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I have the hankering for a convertible again, and a budget I must stick to, and the 9-3 is looking very appealing as a potential option.
I have owned American and British cars, and am a reasonably decent DIY mechanic, and have done repairs on Cadillac, Chrysler, Jaguar, & Buick. I know and understand OBD-II (to the extent anyone can without researching the really odd code).
My previous convertibles were both Chryslers, a 1990 Lebaron and a 1996 Sebring JXi and both had V6 engines. The former had the Mitsubishi V6 that had ring problems after 75K, like so many did, while the latter was a rock solid Chrysler engine.
I really like the styling of the 2004 and later Saab 9-3, and the convertibles with slightly low to typical mileage meet my budgetary restrictions, but I have had absolutely no experience with the marque. All have their pluses and minuses, and enthusiast venues such as this have, in my experience, been a good place to turn for information on "the good, the bad, and the ugly," as well as pointers on what to look for, particularly checking for known trouble spots when shopping.
I think I would prefer the Aero with a V6, but that's just because I've only owned cars with V6 and V8 engines. I know we're long past the period where I4 engines don't last even 100K miles, and for all I know these may be a better choice in the Saab than the V6 is.
Any insights that you would like to share would be most appreciated. I know that trying out any car brand, and particularly one that's now defunct, carries certain risks, but it's better to be as informed as possible about what those are or might be. Thank you in advance.
Brian
posted by 172.58.222...
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