Saab - Collectible or Orphan?

[happy1]

Hi,
Since you mention its a convertible I assume you are looking at a 900 or 9-3 from 1994-2002. As mentioned above in this thread there could be some issues with future parts, but you will always be able to find aftermarket parts from the internet.

It has also been correctly mentioned that this model share a lot of parts with Opel/Holden Vectra. In general the SAAB is better engineered than the Vectra.
My brother in law have owned one and put in a lot of kms with no repairs needed.

The Convertible is lacking chassis stiffness of a sedan with roof. Most other convertible 'family cars' from the 90s were like this too. Will only be noticed in pot-holes and on speed bumps in parking lots. The 9-3 still has reasonable crash safety.

I have seen a few of these late 90s convertibles for sale now for $ 3000 - 5000.
If you can pick one up for that which looks reasonable, and if you are willing to own a car that is more than 13 year old, (with all the usual problems that comes with any car of this age in warm Australia) then SAAB is no worse, or even better than many others.

From an overall maintenance cost view, getting a much newer car that comes with warranty and uses less fuel etc, would probably cost you less overall, and be more predictable and trouble free. These days you can buy a 2005 BA Falcon in good condition with less than 150.000 kms for approx $6000. That car would run for years with very low maintenance cost. Probably the cheapest motoring you could ever find. You could spend $20.000 or more on a newer, smaller, more stylish car, which should have no surprises, and could satisfy your partner's wish of driving something 'special'. The cost per month/year of some of the newer cars isn't too bad if you consider all the repairs of an older one.

Based on this I wouldn't say the SAAB 9-3 is poor value for its looks and user value if you find one for $ 5000 or less. However just be aware of the servicing cost of a car that is almost 15 years old. For example the engine will need rebuild to get fresh rubber seals. The cooling system will need to be renewed, leaking power steering, faulty airconditioning, electrics, etc, and many other things potentially going wrong at this age of a car.

Also a comment to one of the posts above; I disagree that the car advice given in Ford Forum's pub is generally poor. I think some of the members have a lot of car experience and gives generally good advice. If you asked a SAAB forum, they would probably already be biased from owning a SAAB, and it would be such a small forum you would not get any responses. Anyway, good luck hunting for a new car. I'm surprised how much car prices has dropped for 6 - 8 year old cars lately. Definitively many bargains out there if you want something else than a 3 year old Barina/Fiesta/i20. Cheers

[happy1]

Just had a look at Carsales to see some typical deals available at the moment.
(many SAAB convertibles, at approx 3000 - 5000)

2005 Mazda MX5 for $ 19.800.
1999 MB CLK320 for $ 19.800 (too old in my view)
2007 Ford Focus Convertible, $ 20.700.
2007 Holden Astra Cab. $ 19.800. (several)
2007 VW EOS TDI $ 19.880
2005 Audi A4 Multitronic B6 Convertible, $ 19.900
2006 Peugeot 307 Convertible. $ 19980.

I think the value for money for some of these looks excellent, and a lot less trouble than a nearly 15 year old SAAB..

[Crazy Dazz]

Who said anything about a 15 year old car?????
Car I'm looking at is less than 6, has 70k on the clock, and is going for just under $13k.

As I have said REPEATEDLY, it is Her Indoors' "dream car," so the choice is simple; buy her a Saab, or don't buy her a Saab. If I don't buy her a Saab, it will probably be a Territory, other convertibles don't factor into it.

[Charliewool]

I'd go for it... It's HER dream car.. There IS something about the fairer sex and convertible Saabs.
As I previously mentioned, heaps of info over at www.saabcentral.com/forums/index
You reckon we're Ford mad here? Wait til you join Saab central.. They're obsessed!!

[Yellow_Festiva]

There is a nice looking convertible on carsales that apparently has a viggen motor installed.

It would be something I would go for as I have a soft spot for unique cars.

[ryeman]

Great cafe crawler.

[DJM83]

Not to mention that some older can be bloody quick with the right mods.

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Not to mention that some older can be bloody quick with the right mods.
image

that does actually look pretty sweet!!

[Danny]

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/d...m=15&sort=Year

That looks pretty nice, TTV6 Manual. If you could get that down well under $30k you'd have youself a nice looking and quick car that she's love for ages. That Aero package looks great too.

[Repsorp2012]

They have some nice cars but there must be a good reason why they went under... hopefully owning one doesn't give you the reason..

[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by Danny

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/d...m=15&sort=Year

That looks pretty nice, TTV6 Manual. If you could get that down well under $30k you'd have youself a nice looking and quick car that she's love for ages. That Aero package looks great too.

$94,000 car when new!

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by Repsorp2012

They have some nice cars but there must be a good reason why they went under... hopefully owning one doesn't give you the reason..

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/s...upt-2011-12-19

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Repsorp2012

They have some nice cars but there must be a good reason why they went under... hopefully owning one doesn't give you the reason..

It’s an oft repeated story, not just in the auto industry. When times are good, the big fish try to expand by gobbling up the little ones around them, the put money into them, but then just try absorbing them, then after ruining them they decide they don’t want them.
Back when I worked for “X” Bank, within a 5~6 year period the following happened:
- Bank decides to get into the life insurance industry, and spends up big buying existing (but not well publically known) life insurance company.
- Bank spends big bucks promoting the company to the public.
- Bank decides to rebrand the company as “X Life” and again spends big promoting the new brand.
- Bank decides to restructure the life insurance business and bring it all in-house.
- Bank decides it nolonger wants to be in the Life insurance game, stops all promotion, and stops issuing new policies.
- Bank decides that managing existing policies is too much trouble and cancels all renewables, and sells off the remaining policies for a pittance.
- Bank decides it SHOULD be in the Life Insurance game, and enters into a partnership with “ABC Life.”

GM gobbled up Saab, then decided it would be cheaper if Saabs were built on GM platforms with GM engines. By and large that was a failure with Saab fans, a bit like the “Mondeo” Jaguar. Still good cars, very good adaptations of those platforms, but tainted in the eyes of purists. And when the proverbial hit the fans, GM could nolonger afford to inject capital into Saab, so they offloaded it to some people who whilst enthusiastic) also lacked the capital to make a go of it.

The story of Saab itself, is also not unique. In their heyday they offered class-leading innovation, safety, and performance. They were offering variable fuel computer controlled turbo engines, when the rest of us still had push-rods and carbies. Tensioning seatbelts, airbags, and pop-up rollbars, when we all thought padded dashboards were the epitome of safety. All that in a well-built luxury package that was very well priced compared to other Euro-Lux marques. Unfortunately all of that has long since been equalled, and probably surpassed in the GM-owned era. If you want a mid-sized luxury car packed with features, there is competition everywhere, and the only thing setting Saab apart was their “Saabiness,” which too has been eroded under GM.

[BPXR6T]

Boss has one and its a ****. Gives us plenty of ammo to give him a hard time too. He whacked an exhaust and pre-programmed chip in it and it actually went slower. Just started to blow lovely plumes of blue smoke as of last week too.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by BPXR6T

Just started to blow lovely plumes of blue smoke as of last week too.

Turbo

[janddbone]

The older ones are 100% collectable...

[Crazy Dazz]

Ok, as I mentioned, if not the “dream car,” it would be a Territory. It just so happened that I ended up being the highest bidder on both the Saab Convertible and a TS Territory AWD.
Not a huge amount of interest in the Saab, but a reasonable amount for the Terri. My initial preference was the Terri, only a couple of hundred more, and as it happens both were 2007 models. The Saab had 76k on the clock, the Terri 103. Again not an unfavourable comparison given that eventual repairs on Saab will cost twice as much as Ford.
Unfortunately that was where the comparison ended. Piece of ***** just doesn’t do justice to the Territory. I don’t know who owned it, but I have seen utes come up from underground in better nick. The interior was beyond trashed, talking complete replacement here, the paint looked like it had been in a sand storm, nothing worked, and the engine was in a BAD way.
This is NOT a reflection on the Territory model. Great car, still LOVE it. I have seen 2004 models with 170k on the clock still purring along. But for the dollars I was spending the only one available was a heap of junk.
So The War Office is now the proud owner of a SAAB. It is a VERY nice car. Many luxury features, and an absolute pleasure to drive, whisper quite at suburban speeds, but still bloody powerful. And you gotta love the top.
I realise that I am going to pay for this again when I get the first service and repair bills, but to be honest I don’t think I would have gotten something this nice for this money if the company hadn’t gone tits up.
It still has four letters so I figure it means “FORD” in some weird Nordic language.

[GQ_Smooth]

Congratulations, my old man (god rest his soul) had a soft spot for SAABS, and Jags, if he was still around today, he's be in a XJ6 series 3. Makes no logical sense, but a lot of car purchases don't.

If it makes her feel "special" and brings a smile to her face, it's well worth the maintenance costs.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I realise that I am going to pay for this again when I get the first service and repair bills, but to be honest I don’t think I would have gotten something this nice for this money if the company hadn’t gone tits up.

Join a SAAB club, even an online one. Like AFF, they welcome you to their ranks, will know places to get parts and who knows how to fix them.

Any pics ?

[Danny]

Sometimes you just need to go by what the heart desires, great work mate. Congrats, bet she loves you for it!

[Brainspace]

Guys Ive gotta say, I recently bought a Saab 2002 5 speed (man), turbo, convertible in black unregistered with 137k on the clock
it cost me all of $950 & i spent a total of $1200 on it to roadworthy it and the most expensive thing it needed was a new set of tyres. others needs were a few gaskets & air pipe that runs to the filter box
so really that is bugger all and yep its an old car but it is very nice to drive & normally i Hate front wheel drives!
it has a great interior, all leather
and yep it goes like the clappers, is straight and an all round nice drive. As for parts Ive had no issue finding anything and found most prices reasonable and comparable to what id pay for a similar part on the Fairmont
I'm very happy with my toy and it does seem to turn the girls heads
if your in Melbourne i;d start with Saab Wreck in Huntingdale, if they cant help they will know who can

[prktkljokr]

I used to tow dead SAABs to a place in Basendean (Perth) they had a workshop that was just dedicated to SAABs and a parts department, The guy there told me part of the SAAB closing up shop is that they covered enough spares for 20 years.
2014 was the last model year for SAAB, so there should be enough parts until 2034.

[aussiblue]

Well as the thread has already been resurrected, I always fancied a Saab Sonnet III; pity they were only ever available in left hand drive.

[MITCHAY]

Yeah nah no one wants a Saab.

[roKWiz]

Between a guy in Beechworth and one in Chiltern, I think they have cornered the market in these old basket cases. Never seen any of them move yet.

[DJR-351]

Oh i don't know, i don't mind this SAAB even if it is powered by a Volvo....

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Between a guy in Beechworth and one in Chiltern, I think they have cornered the market in these old basket cases. Never seen any of them move yet.

Have they got any 96V4's?

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

Have they got any 96V4's?

A very popular (european) rally car back in there day, had a reputation of been tough as nails and reliable.....

[.:4:.]

One of my childhood mates worked in a mechanics that do european cars. He explained the saab thing. His explaination was they were over engineered doctors cars. So the people who bought them new, when a new model came out, because nothing was wrong with the old one didnt upgrade to the new model. Which lead to low sales being a booring car, and also when near new etc, parts werent failing, so there was no real need for aftermarket support. So thats why parts now that theyre old are so expensive. It also doesnt help that they folded and even under gm ownership, they were a low volume selling car. Well, over here atleast. Europe might be a different story. Some models did have some quirkey engineering. Like a longitudinal mounted motor that was backwards and front wheel drive.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

A very popular (european) rally car back in there day, had a reputation of been tough as nails and reliable.....

I did the same thing here. Our first Rally was the 1970 Ampol trial............jump in the deep end eh