I’ve been considering buying a new car, and have tried a SAAB. It seems like a nice car, and drives well. However, as I usually do, I have solicited the opinion of SAAB owners where I work.They seem evenly devided-some love them, others wish they never bought. But one thing everyone agrees on-service and parts cost A LOT of money-even the enthusiasts admit that they are very expensive cars to maintain.Another thing-everybody seems to go to an independat mechanic, iso the SAAB dealer-is this a bad sign? Am I getting myself into hot water if I buy a SAAB?
I’ve had 2 Saab’s. I loved them both, there was never any real problems, until the second one turned 10. Then the turbo went out and a couple of other things. It didn’t really bother me because of the resonable amount of money it had cost for the first 9 years. After I spent $1200 I went out and totaled it.
The Stanley Cup: A repeat is in the STARS!
How’s this for a Saab (tee-hee!) story:
In my last job I worked next to a Saab owner for nine years, and I swear he was glued to the telephone for weeks at a time calling parts distributors all over the country looking for some special Saab part. I would estimate that in those nine years, his car spent at leats a year in the shop just waiting for a part to be delivered from lower slobovia only to discover that it didn’t actually fit his particular model. Apparently, the design of this particular part changed several times during the year in which his Sabb was made, and you have to open up numerous boxes of expungement valves (or whatever) to find one that fits version B5 from year WXYZ.
For what it’s worth, he had the same problem with his Jag. The vast majority of days he drove his wife’s celica to work because either his Saab & Jag were waiting for parts or if they were actually working, he didn’t want to drive them around for fear that somthing else would break and then he would have to call the parts center in Madagascar, where his part would be sent out to the mainland on the next available boat.
I can’t imagine being so into any style of car that you’d buy it just for the status, but then again there are people who collect bug exoskeletons… to each his own.
We’ve had two Saabs. They’re incomparable snow cars; with snow tires they are better than most 4WD vehicles in snow. Dealer service is good but expensive. We go to an independent shop; we just happen to have a Saab nut in town with a repair shop, and he can get really creative sometimes …
However, we haven’t had any more problems with Saabs than I’ve seen with other cars. And both our Saabs were old; the one we have now is an '88 9000. The only problem is getting keys made - I’ve broken several third-party keys, and have concluded that name-brand Saab keys are worth it.
The older Saabs are underpowered for my taste, but I hear the new ones are better.
I feel compelled to point out that Jags are much better since Ford bought Jaguar and made a lot of changes, especially dropping the Lucas electrical system. (Why do the English drink warm beer? Because they have Lucas refrigerators … {grin}) I drive my '96 XJS convertible every day ten months out of the year (I drive a '90 Probe in snow) without unwarranted problems. I admit to getting a little pleasure out of the status, but the majority of my enjoyment is that it is just such a comfortable and fun car to drive.
jrf
And speaking of a money pit:
I was about to buy a Saab about 3 years ago. I liked the way it drove, it was cute, etc. I took it to a Saab repair shop to have the mechanic look at it before I bought it, and ended up talking to him/the receptionist/all the other people in the shop at length about Saabs.
Overwhelmingly, they loved the cars. They thought they were the best car they ever owned. Gush gush gush. “Oh,” says the Mechanic, “you do need to keep 'em up. Regular oil changes, scheduled maintenance, and a tune up every now and then. And at around 150K miles, they need the engine rebuilt. Cost you $3500-$4000, but once you rebuild it, it’ll go another 150K miles.”
Huh?!? I’m standing there, talking to a group of people who on one hand are telling me a Saab is the greatest car ever built, and on the other hand telling me to expect to put $3500 into it at 150K miles. All this, when I know I can go buy that Accord that’ll go forever on one engine.
I took the Saab back. I bought an Accord. Now I’m wishing the damn thing would die because I’m sick of it and would love an excuse to get a new car, but the damn thing just keeps on going. Hmmm… maybe I shoulda bought that Saab…
Athena, you would’ve hated the little silver-gray Toyota wagon I inherited from my mom. It’s a 1981 model, and its engine was still as strong as ever when I sold it in 1997.
The only experience I have with this car is second hand. One of my boyfriends had one, for him it was a disaster. It put him in debt. That is all I know. Personally I am a car jinx. I have rotten luck with cars no matter what the make or model. I take car of my cars honestly I do. But for some reason no matter what I do something major always goes wrong. I have paid off a car and two weeks later blow a head gasket. I have bought a new car and 6 months later dropped the tranny. If I lived in a town with public transpo I wouldn’t even bother. Good luck anyway.
Needs2know