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SAAB questions

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PATR8

PATR8

Jedi Knight
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We were out looking at a Jeep for my son and came accross a 1997 Saab 900 turbo convertible. Runs sweet, body is immaculate. Has 43000 miles on it and was owned by the owner of the dear (or so carfax says). They want 7800 for it but Edmunds says closer to 5000. What I need to know is what problems to look for on the cars. Thanks
 
Historically, SAABs have had marginal transmissions.

Way back to the 93B I had as a kid and up to the 900 cars.
Automatics tend to be better.
With the manual box, be sure that the gears shift smoothly both up and down.
I think the latest cars use GM-based designs that are better.
 
I was not sure when GM took controlling interest of Saab, this has an Auto in it. Sure looks like a fun car for the girlfriend to run around in if it will give her at least 4 years of driving relatively trouble free
 
THEY'RE ALL BACKWARDS!!!!! look under the hood. You'll see what I mean!
But seriously
Don't know about your area, but it's a bit tough to find shops that will work on Saabs round here.
Seems that the people that own 'em love 'em though.
 
We have a foreign car garage (owned and operated by a 1st generation Italian family who owned a Lambo dealership back in Italy who retired here to be close to his daughter and grand babys) He works on any european cars and seems to always have a TR6 in his garage yard. I just am probably most worried about the turbo....
 
Ha Ha Patr8, I also own a Saab. I have a 95 9000CDE with a V6 and the daughter owns an '89 900 sedan. I have found Saabs very easy to work on. Manual transmissions tend to be weak, grinding up reverse a lot and so that it becomes unusable; but I think that the '97's had a sideways engine and transmission and not that problem. Daughter lives in eastern Washington State and finds the Saab very stable on icy snowy conditions. The Saabsite has a good faqs section on the different models and problems that you may encounter.
 
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