Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 13:22:43 -0500 From: "The Malt Hound" <ma_twainnospamo.com> wrote in message news:42099CEA.3050501nospamo.com... > Mark & Lyssa Whitson wrote: > >> I am thinking about buying a 1998 900 S convertible, S model, 2.3l, >> normally >> aspirated, 4-cylinder. I've never owned a Saab. Anything I should >> know or >> look for before buying? Thanks in advance for your suggestions. >> >> MW >> >> > > Lets go back further - have you owned a convertible before? The Saab > convertibles are among the nicer convertibles. They have the glass > rear window and the tops are capable of handling winters - it is a > Saab after all. Back to the first question - the visibility with > the top up is terrible compared to a sedan. The glass rear window > is small. With the top down the visibility is great. The luggage > space compared to a hatchback is terrible with the top up. With the > top down you can carry large lightweight items. > > I passed on a newer Saab convertible for the visibility and space > issues. I got a hatchback instead. I also noticed the body flex, > more than the same car in a hatchback or sedan. The flex was not > enough to be a purchasing factor. It was for me. See below > If I could own the convertible as a "spare" car - to be driven for > fun on warm, sunny weekends - I would buy the Saab convertible. > I did, and sold it. Last winter I bought a 2000 9-3SE CV HOT w/ 5-speed and 60k miles. Silver and charcoal. Very nice car. I did some things to fix it up a bit over the winter, like putting new alloy wheels and tires on it and replacing the shocks all around. Then when I got it out on the road in the spring I was underwhelmed. The chassis flex (cowl shake), sloppy shifter, torque steering, and especially the delayed response when you release the throttle were all factors that convinced me to sell the 9-3 (at a tidy profit including all expenses I might add) and look for a different "summer toy" car. I bought myself a 97 Z3 2.8 5 speed (<20k miles) instead. Night and day in the handling department. The SAAB had the edge in raw power though... -Fred W
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