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Early 9-3 production years are similar construction as the NG900, and will rust about the same. Especially in states that use a lot of salt on the roads, you can count on it. Saabs do not tolerate road salt well, and neither do other Euro imports. The severity of the winter is not so relevant. Perhaps salt is not used on the roads as much in Europe.
It is worthwhile to hose the engine down to keep rust off in accessible and visible areas. Used car dealers are quite good at keeping rust out of sight, at least temporarily. In other places the car WILL rust. You can't take it apart after each trip in slush and salt and wash every part with soap.
Just because you cannot see rust, especially after 4-5 years, it does not mean it isn't there. Here are some examples of where to look.
The pictures are of a 1996 900 SET after nine Midwest winters. I did not start seeing rust until about 6 years - about the same as my other car, which is not a Saab, but subject to the same conditions.
Clockwise from top left:
1 - Rear brake caliper, rusted and seized (replaced)
2 - Detail of fuel tank retaining strap cut off the car when the fuel pump failed (replaced)
3 - RH wiper motor (still working!)
4 - Hard lines below the radiator and oil cooler (next on my list)
The last picture is especially telling, because it was taken a few weeks after the last snow fall and after a generous dose of road salt. Two car washes later and you can still clearly see the pipes coated with salt! One day before pulling the bumper off and taking this picture, I actually soaked the front of the car with Simple Green and hosed it off in hopes of keeping the garage I was using a reasonably clean work area... <chuckle>
The power steering pressure line is flaking away and almost rusted through in the spot circled in yellow. Looks like I caught it in time, thanks to a fellow Saab owner who was not as lucky and told me where to look. The black surface at the bottom of the picture is actually two years of power steering fluid seepage from a leak higher on the same pipe, on what would otherwise be red paint.
(For those who spend their Saturdays on trivial pursuits like spouse and family and not under a Saab taking pictures, the power steering pressure/cooling line and oil cooler lines are below the radiator and intercooler, and normally hidden by the front bumper.)
posted by 68.76.15...
, Sun, 3 Apr 2005 00:40:28
, Sat, 2 Apr 2005 13:24:47, Sat, 2 Apr 2005 15:18:41
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