Thinking of buying 2000 9-5 wagon, need honest advice

[TomScott]

Hi

I've been looking at buying a just off lease 2000 9-5 wagon and need some honest advice and opinion to address some concerns I have.

I don't have a lot of money, so I look into the overall cost of ownership, and I'm looking at owning this for at least 3-4 years and probably another 50k miles and am concerned about reliability and service costs.

I'd be looking at wagons with somewhere between 40k and no more than 50k miles.

The major concern is the depreciation factor here in the US, the SAAB has been declining in popularity and it shows in the resale value of SAABs here, there has been a lot of speculation that GM's grubby bean counters may liquidate SAAB, anyone care to give an informed opinion?

The depreciation factor makes reliability another concern as it adds another layer to the overall cost of ownership.

The first is choice of engines, the 4 or the 6. Which is likely to prove more reliable?

Are there any other areas that will likely be trouble spots, and I should factor into my cost of ownership analysis.

Anyone with an idea of what I should be paying for a 2000 9-5 wagon on the US east coast, lets say 45k miles, good condition.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tom Scott

[JCarpio]

I would recommend the 4 cylinder it's a proven reliable engine, if well maintenanced (especially regular oil changes). Mine has 53,000 miles and it performs like it's brand new...I've seen some posts of the 9-5 4 cylinders already reaching upto 200,000 miles. So longevity seems to be there.

The turbo's have been a problem area for the 9-5's...one way to tell if it's on the way out is a constant blue smoke coming from the exhaust, large or small amounts. A new turbo installed here in Chicago is around a grand.

The DI cassette is another area that seems to worry some, but at $300.00 and only having to replace it every say 50,000 miles (most likely alot more) it doesn't seem too bad.

If possible you should take it to the dealership and have them run some diagnostics...if not write down the VIN number and you can bring this to any Saab dealership and at least get an idea of how well the vehicle has been maintained. If they had the vehicle serviced at the dealership (most likely) they keep a record of all the maintenance that has been done. You can also go to the Saab USA site and call the customer service center give them the VIN and they can tell you what recalls have been completed.

Saab's aren't the cheapest cars to have serviced, but they are one of the most pleasurable to drive.

I don't know how much Saab's are going for in New York, but here in Chicago the 2000MY is around $20,000.

Good luck...

p.s. we've only spent about $200.00 on parts, since we've had the car and the parts were just routine maintenance things. We still have the original turbo, DI cassette...

[XAAMOTTOMAAX]

I would also suggest the 4 cyl engine. You should be able to find a certified pre owned wagon at a Saab dealer for around 20 grand... If you go private party or non Saab dealer, you can get one for a lot less but without the Saab extended warranty. Give yourself at least a few months of factory warranty (4 year/50k miles) so no sudden suprises are sprung on you. Ebay is a good place to look to get an idea of typical prices. The 9-5 is an extremely reliable car and cost of ownership should be very reasonable for the level of refinement you get.

[Krafty]

I can't comment on reliability (I've only had mine a month), but they are a blast to drive. I've never had anything even close to as fun. As far as the declining popularity, I have heard that the sales figures have been rising. I would think that could only improve with the reviews the new 9-3 has been getting. That's my two cents worth.

[markjb01]

I purchased a 9-5 3 months ago wil 89,000 miles on it. I am nearing 94,000 and had had a few things go wrong with it, mainly because the ajck *** who had the car before me didn't do the factory service on time. I had the throttle body go out, my ACC needs to get updated, my belt tensioner and serpentine belt went out, and now I have to do the 90,000 mile tune-up. They seem to be extremely reliable, and after this is all said and done, my car should be running great. I have heard the same thing about the turbo, luckily mine hasn't gone "yet"

[TomScott]

Thanks fellas,

I'll certainly take everything you are saying into account in my search for a vehicle.

I'll certainly look more seriously at the 4, though the thought of the two extra cylinders causes a serious itch in my right foot and ankle.

I've found two wagons, both 2000 SE, one 42k, the other 45k, $17.5k and $17k respectively. No certification though as they are private sales.

I can get aftermarket bumper to bumper 4yr/100k through Warranty Direct, but I am not sure how it compares with SAABs certified preowned warranty.

I checked with the local Manhattan SAAB dealer, and they want 23k for something similar with the CPO, typical Manhattan charging.

Anyone care to point me in the direction of a good dealer within 50 miles of this expensive island.

Thanks everyone for your advice and help.

Tom Scott

Can anyone enlighten?

[JCarpio]

I would recommend taking a drive to this dealership:

Swedish Connection (www.swedishsales.com)
247 South Washington Avenue
Bergenfield, New Jersey 07621

Here the phone # in case you want to check inventory:
SALES
Phone: 201-501-0499

www.MapQuest.com shows the Swedish Connection to be 20 minutes from Manhattan.

The acceleration difference between the 4 and 6 cylinders is not that noticeable. Although the 4 is proven and the 6 is going to be or has been discontinued.