Saab tid any good

[mx5 turbo]

Are Saab's any good these days? Why are they so cheap? Thinking of a 9-3 vector sport or maybe 95. The price puts me off as I assume they are cheap for a reason.

 

[Jason]

Glorafied old model vectra, good enough cars but if a flywheel went (it will) and a key module you may park her up

 

[Boabybooster]

The 1.9 is the Vauxhall lump, usual diesel problems, alternators are quite weak supposedly, the petrols are fine and not too bad on fuel.

 

[Jason]

Starter motor will go (due to flywheel) battery (due to starter) and heater plugs (due to the other 3)

 

[colin84]

Glorafied old model vectra, good enough cars but if a flywheel went (it will) and a key module you may park her up

How much for the key module Jason? Would it be a common thing?

They are some value though, especially for a facelift vector.

 

[Jason]

How much for the key module Jason? Would it be a common thing?

They are some value though, especially for a facelift vector.

Cant remember to be honest only happened once think it was £300+ and yea quite common, the flywheel is the biggest job, fair few hours to fit.

 

[mx5 turbo]

They are good value, the facelifts are a nice motor, look well built with good comfort. Is the general consensus to avoid? Or look for one that's had the flywheel done? Higher mileage better than low so you'd assume these things have been done

 

[Boksic]

Bar the usual clutch flywheel thing they are grand big motors for the money.
Buy one with two keys and you'll not have any key problems.
The ignition switch module I assume jas lad is talking about is £40 ish new from saab (Ivan Wilson Coleraine) easy diagnosed and easy fitted. (by anyone with a couple of torx bits). People spilling drinks into them tends to be what starts the problem, but it's not a car problem, it's a people being idiots and spilling drinks problem.

For the money you'll not get anything else close on the spec. Look after it and it'll do whatever miles you want it to.

If you're looking at one, bar rattly flywheel, make sure it hasn't got any traction control warnings on, as more often than not it'll need a CIM (electrics behind steering wheel) and matching key for it, and you'll need a tech 2 and security access to fix it..

I'd have another one over a golf a4 etc any day!

 

[mx5 turbo]

Bar the usual clutch flywheel thing they are grand big motors for the money.
Buy one with two keys and you'll not have any key problems.
The ignition switch module I assume jas lad is talking about is £40 ish new from saab (Ivan Wilson Coleraine) easy diagnosed and easy fitted. (by anyone with a couple of torx bits). People spilling drinks into them tends to be what starts the problem, but it's not a car problem, it's a people being idiots and spilling drinks problem.

For the money you'll not get anything else close on the spec. Look after it and it'll do whatever miles you want it to.

If you're looking at one, bar rattly flywheel, make sure it hasn't got any traction control warnings on, as more often than not it'll need a CIM (electrics behind steering wheel) and matching key for it, and you'll need a tech 2 and security access to fix it..

I'd have another one over a golf a4 etc any day!

For flywheel I assume it's a rattle that goes when you put the clutch in? I know there's a guy Stevie Smith in Bangor is a Saab Indy so at least I'd know there is someone local who works on them. I'd probably actually go for the 95 for the space.

For me it's between one of these, an e39 530d or an e320 cdi. Possibly an old discovery. Though those two would be high milers for the price range. It's to get a pram and some kids in the back for when the wife's away with her motor so don't want to be spending much

 

[m00k]

Think the older 2.2 diesels are Vaux lumps too which would be prone to throwing the odd fuel pump

 

[Jason]

Bar the usual clutch flywheel thing they are grand big motors for the money.
Buy one with two keys and you'll not have any key problems.
The ignition switch module I assume jas lad is talking about is £40 ish new from saab (Ivan Wilson Coleraine) easy diagnosed and easy fitted. (by anyone with a couple of torx bits). People spilling drinks into them tends to be what starts the problem, but it's not a car problem, it's a people being idiots and spilling drinks problem.

For the money you'll not get anything else close on the spec. Look after it and it'll do whatever miles you want it to.

If you're looking at one, bar rattly flywheel, make sure it hasn't got any traction control warnings on, as more often than not it'll need a CIM (electrics behind steering wheel) and matching key for it, and you'll need a tech 2 and security access to fix it..

I'd have another one over a golf a4 etc any day!

It's was the security module went on one of mine too it was a dealer only job

 

[cormac81]

I think they're a good car no worse than a VAG for common issues and don't have the price tag.

I one I had with the DMF already done and had to put an alternator in it. Was a great driving bus.

 

[E4mon]

I've had ours now for over 4 years. Bought it with 75k and it has 135k on it now. The flywheel started rattling about 5k miles ago and is getting gradually louder, I'm going to get it done soon. Apart from that its the most reliable car I've had...I've had 2 E39s and the Saab has been a much better car all round

 

[Phil_EK9]

Good value for money compared to most of its rivals. I had 30,000 hassle free miles with mine, nothing but servicing and rear brakes.

Thought it drove a good bit better than my dads old vectra which it was based.

 

[Brennan]

I think they're nice motors, had a facelift twin turbo diesel one few years back, that went like poo of a shovel lol Good looking motor and supremely comfortable. Not much else can beat it for spec, comfort and value

 

[Nicky]

For flywheel I assume it's a rattle that goes when you put the clutch in? I know there's a guy Stevie Smith in Bangor is a Saab Indy so at least I'd know there is someone local who works on them. I'd probably actually go for the 95 for the space.

For me it's between one of these, an e39 530d or an e320 cdi. Possibly an old discovery. Though those two would be high milers for the price range. It's to get a pram and some kids in the back for when the wife's away with her motor so don't want to be spending much

You'll not beat an E39 530D as a daily. Mine has near 190k and its running like a dream. I change the oil regularly, drive it like an idiot from time to time and just give it what it needs, and it's been fantastic. I know of several others which have gone well past the 200k mark that would mine to shame too, and they're abused daily drivers that just get driven...

The Saab's are a decent motor, though the CIM among other things can cause hassle. The vacuum pipes and associated systems around the engine of the 2.2's can give bother too with people not knowing what they're doing around them. Flywheels are no more expensive to repair than a Passat or 320D for instance, and there's barely a modern diesel that won't require a replacement at some stage within 150k miles or less.

If you do opt for a SAAB, you'll not find a better guy than Stevie to look after it. He's well clued up on them, and isn't hard paid. Another guy that knows them well and usually has a few for breaking is Darren Green in Ballyclare.

 

[purplea4T]

I'm running about in a 9-5 Vector Sport at the minute, 1.9 Tid. It throws random fault codes up when it fancies it but clear them and they don't come back, seems to be a Saab thing! With them sharing GM and Fiat parts, most bits are easy enough got and cheap enough. I'm doing about 20 miles a day and it's sitting at 38 to the gallon. I'm in 2 minds whether to keep it or punt it on, if you want a run in it I'm in Bangor too

 

[mx5 turbo]

Cheers everyone. @purplea4T is it a different code each time not repetitive stuff? @Nicky so you wouldn't be out off buying a 530d with 150K on it if it has a bit of history? Not sure on what to get yet.

 

[purplea4T]

There's a fault that keeps coming back for the dpf/egr, I cleaned the egr but think the plunger pin needs freed. If it doesn't sort it, it'll be a egr delete and DPF gut along with remap to code it out. Last one was throttle body but it's all related and it was a pending code so hadn't ACTUALLY happened yet!
I've had an E39 Touring which I hated with a passion, uncomfortable, hard to fix when it went wrong, dear parts even from breakers. On the other hand, I've a reasonably fresh remapped Octavia vRS and I usually take the Saab instead!

 

[Jason]

Good value for money compared to most of its rivals. I had 30,000 hassle free miles with mine, nothing but servicing and rear brakes.

Thought it drove a good bit better than my dads old vectra which it was based.

Yours was a good one thought serviced its whole life by Gormleys Vauxhall, very fussy owner.

 

[Loggie]

Had a 2.2 tid for a couple of years - was a very well looked after car from new (family owned) but gave the usual problems - some electrical some mechanical (turbo etc in its early days), but all in all i think they are well specced for the money - if you have a well documented one I don't see the problem

 

[Nicky]

There's a fault that keeps coming back for the dpf/egr, I cleaned the egr but think the plunger pin needs freed. If it doesn't sort it, it'll be a egr delete and DPF gut along with remap to code it out. Last one was throttle body but it's all related and it was a pending code so hadn't ACTUALLY happened yet!
I've had an E39 Touring which I hated with a passion, uncomfortable, hard to fix when it went wrong, dear parts even from breakers. On the other hand, I've a reasonably fresh remapped Octavia vRS and I usually take the Saab instead!

I find them very easy worked on, parts are no more expensive than anything else new from auto factors (brakes, bushes, suspension, service items etc), and if I ever need anything BMW related, I go to Railway Autospares in Ballynahinch who are very easy dealt with. Never once bought a used BM part from them or anywhere else that surprised me with the price. Even engines and gearboxes are cheap compared to 130pd's or the likes.

@Nicky so you wouldn't be out off buying a 530d with 150K on it if it has a bit of history? Not sure on what to get yet.

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Service histories aren't worth the paper their wrote on IMO, especially BMW, given the amount of times there was cars I know of sent into Bavarian with marked filters and they came out with the same filters fitted. Not all, but definitely a lot more than there should have been. As long as it's doing everything it should be doing when you're out looking at it, and it's priced accordingly, there's no reason to say no. My only gripe with mine is that it's manual, and I'd prefer it as an auto as that 3.0D engine is so well suited to being paired with an auto box.

 

[Phil_EK9]

A lot of modern service items seem to be listed as check if OK and replace if necessary. They'll still charge the same price though...

 

[Boksic]

It's was the security module went on one of mine too it was a dealer only job

Ah, sounds like a pain, but not a common fault? I've a tech 2 and global tis /security access so thankfully never needed a dealer for any coding or diagnostics.

@Nicky re: Darren green in Ballyclare, I brought a 9-3 to him with traction control warning, he plugged it onto his tech 2 and told me it needed a CIM, 2 keys, and his coding. He looked at it for under a minute and quoted £500 to fix it.. I bought a tech 2 and fixed it myself in less than 5 minutes, no new parts needed, just the module needed re added. This is how I ended up buying a tech 2.

I'm not saying he doesn't know what he's at, and certainly misdiagnosis can happen, but I drove an hour up to him as he was meant to know best around saabs, he spent a minute at it, decided he knew best and he got it wrong.

I'm only pointing this out as I've seen plenty if your replies in technical threads etc and you're generally bang on the money, and certainly seem to know your stuff, which I like to see, but I couldn't honestly recommend Darren over any other general mechanic other than he has a saab specific tool that not many others have.

 

[Ceebl]

I find them very easy worked on, parts are no more expensive than anything else new from auto factors (brakes, bushes, suspension, service items etc), and if I ever need anything BMW related, I go to Railway Autospares in Ballynahinch who are very easy dealt with. Never once bought a used BM part from them or anywhere else that surprised me with the price. Even engines and gearboxes are cheap compared to 130pd's or the likes.



Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Service histories aren't worth the paper their wrote on IMO, especially BMW, given the amount of times there was cars I know of sent into Bavarian with marked filters and they came out with the same filters fitted. Not all, but definitely a lot more than there should have been. As long as it's doing everything it should be doing when you're out looking at it, and it's priced accordingly, there's no reason to say no. My only gripe with mine is that it's manual, and I'd prefer it as an auto as that 3.0D engine is so well suited to being paired with an auto box.

I am scared to own another E39 as they all seem to have high mileage on them, but no body seems to worry about it. Are they really that reliable to get to 200k+ miles? And are the autoboxes good for the mileage too? (my last was a 525i sport which I traded in with around 120k on it but if I was to own another it would probably be a derv and def be an auto again. Auto boxes suit the big cruisers)