Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 19:00:05 +0100 From: "Sara Davis" <saranopsamis45.swinternet.co.uk> Subject: The joy of owning a Saab. Do they build their planes as well as this?
This is the story of a Saab 1989 900 turbo that I bought 10 weeks ago. It came with a service history and had completed 113,000 miles. I am mechanically literate and so was careful in inspecting the car before parting with cash. Week one: one new wheel bearing, two new front discs and two sets of pads – cost £233. (Normal service items to be expected I suppose) Week one: steering pump goes: second hand unit bought. Cost - £45 Week two: car breaks down from coolant leak. Two core plugs (expensive to replace because exhaust manifold needs removing). Cost: £110 Week three: outer CV snaps (no warning signs of this at all and extremely worrying when it happened). Took garage two weeks to get correct part. Cost: £220 Week 6: Exhaust manifold leaks – parts cost £56 Week 8: Outer CV joint starts to make worrying clonking noises. New CV. Cost £115 Week 9: Electric window jams open: Second hand window regulator £22 Week 9: Front shock gives up. Cost £25 Week 10: Inner CV joint on other side is just about to give out. Tonight I have to travel home at 20 mph. Estimated cost of 2nd hand unit: £200 Total mileage since bought 1200 miles. Apart from this, the car is generally poorly put together i.e. the dash creaks all the time, gear change is worse than that on an old Skoda I had, speedo flutters, body flexes alarming when it is jacked up (which I have had to do many times now). Finally, there are a host of other problems that need to be fixed such as: turbo on its way out and other wheel bearing needs replacing. Can someone enlighten me as to whether I just got (extremely) unlucky or whether this is the common joy of Saab motoring everywhere? Alan
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