[Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
 | [Main General Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
living with SAABs in rural or remote areas... Posted by Snowmobile [Email]  (#686)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Snowmobile) on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 06:50:25
In Reply to: Re: buying or selling?, james, Wed, 30 Jul 2014 17:49:29 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
All SAABs are quickly becoming older cars that will require maintenance. The number of "new car owner" types driving SAABs is asymptotically approaching zero. Dealership maintenance is hopeless/pointless going forward so you need a good indy of some sort if you don't DIY (and even if you diy, it really is good to have a good indy around).
There are different sets of indy mechanic requirements for successfully owning a SAAB, depending on the vintage of SAAB. Newer cars require electronic stuff to be married etc, and are heavily reliant on your indy having a Tech2 with SAAB sw loaded. Older cars are like most other old cars except that the layout and tricks are different than other brands. So for those (lets say 9000 and earlier, but og9-3/9-5 are mostly fine also), any mechanic who is careful and patient and will take the time to make sure what they are doing is good and not a hack will be able to keep those cars running. Sure they won't know all the tricks to do the work as fast as a SAAB specialist, but a good tech is a good tech. I had a c900 engine rebuilt by a guy who had never opened a SAAB engine before (burnt a valve on vacation), and he did a great job (I got the parts he did the work). But he was careful, patient, and willing to learn - he enjoyed that it was something different and out of the ordinary. Not all techs are like that.
My feeling is that in a rural area, finding a good tech is more important than SAAB experience. If you are moving to somewhere that does not have SAAB folk around, that would be what I would look for - a tech with the right qualities first. Parts are not an issue: there is "the internet" for that. Having a SAAB containing boneyard helps, but is not essential (they will ship also!)... With a good tech and Saabnet, you can easily keep your 1992 900T on the road (especially if you can DIY a little).
The 2002 9-3 SE requires the odd tech 2 (eg to program keys, swap radios, etc). Many other needs can be addressed with a more generic scan tool. It might be wise to pick up your own OPCOM or similar so you can read fault codes at home or on the road and clear them as required. Probably good for all og9-3/9-5 owners to have that now. Then, the few times you really need a tech2, well if there is a dealer or SAAB indy further away, that's where you'll have to go. But keys or radio most likely won't leave you stranded.
The 2007, well ask on the 9-3ss bb if there are any rural folk and how they are coping with ownership now. I don't own one, partly because they are more tied to the Tech2, but I'm pretty sure there is some stuff, maybe for OPCOM that gives you even more access to the car than for the 9-5. But I don't own one so I don't know. Others may comment. If I was moving rural, that would be the one to sell, and pick up some other brand (or a og 9-5) for the workhorse car. Otherwise the other 2 will do just fine if you are a bit aware.
anyway, that is my 2 cents. good luck!
->Posting last edited on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 06:52:44.
, Wed, 30 Jul 2014 03:12:11, Thu, 31 Jul 2014 06:50:25 <-- Viewing This Message, Tue, 29 Jul 2014 21:37:16
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
