11th Mar 2008, 22:57

Humm, I just got a Saab 9000 CS. with 212 thousand miles.

It runs sweet, I had to fix the hazards, the high beams, and now I"m on the road, sweet so far. I love the feeling and the leather.

Dan.

21st Mar 2008, 07:52

I got my Saab 9000 CSE FPT in 2007. The car was 11 years old. When I bought it, it had 247000km. I did 10000 km.

Parts that I replaced:

1. Front and rear stabilizer bushes.

2. DI cassette.

3. Clutch slave cylinder.

And there are lots of electrical problems left, but I love my car and don't regret buying it.

Now I am looking for Saab 9000 Aero. In my opinion, it is the best Saab ever created.

26th Jul 2008, 18:01

I bought my two Saab 9000 CS and CSE new, except replacing wore out and non wore out parts according to maintenance schedule, and a blown heater water connection. The Saab 9000 is a workhorse with huge power and the drivable speed of 235 km/hr is unbelievable, I wish I can reach 240 km/hr but run of clear roads. Any way, for safety, for speed, for performance and handling, for comfortable long distance driving, I would say SAAB 9000 is the car to keep until you crash the body frame. I having driving my second 9000 CSE for 13 years and still going strong.

I don't know able used 9000, but if the car were properly maintained and serviced it should not be a lemon. Perhaps, the last owner end up doing all the parts replacement at once. What a unlucky chap, hope that your next used car is not a lemon too.

26th Aug 2008, 18:51

What would be a better choice, 9000 or 9-5? I have always wanted a 9000, but I was told a 9-5 is a better car? I live 30 miles north of Boston, Ma.,U.S.A. and good condition 9000s are hard to find. I guess people like to hold on to them. I could use some advice. Thanks.

27th Aug 2008, 08:58

To the last comment, asking to choose between a 9000 & a 9-5.

I also live in the Boston area and there are quite a few places where you can find some very nice used Saabs.

My suggestion is to drive nice examples of both models & decide which one you like best.

I personally favor the older 9-3's (which were replaced by a newer version in 2003 - the older convertible 9-3 was replaced by the newer version a year later).

If you drive a 9-3 turbo convertible, you just might want one - very nice indeed!

28th Feb 2009, 13:32

How many times do you need to change timing belt on the 1996 9000 CSE V6, not turbo. I have already changed it once at 60,000, and now I am coming up to 90,000. Do I need to do it again?

4th Oct 2009, 11:41

I have a 1994 Saab 9000 CSE with 187,000 miles all original. Just had a CV boot replaced. AC was replaced 2 years ago.

It zooms when you need to, and is the best gas powered car I have ever owned. I average 27-28 in summer.

I can't bring myself to buy another car as long as this is running so well. Have owned it for 12 years. Never thought I would be driving a 15 year old car at my age.

16th Sep 2010, 13:12

I have Saab 9000 2.0 from year 1991, automatic, and with automatic climate control, driven 200000 km. It's been once in accident, and repainted and doors replaced. Till now, I have replaced or repaired the motor, brake system, battery charger, and now I have problem with the climate control. I thought I would purchase a new car, but my family is against this, because of the smooth and reliable ride of old "workhorse". Don't know. It's just so easy.

T.

TP (Finland Saab owner)

15th Nov 2010, 19:14

I have written elsewhere under 9000 Carlsson for example, and though I think the SaaB is quite complex, as are other computer driven cars (and airplanes), SaaB has an underlying quality and safety. It was the best set up FWD suspension bar none when it appeared, and I say this really loathing FWD, give me RWD any day.

I wonder whether SaaB properly accounted for high temperature conditions, particularly with their electronics. Any car with mechanical issues of any-kind, which has been in an accident, should always be avoided unless you are prepared to spend money if bought at a give away price. I know one can instantly fall in love with a car and buy it out of lust, but one has to fight that...there's always a better one that turns up soon after you buy the dog.

The most valuable thing one could do would be able to have a large and folded circuit diagram, and accurately colour code the circuit diagram to isolate every electrical function, so one can go directly from fault to cause circuits.

Obviously car companies are not going to change fastest time building of vehicles to make a more accessible underdash etc... and sadly computer control is now endemic. At $70 to $100 a time rip off to check codes, it's quite an unfair situation... code checks should be nominal.. say $35 each. They take just a few minutes... vastly less time than a $70 blue slip for new registration. OK, so the computer test tool costs $3500... the money comes in from fixing the problems...

Why in fact should we pay to give you a diagnosis, if we then give you the work?... it should be in the fixed costs, say $10 in every hour charged, because a properly constructed business rate accounts for all the tools and the depreciation... and depreciation shouldn't be used for private purposes, but stored for refurbishments or replacements.

I could be wrong in this of course, but after owning some SaaB's, I have a feeling their early life is the key to how they turn out. That's kind of queer when one looks at the flogging they got in speed and endurance testing, but then... they were not tired and abused cars, and were specially selected on QA results I can think almost certainly, not "at random".

I use the feel, smell, appearance of the interior exterior under-bonnet as well as the functioning to decide on the car.. and for example I will not buy any car with a cracked dashboard as it shows neglect... The boot floor tells stories of its life (beach sand, cement dust, for example as do kids toys, lollies, vomit etc in the rear section, or dogs hair/smells/scratches... for me that's a "no way"!!. If the vendor is kissing its cat or dog, one wonders about priorities and precociousness.

When new oil plugs and leads are on the vehicle, it's both a relief and a danger sign. What was it like before that "preselling" service. If it stinks of cheap Japanese perfume supposed to "refresh your car", I will not buy it. If the driver-vendor is a smoker or his family, I will not buy it. Sure this all cuts down my chance to blunder, but... isn't that what we want? Cigarette smoke affects plastics and wiring and the interior. Watch one stub a cigarette with such passion... it's a love hate relationship of addiction, sure, but there are real downers with smoker owned gear. (Ham radio operators often note if gear used by non smoker" for good reasons, practical, not philosophical.

One of the most valuable checks you can have done is suspension... it tells a lot about a car as do the residues stuck away under guards and other areas.

A lot of expensive cars have over the years been bought by wealthy people, or people wanting to look and feel wealthy, and their cars are often abused (cigarette burns to seats for example), left under trees (as there is no off street parking) to decay and have dashboards cracked and headlinings loosen under the steamy coastal weather.

They are often enough repossessed several times from people who want them, but run out of cash and inspiration. Unless your wealthy owner garages his car at work and at home, it's better to look for a well kept one in a working class area where there are many retirees. Usually they live further from the sea, and for them a well kept car is more of a status symbol than just the marque.

If the car is all pretty, but the underbonnet looks tired, the owner was superficial. If the tyres are really cheapo, the maintenance has probably suffered.

If it has a booming sound system, the owner is probably not a full box of marbles, and yet today people advertise and buy cars around the sound system. That also really helps to hide noises, whilst one demonstrates the abuse of everyone around the thumper, and its horrible noises called "great music".

If the windscreen has wiper scratches, the car has at some stage been badly maintained. The obvious "distorted image reflection on body, lifting "clear" on the paint, faded paint, variations in colour, all tell of a car with a "history".

If the brakes or clutch are down, the car is not well maintained, and if the coolant is new or isn't there... look for other symptoms as the motor and accessory (water pump etc) corrosion damage may already be advanced. If the advert says "only needs little work, brakes, tyres, windscreen" or "needs tuneup" don't even bother.

If they haven't done these things, the car has either been left to rot or has been cannibalised, or these are the small "honesty" offerings to distract you from a really serious problem. Don't bother.

If the air conditioning is "icy cold", it may have been overcharged for the occasion of sale to hide slow (maybe o-ring or compressor) leaks. I made a judgment recently on a car with a broken clutch (will cost me $900 to have properly repaired, along with flywheel resurfacing, rear main oil seal and refurbished servo cylinder) in part on condition, and in part because the aircond was working... if it was a puss-box, the owner is unlikely to worry about the aircond being kaput. It also has its papers and books... and a good dash and straight body and uncracked seats, the three point mags, the best year (1996)... The under bonnet is a little neglected in appearance, but in this case I balanced that against the rest, and bought it and hope to make it exemplary.

At 260,000kMs, one of two things has happened, the clutch has died naturally or the car was passed to some idiot who quickly destroyed the aging clutch, before affecting the car too badly. Worn clutch brake and the rarely changed accelerator pads will tell you about maintenance also. I will not buy autos ... unless service documents and an competent inspection shows it to be in first class order.

If you can get previous owner details, difficult if at auctions or at wreckers, don't hesitate to call them or the mechanic on the service sticker and ask about the car, its life, and any known problems. Voila.