Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 22:48:12 -0400 From: Len Gerstel <lgerstelnopsams.com> Subject: Repair costs on a 9-3 convert
I have been driving SUVs since they were called trucks (my first was a 84 Jeep Cherokee) and I think I am ready for a change. I want a car where I can feel the wind in my hair, while I still have hair left. I am thinking about a 00 or 01 convertible. I have talked to a couple of people that I have seen with Saabs locally (Washington, DC area) and almost without fail the second thing out of their mouths- the first being that they love the car- is that repair costs are high. Now having driven trucks/suvs for almost 20 years, I am used to repairs that are more than what they would be on a Honda civic. I just spent over 3200 for a new automatic transmission for my 94 Blazer. My question is: Are repair costs on Saabs higher than comparably priced luxury cars or have the people I've been talking to just upgraded from a Civic and were not ready for slightly higher repair bills. The reason I ask this is that I tend to keep cars until they are no longer reliable enough for day to day transportation (my jeep had 160k miles and my Blazer has 155k) and if I get a Saab, I just want to know what I can expect as far as operating expenses are concerned. Thanks for any thoughts.