2001 SAAB 9-3

JohnK

Active Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Messages
150
Location
Miramar, Florida
My daughter is looking at a used 2001 Saab 9-30.
I would like to hear opinions on this car. I have seen it and it is in pretty good shape, it does have a few dings and scratches that you might find on a 10 year old car.
The interior is almost perfect, no rips or worn spots in the leather, but it does seem to be missing the ac control knob. Engine sounds good, no discernible knocks or pings.
My only concern is that it is a high mileage vehicle with over 170,000. Should I let her buy it or continue looking. Thanks BTW the price is $2600.
 
IIRC both the convertible and the sedan suffer from bulkhead cracks. Can't think of anything else...but 170.000 miles is quite alot. Buy only if you are SURE it's been looked after (dings and scratches can happen to anyone, to the measure for care and attention). I'm talking service records, bills, if it's the original owner you can verify the mileage...

It's often better to buy a car with lots of miles that's been in good hands, than a ''low mileage, clean, pristine'' example that's been abused.

And I'm assuming it's a petrol, you Yanks (apart from brotrucks) don't seem to be into the stuff.
 
That generation Saab 9-3 had sludge issues that were only fixed with some changes to the crankcase ventilation system, so that's something to check. Take it to one of the shops listed at http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/faq/service/fl.html and have them check it out; I doubt your average SoFla mechanic will know about the quirks of these cars.
 
If it's the turbo version you will wanna have the oil pan dropped to check for oil sludge. That'll wreck the engine if it hasn't already.

/edit beaten to the punch
 
170k is simply too much. Any car that age, regardless of manufacture, is going to need a lot of maintenance. A Saab will break your wallet.
 
Another issue is parts availability - Saab has currently suspended operations; it is looking like it may soon be defunct and their US operations have not been healthy for some time. Now may not be the best time to buy any Saab.
 
Another issue is parts availability - Saab has currently suspended operations; it is looking like it may soon be defunct and their US operations have not been healthy for some time. Now may not be the best time to buy any Saab.

Exactly, the image sums it up.

1536ulj.jpg
 
IIRC both the convertible and the sedan suffer from bulkhead cracks.

AFAIK bulkhead cracks are only in RHD models.

Also, in turbo models, watch out for semi-slicks, they can wreck your engine.
 
Might be true, I only know of this fault thanks to Wheeler Dealers. Dem Britons... :D
 
Another issue is parts availability - Saab has currently suspended operations; it is looking like it may soon be defunct and their US operations have not been healthy for some time. Now may not be the best time to buy any Saab.

For this model year i wouldn't worry about that. There are enough second hand parts or from other brands around. Plus you'll find that loads are going to the breakers these coming years.

170k km is a lot, i don't see many for sale here over 300k km on the clocks (186k miles)
 
Hmm, I was almost going to post that there should be plenty of those over 300k km on the clock in Finland (just to prove that's not too much), but I didn't find a single non-diesel 9-3 with 300k or more form 2001 onwards. There are some from '98 to '01, couple of them with even 400k kms, but I don't know if Saab changed something, or are the '01 and newer cars still going towards half a million, but it'll take some time. 300k in 10 years is of course 30k/year, so most have chosen diesels.

About the bulkhead cracks on RHD models, can somebody give more info? I'd like to know more, even if I'm not going to buy one.
 
For this model year i wouldn't worry about that. There are enough second hand parts or from other brands around. Plus you'll find that loads are going to the breakers these coming years.

They didn't sell enough of them here for there to be loads of them going to the breakers or being broken up for parts by their owners. Most of its partsbinned bits came from Euro GMs that we didn't actually get here.

Parts are a concern for any post 2000 Saab in the US.

About the bulkhead cracks on RHD models, can somebody give more info? I'd like to know more, even if I'm not going to buy one.

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70836

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70399

http://www.saabscene.com/forum/thre...l-behind-steering-rack...?p=600254&viewfull=1

 
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Thanks for all the feedback. I did not realize that SAAB was in such bad shape as a corporation. I passed along the information to my daughter and she decided to pass on the purchase.
 
Thanks for all the feedback. I did not realize that SAAB was in such bad shape as a corporation. I passed along the information to my daughter and she decided to pass on the purchase.

Just to give her a pat on the back :

I have been driving a 2001 reg Saab 9-3 for the last two years now. It had 75,000 miles on it when I bought it.

I have paid more to repair it than I did to buy it :(
 
OUCH!
 
Just to give her a pat on the back :

I have been driving a 2001 reg Saab 9-3 for the last two years now. It had 75,000 miles on it when I bought it.

I have paid more to repair it than I did to buy it :(

Without context this is a meaningless statement.
 
Yeah, it could just be that the previous owner has been neglecting it.
 
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