[OkamiWilks]

So I am back in my hometown for a month and got a chance to look at a C900 near me. Its perfect, exactly what I wanted from the start of my Saab search 6 months ago; Vert, Turbo, Manual, Red. The only problem is a car horder owns it, may need a bit of bodywork(but rust free), and it has water damage. Its as bad as there was standing water in the rear footwell. I guess my question is how bad of an idea would it be to buy that car? Realistically I need a daily driver.

 

[Mimmi]

Realistic C900 is not daily driver.

 

[02Pilot]

"Possible water damage" and "reliable daily driver" do not belong in the same conversation, unless one is preceded by a negative.

 

[jvanabra]

FWIW, the rear swimming pool is a common feature on convertibles with leaky roofs, so that situation isn't unusual. Back in the day i rescued at least a few with this condition, but bought them for hundreds of dollars knowing if I couldn't save them I could definitely use them for parts on the next rescue mission. There isn't much directly on the floor back there that gets damaged aside from the sheet metal, so there's that. If you are interested, remove the rear seat bottom and fold back the carpet and see what's what. Just know that the cure for that pool is probably $1500+ for a new top... and that's just getting going on repairing that damage..

 

[OkamiWilks]

Honestly dailying a c900 doesn't scare me maybe it is a stupid idea but oh well.

I honestly don't think the top is the leak. I can't confirm anything yet but I have a hunch its weather seals and/or the rear window. Also where does it cost 1500 for a new top, I took a look at prices and they a fair bit left. Hell when I talked to a guy near me in NY who has restored a few he got some winter one new for like 800 iirc.

 

[16saabs]

Honestly dailying a c900 doesn't scare me maybe it is a stupid idea but oh well.

I honestly don't think the top is the leak. I can't confirm anything yet but I have a hunch its weather seals and/or the rear window. Also where does it cost 1500 for a new top, I took a look at prices and they a fair bit left. Hell when I talked to a guy near me in NY who has restored a few he got some winter one new for like 800 iirc.

the leak could be from roof or rear glass area, but roof can be reproofed. I use my c900's for daily drivers it's my only car I own, why do I need two( I did have 2 saabs once) it's a metal tin the water can't get out unless you remove it, especially from a rubber backer carpet and a big wodge of sponge and rubber soundproffing undermat. If you have a garage and iot';s a l;eaky roof just take it out on fine days

 

[PabloRock]

Could be the just drains for the rear window. Pour some water down the side of the window and it should come out the bottom. You can feel rubber things sticking out the bottom and they tend to get clogged if sitting outside.

 

[OkamiWilks]

I was thinking about redoing the roof, or pulling the rear window and re-sealing it at the least. I got a closer look today on the interior, I can post pics if you guys care? The thing only has 142k miles normally good, buuuuut with a c900 it does worry me. I didn't start it but I could find every gear its an odd feeling trans and clutch I prefer the second-gen 900 transmission I won't lie. If its fine mechanically I don't mind doing interior work. I can actually do that, mechanical stuff scares me but I want to learn.

 

[OkamiWilks]

Welp some thread necromancy, and an update. The guy wants 2500-3000 dollars. I was thinking closer to 700 but realistically 1000. He claims it is sought after because one much like it but an auto and nonturbo was in the movie Sideways. He claims it has racing cloth seats, and he claims just about every part of the car has been rebuilt, but he doesn't want me to test drive it. Any tips guys? Maybe I am missing something on the price here but 2500 doesn't match up with the market I have seen on these cars.

 

[jvanabra]

A swimming pool Saab that can't be driven wouldn't be worth $1k to me. A drivable but slightly rough convertible is probably worth $3k these days. If that dude thinks Sideways is going to improve the value of his car, he should reflect on what the actual Sideways car most recently sold for... (It was $5k)

 

[OkamiWilks]

Well it might drive I don't know. I assume/hope. He thinks in the summer he can get 4k for it in the summer. Its good to know at least I wasn't lowballing him. I might shoot him a message trying to negotiate with him again. He claims the engine, trans, clutch, suspension, and basically everything mechanical has been rebuilt. Having been in a c900 with a freshly rebuilt trans, I don't think he has rebuilt it.

 

[jvanabra]

I've met this guy before - he simultaneously knows everything and nothing, and he'll deprive the poor car of a new owner, holding out for too much money, until eventually the car rots away to uselessness.

 

[OkamiWilks]

Yep thats my fear I hate to see that car rot for however long, it has been sitting since October of 2018 which kills me.

 

[jvanabra]

Hey, at least it's nearby. I've driven hundreds of miles only to find that douchebag standing proudly next to a car up to its lug nuts in mud or playing home to a family of rodents. "I just put $10k into this car and don't have time to change a $5 part that will put it back on the road, but trust me it's all there." Sure.

 

[PabloRock]

If you can't test drive it, I would run away. Keep your eyes on Saabnet.com, something will pop up, thery are not all that rare, are plenty around. (I actually couldn't get $3500 a few years back for the one I now have that I was trying to sell for a friend. 93 vert non-turbo, manual, no rust, and only 33k on the clock [she ended up giving it to me]).

 

[jvanabra]

Similar situation... friend was trying to sell her VERY nice '92 turbo/manual for $4k and it sat for months and months. I don't know how much she ended getting for it, but quite a bit less than $4k.

 

[secondsaab]

Ive had 2 convertibles. Still have one. It doesn't leak at all. It used to, buckets worth. Both were leakers. My observations have been handful of things that make it leak: Near death top, bow of top out of adjustment, or water leaking at furthest outer corner of the rear seat and inner quarter area (where your heel would be if you were sitting back there closest to quarter panel). One car I put plastic UPS express envelopes to direct the water away from going to the rear floor board. Basically if you are outside the car and look down the seam at either rear quarter window, you'll see a little hole, that where the water drips, it would find it's way into the rear seat. Figured this all out through garden hose on the car. Saturating the top with 303 marine fabric guard is critical if you want to stay dry. The '91 ive held on to I would leave in a rainstorm for a week and it would be dry.

Forgot to mention there was a TSB long ago about drilling extra holes in the rocker bottoms for added drainage. I did that on '91

If car can be bought for less than a $750, I don't really care if it runs or not. Bottom end is hard to kill and they are easy to get going again. It's just the 50 other things that might get you...number 2 being the transmission.

 

[Saabologo]

My

Realistic C900 is not daily driver.

92 turbo vert has been my daily driver since I bought it 9 years ago!

 

[Saabologo]

My

Realistic C900 is not daily driver.

92 turbo vert has been my daily driver since I bought it 9 years ago!

 

[Saabologo]

Welp some thread necromancy, and an update. The guy wants 2500-3000 dollars. I was thinking closer to 700 but realistically 1000. He claims it is sought after because one much like it but an auto and nonturbo was in the movie Sideways. He claims it has racing cloth seats, and he claims just about every part of the car has been rebuilt, but he doesn't want me to test drive it. Any tips guys? Maybe I am missing something on the price here but 2500 doesn't match up with the market I have seen on these cars.

I would not pay that much unless it was mechanically perfect and had a decent interior, and no leaks. They are not all that hard to find especially at that price. That's just my opinion.