about the headlight wiper or the windshield wiper not parking correctly? Went to the junkyard to get a "new" rear window regulator after the plastic piece in the driver's side unit finally gave up. Two of the three 900s on the lot had the regulator broken in the same way, but the third car had one in good condition. The real treasure though was an SID2 unit I picked up on a gamble because it was only $5. Got it home and ALL the pixels work perfectly! I meant to get some pics of the door latch mechanism for you, Viggen, but totally forgot until I got back home.
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Sep 25, 2012 01:55
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Mario posted:Definitely the right choice. Mine has worked well for years after a cleaning and a drop of oil. Are you talking about the headlight wiper or the windshield wiper not parking correctly? Headlight wiper wasn't parking correctly. It [motor] was loose. I bled a little, but it's fine now. I have a spare NG900 left rear window regulator, seat computer, and antenna motor w/o mast that I should sell one of these days. Awesome news on the SID2.. I'm tempted to try 'the tape trick' on the SID in the NG900. Haven't pulled an NG/OG93 style SID apart before.. could be fun! I ended up paying somebody to fix the latch.. had I known they'd bill two hours (NOT at friends/family/junkie rates), I would have just bought a new (used) latch and done it myself. Still a bit pissed about that. v-- Beautiful! Congratulations! Viggen fucked around with this message at 16:31 on Sep 26, 2012 |
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Sep 25, 2012 20:22
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Hey Saab friends, look what I picked up on the weekend! After 18 painless and rather affordable months of being Saabless, I've plunged right back into the glorious world of misery and despair that is Saab ownership, and I love it all over again.    It's a 5-speed '94 9000 Aero, 190,000kms. Still fun as hell. Still the best seats ever. Still smells like crayons and motor oil. Still pretty much the best car in the world. According to the previous owner the original turbo started smoking a few years ago so it got replaced by a Garret T25 (from an automatic B234L) since Mistubishi TD-04 units are so god drat rare this side of the world. Or probably anywhere now for that matter. This means there's a noticeable drop in power compared my old 5-speed Aero, but this thing still hauls like anything from pretty much any engine speed. In fact, I would go so far as to say that even though there is slightly less power at the peak end, the torque seems to pile on from slightly lower revs with the smaller turbo. The exhaust has had some work done to it too - it makes more noise than stock.. there's a nice smooth growl to the exhaust note at low revs and a fun little burble on deceleration. I'm not generally a fan of louder-than-stock exhausts, but this one I can live with. I think it might even grow on me. Generally it's in pretty good condition but there are some minor chips and scratches around as you would expect. All the electrics function and the interior is completely intact, but it needs a massive clean. I basically plan to spend the next week cleaning every inch of this car to bring it up to my own overly-anal standard of car presentation. Things I plan to do over the coming months: - Swap orange turn signals for white ones - Find original Saab footwell carpets - Install engine immobiliser - Reinstall TD-04 if I can track one down - Install stage 1 ECU - Upgrade suspension, lowering ride height by around 20mm I'm thinking - Upgrade to larger brake disks if I can fit them in - Buy some decent Michelins - Upgrade head unit and speakers I'm loving stoked  edit: for image size. Sabmo fucked around with this message at 05:47 on Sep 26, 2012 |
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Sep 26, 2012 00:42
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That interior is gorgeous and I am super jealous
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Sep 26, 2012 07:06
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Lacklustre Hero posted:That interior is gorgeous and I am super jealous Agreed. That has to be one of the cleanest nearly-20 year old interiors that I've seen. I also find it quite amusing that the infamous seats were devised after watching this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYjbkRktqIE
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Sep 26, 2012 16:52
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gently caress yeah, best thing they ever built.
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Sep 26, 2012 19:10
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Viggen posted:I also find it quite amusing that the infamous seats were devised after watching this: Just makes them all the more cooler I think! Agreed, Dave. There is only one thing Saab got wrong with the 9000. They put the ignition barrel in the wrong place.
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Sep 27, 2012 00:18
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Sabmo posted:There is only one thing Saab got wrong with the 9000. They put the ignition barrel in the wrong place. Please, tell us more. Extra points for continuing to use words like 'boot', 'spanner', and the like.  I never could get used to where the key went in my 9KT. [E: two screws, and two tugs later, and the cabin sensor is lubed and quieter. Not completely quiet, but it isn't making a noticeable noise anymore. I also turned it upside down so it can wear on the OTHER side for the next 16 years.] Viggen fucked around with this message at 20:04 on Sep 27, 2012 |
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Sep 27, 2012 15:26
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Oh hai. Time to call indy who looked at it to see what he feels about it. This should/could be an easy flipper. 2k convertible with a working top? What could possibly be wrong!?  [E: Not only does it need a new water pump, but its leaking at the hydrawlicks, and lord knows what else which wasn't mentioned until asked. END OF LINE.] Viggen fucked around with this message at 01:40 on Sep 28, 2012 |
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Sep 28, 2012 01:23
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Just offered to buy a parts car - for the expense of stripping the parts I don't want. Also, an NG900 with 355,000 miles on it -if it could drive the 200 miles to get here. help me
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Sep 28, 2012 04:56
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Best $20 ever spent was replacing you. My hearing will never be the same, and I doubt the neighbors will ever forgive me for unintentionally blasting ELO at 3am. I know my underpants never will. Goodbye, sack of crap. 
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Sep 29, 2012 06:08
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It probably is about time I got off my bum and started getting my mitts grubby under the bonnet.Viggen posted:Just offered to buy a parts car - for the expense of stripping the parts I don't want. Also, an NG900 with 355,000 miles on it -if it could drive the 200 miles to get here. Intervention is not necessary until you have more than one Saab for each day of the week. Did you get the 900?
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Sep 30, 2012 02:12
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Sabmo posted:Intervention is not necessary until you have more than one Saab for each day of the week. Did you get the 900?  Errr, No. Never got a call back. I asked them 'If you can drive it to Reno, I'll bring cash'. Never responded to email, or phone. If you add up all of the SAABs I've owned in the last 6 years, though, it's more than one for every day of the week. Only two of them came here on a trailer, and one of them left on one. Only five. E: '96 is an at-cost fixer upper for a friend, and I'm trying to sell the 95. Technically, though, they're all mine.  E2: The OG93 is/was also a complete pile of rear end. I didn't even bother going to look at it when they told me about different issues the car had after I asked about them.. water pump on the phone, yes top was broken via email. gently caress that. Viggen fucked around with this message at 19:18 on Sep 30, 2012 |
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Sep 30, 2012 02:18
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Trying to get the front headrests up in the NG900. I can't do it. They're in the lowest position and they're stuck SOLID. I've pulled the clips and put my weight behind it. They just won't loving move. 4 loving bolts and the seats are out but I cant get the goddamn headrest up. 
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Sep 30, 2012 19:17
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Viggen posted:Trying to get the front headrests up in the NG900. I can't do it. They're in the lowest position and they're stuck SOLID. I've pulled the clips and put my weight behind it. They just won't loving move. Does it feel like one of the two posts is stuck, but the other is moving freely? The left side post has notches at each adjustment position and seems to be the culprit if the headrest is stuck at the lowest position. The right side post only has a single notch at maximum extension, and once you get to that point, you need to release it by pushing the latch spring away with a screwdriver or something. None of this should take a ton of force if nothing is broken. http://imgur.com/a/wvtDC This shows releasing the latch bar on the right hand side post as well as the notch positions on both posts, and a reference pic with the headrest removed. In the second pic, you can just barely see the latching spring on the right hand post (left side of the image). Both work in a similar way, but the left side has a "clip" to disengage the latch spring. for ordinary day-to-day adjustment.
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Sep 30, 2012 21:28
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Mario posted:Does it feel like one of the two posts is stuck, but the other is moving freely? The left side post has notches at each adjustment position and seems to be the culprit if the headrest is stuck at the lowest position. The right side post only has a single notch at maximum extension, and once you get to that point, you need to release it by pushing the latch spring away with a screwdriver or something. None of this should take a ton of force if nothing is broken. All four of them are stuck. The C clip came out on the passenger side facing the center of the cab, and I've jammed screwdrivers into the holes (that one) to get one side to release. The other steadfastly refuses to cooperate. When 'inside', they press in but the plastic just bows out. These baked-in headrests probably haven't moved in at least 10 years, while baking in the desert sun. The condition of the leather supports that theory. Thank you for the pictoral; both seats are/were jammed in the lowest possible position. I managed to get the passenger side to almost go up one notch with the released clip, but as the other side has not, I returned it to the original position. All posts have been sprayed with WD-40, and I'm severely tempted to take my 3lb mallet and screwdriver to the drat latches,but I don't want to make things worse. I had no issue removing the rear rests; the front two, however, seem to be glued into place. E: My latches are still within the plastic, but appear to be protruding farther than yours. I can't take a decent picture because they're still nearly completely hidden. 
Viggen fucked around with this message at 22:23 on Sep 30, 2012 |
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Sep 30, 2012 22:12
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So I went out to eat tonight and decided to trust the valet with my 5-speed 2001 9-3. Wrong decision, as he apparently broke the reverse lockout gate. I can shift into reverse without pulling up on the shifter ring, but can't shift if I do pull up. Didn't notice until I got home and tried to park. While I deal with bitching out the restaurant about this, does anyone know how tough a fix this is?
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Oct 1, 2012 03:44
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Handsome Rob posted:So I went out to eat tonight and decided to trust the valet with my 5-speed 2001 9-3. Wrong decision, as he apparently broke the reverse lockout gate. I can shift into reverse without pulling up on the shifter ring, but can't shift if I do pull up. Didn't notice until I got home and tried to park. While I deal with bitching out the restaurant about this, does anyone know how tough a fix this is? I feel your pain, some monkey at a carwash broke the lockout in my 93. I never got around to finding a solution, I ended up selling the car a couple months later. And buying a Nissan with a broken lockout. On a 6 speed, the lockout is much more important. 5th and 6th gears can be a bitch to find without the gate in place.
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Oct 1, 2012 04:14
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My 9000 is having some intermittent trouble lately, maybe one of you has seen this problem before. Every so often when starting the engine, most of the electrics appear to cut out (dash, lights, everything) and the engine just keeps turning over without starting, I'm guessing due to no spark. Usually when this happens when I try again the electrics work normally and the engine will start, other times I need to take the key out of the ignition, put it back in and try again for a good start. I'm guessing it's the ignition switch attached to the back of the lock which is failing, could this be correct? The lowest-battery-voltage-during-start indication never dips below 9V, which is as good as it was when the battery was new (<1yo). I'd like to be sure it's not something else before I get the part, even if it's only small potatoes. I'd very much like to break the habit of buying a part, only to find out it was something else all along and then have it taking up shelfspace.
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Oct 1, 2012 05:03
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Handsome Rob posted:While I deal with bitching out the restaurant about this, does anyone know how tough a fix this is?  Tsuru posted:I'd like to be sure it's not something else before I get the part, even if it's only small potatoes. I'd very much like to break the habit of buying a part, only to find out it was something else all along and then have it taking up shelfspace. Check to see if the ignition switch is falling out of the housing or is just worn out. It's always always the ignition switch.
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Oct 1, 2012 15:58
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Viggen posted:Check to see if the ignition switch is falling out of the housing or is just worn out. It's always always the ignition switch. Might that be the case here as well? http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/3269295170.html I've been watching the price fall on this 9000 for a while, and while I don't have any experience with Saabs, if the car in the picture is actually the one he's selling, it seems like a pretty good deal (for a masochist? )Is there a basic test I could perform with a multimeter that would point to the switch?
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Oct 1, 2012 16:07
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zundfolge posted:Is there a basic test I could perform with a multimeter that would point to the switch? "It's still not running, but my mechanic said it should only be another few days before its fully functional. He says its just a fuse or relay problem, small but specific." It's quite possible that a relay is corroded, there's a bad ground.. who knows. the '91 is an LH 2.4 system so diagnostics are essentially 'get a copy of the SAAB books and pin it out'. Since this is a 20 year old car, I wouldn't doubt that there is an electrical issue outside of the ignition switch. Personally, I'd be wary of this car. It's cheap, it doesn't work, and it has a ton of miles - and I don't see any service history. I'd personally start somewhere easier, like a T5 or T7 based system.
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Oct 1, 2012 16:19
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Viggen posted:Personally, I'd be wary of this car. It's cheap, it doesn't work, and it has a ton of miles - and I don't see any service history. I'd personally start somewhere easier, like a T5 or T7 based system. Thanks for the info. That was my gut instinct, but I figured I ought to get it validated by someone with more Saab knowledge. I'm pretty well versed in the ways of LH2.4 from driving/working on Volvos, but I've never had one of those that simply wouldn't start. Plus, the wiring for 2.4 in 240s is pretty much contained to its own harness, so when something does go weird, there's not a mile of wire to chase. It's incredibly difficult to find interesting cars with manual transmissions in my area, though, so it was hard to ignore the voice in the back of my mind suggesting that it might be something simple.
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Oct 1, 2012 16:35
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