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New 9000 owner - or will be tomorrow..

848 views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  SAAB kid 
#1 ·
Afternoon, All..

Having never driven one, but harked after one for a while i've finally jumped into Saab ownership - a '92 9000 2.0 CS Turbo Auto with a mere (!) 230k on the clock. Probably not the best one around (not at what i'm paying for it), but figured if i like it, then look around for a better one in a while.

I've no knowledge of the cars (although damned handy with the rest of my fleet) so don't know where to start, what to look for or anything! Don't even know what breed of turbo it is (there seem to be a few variants)!

Any quirks/immediate maintenance i'd need to do?
 
#2 ·
Welcome to the club. I bought mine in November or so. Things to look at are any leaks, noisy timing chains, check everything electrical before you buy it.

Since you are handy you will get alot of help from this site and others. Never dispair. If you buy this thing remember you have bought a fine but sometimes fickle automobile. Better style and ride then a similarly aged BMW, fantastic performance potential from that little 2.0 turbo (little is relative, the 2.0 would just scream in a honda civic, they are alot lighter. Saabs are better build, much safer and heavier) and they are just flat wonderful to drive at all distances.

When I bought mine it was a rolling wreck, been in the sun sitting for years and has needed an enormous amount of work but is so comfortable it is amazing. My 90 Saab 9000S Non Turbo 2.3 is more comfortable than my wifes expensive, leather seated '03 Mazda Tribute and has fewer rattles in an almost 20 year old car. Please look for the sticky's and read them about buying a used Saab before you plunk down the money, may save you some serious coin.

If you bought it already I would recommend you purchase a spare DI ignition cassette from GoldWing Saab on Ebay or SaabDon also on Ebay(I have just had good luck with them and alsothere are alot of people here that can help. The DI cassette is an item prone to failure and can easily leave you with the groceries in the parking lot without much warning. Hopefully there will be a bunch more folks chime in here with advise shortly. Once again welcome....John :D
 
#3 ·
Mere 230K is right! An old 9000 I had was retired at 295,000K and still had some life left. I remember seeing an older 9000 parked in a barn and the odometer read 425K!! Electronics are a good thing to check over, as they tend to act up.. I recall door lock and window operation trouble as a common problem. Irregular tire wear, puddles under the car, leaks, rust (especially around the base of the doors where there are drainage holes), etc etc..
 
#4 ·
Cheers guys..really looking forward to collecting it tomorrow.

I do seem to remember reading that the DI units are a little fragile (it's all relative, though).

Odd that you mentioned the BMW's etc, computek - recent cars of a similar vintage have been an E28 BMW and a W201 190E Merc. Something in my car buying gene seems to prevent me having anything newer than the early 90's...
 
#5 ·
Timing chains are a real issue to be aware of. Those that say they are better than cambelts need !!!. I bought a 93 9000 NA, with 142000km, (not miles) the chain was and still is noisy. I just bought a 93 9000 2.3 griffin 165000km in bits, head, chains, sump off. to get it all back together cost me $2500 in parts, head $389,turbo $908, timing/balance chains $1000, all in NZ$, plus other bits and pieces. However it is a very nice car now, no chain noise, everything going as it should. I also bought a 96 900s 2.3 manual NA, at 150000km it had absolutely no timing/balance chain noise. I have 4 Saabs ATM and I love them.
 
#6 ·
Well, its here...

Few little niggles on the way home - blowing exhaust (think its the downpipe flexi as there's already one patch been welded onto it), occasional really tinny rattle at low revs (not idle) which seems to be coming from the aux belt and the box can be a little snatchy in its changes when fully warm - fluid (it's not bright pink..), band adjustment, or is it a time bomb? Didn't want to really get up to temperature either -just hovered slightly above the blue area on the gauge. Will try a stat for that, i think...

Also the idle speed seems a little high at a reported 1000rpm - or are the tachos a little "off"?
 
#9 ·
In some models of 9000 they are fitted with a dummy thermometer, that displays a not-so-accurate temperature reading.

Mine never gets past half, for instance, it's a '97.

I'm sure someone will chime in about that, there are a few people who were trained on 9000's in a mechanics school of sorts.

My car seems to idle at a high 900, just below 1000. 980 rpm maybe.
 
#10 ·
Some bits have been replaced since my last post here - with a new 'stat in, it now goes upto halfway and then climbs just a little more when in traffic; fan comes in and brings it back down again.

Idle is now around 900-950 following a dump valve replacement and a new set of plugs.
 
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