Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2002 21:07:50 -0500 From: "JC" <johnc_22nopsamo.com> Subject: Re: Opinions - 1997 900SE turbo?
Back in Summer of '98 I got sick of my road hogging SUV and though I had test driven a few cars, I drove a friend's '97 9000 and immediately went to a Saab dealer looking for a deal. Happened to buy a '98 900SE coupe with about 6.7K miles on it. Got a great deal because they were at that point taking the cellophane off the brand new 9-3 models. I drove it until 49.6K miles with no problems. The only thing I ever happened to mention to the dealer was creaky suspension on the front-left when going over speed bumps, gutters, etc, at about 35K miles and was fixed via warranty with no questions asked. While I think you will be happy with the '97, while I owned a '98 I kept reading that the '98 was the year they got the NG900 right. Not my words, but what I read many times on www.saabnet.com. I mostly lurk there as a newly admitted turbo addict. My experience was a tight, fun-to-drive, looker of a car, and the SE basically comes loaded. The style/performance/versatility/value (not in that order) combination is really hard to beat. In addition the '98 was the first year to have a hydraulic clutch as the 9-3 does today. So, unless you are getting a "can't refuse" deal on the '97, I'd look around for a similiar '98, or an HOT 9-3 (205HP). And, I liked my '98 so much, that I traded for a brand-new '01 Viggen (US) on 12/1/01. John "EricL" <elaw-NO-SPAM-nopsamsinc.com> wrote in message news:clj18.46529$Ot.2256062nopsamnn01.usenetserver.com... > Hello all! > > I've been a Saab fan forever, but am fairly ignorant about the newer models > ("newer" meaning > 1990). My wife's looking at a 1997 900SE turbo, and it > seems like a pretty nice car. However, I know many of the enthusiasts don't > think too much of the NG900. Is there anyone out there who's owned one of > these who can give me a general opinion, especially compared to other Saabs? > Would we be better off looking at a 9-3? > > Thanks in advance, > > Eric Law > > >