Saab 93 1.9TiD Conv - If Saab go, will I still get parts?

[Ari]

Looking fairly seriously at a Saab 9-3 1.9TiD Convertible (diesel automatic) because I need a quiet economical 4 seater, want a soft top, and they're about 2/3 the price of a same year/mileage Audi A4.

The only thing that's worrying me is, if Saab go under, am I still going to be able to get it fixed/ get the parts for it? Presumably the dealers would disappear as they did for Rover, but specialists would still exist, but that's no good if they can't get bits to fix it.

Appreciate you can still get Rovers fixed, but they're a much less complex vehicle. This Saab with its electric soft top, climite, sat nav, auto box etc etc has a lot of potential for specialist parts I'd imagine...

Appreciate any words of wisdom on this, and on the car in general if anyone has any thoughts. Did a search but doesn't seem to be a lot of info, guess it's a slightly oddball choice (although that's another reason I quite like it to be honest).

[Ari]

POORCARDEALER said:

I wouldnt....the engine is appalling, egr valve, turbo problems, partical filters, dual mass flywheels....

I did see that in the Honest John reviews. However a Warranty Direct warranty that just covered the drive train (engine. gearbox, axles etc) is only £266 so figured that might give some piece of mind.

[Ari]

Oh dear, really? I think it is the Fiat engine, yes.

The car in question is an 07 with 38,000 miles on and a full service history which I think I can get for under £11K, plus it has all the bits I want, heated leather, cruise control, 17 inch alloys, decent stereo. The same thing as an Audi A4 Cab seems to be £15K plus. Also I've been warned off the Audi automatic gearbox.

Then again there's no point saving £5K and then spending half that on bills to end up with a car still worth £5K less (although I did think putting the warranty on it might be the answer).

[Ari]

W00DY said:

Considered the C70? I like them and they offer pretty decent value with a much nicer interior than the Saab?

http://www.autoquake.com/used-volvo-c70/d5-se-2dr-... just from a 3 second look at autoquake.

I like that! Roof scares me though, imagine if that went wrong..?

Seats look a bit stained too, and needs the alloys refurbed or replaced.

Do like it though, it's got diesel auto, heated seats and cruise.

Edited by Ari on Saturday 1st January 11:08

[Ari]

Jimboka said:

I had a 2006 1.9Tid 9-3 for 3 years. Sold it with 40000 miles on the clock, no engine problems at all. The engine was pretty quiet compared to VW PD diesel I drive now. 50+ Mpg very easy to achieve.

My wife owns a 2004 9-3 Convertible, 2.0 petrol, every extra fitted. 55000 miles, no problems (touch wood). The one thing I do regularly is spray WD40 onto the front wishbones, this prevents the dreaded SAAB suspension creak on cold days.

Pretty decent cars, awful stereo (worse than 1980's Ford). Also stereo is probably impossible to upgrade (if it is the pointlessly complicated fibre optic debacle).

Plenty of independents & parts companies out there, I cant see getting spares as ever being an issue.

Saabscene.com is a good UK website devoted to this.

Edited by Jimboka on Saturday 1st January 11:01

That's interesting, thank you.

This Saab I'm looking at has the DVD sat nav. Nav disc is all scratched and not working but not too bothered about that as use a Tom Tom anyway (better than most factory sat navs). But it means it's got quite a nice touch screen stereo and it sounds rather good I thought. The car is the Vector which does have a stereo upgrade over the standard car anyway I believe, so maybe that's why.

Stereos in cars are quite important to me so it's a particularly relevant point, thank you.

[Ari]

It's got a sort of brushed silver line that runs right round the main instrument binnacle including the stereo bit with the air vents above.

[Ari]

I'm not sure to be honest, but probably. Basically I'm changing jobs and my company car is going back and so I need to change my MX5 to something more practical but still with a soft top.

Head office is a 200 mile round trip away though, and I could be there most weeks so I'm thinking diesel makes sense. And to be fair, I've driven the car and it does drive very nicely. Not a sports car like the Mazda obviously, but then neither would the petrol version be.

[Ari]

Presumably a Warranty Direct warranty would cover all the mentioned possibilities anyway?

I'm not sure how they work, if (say) a belt were to go resulting in the engine being lunched, would they just replace the belt under the warranty or would it cover the engine that was damaged as a result?

In a real quandary as to the right way to go on this one...

[Ari]

Fair point, and part of the dilemma.

However the Golf Convertible thing (Eos) all leak and the Audi would be £15K+, the BMW even more.

Which doesn't sound a huge amount more but my current car equates to about £8K ish (hopefully maybe more) which means the Saab is a couple of grand jump, the others a seven grand jump. The former of which is easily managable, the latter of which is a hell of a dent in the savings!

Do you really think the Saab is going to fall that much? Seems a lot of car for the money. Howabout the Volvo C70, similar story?

Edited by Ari on Saturday 1st January 18:53

[Ari]

WOW! That's cheap!! Where and what mileage??

[Ari]

Just found it, and no mention of miles...

When it looks too good to be true, etc...

[Ari]

frosted said:

That is something I would go for , I dont expect you to like it but you have to think long and hard about resale value ( if it matters to you of course ) I have much experience in this having owned a few 30k+ Lexus's and watched their value drop by a lot more than an equivalent German counter part even though they were better cars with more kit etc etc

Edited by frosted on Saturday 1st January 19:32

Weird, that text wasn't there earlier.

I do agree with you, and much prefer the Audi, however I'll guarantee that one will have been to the moon and back at that price, plus it's not a diesel.

Beautiful car though...

[Ari]

masermartin said:

Ari said:

... the Golf Convertible thing (Eos) all leak ...

Need to bop that on the head, they don't all leak by any means.

Ok so that's an exaggeration, but there's plenty enough tales of woe to confirm they have a real problem with leaks on Eos's.

Pity, because it's an absolutely brilliant car otherwise and I'd probably have one.

[Ari]

frosted said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...


this is going to 15k , however it has 23k and its from an Audi main dealer , which means if anything goes , its pretty much covered

That's a 1.8 petrol non Sport (very soggy suspension, had one of those once before), and it's from a car supermarket not a main dealer.

"Proper" main dealer cars are £15K+, indeed normally £16K+, which brings me back to the beginning.

Tricky isn't it?

[Ari]

That's a thought!

Mind you, I expect you could force water into any convertible with a high pressure hose.