Went out and picked it up yesterday, we traded our '96 900 S conv. w/ auto for the '01 Viggen 5-door. The two cars couldn't be any more different and still be in the same model family. Steering is heavy, brakes are responsive, seats are supportive, etc.
Both Saabs are black/black.
The Viggen is a 1-owner vehicle, bought used from a GM dealer. It was $3000 under kbb value for a dealer. For good reason. I already hate the previous owner for what he did to this thing.
Foglights are shattered. Car was cleaned irregularly, evident by the residue around the badges and by the rear liscense plate. Spoiler paint is chipped. At some point, it likely hadn't been washed for more than 2000 miles, because brake dust apparently ate the silver paint right off the backside of the rims. Then there's rim rash.
Inside, the leather is wrinkled and worn. All of the carbon fiber accents are damaged. Apparantly he had a dog. A dog who liked to chew on door handles. The steering wheel leather is excessively worn on the top. How did that happen? The shift knob... the gate pattern jewel had come off at some point apparantly, because it was rather hastely super-glued on. It's crooked. 35 degrees crooked. And the glue leaked down the sides of the shifter. Some of the plastic bits are scratched a bit. The doorlocks are LOUD compared to the old Saab and there's lots of wind noise (more than the old conv.). And the glovebox rattles, because the plastic on the latches is worn. Like he tried to force it open when it was locked.
Get this: Stereotypical pre-owned goosebumps. No manuals. No maintanence records. One key (which the dog bit at one point). But CarFax gave it a perfect score. But I still need to know if regular service items have been replaced yet, given the careful maintanence schedule of the previous owner. It has 69,000 miles.
After learning how to drive a stick on a Jeep (lots of low end torque, rubbery shifter, will idle out of anything above 500 rpms with no knocking, very smooth clutch engagement) the Viggen is very different. The shifter is very solid, the clutch a bit more sensitive, and I actually have to rev up a bit before engaging the clutch to accelerate from a stop.
But hey, its a Viggen. Our last Saab hadn't been serviced other than a fluid change for five or six years, and then we lived in Jersey. It never had a problem.
So, on the to-do list:
headlight bulb (replace all other bulbs with LED's?)
foglights
Fitch Fuel Catalyst (really works!)
Pulstar plugs (also really works!)
New cabin trim (choice of Carbon Fiber, Burl Walnut, and Rosewood)
Restore leather
full-on chassis stiffining/steering reinforcement from Taliaferro (think Abbot Viggen Rescue Kit, only American)
CarPuter!!! (is the radio a 2-DIN or 1.5-DIN?)
Eventually, I would like to paint it factory correct Lightning Blue and do the interior to match. Any ideas/suggestions/criticizms on this?
I will also be hunting for an owner's manual and a repair manual. Probably order the owner's manual from a dealer, but where should I get the service manual, and what version? I know that I need to know this car inside and out if I want it to run forever.
Any comments are welcome, and help is appreciated!
Edit: Forgot to mention that it has OnStar, can this be updated for the analog to digital service switch, and can they do remote unlocking?
Both Saabs are black/black.
The Viggen is a 1-owner vehicle, bought used from a GM dealer. It was $3000 under kbb value for a dealer. For good reason. I already hate the previous owner for what he did to this thing.
Foglights are shattered. Car was cleaned irregularly, evident by the residue around the badges and by the rear liscense plate. Spoiler paint is chipped. At some point, it likely hadn't been washed for more than 2000 miles, because brake dust apparently ate the silver paint right off the backside of the rims. Then there's rim rash.
Inside, the leather is wrinkled and worn. All of the carbon fiber accents are damaged. Apparantly he had a dog. A dog who liked to chew on door handles. The steering wheel leather is excessively worn on the top. How did that happen? The shift knob... the gate pattern jewel had come off at some point apparantly, because it was rather hastely super-glued on. It's crooked. 35 degrees crooked. And the glue leaked down the sides of the shifter. Some of the plastic bits are scratched a bit. The doorlocks are LOUD compared to the old Saab and there's lots of wind noise (more than the old conv.). And the glovebox rattles, because the plastic on the latches is worn. Like he tried to force it open when it was locked.
Get this: Stereotypical pre-owned goosebumps. No manuals. No maintanence records. One key (which the dog bit at one point). But CarFax gave it a perfect score. But I still need to know if regular service items have been replaced yet, given the careful maintanence schedule of the previous owner. It has 69,000 miles.
After learning how to drive a stick on a Jeep (lots of low end torque, rubbery shifter, will idle out of anything above 500 rpms with no knocking, very smooth clutch engagement) the Viggen is very different. The shifter is very solid, the clutch a bit more sensitive, and I actually have to rev up a bit before engaging the clutch to accelerate from a stop.
But hey, its a Viggen. Our last Saab hadn't been serviced other than a fluid change for five or six years, and then we lived in Jersey. It never had a problem.
So, on the to-do list:
headlight bulb (replace all other bulbs with LED's?)
foglights
Fitch Fuel Catalyst (really works!)
Pulstar plugs (also really works!)
New cabin trim (choice of Carbon Fiber, Burl Walnut, and Rosewood)
Restore leather
full-on chassis stiffining/steering reinforcement from Taliaferro (think Abbot Viggen Rescue Kit, only American)
CarPuter!!! (is the radio a 2-DIN or 1.5-DIN?)
Eventually, I would like to paint it factory correct Lightning Blue and do the interior to match. Any ideas/suggestions/criticizms on this?
I will also be hunting for an owner's manual and a repair manual. Probably order the owner's manual from a dealer, but where should I get the service manual, and what version? I know that I need to know this car inside and out if I want it to run forever.
Any comments are welcome, and help is appreciated!
Edit: Forgot to mention that it has OnStar, can this be updated for the analog to digital service switch, and can they do remote unlocking?