Wie zuverlässig sind Ihre SAAB?

[petergustavsson]

Ich schreibe in English, mein deutsch ist nicht so gut :)


Im a classic 900 guy, and i had a 9000 also, but its getting to the point where i need a more family car that doesn’t need my time with so many repairs.


I'm looking at a year 2000 9-5, and then randomly looking at some online reviews has scared me off. stories of this repair and that repair.


I could get an Audi or even Mercedes at the same price is no big deal, i just love saab .


so could you all please inpart your opinion, especially as a comparison to some german models, and even * gasp * a volvo v70. i basically want most something that is not going to end up needing repairs all the time after 200,000 km.


the specs of the specific one in question is:
year 2000
2.0t S ecopower engine
211,000 km
benzine
manual




Danke!

 

[Saab_owl]

Dear Peter,

please have a look at the 9-5 fact sheet, written by our experts. You can use the google online translation (http://translate.google.com/?hl=en&tab=wT#de/en/) if you want :

 

[acron]

Hi,

I'm a 900 classic guy too, but I've found some friends here, who have made good expierences with the 9_5.
Take care in choosing the right engine!

( But maybe the 9000 is still a very good option )

 

[Al Bert]

hi Peter, if you have the option to get an MB, use it! the 9-5 is a good car, when it works....but there are a lot of little fault sources, which could suck a lot.
i've read some weeks ago this: SAAB means "ständig am Auto basteln", translated into "constantly tinkering with the car"

 

[petergustavsson]

Thanks all for your answers :)
i know the 9000 is a pretty good car, and the 9-5 is the upgrade so to speak. but as we seen with the 900 that is not so. same story with 9-5 then it seems?

Hi,

I'm a 900 classic guy too, but I've found some friends here, who have made good expierences with the 9_5.
Take care in choosing the right engine!

( But maybe the 9000 is still a very good option )

which engine do you mean?? as per this particular one it seems to be a "B205".
from read the PDF by Saab_owl i see nothing in particular bad about it, except to take of the oil.
still, this is a Baujahr 2000, so i wonder.

- - - Aktualisiert - - -

the option to get an MB, use it!

sorry, i dont understand, "MB"? :)

 

[Saab Stock Car]

Hi Peter,

dont think about buying an Saab if you dont have a good shop near your house where you can give your car when it needs service or repair.

If there is a good one no problem. Good Luck !

 

[saaab900s]

sorry, i dont understand, "MB"? :)

Mercedes Benz

 

[Onkel Kopp]

which engine do you mean?? as per this particular one it seems to be a "B205".
from read the PDF by Saab_owl i see nothing in particular bad about it, except to take of the oil.
still, this is a Baujahr 2000, so i wonder.

The B205 in combination with a stage 1 software upgrade is maybe the best compromise regarding fuel economy, durability and performance. In addition, it runs smoother than the B235. If it is out of 2000, you will have to check if the latest PCV Kit is applied and if the oil change interval has been comparatively close to 10.000 km. If not, you have to check if sludge occured by dismounting the oil pan before you buy the car. This should be a service issue for the dealer.

 

[troll13]

Peter, son of Gustav:
You`re considering real "old cars" (including your 9-5, 2000 0ption).
You`re considering used cars with unknown service/repair history.
This risk is why your can obtain these much cheaper than new ones and you have saved lots of money to invest for repairs/overhauls/restoration.

Don`t tell me, that an equivalent Benz (model, year of make, mileage, condition) would be optainable at actual saab-prices, not to mention repair prices, when (surely) needed. By the way, who would consider Benz ???

Saabs are (when serviced well, see previous hints for necessity of a good service shop) long lasting,very reliable cars with excellent fun of driving and with a good feeling of quality, even when becoming older.

My youngest car is 16, the older 22, both feeling like new, with service cost much less compared to yearly losses of value of new cars.

 

[Sven]

Hi Peter!

The biggest problem is the unkwon history of the car. Even there is serviced by a saab dealer you can have bad luck. Like I did. My MY99 took nearly the amount of money for repairs (and I do repair the most own my own, exept things like timing chain or head gasket) that I spend for purchase. So I can fully underwrite User Al Berts quote about the meaning of SAAB.
The only "positiv" thing is, the 9-5 produces no "new faults". All problems that may appear are well documented on the internet.

My recommendation, if your're looking for an reliable car, you should take a look to Subaru. That would be my next choice.

Best regards
Sven

ps. please excuse my poor english, don't need it for a long time, lost some ability.

 

[aero84]

A reliable car? What about a Saab 900? Or a Saab 9000? A 7-series Volvo? An oder Mercedes (even w210 are extremely reliable - they "only" have a massive problem concerning corrosion...)?

 

[Saabestos]

I would prefer the 9-5 to the benz, especially the older c-classes (W203) have rusty doors
just after five years. The Saab has a zinced body (except a few inner panels) and by benz
the maintaining of the quality has been shrinked to a minimum during the past years. The
only benefit of the benz compared to a saab are the cheaper repairs. Mercedes maded fine
cars - back in the 80's. As i bought mine, i had to fix a few things. Now the car runs fine
and without exceptional maintenance.

 

[bantansai]

hi Peter, if you have the option to get an MB, use it! the 9-5 is a good car, when it works....but there are a lot of little fault sources, which could suck a lot.
i've read some weeks ago this: SAAB means "ständig am Auto basteln", translated into "constantly tinkering with the car"

Dear Albert,

last time in Dez with my 9-5 to get HU, there's a driver of a 7 year MB C-Class.
Im happy, theres no problem on my car
This is not the same for the driver of the MB.
Three springs are heavy broken, on a 7 year old car.
So wie jetzt die ausgeschlagenen Spurstangenköpfe oder die völlig fertigen Traggelenke heißen in god old english, keine Ahnung, waren auch Schrott.
Auf jeden Fall durfte Papa mit seiner Tochter mit dem Wagen nicht mehr vom Hof fahren.

Edit
Ich las vor kurzem:

"Wenn der Rost dein Auto frisst, weisst du, was Mercedes ist."

Und das ist mal eine Aussage, habe da selbst mit neuesten Baujahren Erfahrungen machen dürfen:-(.
OK, dafür wurden dann "anstandslos" neue Türen verbaut, Kofferraum bearbeitet und alles lackiert. Fraglich, ob mangelner Lackierkabinenerfahrung den anschließendenTausch aller Scheiben erfordert hat, oder hier Aussagen über weitere Qualitäten getroffen werden können.
Sämtliche Folien der VSG-Scheiben hatten Blasen vom Rand, sah geil aus, vor allem im Siebdruckbereich, hatte ich mal in den 80ern bei Franzosen gesehen.

Ach ja und dann hatte ich hier mal Bremsen, Hinterachse, von MB eingestellt mit Bild
Da ist die 900II, 9-3 Bremse nix gegen, nur Jahre älter.
Unabhängig davon, der TE schrieb, sein Deutsch sei nicht so gut, könnte hier ja verbessert werden, oder verbessern wir hier jetzt durchweg unser Englisch?

 

[petergustavsson]

Vielen Dank alles für die antworten! :) all good consideration, and a much informative and varied answer then i got on saabcentral.com (wish i spoke more german to get more involved here!)

so, i still havnt decided. the Saab in question does have a full repair history, one previous owner, and sold by a 'Handler' (so 6 month warranty). should atleast get it looked at by a good Werkstatt i guess :D

 

[ralftorsten]

I don't see how any Saab later than the 9000 could ever match your criterion for no or little need of repairs after mileage of beyond 200k. if you're going to stick to that, don't even bother looking for cars manufactured in this millenium... a late 9000 would almost certainly satisfy that requirement of yours more than any 9-5, in particular an early one. Don't get me wrong, I love the 9-5, have one from 2000 myself, but I'd never buy a used one... unless for a short life expectation only.

Some might consider the 9000 a poor attempt to copy the success of the 900, but many others agree that - despite it's not a "real" Saab - it is yet the best car Saab has ever built... haven't heard anyone mention the 9-5 or any other model in this context... what does that tell you?

I'd stay in the nineties when it comes to the production year, and preferably eighties for its conception. Any car from then that has made it until now and is in good condition, should continue living for a long while...

 

[Onkel Kopp]

I don't see how any Saab later than the 9000 could ever match your criterion for no or little need of repairs after mileage of beyond 200k. if you're going to stick to that, don't even bother looking for cars manufactured in this millenium... a late 9000 would almost certainly satisfy that requirement of yours more than any 9-5, in particular an early one. Don't get me wrong, I love the 9-5, have one from 2000 myself, but I'd never buy a used one... unless for a short life expectation only.

Yeah, every 9-5 sucks except of mine!

Peter, you have to consider that it is easier to find a 9-5 with only little work needed than a 9000 with only little work needed, just because there are more vehicles with low mileage and numbers of pre-owners. Compared to the 9000 the 9-5 are built up more volatile and the quality is lower, but the steering and chassis/suspension is better. Beside that, there is nearly no progress from the technical point of view compared to a 9000, maybe except some gimmicks people are told by the marketing department that they must have it.

So, if you find a 9-5 and a 9000 in the same condition and comfort + ride is not your main issue – take the 9000. I drove some old 9000 in different condition and then a 9-5 in good condition – afterwards I definitely wanted a 9-5. Sometimes I am happy with the decision, sometimes not…

 

[ralftorsten]

Yeah, every 9-5 sucks except of mine!

No, but I think we both agree that the 9-5 needs more care, more discipline in driving and even (more) modifications to remain away from thermal and physical limits than the 9000 does, which on top did not come with an overly optimistic oil exchange interval indication. What does this do with the chances to find a good model? On top, I am pretty sure that the buyers of the then new 9-5 were less Saab-affiliated than those who bought 9000s.

But I would give one advice when buying a 9-5, at least if it's going to be an Aero: get a model with a (regularily serviced) automatic transmission. AT-drivers are not likely to push a car to it's limits, plus an AT in a 9-5 leads to a significantly lower level of engine revolutions per minute...

 

[Onkel Kopp]

The 9-5 pistons are not resistant against high thermal load. Resistant against high revs over a long period are neither 9-5 nor 9000 (B23x engine). I would be interested in the percentage of cars where this matters. For low mileage cars with normal service the intervals which are given too long by Saab do not matter.

The 9000 is a great car, I would never deny this. But sometimes it seems to me that here at saab-cars driving/chosing/owning a 9000 becomes more and more "religious". Being religious obscures the brain, you can see this all over the world .

 

[ralftorsten]

For me, it's not about religion, but about odds. Design flaws might be compensated by fussy maintenance, but the older an object get's, the bigger the chances, such was not respected all it's lifetime. So I am looking for designs with as few flaws as possible. And that's not the 9-5. the 9000 is not flawless, either, but respecting Saab's maintenance plan chances are simply higher to find a good model, no matter at which mileage. And the little detail about a different gear box ratio makes however a huge difference in the life-expectation. 9000s may well have the same problem running at high revolutions, but - thanks to a different gear box ratio for manual transmissions at least - don't. So this problem is almost irrelevant...

Peter explicitly asked for a car that would require little extra maintenance or repairs with mileages about 200k, so we're not only talking about low mileage cars.