1999-2009 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
If you drop $20K on a car and everytime you get into it you smell coolant, you'll be REALLY upset as time goes on. The price on that 2000 is not spectacular - probably about average. Those vehicles are bought at auction for about $15K. $18K might be an okay price if the vehicle is a CPO vehicle, which gives you the Saab warranty to 6yr/100K miles, but otherwise I wouldn't go near it. These cars are expensive to fix and that vehicle is just approaching the time when stuff will start to need replacement (and that's just regularly scheduled maintenance).
You will very soon have the 60K mile service which is not cheap. I recently paid $600 at my local indie for that service and you could expect to pay about $750 at a dealership. Given the miles of the vehicle you should also expect a DI casette replacement eventually. I bought a spare (used) DI casette today for $207, but if your car breaks down on a weekend and are forced to go to a dealership you will pay $450 for the part alone (if you're not under warranty).
I hate to be so negative about the car - I love my '00 Aero. I bought it with 39K miles and haven't had any problems up to now (I'm at 56K now). I've maintained the vehicle well, switching over to full-syn oil immediately, put new shoes on it, and had an early 60K service performed just recently, so I feel relatively comfortable with the vehicle's condition. With the exception of the DI problem I have no doubts about it's reliabiity - and now that I'll have a spare DI in the trunk, I'll be more at ease on long journeys.
If this vehicle has been barely driven in the past 6-9 months, chances are the battery will be dead from sitting around so long without occasional charges. SAAB's computers have a decent current draw (150mA) even with the vehicle is off which tend to drain the battery unless the vehicle is regularly driven (this is what the dealership told me). My battery turned up dead a week after buying my car and it only sat on a dealer lot for 1 month (according to CarFax). It was replaced free of charge, but still it's one of those things that should be taken care of before you sign any paperwork.
With the exception of the coolant smell (which would probably turn me away from the vehicle), I would only go near it at the current price, if it is a CPO vehicle, and the 60K service is performed before you drive off the lot. (and that service should include new pulleys for the accessories belt, ECU update for DI fix (this might require new ver of the DI but I'm not sure, PCV update, SID display replacement, to name a few off the top of my head)
In summary, you can probably find a similar vehicle at the same price, without worrying about coolant. You should definitely have an indie mechanic check it out - you may need new brakes soon too and those will not be a warranty item.
Good Luck,
Kevin
posted by 69.140....
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