Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2003 09:05:27 +0100 From: MeatballTurbo <carl.robsonnopsamcing-czechs.com> Subject: Re: Considering a cheap C900
In article <3f343362nopsam.sacoriver.net>, feenynopsam.org spouted forth into alt.autos.saab... > Hey all, > After pleading with my parents to let me take our '94 900SE to college > with me (and having no luck in that department), I've stumbled upon a nice > looking 1992 900S 5-speed... 170k miles, needs a new starter (it works, but > not well). The guy selling it is asking $1000. It seems like a bargain to > me. What things should I look for with this car? I am unfamiliar with the > c900, and have only been involved with NG900s, 9-3s, and first generation > 9000s. Chris. Welcome aboard. Sounds like a possibly a sweet car. It has reached the stage where it could turn into a money pit. A good one will run for a long while longer without needing much doing. A bad one will eat your wallet, bank balance and salary, and keep coming back for more. Problem is you will be blinded, because even a bad one will make you love it on a good day. What's your mechanical knowledge and tool kit like? If you can read a Haynes or Bentley manual and then know what stages they have skipped, because they assume you know what they mean, then you should be OK. Mechanicaly striaght forward, and somethings like clutches are a breeze, brakes easy enough, and jacking up for tyres and other work great as long as rust hasn't eaten the jacking points. Transmission is worse then other cars though, as it bolted underneith the engine rather than to the side like a lot of other cars. Some bits will need a specialist to fix, or at least diagnose. Best thing you could do would be to find your local indy Saab specialist. and spend a few $ on getting him to inspect it. Even if it cost a few hundred to do that, it's cheaper than £1000 now, and how much more while the car is in dry dock getting repairs thrown at it. As your family is Saab orientated then you should have an idea who to use locally. One last thing. I'm in europe, so it doesn't mean much to me, but do you know anyone who can get you a Carfax report on it? Do you have anyway of verifying that the car isn't stolen? That is one reason why "good" cars go cheap. Either there has been a serious accident with it, and it was insurance reported, and repaired (sometimes not so well, but a good indy will spot that), or the car is stolen, and you will find a whole world of hurt when the seller disappears, or even just doesn't want to know you, after he inocently bought it, then found out it was stolen, and decided to move it on quickly. May be a good straight solid car, but tread carefully, and make sure you have all the reasons in your head why you "don't" want it, not why you do. Make them sell it to you. And remember PT Barnums adage in life "There's one born every minute". make sure you are not that one. -- Carl Robson (The poster formerly known as Skodapilot) http://www.bouncing-czechs.com
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