Saab 9000

[bekker 7]

Anyone here ahave any experience with these?

They seem well spec'd, very safe and cheap but seem to have a bad reliabilty reputation.

Cheers

[briancol 3]

You've summed it up in one sentence.

[Stephan735i 1]

You've summed it up in one sentence.

Good cars, can rust in the doors otherwise good in the rust issue, Japanese automatic more reliable than the manual, can need turbo exchange.

My cousin had a 95 2,3 turbo manual, needed turbo change.

My BMW mechanic has an 93 2,3 none turbo automatic as an loaner (his father was the first owner).

A friends wife had an 97 2,3 LTT with the only issue that a front wing rusted through.

This is in Sweden, how the knowledge about SAAB 9K is NZ is another question.

Volvo has a much higher reliabilty reputation than SAAB.

My first choice would be an 2,3 none turbo automatic as new as possible.

Stephan

[kiwi535 538]

a freind had one(or was it a 900?) seemed really good,the exhaust ran within an inch of the battery which not surprisingly used water at an alarming rate.I know the 900 has their quirks,ignition key down on console,car had to be in reverse to remove key????

Edited January 23, 2010 by kiwi535

[bekker 7]

Thanks guys and welcome Stephan, I enjoyed your 540 pictures.

The attraction to the 9000 is the safety record, the price, and the high pressure turbo performance. I like the Volvo 850 and V70 turbos too but they are much more expensive here in NZ.

I'm trying hard to find an excuse not to go Japanese but it just gets harder and harder. An M50 E34 is still on the cards though, if I have my way!

[39KiwiTouring 2]

I had a 1998 95 2.3LPT (Low pressure turbo) the aero's are HPT high PT, but the LPT go very hard indeed, great cars basically the GM 2.2 engine we had here in vectra's of the same year.

The coil pack failed in it that was $1300 parts are expensive worse than BMW way worse in fact.

When I upgrade it was either going to be a 9-3 wagon or 530i circa 2003 wagon, probably be the E39 again.

[39KiwiTouring 2]

I was going to say the SAAB 9000 stopped in 1997 is that right I would stay clear now getting to old for SAAB.

SAAB as a company will be lucky to survive until February this year, and unlike BMW there are no business's that specialise in parts and services per say, just not that sort of following, I see heaps of E36 and E46 and E34 and to a lessor extent E39 around.

Parts are good for BMW especially the usual stuff that is common, also i was quoted $800 for a replacement drivers mirror in that SAAB and the only place who had a used part was in Western Oz.

Edited January 23, 2010 by E39KiwiTouring

[fuzyfrog 0]

I had a 9000.

2.3 LPT

Had no issues.

They are slow and handle like barges though

[Greg111 13]

The high pressure turbos broke, all the time.

[Palazzo 427]

I was once talked out of buying one by a Saab mechanic, I don't think that really requires any further explanation.