I bought a new Saab in 1992. I still have it and its been nothing but headaches since day one. IT breaks down constantly and the cost to get it fixed is very expensive. The car is a real junk, but the top goes down and the sun feels good on a nice day so I put up with the repairs and the headaches of getting it fixed.
papa
You're not giving much info, but "the top goes down" and "bought a new Saab in 1992" means it's a C900 convertible. The C900 is one of the most reliable cars I've ever come across. This is not accidental - it's superbly well designed, with attention to detail in all of the major systems.
It has some weak points, like all cars, but on the whole, it's a very tough car. What do you keep breaking?
You should try this new thing they have out for cars. It's called "preventive maintenance". Most people that use the stuff report excellent results.
Seriously, a 92 SAAB 900C is one of the more reliable cars in the world. Since I don't prescribe to the belief that there is any such thing as a "lemon" (there are only lemon owners) there must be some sort of explaination to you experience, eh?
-Fred W
Agreed
That on the other hand I would argue against, there's certainly many more "lemon owners" than true lemons, but it certainly occurs that a car comes off the line with one or more very difficult to track down defects, a sharp mechanic can often fix it but if the dealer is not able to repair the problem after multiple attempts on a fairly new car then it's by definition a lemon. Doesn't mean it's cursed and can never be fixed, just that it's new, broken, and those who should have fixed it can't. This doesn't however apply to used cars.
Hmmm ... sounds like a handful! I'll take it off your hands for a couple of quid.
I'm not sure that a C900 is any more expensive to repair (or buy replacement parts for) than any other car over 10 years old. The usual stuff - brakes, suspension, etc are all off the shelf parts and the more long term replacement items such as clutches are also off the shelf. Usual tune-up items are available from any local motorfactor and DIY items.
Perhaps your usual garage is no good, or maybe you're not as good a DIY mechanic as you think. Either way, go to a decent SAAB indy and they'll fix it right up as new ... or we could ignore you as a troller (and a bad one at that), but we SAAB owners are nice folks on the whole.
It's not just "lemon owners" IMO. I believe that a much bigger factor is "lemon dealerships." IME with dissatisfied owners that feel they have a "lemon" car, they usually continue to bring the car to the same crappy dealership for their warranty / repair work. The dealership fails to fix the car, or causes some other subsequent problems as a byproduct of the troubleshooting / repair process.
I think that a car being "a lemon" stems from the same philosophy that makes some people believe that their cars have personalities. From a purely logical standpoint, neither situation is rationally possible.
-Fred W
You saab Diy mechanics can defend saabs all you want, but they are nothing but headaches. I think maybe you guys just want something to do so you work on your saabs all the time. maybe its your life I dont know, but i do know that saabs are nothing but headaches. I have the conv and thats the only reason I put up with it.
Would never ever buy another. Everyone tried to tell me Dont buy a saab it will keep you broke, but i just didnt listen . I guess its my own fault,but at least I can voice my own opinion or maybe I cant
Thanks for your input grunff you have been very helpful in the past with helping me with some problems,again I thank you .
papa
in article snipped-for-privacy@localhost.talkaboutautos.com, PAPAGENE4JACK at snipped-for-privacy@msn.com wrote on 16/01/2005 21:37:
Come on! It can't be that bad. Forget looking after the car yourself - get it serviced every six months by a good garage. They'll change the fluids and look over the ignition. Brakes and what-not would also be checked. Check the water and oil levels and tyre pressure whenever you can and just get on with enjoying the car.
If you want to spend a little time "listening" to your car and doing a little preventative maintenance, then by all means do so. I don't think any problems you are having a peculiar to SAABs ... Most cars over about 5 years start to feel a little tired; 10 years and they need a little TLC :)
Paul
1989 900 Turbo S
So why did you keep it for 12 years?
You may have a point :-) I do spend more time under the bonnet of my Saab than I've done with most of the other 30-odd cars I've had in the last 8 years. But then again, it's the only one that's really good fun and worth keeping running spot-on (It's a 1987 T16/SPG)
Mike
So sell it to one of us, and we'll all be happy. Or just complain somewhere else, that'd be OK too.
Don't feed the troll !
-- MH '72 97 '77 96 '78 95 '79 96 '87 900T8
Every NG has one of these guys... you should see the assbag named Steven Scharf over on the Saturn site!!!
Wow what a response, Where were all you nice guys In the past when I have posted a problem?
Maybe you didn't post it clearly, or you presented it with an attitude problem that made people not want to, ahem, help you with your problem, for free? I dunno.
Again I thank you all for your input, your opinions are appreciated.
Unfortunately I don't feel your pain. I bought a Volvo new in 1982 and gave it to my wife in 1989 - it is still being driven today. Bought my first Saab in 1985 and put over 200,000 miles on it. I bought a 1993
900T - Red Box, lowered suspensi> I feel your pain. I expected much more quality for my money. I dont blameMotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.