A few questions before buying a 01 9-3 convertible

I am looking to pick up a used 2001 9-3SE convertible with automatic. I know that to truly expieriencethis car I should get a stick, but I live in the Washington DC area and Traffic here is always rated as one of the three worst in the country and I do not want to be rowing in traffic.I want one with some waranty left if at all possible. My buying options are:

ebay at around US$14,500 -15,500 Sellers have good feedback with cars but I think not.

A semi local non Saab dealer ~120 miles away for around $17,000. Doable, but I don't know the dealer

A local Saab specialist Repair/used dealer (Scandinavian Imports, a sponsor of Saabnet.com if that means anything) for around $18-19k. I do feel comortable with them after talking with them. High end of my budget range.

A Saab certified from one of the 2 local dealers (VOB Saab or International Saab) at about $21,000 really pushing the budget, but with 2 additional years of factory warranty

I am not a shade tree mechanic by any means. Any comments or expeiriences good or bad with one of the above choices?

A couple of additionl questions:

By any chance does the factory CD play MP3 cds?

Are the stock tires sufficient for mild winters? I am going to keep my

4x4 that I am drivng now as a "beater" so I will have something for the "heavy" snows, 12" or so, we get every couple of years. But are the tires OK for a few inches?

I am looking at a car with mileage in the mid 30s to low 40s. Should I save up and get a spare DI module to carry with me, and learn where and how to change it?

Any good links to the care and feeding of this car? The last "sporty" car I owned was a 66 mustang in the late 70's when it was just an old car, but not yet a "classic". I have never owned a convertible, either. I just want to feel the wind in my hair, while I still have enough hair to feel it.

Thanks in advance for any and all replies/comments.

Len

Reply to
Len Gerstel
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See Bernard January. Use my name as a satisfied customer reference if it helps to be referred.

Malcolm mason

Baltimore, MD

Reply to
Malcolm William Mason

By the way, have a friend who has a 91 rag top auto.

Pretty car...but it is auto and in a Saab

Malcolm

Reply to
Malcolm William Mason

If you haven't owned a convertible, I'd suggest renting one for a weekend before buying one. I know the weather is a tad chilly for that right now, but a convertible is very open. I always thought I wanted one and rented one on a trip to California. I hated it. The top down was fine for occasional cruising along the beach, but I felt very insecure on the freeways. On the other hand, I love sunroofs and have mine open with any decent weather. Thrifty often has convertibles to rent. May be a good excuse to take a trip to someplace warm to try it out.

snipped-for-privacy@madmousergraphics.com

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design, print design, photography

Reply to
LauraK

Having lived and driven in the DC area for years, I'd strongly suggest getting a used Saab from a different area. Cars get eaten up there, between the potholes, the excessive salt, the stop and go. My recent search for a Saab turned up several possibles in Northern Virginia, but I decided not to check them out for the reasons above. (I'm living in Knoxville, TN, now). I'd suggest taking a weekend and go to Atlanta. Jim Ellis, a large dealer and a Saab dealer with a good reputation, has quite a few certified convertibles at or below $20,000. I believe there's some special Saab sponsored financing on certified 9-3s right now.

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possible, also in Atlanta, is Saabway.comhttp://www.saabway.comThat company specializes in selling Saabs coming off lease.

Reply to
laurak

I'd respectfully take the counter position. I bought a 'vert a couple of years ago. I like in the NorthEast so I get as much Winter driving in it as Summer. I absolutely love it. I put the top down any day the temp gets to 70 degrees... and sometimes a little less in the Spring and Fall when "rag top days" are in short supply. Open air driving is beyond compare. All 'verts have a little more bend than a steel top, but it's well worth the skittle for the rewards.

I will suggest that if you plan to actually park in the city that you consider that a convertible is not the most secure car. A big knife would get someone through the top with 5 minutes of prying steel supports out of the way. The car will not be stolen if you set the alarm since the ECU is disabled... but you can get violated.

I will advice against an automatic though. A turbo is a different engine. You need a few RPM's to get moving when you need to pull out in traffic. You can't rev an auto and I personally would not be comfortable driving an auto-turbo. Drive it first, do a few "pull across to the other side of the road into traffic from a stop maneuvers" in your favorite 'hard to pull out here at all times" locations. I don't think you will like it. Even in a stick with a turbo it requires some finesse to get a turbo up and moving fast but you can learn to do it and then it's fun. (You just have to learn to let up on the gas after the boost builds or you find yourself spinning your tires at speed and accelerating way too fast a lot of the time).

Bob

MHO's, Bob

Reply to
Retro-Bob

In that case, I would suggest that you seriously consider forgoing the ragtop for a hatchback for several reasons.

1) Extremely poor visability with the top up. Increases the likelyhood of an accident. 9-3 hardtops are bad enough rear visability, but the convertibles with the top up is like driving with a rearward facing porthole. Your main rear view is via the side mirrors. This may not be good enough in congested traffic situations. 2) Easily broken into. Slit top $$. Lost property $$. Insurance cost in anticipation of these $$. 3) Cowl shake, chassis flex. Due to the reduced rigidity of having no roof, the convertibles tend to have some nasty cowl shake especially when driven on rough roadways such as those found in any metro area.

While they are fun second cars to drive around in the country on Sundays, I would not advise buying a SAAB convertible to be used as a daily urban commuter vehicle. The 5 door hatchback is a far better car for that use. You will also save a bundle for a comparably equiped hardtop.

YMMV,

-Fred W

Reply to
The Malt Hound

Thanks for the input so far folks.

As to the comments:

Malcolm:

Thanks for the recomendation of Hunt Valley. Their current inventory is pretty sparse, only one convertible stick shift, but I will keep them in mind.

LauraK:

Yes, I have rented a ragtop, so I am ready for it.

I do have family in Atlanta, so I may check that out. They appear to be about $1,000 less than around here for a certified one.

Malt Hound and Retro-Bob,

As for security, I am a suburban guy and most times when I go into the city I park in garages, so I am not too worried.

As to the visibility, i am ready for that also. As part of my job I drive a 24' truck, so I am very used to relying on my mirrors.

As to the acceleration, I have test driven one in some traffic. While it is no match for my brothers' vette, it easily keeps up with my current car and easily beats my last car which could not get out of the way of it's own shadow.

Thanks again all,

Len

Reply to
Len Gerstel

I have owned a saab conv since 1992 It has been nothing but headaches,the only reason I kept it is because the top goes down. last year I put in my

4th yes 4th automatic trans. They are notorious for chewing up transmissions. The car has its first head gasket at 35k. Some small stuff 4 exhaust systems many sets of brakes. Bring the car to the dealer, and the bills are huge. The leaks are a constant problem,right now I have given up I have oil,antifreeze, powersterring leaks and i am sick of bringing to get them fixed because more come back. They tell me the newer Saab ar not as much grief, but my daughter has a 2000 and she was happy she just leased it. Whatever you do , do your homework and dont listen the these so called saab experts in here. good luck papa
Reply to
PAPAGENE4JACK

Yes, I think you mentioned that already. Several times.

That's amazing.

They are?

That's very unusual. Did you run it without coolant?

in 13 years, that sounds like a lot. Do you do many short trips?

Brakes are a normal wear item.

Dealers charge money to fix things.

Maybe you're going to the wrong people to fix your car, if they keep fixing the same thing over and over. Maybe they're not fixing it right? Just a suggestion.

Yeah, because we actually, you know, back up our statements with facts and experience and stuff, where you just reply to unknown posts, without any context, making vague statements in a whiny manner. Kind of shoots your credibility a bit, when it's clear it's impossible to make someone like you happy, doesn't it?

Reply to
Dave Hinz

You sound like a lady?

Reply to
PAPAGENE4JACK

With a temper?

Reply to
PAPAGENE4JACK

Dave is clearly one of the most helpful and knowledgable people in this group. You don't have to read through the archives very long to see that. So please take your useless whining elsewhere. Perhaps, since you find Saabs so unpalatable, you should buy a BMW and haunt their newsgroup instead.

John

Reply to
John B

Ya, well maybe dave should try to be more polite when others have opinions,rather than trying to bash every comment they make.

Reply to
PAPAGENE4JACK

Better yet, Dave should just killfile you. Buh-bye now.

Reply to
Dave Hinz

ok guys,lets try to start over and just be on line friends. I appolize if I offened anyone, but I have had many problems with my saab, and was having a bad day. I still love the car Truly Yours papa

Reply to
PAPAGENE4JACK

With the top up, it has the worst blind spot of any car I've ever driven... even using the mirrors. I bought one of those little round super concave mirrors as a supplement for the right side. That helps, at least in the day. At night the ability to detect distance is marginal.

I don't like driving my Saab in the city because of this problem. I will usually take my other car, even though I like driving it much less.

During the warm weather, a 'vert is outstanding to drive in the city with the top down. In fact, if you keep your top down 50% of the time during the year, average visibility for the full year is very good :-)

Reply to
Retro-Bob

Agreed. The average visibility would be good, however, it's the standard deviation that causes accidents. ;-)

-Fred W

Reply to
The Malt Hound

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