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Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 22:23:26 +0100
From: Dennis Connors <connorsnopsamnet>
Subject: Re: 1989


Expect a lot - Saabs deliver! What you are about to read may sound dismaying, but don't be discouraged. Saabs are perhaps the most excellent cars to own. Not only are you driving a disctinctively attractive automoblile, but one of the safest - without compromising performance and a truly fun driving driving experience. I must tell you, Saabs must be owned and cared for by Saab-conscious people. Since 1989, we have owned 6 Saabs (three are still ours): 1984 900S (our first Saab - just sold this past spring), 1989 900 (see below), 1987 900S 4dr (a wonderful car, once I undid all the damage done by non-Saab shops - totaled by a truck that pulled in front of me), 1977 99GL (Piglet, my favorite - my son and I may develop it into a race car someday), 1980 99GLi (started out as a parts car, but is truly a diamond in the rough - I'll have BLAAB all cleaned up in another couple of weeks), and my wife's car, a 1991 9000Turbo (verrrry nice freeway flyer - and lotsa fun to drive, too). Yes, we love Saabs (I wish they made pickup trucks!); we will continue to drive them as long as they are available. The 99 is my favorite funcar line, I dream of getting a '92 900Turbo 3dr, I don't like the "new" 900 (I've yet to warm up to the 9-3), but the 9-5 looks interesting. So don't be discouraged by the below; I just want you to LOVE YOUR SAAB. First, a little caveat about '89s: You may be stepping into an unfortunate first experience unless this '89 has been THOROUGHLY inspected by an independent Saab mechanic (I don't trust dealers, although there are a couple of good ones out there). Why? Here's the going opinion (not just mine): Saab were in financial trouble in those days (before GM bailed them out, I think, in 1990). There was a big problem with employee turnover and getting quality subcontractors for parts; consequently, Saabs built in 1989-early 1990 were not as well made as other years. Not to say '89 or early '90 Saabs are bad - they are definitely not! - they were certainly more prone to the Lemon Syndrome (one expensive thing after another failing). This did a lot of damage to Saab's reputation and makes it difficult to feel comfortable with cars built during that short but difficult era. Of course, if the car you are considering has already had all that lemony crap corrected, you should have little to worry about and should be able to strike a pretty good bargain. Make sure the seller has COMPLETE service records to verify all problems have been properly taken care of; don't be embarrassed to pour over them in detail - it's your right to as a buyer. I had a 1989 Saab 900 a few years ago that was not too bad (I called it My Lucky '89); I only had to replace the head gasket (and have the head milled), the water pump and heater control valve - all before 80K miles! I only kept it for a couple of years before I sold it at a pretty big loss; I felt lucky to be rid of it before it got really expensive (I did all the work on it myself and saved many hundreds of dollars in labor). Another thing to consider is a 900S; these cars, except the '91 (I think) came with a sunroof - you'll appreciate that in CA - and all the other nice things like electric windows and mirrors, center console and upgraded stereo, etc. ALL Saabs, since (I think) 1986 have 16-valve engines, air conditioning, heated seats, and internally-adjustable mirrors (electric in S and Turbo) STANDARD; so don't be fooled by someone telling you AC is special. The 900S is a pretty good bargain; the 900Turbo ROCKS, but requires a little extra care (synthetics, cool-down time). Cruise control is nice. A few tips for your new Saab: 1. Get a Bentley Book; it's the best shop manual available. Haynes are - well, interesting - Bentley is best. 2. Install a K&N air filter for better performance (follow the instrux). 3. Invest in good headlight protectors (keep them clean); new replacement headlights are about $200 ea. 4. Join your local Saab club; subscribe to Nines magazine. 5. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER take your Saab to a Jiffy Lube, Midas, Sears, Firestone, or other non-Saab shop (except for tires) for any service; these boneheads will destroy your Saab very quickly - no matter how much you watch them! I can't stress the importance of this point enough. 6. Start your Saab surfing on the Web here: http://www.nijenrode.nl/~kroodsma/saab/ Some things to look for (don't give up): If the AC hasn't been upgraded to the new R134A (I think that's what it's called), the upgrade could cost up to $1K (the compressor on my sweet '87 900S blew as soon as the system was upgraded); try to find someone who will use the old Freon-12 to simply recharge yours. If you're getting a 3-door (hatchback), make sure the lifts work; they're kind of expensive to replace. Check the carpet above and behind the gas pedal; if there's coolant in it, the heater control valve needs to be replaced. Same cause if the heat can't be turned all the way off or on. It's a pain to replace, but quite doable. Listen to the timing chain carefully - you should not hear any slapping or other noise; if so, you may be looking at a timing chain/tensioners job (necessary in that case). A good Saab shop should be able to replace the chain without surgery; there's a knack to it. Call the guys at Scandia Autosport about it http://www.scandiaauto.com - they are my favorites here in Seattle. The car should not have any overheating problems - if so, you will be looking at a head gasket/milling job soon. Steering should be smooth and easy at all speeds. If it feels sluggish or uneven, you will probably have to replace the power steering rack soon (kind of expensive). Don't freak out over all the stuff I have mentioned here; even if any of these problems are present, all the fixes will be permanent, if done by a good Saab mechanic. Remember, early-discovered problems can be powerful price bargaining points - do make sure you have the car checked out by a good Saab mechanic BEFORE you decide to buy any Saab; it's worth the $90 or so. Good luck, and happy Saabing! Jack Walsh wrote: > I'm looking at buying a 89 Saab 900 (16 valve). Is there any problems, > large and/or small with this particular year/model? This is my first > foray into the Saab world, although friends in the past have owned > them. What can I expect? > > Thanks..

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