Saab 9-5 with blown turbo - madness?

Top Dog

Alright folks, looking for some guidance & advice please.

Being a regular browser of the Motors forum I've seen many mentions of Saab's with sludge issues through the years, and I reckon I've stumbled across a victim of such. Its a '02 2.0T model with a blown turbo, so I'm guessing its possibly/probably a victim of this famous sludge issue.

What I want to know is, would it be complete madness to consider taking a punt on it? Apparently the car is still starting but can't be driven, so I'm thinking in my head "buy it, drop sump & clean, replace turbo ... tax it & enjoy". But I'm also wondering if this is too simplified and optimistic on my behalf and if the blown turbo is an indication of further problems hidden within?

The car itself looks clean enough, nice set of 17's, decent length NCT, full leather and less than €500 would take it away. Could possibly part it out to recoup some of the outlay if there were deeper problems so all it'd really cost me would be a few hundred quid and some of my time.

So tell me - am I mad to even be thinking about this?

Anan1

I can't see how a blown turbo alone would render a car undriveable. My guess is it needs a new engine due to oil starvation.

Top Dog

Anan1 wrote: »

I can't see how a blown turbo alone would render a car undriveable. My guess is it needs a new engine due to oil starvation.

Well I'm only basing this on the advert - maybe they're just saying its not advisable since a blown turbo could mean burning more oil or such?

Personally I wouldn't really want to drive something with a knackered turbo for fear it might disintegrate and send shards through the engine causing more catastrophic damage. Maybe a short, low-rev spin to ensure that all gears were engaging & such, but certainly not an extended drive of any reasonable distance.

Anan1

Top Dog wrote: »

Well I'm only basing this on the advert - maybe they're just saying its not advisable since a blown turbo could mean burning more oil or such?

Personally I wouldn't really want to drive something with a knackered turbo for fear it might disintegrate and send shards through the engine causing more catastrophic damage. Maybe a short, low-rev spin to ensure that all gears were engaging & such, but certainly not an extended drive of any reasonable distance.

It is possible, but oil starvation will kill an engine just as surely as it will a turbo. I once owned a '98 9-5 2.0, which had originally been a 2.3 but had had its engine replaced with a new crated 2.0 by a main dealer following oil starvation. It was a lovely car, and I sold it on to a good friend - about a year later the same thing happened again. In both cases it was the entire engine, and not just the turbo.

Top Dog

Anan1 wrote: »

It is possible, but oil starvation will kill an engine just as surely as it will a turbo. I once owned a '98 9-5 2.0, which had originally been a 2.3 but had had its engine replaced with a new crated 2.0 by a main dealer following oil starvation. It was a lovely car, and I sold it on to a good friend - about a year later the same thing happened again. In both cases it was the entire engine, and not just the turbo.

Would it still start or did the whole thing sieze up?

Scartbeg

Ran a 2003 9-5 2.0T estate for a couple of years. Fuel consumption was generally less than 25mpg on short runs, otherwise would have kept it for longer. But at €500 I might take a punt tho' road tax must be close to €800?

ironclaw

Provided you got it for €500, and didn't spend more than €1000 on top of that, you'd basically break even. That would be the bottom line for me when dealing with anything like this. Tax alone would take a fair chunk of that €1000, and thats before you do anything. Just my two cents.

Anan1

Top Dog wrote: »

Would it still start or did the whole thing sieze up?

It could idle, but it wouldn't pull. They're a really nice car, but I don't think you'd pay much for an older one needing nothing - that'd be the approach i'd recommend.

Top Dog

ironclaw wrote: »

Provided you got it for €500, and didn't spend more than €1000 on top of that, you'd basically break even. That would be the bottom line for me when dealing with anything like this. Tax alone would take a fair chunk of that €1000, and thats before you do anything. Just my two cents.

From all of about half an hours effort I believe I could get a re-conditioned turbo for about €350, or a second hand one for about half that (maybe even less). Fit it myself so no labour charge - just new gaskets maybe. Drop sump & clean myself - only need gasket, o-ring & sealant so another affordable job.

I'm just wondering if its worth the gamble? Maybe take it for a short spin to make sure there's some pull from the engine so it's not the same as Anan has mentioned?

Oh and annual motor tax is €710

Anan1

Top Dog wrote: »

From all of about half an hours effort I believe I could get a re-conditioned turbo for about €350, or a second hand one for about half that (maybe even less). Fit it myself so no labour charge - just new gaskets maybe. Drop sump & clean myself - only need gasket, o-ring & sealant so another affordable job.

I'm just wondering if its worth the gamble? Maybe take it for a short spin to make sure there's some pull from the engine so it's not the same as Anan has mentioned?

Oh and annual motor tax is €710

If that doesn't work then you're €850 into a car that won't drive. That's the thing about buying cars with mechanical issues - you need to spend money to find out what you've bought. In my book that means that they have to be cheap enough to cover the worst case scenario.

ironclaw

Top Dog wrote: »

From all of about half an hours effort I believe I could get a re-conditioned turbo for about €350, or a second hand one for about half that (maybe even less). Fit it myself so no labour charge - just new gaskets maybe. Drop sump & clean myself - only need gasket, o-ring & sealant so another affordable job.

I'm just wondering if its worth the gamble? Maybe take it for a short spin to make sure there's some pull from the engine so it's not the same as Anan has mentioned?

Oh and annual motor tax is €710

I'd with Anan1 on this. That list alone including tax could top €1300. Plus the €500 for the car. So your €1800 in for a car worth about €1500, and you won't know what it needs until you've at the bare minimum done the above. I'd be sick if I put €1800 into a car and then suddenly realised 'Well its needs an entire new block'

Personally I'd just try find one with a decent NCT and some tax left on it. Talking from a purely financial viewpoint, its a better 'deal' in my opinion.

If you have your heart set on it as a keeper and daily driver, I'd take it on as a project, ignore the financials and probably go to town on it.

Top Dog

ironclaw wrote: »

I'd with Anan1 on this. That list alone including tax could top €1300. Plus the €500 for the car. So your €1800 in for a car worth about €1500, and you won't know what it needs until you've at the bare minimum done the above. I'd be sick if I put €1800 into a car and then suddenly realised 'Well its needs an entire new block'

Personally I'd just try find one with a decent NCT and some tax left on it. Talking from a purely financial viewpoint, its a better 'deal' in my opinion.

If you have your heart set on it as a keeper and daily driver, I'd take it on as a project, ignore the financials and probably go to town on it.

Thats a bit of a leap in fairness!

No-one is mad enough to tax a non-running car for a year ... are they? :eek: So thats 700 gone from your 1800 straight away. Unless it runs right then it doesn't get taxed.

More realistic is asking price of 500 = 400 cash in hand might take it away. Spend 150 on a second-hand turbo, 15 on bits, and fit. If it doesn't run right you're €565 into it and its decision time - invest more or scrap. A far cry from 1800 I think you'll agree?

Heart isn't set on it at all - would prefer an estate, but for the outlay I thought it might be worth seeking opinions on here to see if it might make an affordable (ignore tax & fuel economy here) project.

Edit to add - Anan's €850 is the car + reconditioned turbo. Add a years tax @ 710 and you're still only at 1560. Dunno where you got 1800 from?