Buying a saab 93?

toastedpickles

Howdy peoples,

Before I start, I'm aware of all the horrors a saab can have, Yet I'm still drawn to them, I like how they look and I drove one today and generally liked how it handled and drove, my mechanic says I'm nuts to even think of one, and most will probably agree but different strokes for different folks and such

I found an 04 saab 93, full service history, 2 owners, and it looks very well looked after, which is always good

So bottom line, should I or shouldn't I?

colm_mcm

Which engine is it?

toastedpickles

colm_mcm wrote: »

Which engine is it?

The 2 liter

Also just to mention the nct is till may next year

colm_mcm

How cheap is it? Much service history?

toastedpickles

colm_mcm wrote: »

How cheap is it? Much service history?

3500, service history right back to the first one

colm_mcm

What spec is it?

toastedpickles

colm_mcm wrote: »

What spec is it?

Vector, 79,000 miles

colm_mcm

Two tone seats?

Supergurrier

Enjoy your Vectra

toastedpickles

Yep

toastedpickles

Supergurrier wrote: »

Enjoy your Vectra

I intend on

colm_mcm

What colour is the outside?

toastedpickles

colm_mcm wrote: »

What colour is the outside?

Black

colm_mcm

Oh yeah, I'd be all over that. Traded in a lovely vector in black years ago, drove it for a while. Very sad when it sold.

toastedpickles

colm_mcm wrote: »

Oh yeah, I'd be all over that. Traded in a lovely vector in black years ago, drove it for a while. Very sad when it sold.

I intend on being all over it, but like I said, everyone thinks I'm crazy, my mechanic wont even check it for me because he hates them so much

johnpawl

Have one, bought it with 25k on it, now 140k miles. I like the car and find it a great drive but it's had an awful lot of problems and cost me a lot of money in repairs.

toastedpickles

johnpawl wrote: »

Have one, bought it with 25k on it, now 140k miles. I like the car and find it a great drive but it's had an awful lot of problems and cost me a lot of money in repairs.

What type of problems? And roughly how much did it cost?

johnpawl

Alternator gave up - twice
had to replace EGR valve,
had to replace flywheel and clutch pack(think around e900)- its rattling again now so will have to be done again.
gear handle came off,
replaced brake sensor that turned out to actually just be a cracked wire-cost me
e350
Mechanic just after telling me I need a new intake manifold(150 to buy) funny thing is another mechanic tells me there's nothing wrong with it.

toastedpickles

johnpawl wrote: »

Alternator gave up - twice
had to replace EGR valve,
had to replace flywheel and clutch pack(think around e900)- its rattling again now so will have to be done again.
gear handle came off,
replaced brake sensor that turned out to actually just be a cracked wire-cost me
e350
Mechanic just after telling me I need a new intake manifold(150 to buy) funny thing is another mechanic tells me there's nothing wrong with it.

I heard the same set of problems on a review site, so they seem to be fairly common issues are they?

johnpawl

toastedpickles wrote: »

I heard the same set of problems on a review site, so they seem to be fairly common issues are they?

I'd say they must be, saw the same issues on those sites myself

Interceptor

Its a relatively cheap car and if you knock a couple of years out of it then it'll have cost less in depreciation than any newer car. If you like it, buy it - oh and get a new mechanic, he has no business refusing to check out a car just because he doesn't like them.

'cptr

Interceptor

Its a relatively cheap car and if you knock a couple of years out of it then it'll have cost less in depreciation than any newer car. If you like it, buy it - oh and get a new mechanic, he has no business refusing to check out a car just because he doesn't like them.

'cptr

toastedpickles

Interceptor wrote: »

Its a relatively cheap car and if you knock a couple of years out of it then it'll have cost less in depreciation than any newer car. If you like it, buy it - oh and get a new mechanic, he has no business refusing to check out a car just because he doesn't like them.

'cptr

True that, yeah I think I'll be looking for a new one, just gotta find one first

biko

Get a local saab indy to have a look. But sounds good so far.
Oil changes documented? I think 04 was the last sludge year?
http://carproblemzoo.com/saab/9-3/

toastedpickles

biko wrote: »

Get a local saab indy to have a look. But sounds good so far.
Oil changes documented? I think 04 was the last sludge year?
http://carproblemzoo.com/saab/9-3/

Fingers crossed it was, that's the sole reason I'm avoiding lower years, I was on a site with reviews of lower years and one guy said his turbo exploded and took half the engine along with it

I've rang the guy and he said ever last thing has been documented, right down to the air fresheners, dunno if that much is true but you see where hes coming from

I don't know of any saab indys would you?

biko

Is car in Kildare or somewhere else?
You can try searching boards like this
www.google.ie/search?q=saab+mechanic+site%3Aboards.ie

toastedpickles

biko wrote: »

Is car in Kildare or somewhere else?
You can try searching boards like this
www.google.ie/search?q=saab+mechanic+site%3Aboards.ie

It's in dublin, I was trying to find one up around there but all i was getting is lads from newry and up that way

Thanks for the link though theres a few in that i never seen

Might just get an aa check on it if all else fails

dinneenp

Have a look at Brogan Motors in Dublin.

They have a 2006 Saab 93, 99,000 miles for €4,499.

colm_mcm

Its the non turbo linear model though. Might as well buy a primera or something as buy one like that.

H3llR4iser

toastedpickles wrote: »

...my mechanic says I'm nuts to even think of one...

Lol...what does he drive? I find it funny how most of the mechanics I know or used to know, usually drive stuff that is nearly ready for the scrapyard

dinneenp

hhhmmmmmm....
I asked my mechanic which he would buy; a 2009 Saab 93 or 2009/2010 Mazda 6. he answered the Mazda straight away, reason being parts will get harder to get for Saab if stuff go wrong.
And I've heard a few other people say that. I thought first it was just something people came up with without but maybe not.

toastedpickles

dinneenp wrote: »

hhhmmmmmm....
I asked my mechanic which he would buy; a 2009 Saab 93 or 2009/2010 Mazda 6. he answered the Mazda straight away, reason being parts will get harder to get for Saab if stuff go wrong.
And I've heard a few other people say that. I thought first it was just something people came up with without but maybe not.

True but if its well maintained stuff won't be breaking off it every second day, The car I have now has been minded like a child, although I'm doing a fair few miles in it so dunno how long it's gona hold up, and the only thing that was moderately expensive to go on it was the power steering pump, I can see where you're coming from though

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Lol...what does he drive? I find it funny how most of the mechanics I know or used to know, usually drive stuff that is nearly ready for the scrapyard

Ehh I think it's a 00 citreon berlingo or something like that

The Pontiac

johnpawl wrote: »

Alternator gave up - twice
had to replace EGR valve,
had to replace flywheel and clutch pack(think around e900)- its rattling again now so will have to be done again.
gear handle came off,
replaced brake sensor that turned out to actually just be a cracked wire-cost me
e350
Mechanic just after telling me I need a new intake manifold(150 to buy) funny thing is another mechanic tells me there's nothing wrong with it.

That's the 1.9tid (diesel) model, surely, found in the Opel/Saab/Alfa? The OP is looking at buying a petrol

dinneenp wrote: »

hhhmmmmmm....
I asked my mechanic which he would buy; a 2009 Saab 93 or 2009/2010 Mazda 6. he answered the Mazda straight away, reason being parts will get harder to get for Saab if stuff go wrong.
And I've heard a few other people say that. I thought first it was just something people came up with without but maybe not.

There's absolutely no problem getting parts for a 9-3. I own one. Availability isn't the problem.

Why not consider a Volvo S60?

dinneenp

Are Saab diesels notorious for giving trouble?

The Pontiac

dinneenp wrote: »

Are Saab diesels notorious for giving trouble?

Bit hit and miss I'd say. The flywheel will probably be shagged at 100k (or less). Budget minimum €800. Alternators are weak, water pumps (leading to timing belt failure) need to be changed 'bang-on-time'. Cleaning EGR valves is recommended.

Not sure how common swirl flaps and DPF problems are. But they do exist.

Interior build quality is atrociously bad.

toastedpickles

The Pontiac wrote: »

That's the 1.9tid (diesel) model, surely, found in the Opel/Saab/Alfa? The OP is looking at buying a petrol



There's absolutely no problem getting parts for a 9-3. I own one. Availability isn't the problem.

Why not consider a Volvo S60?

I might, but my heart is set on a saab, as odd as it sounds

The Pontiac

toastedpickles wrote: »

I might, but my heart is set on a saab, as odd as it sounds

Don't pay over the odds for one. Petrol models are very tempting price wise.

Try and get the Vector model. 17" alloys, half-leather, climate control etc.

Test drive one over poor surfaces beforehand, and see can you live with the harsh ride and squeaky, poor quality plastic interior.

Best of luck.

toastedpickles

The Pontiac wrote: »

Don't pay over the odds for one. Petrol models are very tempting price wise.

Try and get the Vector model. 17" alloys, half-leather, climate control etc.

Test drive one over poor surfaces beforehand, and see can you live with the harsh ride and squeaky, poor quality plastic interior.

Best of luck.

I've my eye on a vector so when I have the money together, I'll give yer man a shout and ask him to take it down here, I live out in the curragh so the roads are fairly brutal from all the army vehicles going around, so I'll give it a good going over along a particularly bad road, if it does good there, ill take it

The Pontiac

toastedpickles wrote: »

I've my eye on a vector so when I have the money together, I'll give yer man a shout and ask him to take it down here, I live out in the curragh so the roads are fairly brutal from all the army vehicles going around, so I'll give it a good going over along a particularly bad road, if it does good there, ill take it

Good idea. Take it for a good test drive and don't rush it. You'll be owning the car for a few years, so don't settle for a 10 minute test-drive.

Lovely motorway cruiser and probably the best seats in its class.

toastedpickles

The Pontiac wrote: »

Good idea. Take it for a good test drive and don't rush it. You'll be owning the car for a few years, so don't settle for a 10 minute test-drive.

Lovely motorway cruiser and probably the best seats in its class.

Ah yeah sure that's what I was going to use it for, just specifically motorway, the odd bit of town and such

I'll give it a good going over, fine tooth comb job if you will