Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 12:53:40 -0800 From: "William Brooks" <sea.brooksnopsamdnet.att.net> Subject: Re: late 80's 9000
Stephen, I have a 1988 9000 Turbo and enoy it quite a bit. The insurance issues have been covered very well by those whose posts precede mine. As Juha pointed out, Saabs are very good in the snow. While we don't get much snow in Seattle, there is no shortage of it in the mountains less than an hour's drive from here. Even without real snow tires, my car feels very sure-footed as long as you use your head more than the gas pedal. The anti-lock brakes work very well. And the electrically heated seats feel great after a day of skiing! My only regret is the car I bought used (a couple of years ago) has an automatic rather than a stick. Many people suggest staying away from the automatics because they don't hold up nearly as well as the manual transmissions and when they break, they aren't cheap to fix. So far, so good with mine. But the automatic often conspires against the engine. Just as the engine is getting a nice little boost going from the turbo, it shifts up and the boost goes away. You can manually shift it of course, and in curvy stretches of road, that's what I end up doing. The automatics are also pretty sluggish pulling away from a stop. My car has been very reliable for me so far, but the folder of repair bills the previous owner took care of before I got the car is pretty scary. So look for one that has been well-maintained and it might be good to try to find one that has had the turbo replaced already. Mine had. It was not a cheap repair... Good luck. You show very good taste in cars for someone your age... "Stephen Dewart" <shark5nopsamcomm.net> wrote in message news:2ovc4.580$9F3.46912nopsam.corecomm.net... > How would you rate late-80's 9000s? > Reliability? Ownership costs over, say, five years? Anything and > everything you know thereabout would be appreciated. > > Next ... I am sixteen, and recently got my license. My family goes through > State Farm, and I'm told that the household's auto insurance has nearly > doubled with the addition of the new sixteen-year-old male driver. > Honestly, do you think that having a rather old car, a > Saab, would increase the insurance significantly? The thing is, I can > get a 9000 for a cheap cost (i've seen them start at a bit over $3,500), and > I've heard they're very reliable ... true? Not true? Also, a friend of > mine has a similarly-aged model, and loves it, as do I. > > Again, anything you'd be able to say will help me lots. > > Finally ... how do I convince my parents that, if the insurance won't go up > terribly, that a Saab is a good choice, and, furthermore, for a first > car? > > Thank you much!
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