Time for a new beater.

[BoostedEvIL]

Just looking for some input.
Moving about 50 miles away from my job and my current DD (Hemi 6.1) will kill my pocket if I drove it everyday. Thinking about getting a 99- 04 Saab 4 banger turbo. They are pretty cheap and i've seen more than a few go over 200k miles without major maintanence. I'm thinking about getting making that move over to the Swede car. Any of you guys have words of wisdom on Saabs?
Thanks

 

[87GN_ponykillr]

Every person that I know who has owned one has had nothing but headaches with them.... But being a Buick guy I'm sure you are used to headaches :biggrin:

 

[BoostedEvIL]

LOL.
Headaches are a given with TBs.
I'm just looking into Saabs. I'm seeing a lot of em with some high miles. And thats whats peaking my curiosity.
Have they mentioned the problem areas?

 

[87GN_ponykillr]

Well the most recent issue my buddy has a Aero 93 that has had major issues with the brakes, he has dumped almost $2K into the brake system. The parts have been very expensive and the issues still keep happening. The other person I know has had issues with the cooling and electrical system in her Sabb wagon over the past few years. I'm sure not all Saabs are bad cars but the few that I know of all seemed to have had some major issues.

 

[terik.m]

Ive pulled turbos from a ton of Saabs and sell them to the Honda guys. There are always like 30 of them at each wrecker that I visit. I asked one of the mechanics at the wrecker why so many were there and he told me that blown HGs are the main reason why. Maybe its due to cooling system issues.

 

[TurboRegal84]

What is the price range you are trying to stay around?

Take a look at the 1997-2004 Buick Regal GS's they are Supercharged, inexpensive, get great gas mileage (26MPG Highway), and very comfortable. You can pick one up around $5K or so. I really enjoy driving mine daily!

 

[turbo39151]

Can't speak to the Saab question as I've never owned one however, I can speak to the DD beater issue.

My commute is 100 miles one way- I was using My WRX as DD and with Cruise control set at 68-70 mph I could squeeze out 30mpg... I was filling up every day.

I went and bought a 160k mile 1997 Honda Civic HX for a little over $2k. I drive it daily and get an average of 40mpg with A/C blasting... Best I've gotten in 45mpg... I hate driving gutless cars but I REALLY, REALLY like not having to fill up everyday... If I push it I can sqeeze out nearly 500 miles per tank...

I think the savings can be spent on the Buicks...

Pros: Cheap, already paid for, awesome on gas consumption, only uses regular not premium, cheap on insurance, cheap on repairs, easy to repair (spark plugs done in about 2 minutes), honda quality will live forever if cared for, HX model not popular with ricers or thieves (apparently even too gutless for them )- thus you can find better non-riced/ruined examples for sale.

Cons: 115hp

Just my .02 (to give you an idea how much I like this car, I'm looking to buy another one and sell the WRX...)

Good Luck

 

[DoWork]

I would say that if you are REALLY wanting to get a Saab, I personally would look into the 9-2 or the 9-2x. Both are basicly Subaru's with a Saab front end on them. They are all wagons though, so I'm not sure if that would be a deal breaker for you. The X is a turbo car, while the regular 9-2 is NA. The reason I say to get either one of these is because Subaru parts are plenty, and they are not too horribly overpriced like Saabs parts.


All in all though man, I would pick up a cheap, used Honda. they run forever, and who cares if its underpowered.....its just gonna make the Buick feel all that much faster when you drive it

 

[novaderrik]

Can't speak to the Saab question as I've never owned one however, I can speak to the DD beater issue.

My commute is 100 miles one way- I was using My WRX as DD and with Cruise control set at 68-70 mph I could squeeze out 30mpg... I was filling up every day.

I went and bought a 160k mile 1997 Honda Civic HX for a little over $2k. I drive it daily and get an average of 40mpg with A/C blasting... Best I've gotten in 45mpg... I hate driving gutless cars but I REALLY, REALLY like not having to fill up everyday... If I push it I can sqeeze out nearly 500 miles per tank...

I think the savings can be spent on the Buicks...

Pros: Cheap, already paid for, awesome on gas consumption, only uses regular not premium, cheap on insurance, cheap on repairs, easy to repair (spark plugs done in about 2 minutes), honda quality will live forever if cared for, HX model not popular with ricers or thieves (apparently even too gutless for them )- thus you can find better non-riced/ruined examples for sale.

Cons: 115hp

Just my .02 (to give you an idea how much I like this car, I'm looking to buy another one and sell the WRX...)

Good Luck

you had to fill up your WRX everyday? at 30mpg, that's less than 7 gallons used every day. i don't know how big their gas tanks are, but you should have been able to go 2 days on a tank before getting too low.

 

[lnkncontiverto]

I daily drive an '08 9-3 Aero Wagon and couldn't be happier. I picked mine up new, shortly after the bottom fell out of the auto industry. I stole it for literally half of sticker price (of course I would never consider this car worth the $45k sticker). I don't have much experience with the 2.0T, but I've heard good things about it from owners. FWIW, the engine is basically identical to the 2.0/2.2/2.4 ecotecs you find in most GM small/midsize cars. My only suggestion is to get the 2.0T not the 2.0t. ~210hp vs. ~170hp.

Check out this site for info, these guys will set you straight:
Saab 9-3 Sports Saloon/Sedan/Convertible/Combi - SaabCentral Forums

There's quite a bit of tuning software available to bump output to >250hp, if you're a guy who likes to be the first to the party.

 

[turbo39151]

I didn't clarify on the WRX... Yes, I filled it (ie: topped it off) every day because while I could go home and make it back to work on the tank that I had, That last bit in the tank would have the low fuel light lit up and I never wanted to be in a spot where I simply ran out of fuel (like some idiot)

Case in point, yesterday on my way home, I ran into traffic... There's NEVER any traffic. Took me 3 hours to get home... Ruined my mpg for the day!

If I would have had the low fuel light on, i surely would have run out of gas as there were no side roads to get off on... We were all stuck... Funny thing was that there was no accident, anywhere!!

 

[gn4u2c]

9-5 saab 5 speed 30mpg comfortable and fairly quick. driveline is great !! I would say yes. just be prepaird to live with climate control / information center and radio lights all crapping out. The functions will still work just drive you nuts ignore them and keep racking up the miles.