Date: Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:35:45 -0400 From: Steve B. <nonenospam.com> Subject: Re: Saab story here.
> >Thanks for all of your advice. I really don't expect to get the KBB >price but it would be wonderful if I did. Other than the convertible >top, the car is in fantastic condition (it should be for all the money >I've put into it). I would be perfectly happy with a sale of $7500. >Does anyone know if a rear end collision would in fact affect the >convertible top? AND...what's this fluid that was mentioned by >someone here? TELL ME MORE!!! The car uses a hydraulic system to raise and lower the top. The ends of the hydraulic cylinders all have seals and those seals wear and start to leak. Once the fluid leaks out of the system the top doesn't move anymore. More fluid can be obtained from a Saab dealer if this was the case and is often a "good enough" fix. If the car only leaks one $40 bottle of oil a year that is better than a couple of $400 pistons. Eventually the leaks will get bad enough that the pistons have to be replaced. Good luck on the 7500. I paid about 3k less than that for mine this spring and it hasn't been wrecked. > >The reason for me being deliquent in getting the top looked at by Saab >is because the rear end accident occurred at the end of Spring and it >was a while after the accident that I tried to use the top. Then, >within a couple of months after the accident, someone else hit me from >the rear. The second fender bender only scratched the new bumper that >was put on after the first accident. Not to make excuses but I had >some major health problems which had me in and out of the hospital for >a few months during all of this. By the time my health improved and I >brought my car to a mechanic to ask him what he thought I should do, >he suggested trying to sell it or trade it in (that's when the top was >still somewhat functional)...then I came here to ask for advice. Doesn't sound like much of a fun summer for you. >Today I'm going to see the mechanic I spoke earlier about to see if he >might be able to get a second hand piston for the top and put it in >for me. He might even make the call to the insurance company telling >them that the problem with the top is due to the rear end collisions. Why would you want him to get a second hand piston? Which piston would you have him get? At this point you don't have any idea what is actually wrong with the system. You need to take it to the mechanic and have it diagnosed then decide what to do about repair. When you take a car in and ask them to replace a specific part they will often just replace that part as you asked instead of diagnosing the system. Find out what is wrong with it and let us know. Hopefully someone here can help with a source for parts or a workaround. Steve B.
