How Are Saabs For DIY?

[jyl]

My trusty old BART car is going to need replacing.

(For non-SF Bay Area people, BART car means the beater you leave at the subway station, or the airport long-term parking etc)

I'm tempted by a 80s Saab 900. I think they look interesting, plenty of room, and convertible option.

Now, every mechanic I've asked has warned me away from Saabs. Not so promising.

But perhaps they are okay cars to own if you're going to DIY.

Any Saab experience here? Opinions?

[island911]

900's --eh

9000's -- engineered

[steve930t]

The first time you work on it you will see SAAB means...
Something An ********* Built.

[84porsche]

Having owned a 1997 900, they are not too bad. I was able to change a vacuum line within a few minutes but that is all I really had to do on the car. The other problems I took to a mechanic and he fixed fairly quickly but they work on cars all the time and I don't. That being said, good luck and in my opinion, they are still fun cars.

[tersmc]

My wife and I have an 89 900S, which she loves and won't give up for anything. I have to admit, Saabs do grow on you. They are quirky in their own sort of way.

I haven't done major mechanical work on it but have done some minor things with no trouble. All areas are very accessible and there is plenty of room to move around with little difficulty. It's comically well known in Saab circles that if yours doesn't have a slow and steady leak, there's something wrong! Saabs have more seals than you can shake a stick at!

Check out the following resource, http://www.saabnet.com/ they have one of the largest/loyal followings on the net (next to Pelican of course!). If you are going to have it serviced, make sure you use a "Saab Master Tech" to perform the work. Unfortunately because of their quirkiness many mainstream mechanics have little experience and will invariably end up flubbing something. This may be why most mechanics are steering you away.

All in all, we love ours. Great on fuel, TONS of cargo space and reasonable to maintain.

Good Luck!

[Jay Auskin]

My wife has a 9-3. I've found it less time consuming than trying to get my MFI in tune where I want it.

It's a fun car. Pulls like a locomotive on the highway when you're on boost.