[9_3_Consider]

I am in the market for a used vehicle. I currently drive a 98 Civic with 217k miles and looking for something a bit more refined/fun. A local used car lot has an 03 (95k miles) and an 04 (102k miles) 9-3 for $6k and $7K, respectively.

My question is does anyone think I could get another 70k-100k without a great deal of repair costs and hassles?

I bought my civic with 150K for $3k and haven't spent a dime for anything other than brakes and tires.

Thanks

 

[aerojon]

The Saab uses special diagnostic computer for troubleshooting, clearing codes etc. Your regular OBDII can only do as much if not anything.

What utter tosh..:roll::roll:

as long as the code reader is eobd/can enabled,you can read & clear codes...

only thing not able to do is program all the options in the car as that requires the saab software..

 

[JonV]

^^ What he said!

 

[mike saunders]

Honda is great. Cheap and very reliable and that's about it unless you're talking S2K limited Edition and NSX.

My Odyssey minivan is an amazing vehicle...minus the two transmissions it needed in under 100,000 miles, as part of a worldwide replacement campaign for poorly engineered parts. Tens of thousands of transmissions were quietly replaced, under the media radar...

So....that myth about all Japanese vehicles being super reliable?


anyway...

Back to the original question: the 03-04 9-3 models are not known for their reliability; a quick dance through the forum will show that. To be fair to Saab, the 03 was the first with an all-new body, new drivetrain, new engine management, new electronics, etc...

You should ask your local Saab dealer to run repair searches by VIN to see what has been done to those cars. If a lot of the problems have been fixed, you may be totally fine...

 

[aerojon]

i was commenting on your statement to do with reading codes & clearing them..

nothing else...

 

[9_3_Consider]

I think I get the picture. OBDII, eobd, codes, dealers = I'll pass.

I've got enough headaches already; I have teenagers.

 

[Energy_AZ]

I am gonna buck the trend here..

My 2003 9-3 was bullet proof - until I suffered the faulty o-ring & related transmission failure..but this was my fault as there was a TSB for that o-ring and had I been paying closer attention I could have avoided the problem entirely.

That vehicle has been restored and is currently operating flawlessly.

The common issues with 2003-2004 9-3s for the most part are more on the small/insignifigant side.....rattles, peeling buttons, CD changer stinks, etc as opposed to major mechanical failures.

I would certainly get any vehicle with that kind of mileage well checked out by a mechanic..preferably take it to a Saab shop and have them inspect it, run the VIN to see if all recalls/TSBs have been performed.

Of course, Saab doesnt quite have the reliability reputation that Honda might have, not many manufacturers do. But there is no reason these cars cant hit the 200k+ mark with proper maintence and TLC.

 

[9_3_Consider]

"My 2003 9-3 was bullet proof -.......until it died"

Wow, you're quite the salesman. It's kind of funny that this is the most positive thing you guys can get for a positive comment. "It worked great unitl it quite working". LOL

Now that's freeking hilarious.

 

[mike saunders]

I've gone several Japanese cars and they have not given me headaches.
2 of my other current cars are Japanese. One with almost 200K miles. No major repairs. They do break as all things do, but I believe the Japanese lasts longer and cost less expensive from my experience.

My daily driver is a GMC Suburban with 217,000 miles. I expect it to last another 100,000 miles before needing a major overhaul, after which I'll drive it until it dies. Just took it on a 3,200-mile round trip to Florida. We left the Odyssey at home.


And Japanese carmakers have worked very hard to get people to believe that myth of superior reliability. Unfortunately, it stopped being true. They're just quieter about admitting their mistakes.

 

[Energy_AZ]

..to add a few..
coolant loss due to block issues. Suspension breaking, FOB, door locks, fuel sender, fading emblems, p/s pump leaks, changing headlight bulbs is a hassle to some, sensitive SID.

Some of those happened to mine. I've gotten those snippets from other owners.

I also heard that replacing the head gasket is a nightmare.. I don't know the exact reason, but that's what I heard..

Fortunately I never suffered any of those issues. From the time I have participated on this forum, the bulk of complaints seem to be focused on smaller problems. Of course, every once in a while you get people with lemons, etc but that goes for any make/model.

the way this thread was going was like Saab = reliability disaster, guranteed wallet drainer...and I cant agree that is the case.

 

[JMarkert]

Come on man, Toyota made a mistake, Everyone does. That's quite recent.

I agree, toyota's taking a bit of a rap for a fairly minor problem. The rate of their sudden acceleration problems is low, it's only an issue 'cause they sell a billion of those things. I'd bet if we did the math, our spring failure rate is far higher. It's just not on the radar cause there are only a few tens of thousands of 9-3's around.

I think that our cars do have the potential to go to 200K. It's hard to know for sure because most 03 and 04s are just now getting up to 100K. As suggested, if you're comfy with some DIY and the selling price is good it's not a crazy risk. And I'd bet a 100K Saab would require less attention than a 300K civic.

To clarify the above, an OBD II reader and an internet search will tell you much of what you need to know for repairs. I guess Tech II is helpful for diagnosing some issues, but mostly it's used to adjust things on the car and install software updates and the like.

One advantage of a 9-3 is that they are well rustproofed, so even major repairs might be worth the investment. You wouldn't buy a new engine for a rusted out hulk....

 

[JMarkert]

I think I get the picture. OBDII, eobd, codes, dealers = I'll pass.

It's really not that bad - any normal code reader will do, autozone will do it for free if you don't want to own your own. The code reader will tell you why the check engine light is on. Most often it seems to be because some sensor or another is on it's way out. Mostly minor and cheap stuff, our cars use lots of standard GM and Mitsubishi parts.

 

[mike saunders]

Hey, glad to hear your GMC is running great. Nothing better than that.

It's a great vehicle...

Come on man, Toyota made a mistake, Everyone does. That's quite recent.

No...see, it's NOT quite recent, that's the whole point. Apparently, Toyota knew about issues for the past three years but handled them quietly, probably to avoid tarnishing its well-marketed reputation for quality.

Can't single out Toyota for that; Honda did the same with several years of the Odyssey.

Did I know about severe transmission issues with my Honda before I bought it? Nope. Did Honda know?


Absolutely.


EDIT: I was wrong. It wasn't three years, it was seven years.

 

[mike saunders]

I agree, toyota's taking a bit of a rap for a fairly minor problem. The rate of their sudden acceleration problems is low, it's only an issue 'cause they sell a billion of those things. I'd bet if we did the math, our spring failure rate is far higher. It's just not on the radar cause there are only a few tens of thousands of 9-3's around

I thought the same until the facts started coming out about how much Toyota knew and when....

Here's a pretty detailed recounting of it...

 

[JMarkert]

I thought the same until the facts started coming out about how much Toyota knew and when....

Here's a pretty detailed recounting of it...

Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't believe they are any less evil than most other car companies. But the big 3 have a long history of turning out seriously dangerous cars and stonewalling, I don't see toyota as being any worse.

Remember those ford explorers that had tire issues? Ford suggested owners reduce the pressure in the tires to reduce the center of gravity so the things wouldn't tip over. The only problem was that when you do that, the tires overheated, popped, then the cars rolled over and people died. Not very good citizenship or engineering.

Case in point - the number of coil spring failures on our cars is very high when you adjust for the number of 9-3s on the road or the number of folks in the forum. GM is studying the issue and says it's not a problem, the cars are well controlled even if the tire pops etc. I guess maybe that's true, but mine broke during rush hour on I-95 in a section with no breakdown lane. I'd have been at serious risk if the tire had popped.

 

[mike saunders]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't believe they are any less evil than most other car companies. But the big 3 have a long history of turning out seriously dangerous cars and stonewalling, I don't see toyota as being any worse.

+1....I think we're on the same page about that. I think the issue is that Toyota (and Honda) made their reliability a major selling point, yet they were stonewalling for years on some serious safety issues.

I don't think Toyota is any worse than GM or Ford...but they're certainly no better.

 

[2LegiT]

if im not mistaken (still talking saab) the minor defects and electrical problems such as the cd player were all redefined after 04. I havnt heard any complaints about 05and up ... as for honda ive ownd 4 and all the bodies have completely decintigrated from rust well b4 i was able see how long the engine would go 4

 

[onerareviper]

I am in the market for a used vehicle. I currently drive a 98 Civic with 217k miles and looking for something a bit more refined/fun. A local used car lot has an 03 (95k miles) and an 04 (102k miles) 9-3 for $6k and $7K, respectively.

My question is does anyone think I could get another 70k-100k without a great deal of repair costs and hassles?

I bought my civic with 150K for $3k and haven't spent a dime for anything other than brakes and tires.

Thanks

Can you work on cars? If the answer is no, then no, you will 'most likely' not go from 100,000 to 200,000 miles without major money. Sorry to be the one to disappoint, but Saabs are NOT cheap cars to service. And parts aren't cheap. And although Saabs rate mid-pack for reliability, they are just that, mid-pack. And most mid-pack cars do not go from 100K to 200K without some moderate to major repairs. This includes all the Euro's, as I'm not bashing Saab. Not to mention these cars already have 100K, and who 'really' knows how they've been taken care of... You think that used car dealer knows? Paaleeaassseee... More than likely, they've also been thru a couple (or more) owners at that mileage. Not trying to be a 'downer', just better to know what your getting yourself into...

If you really want a Saab, here's what I suggest. Keep the Honda and save a few more grand. Or just spend a few more grand. I bet for around 10g's you could find a lower miles Saab (50K or so) that is a one owner car. One that has an extended warranty (GMPP)(General Motors Protection Plan) that can be transferred. This would protect you from most major buck repair costs, at least for a couple years. If you insist on testing Lady Luck, low-ball that dealer and bank the extra money for emergency repairs.