SAAB 9-3 - thoughts please

[Father Ted]

Thinking of putting in a ludicrously silly offer on a Saab 9-3. It belonged to a chap who has died, its languished for several months on the driveway, mother of the deceased wants shut of it and no one wants to buy it (certainly not the garage who serviced it)R plate 2.0 petrol.100K milesNo MOT any more.Looks nice enough though.Thinking of offering her £250 - does this sound reasonable for what is basically a Vectra?

[Volksy]

I had a '98 S plate 9-3 S, It was the basic none turbo 2.0i, went reasonably well, handled reasonably well, only faults it developed were:-

 

Intermittant Airbag light, caused by wiring under the passenger seat,

 

Aux belt Idler pulley failed, £8.90 from GSF

 

Display on trip computer went pixelated, normal. You can repair these, check the Saab forums for guides.

 

Other than that it was a very capable car, just enough equipment, elec windows, central locking with deadlocks, Aircon, electric mirrors etc..

Felt very solid and was comfortable even on long runs, huge boot as well!

 

I would recommend one, mine had done 160k and drove like a car with half the mileage. went straight through an MOT with NO advisories as well.

 

For an idea of the strength of the design, Mr Bickles wife had a serious roll in a GM900 I beleive, there's pics on here somewhere.

 

(EDIT to add pic)

 

 

 

I Paid £250 for mine with Tax and Test though...

[CortinaDave]

I've got a convertible one on an X reg thats done 128k and its a good car, if a bit wallowy round the bends. Much better than a vectra and built like a tank so laughs in the face of the gritter.They are a bit thirsty tho and the dash displays are always fooked!Be aware too the SID computer is intensely annoying. Bongs until you put your seatbelt on, bongs when your screen wash is low, bongs if you have a bulb out, constantly harping on at you about trivial shit.bong, bong, bong AAAAARRRRGH!I guarantee you will want to tear it out of the dash in a week and smash it into smithereens with a mash hammer

[Volksy]

They are a bit thirsty tho and the dash displays are always fooked!Be aware too the SID computer is intensely annoying. Bongs until you put your seatbelt on, bongs when your screen wash is low, bongs if you have a bulb out, constantly harping on at you about trivial shit.bong, bong, bong AAAAARRRRGH!

Yup mine was the same and half the time, because the display is fooked, you cant tell what its whinging about!

[binhoker668]

If ye do get it, I've got a Haynes for it ye can have if ye send me an SAE...

[r.welfare]

2-litre is a proppa Saab engine, but they can snap their camchains if the oil is not changed regularly. I'd probably be having a quick dekko at brakes, CV boots, engine management lights and stuff before handing over the folding - you want it to have a fighting chance of getting an MOT, as MOT'd R-plate 900's (presume 98 was the changeover year) can be had for twice what you're proposing to offer.Still, if it checks out - why not? A leather interior from a scrapper for a ton or less and you've got yerself a comfy, safe cruiser.

[CortinaDave]

Management light in mine was on when i bought it.. but i got a code reader that plugs into my lap top off ebay for £20... problem diagnosed.. dodgy throttle bodyGot one of those off ebay too.. 40 quid (saab wanted 500!!!) and its just a bolt on part.. job done.

[nigel bickle]

As above -good safe value for pennies. I've had 2 -both driven into the ground (quite literally with the green one) and used as long distance tow mules. That pics was a barrel rolled 900, toppled at speed on a d/carriageway. She got out without a mark (but cut her knee clambering back in to get her laptop)When righted- 45 mins later, it started 2nd turn -and would have driven home with minimal works...So-I'm beginning the hunt for another, too. £250 sounds about right to me -condition dependant. I'm looking to spend up to £500, probably slightly more modern, higher mileage, estate.Go for it

[MrRegieRitmo]

£250 sounds about right to me -condition dependant. I'm looking to spend up to £500, probably slightly more modern, higher mileage, estate.

Go for it

900 / 9-3 estate??

[r.welfare]

Doesn't exist on that age of 9-3 Reg.I am currently "observing" 9-5 wagons as a potential chariot for Mrs W in the future should/when a 2nd Welfare Jnr occurs. Y-reg or earlier, 2.3 auto probably. They certainly look the part.

[Father Ted]

Well offer gone in, looks OK, has done only 2k miles since last MOT test, starts, stops, display on dash works!Woman said she wanted a bit more but would let me know.I will keep you informed.I also picked up a Wolf 2.4HP 1200W 4 stroke Generator for £40 from the same woman. Started second pull, though conked out after a few minutes due to lack of petrol. GR8 for the next power outage to annoy the neighbours!

[MrRegieRitmo]

Doesn't exist on that age of 9-3 Reg.

Exactly! Dad had a facelifted (not current one with Dame Edna Everage front headlights...) 03 reg 9-5 SW in 2003, was a good car, very effortless to drive I understand. We had the 2.0t Vector version. The 2.3 Aero 'HOT' must have been nice with 250bhp! Memorably broke down once in Sudbury, we had to get transported to Ipswich Saab on the back of a lorry where they dithered around for a few days whilst we pootled round Suffolk in a courtesy Vauxhall Meriva for most of the remainder of the holiday. They eventually turned round & said there was a problem with the fuel pump, which we knew right from the beginning. Dad even suggested to them he thought that was what it was, as the car was running in limp mode. Was all good apart from that though...

[r.welfare]

That Wolf kit seems OK for boggo DIY-type use. I bought one of them Omega compressors out of the Sunday papers a year or so back for a ton delivered with all the attachments (paint gun, grease gun, tyre pressure jobby etc), and it seems perfectly up to providing enough puff to spray the odd panel or two. Just need to work on my painting technique; the last 405 wing I did though came out really quite well (for a dark metallic) if I say so myself.

[pogweasel]

(not current one with Dame Edna Everage front headlights...)

s'funny, I always think of them as 'olive-from-on-the-buses-look'

[r.welfare]

They look bloody awful, don't they? The earlier version is much more cohesive. The 9-5 must be one of the oldest designs still being produced by a European manufacturer, it's 11 years old now. I've never driven one so they might be diabolically awful for all I know, but they seem to last well (long oil change interval-related issues notwithstanding), look good and are safe. Other options are a V70 I suppose, or some kind of Subaru Forester/Legacy wagon. This is all in the future however.

[MrRegieRitmo]

I've never driven one so they might be diabolically awful for all I know,

As a previous passenger in one I can vouch for the fact they go very nicely! (and that one was only mid to upper-mid spec in the range)