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about the saab 9000 [noob]

1K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  sbm713 
#1 ·
hey everyone I was wondering how reliabe these cars are? I am going to look at a 1995 9000 aero 5 speed, c20 turbo, lowered with a new clutch with 165k miles. What is this worth price range? Also I was wondering if they are reliable because for the most part Im tired of working on my cars I became a father in march and need something besides my 92 camaro and 03 mustang to haul the baby around in
 
#2 ·
IMHO if you really want a car that you never have to put a wrench to. Avoid Saab like the plague. These cars can be made to be reliable, but generally are nowhere near low maintenance. I wouldn't pay more than $3500 for a good condition '95 Aero 5spd. I think the "born from jets" ad campaign that Saab is using was imagineered by mechanics poking fun at the aircraft level of maintenance these cars think they need.
 
#4 ·
Mine has never 'not started' (other than a couple of days ago changing brake pads, thinking a bit of music would be nice, and running the battery down by forgetting to turn off the auto settingon the ac!) it has 179k miles on the clock so things are wearing out - so if by reiable you mean, won't leave you stranded, I would say go for it, but if you mean reliable as in never maintain, oil change at annual inspection time then no, possibly not the car you are after, I am a (as I type even) oil soaked fool so enjoy getting under my car and sorting things, and am pretty anal about oil changes and filter cleaning/renewing - the PO was a chequebook maintainer - the car has had a relatively good life mechanically and hasn't let me down yet.
 
#5 ·
You guys are drawing a very gloomy picture here.
Saabs are not bad if they have been mainatined. Proper maintainece is NECESSARY. You cannot change the oil every 3000 miles and that's it. You got to do a lot of preventive maintence. However, if you do, the car is very reliable and will work for a veyr long time. Check out the high milage club, there are a lot of saabs over 250000miles on them and still runing strong. If you have a bit free time and are not bad with wrench, then the car is perfect for you, because the parts are not THAT expensive and you can do all the maintainence yourself. If you can't do it yourself, then you should get a private mechanic, and then plan on spending some money.

HOwever, still, if the choice is between 9000 aero from the 90s for about 4000$ and a new civic for 18000$, then even if you do all the proper maintainence with a private mechanic, you will still drive the car for a very long time before the total "price" reaches 18000 and you will get a LOT BETTER car for your money then a new civic. It is amazing how well these cars compare to new ones. If you want to go and get a new car with auto climate control, totally electric seats, quality leather, heated seats, 240hp, 250 ft/lb torque, great handling and versatilty, you will be hard pressed to find a new car like that for under 30000$. ANd you cannot buy the uniqueness factor. So, I think a little hassle with private mechanic and maintenence is well worth it.

So, just make sure that the car you buy have been mainteined and is in a good overall condition, and then keep maintaining it.

Just my 2 cents.

Klim
 
#6 ·
oh i dont mind doing maintence I mean my camaro sill hasnt had 3000 miles on any of the oil thats been in it Im anal about stuff like that, But I have a 1987 mk3 supra and that thing needs so much its rusting out and needs headwork and i cant stop this oil leak from the turbo oil feed line and I have all but given up on it. I just want something that will last without having to worry about really major stuff like rebuilding in 10,000 miles or doing head work. I like to wrench dont get me wrong Im just tired of the big bad problems like pulling motors because i dont have an engine hoist to get it out. Anyway thanks for all your help guys im gonna try to trade this guy cause he wants a sports car and i gotta haul a baby around oh and are these fast like my supra or comparible at all?
 
#7 ·
Ok, from your original post, I was under the impression that you were looking for a zero maintenance car. If you don't mind doing the maintenance work, you should be able to avoid the major work, although changing the clutch or slave cylinder in these cars is a trans-out job. As far as fast as your supra, these cars aren't terribly quick from a stop, but get into 3rd gear and hold on for a seriously stupid-grin inducing ride. Chances are, the misses won't be terribly impressed tho. :cheesy:
 
#9 ·
Or you can get a saab and then tune it:cheesy:

As far as major work goes, this are usually the three big things which on average you need to do about 100K miles: headgasket, clutch and timing chain. I did my first headgasket in 2 days and it was 80$ in parts. The other jobs are about the same difficulty from what I heard. ALso, if the car has been very well maintained, this 100k interval can be bumped up considerably.
As far as engine rebuilds go, if you put synth oil and and change regulary, you won't need one. Period.

Saabs are more prone to little alectrical gremlins which annoy the hell out of you, making the car's reputations as unreliable. However, the actual metal important parts are bulletproof.

THe only weak link are the transmissions. HOwever, again, there are people who have the original transmission for the whole car's life, because they didn't abuse it, etc. Even if it breaks, rebuilt is 1500$ and installation is not that bad. You can pick a used one for much much less, I have seen them on EBay for 250$.

Klim
 
#10 ·
my 9000 averages $2500 a year in repairs for the last two years, this year so far, it appears the average may go down slightly, Its may and i already have a list of over $600

If you are really concerned about reliability i would recommend a Saab 900 from 1994 - 1998. They are probably the most reliable saabs and over 2 years my 98 900 needed no out of the ordinary attention. And if you get a turbo model you still get almost as much speed as a 9000
 
#11 ·
well I seen the car today and its really clean like interior and such it has a dent from the back of the passenger door to the middil of the rear corner not to bad tho mostly scratches. The guy said something about a shaft and the transmission which I interpreted as the transmission input shaft is broken but he said he just replaced the clutch. And I just want boost not like balls out performance I just dont want a Granny car lol does anyone know how much that will cost and how hard it would be to replace? and to the post above Im 17 and a father so very little money so I cant afford a BMW M5
 
#14 ·
Me ? I wouldnt touch it. It's got a turbo that it TOTALLY unused in the Saab world and given it's had a non-normal tune for which zero off the shelf remaps exist then it 'may' have been running heavy boost on a bleed valve. Gearbox is more likely to have taken a pounding and it's just not worth the hassle.

Go for either a totally mint tuned car or stick to stock for a car that's had an easier life.


On the C20 - are you sure it's got one? Any pics? Must have been a real nightmare to fit if at all.
 
#15 ·
well I dont know for sure if it is a c20? its a really little turbo lol kinda cute haha but it builts boost right off idle pretty good, idles really smooth interior is perfect it neds a new dask knob and turn signal switch car looks pretty solid idled perfectly smooth. I told him if he would fix the tranny and get it to moving I would take it but I dont want a broken car oh and when you put it in gear it will start to move and then pop really bad is anyone familiar with what that could be at all
 
#16 ·
With the bonnet open, and u are standing in front of the car look at the engine, when you look down at the turbo, on your right hand side, it should have GARRETT embossed on the turbo casing if it's a t25. Don't know if it sayd Mitsubishi if it's a TD04. Guys?

But if you say it it really small, then it's most likely to be a t25 GARRETT.
 
#17 ·
yea i looked it up a little while ago it is the garrett so im being bs'ed but if he fixes the tranny I will take it i reckon lol oh and on the turbo models is the blow off valve loud this one made a pretty good pssh but it didnt have that high pitched whistle with it like an hks SSQ or anything and its vented into the atmosphere is that how they were stock??

oh and how much is a blinker light switch and the light knob
 
#18 ·
Different companies produce their own BOV's to give off different sounds, as well as each car is individual, so probably if you stick the same BOV on 2 same cars, they may make different sounds to eachother, even though they are the same model etc.

Blinker light switches and headlight switches can be fond on Ebay for very cheap. Or you can try fone around breakers in your area to get a general price.
 
#20 ·
well dude aint gonna fix the car so im not gonna get it so oh well and i was really liking this forum because yall were so helpful.anyway going to go look for more cars tomorrow i will probably end up with some honda dang I was really hoping to get a turbo something darn it oh well again thanks everyone for your input
 
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