No doubt that the late cars are the ones to buy (I have a '97 myself) but you're buying an eleven-year-old car, albeit one made to high standards. There were engine design changes in 1994 which resolved some issues - people who strip these engines generally report very few signs of wear though there will be exceptions where maintenance has been neglected.

The potential problem areas are really common to all 9000s. The heater core is a frequent failure point as Noel says. Around 100-110k miles they often need a replacement head gasket - not terminal or particularly expensive, and while fixing it you can renew the timing chain or at least its guides. The timing chain is actually very reliable and far preferable to the belts used by many manufacturers - they usually give months of notice that they are worn.

The "serpentine belt" that drives most of the services should be kept in good condition, and make sure the tensioner is working - if the belt breaks or comes off you're stuck by the side of the road. Manual gearboxes are reputedly more reliable than automatics but both can have problems. Random things can happen - I had the pulley on my steering pump shear off and strand me.

You can always get knocked back by a dud car. But if you don't pay too much - and these cars are cheap as chips, for what you get - study service records and budget sensibly for maintenance, preferably doing some things yourself and giving bigger jobs to a good independent Saab mechanic, I think you'll enjoy your purchase!

• New to the Saab world and looking at a 97' 9000, MissBucket, Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:34:50
  • 159K miles; plan $500 /year min in repairs..., Dag, Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:05:28
  • Find a Mechanic First!, marvinstockman, Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:57:02
  • Re: New to the Saab world and looking at a 97' 9000, Bill Davies, Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:49:51 <-- Viewing This Message
    • I Agree. By 97' , the 9000 was perfected. Then they, TonyJ , Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:59:42
  • Re: New to the Saab world and looking at a 97' 9000, Noel, Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:43:11
    • Re: New to the Saab world and looking at a 97' 9000, MissBucket, Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:33:10
      • LOOOOONG response, Andy (West London), Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:42:26
        • Wow! >, Bill Davies, Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:41:31
      • Carfax first!, marvinstockman, Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:35:14

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