thinking of getting a 03 Saab 9-3 (fuel, credit, engine, replacement)
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Consider the fact that Saab no longer exists as a carmaker and no dealerships are anywhere to provide parts. Add to that the fact that Saabs have not been very reliable automobiles (cue the 7 Saab nuts who exist to dispute this claim) and you get the picture. There are plenty of much better choices out htere for that much money.
I would run away.
I agree saabs are not the most reliable vehicles.
But the carmaker no longer existing so you won't get parts. That is the stupidest thing ever. People say it all the time. Why do people make these claims?
The Toyota celica, MR2, and Supra are no longer made... but you can get parts for them.
When the Camaro and firebird stopped production for 10 years, parts were still availible.
You can still get parts for AMC cars. You can still get parts for a 2000 Honda Civic(btw they don't make that generation of honda anymore, does that mean no parts are availbile?)
I have a Pontiac and parts are still readily availble. I can walk into any autoparts store and I can get all the parts I want.
1st the car shares platforms with several other cars so lots of parts are interchangeable.
2nd as long as there is demand companies will make parts. Look at air cooled VW
But the carmaker no longer existing so you won't get parts. That is the stupidest thing ever. People say it all the time. Why do people make these claims?
The Toyota celica, MR2, and Supra are no longer made... but you can get parts for them.
When the Camaro and firebird stopped production for 10 years, parts were still availible.
You can still get parts for AMC cars. You can still get parts for a 2000 Honda Civic(btw they don't make that generation of honda anymore, does that mean no parts are availbile?)
I have a Pontiac and parts are still readily availble. I can walk into any autoparts store and I can get all the parts I want.
1st the car shares platforms with several other cars so lots of parts are interchangeable.
2nd as long as there is demand companies will make parts. Look at air cooled VW
Sarcasm detector broken. You can get all those parts because the manufacturer of them still exists- Chevrolet, Honda and Toyota are still around. Saab is going under, unless someone is going to buy the tooling off them and hire people to make spare parts, there aren't going to be any. also, show me an auto parts store that has a hood, a door, etc for cars. However, if you're willing to make friends with all your local junk yards (or just buy a second one for parts) then you might be good to go.
If you are still considering a Saab, be sure you spend some time on some Saab forums. Just Google 'saab forum' and such ... then follow some of the sub-links too. That is where the info gets deep and specific. You can also ask away and get info from both Saab owners (including on your particular model/year...), hobbyists, and garages/mechanics.
FWIW, I have had two big Saabs 1995 (stick shift, sold at 155k miles, which ran well til totaled at 175k) and current 2005 Aero wagon. I was pleased with both. The Saab 2.3 4 cyl engine was particularly commendable. BUT I know certain years/models had serious problems too, (sludge being one and it was IIRC in early-mid 2001-2003 I think) and this bears investigation if you are still interested.
I don't fear the parts problem much yet, but who knows in the long run, especially on some arcane parts like electronics. I usually buy aftermarket parts and so far so good. When serviced, I have had choices on normal wear parts like brakes. I've had to buy very few parts other than standard wear items. The cars have been very reliable and low repair. I know the storm could be just around the corner (99k miles now). One potential issue is that they are trickly to repair in some cases, but so are many other modern cars, especially Euro imports. The 2003 9.3 you looked at is not the same car at all and requires different input.
I've also owned many other imports and find Saab similar in reliability/service life etc. If you are considering one, look for a local Euro specialist garage that KNOWS Saabs and repairs them regularly. They will both give you better info on potential problems with the model you consider, but also would be a good place to srvice it when needed. You might even ask them if they have already serviced the car your are considering if it is local, and/or have them do a pre-buy checkup.
Saabs can be fun to own....or a headache. I would have considered buying a new one soon depending on what happened with the new owners...that option appears gone now.
Its hard to beat a Saab thats working right. Nice looks and a true european feel and they dont look cheap either. Problem is they are very labor intensive and cheap parts hard to find and seem to wear out the most expensive parts like engines and trannys before they should. An 03 Saab is not going to give you the dependable service as maybe an 03 taurus for example. Saabs have much in common with the land rovers being that they depreciate for the same reasons. They are for people who can afford a new one and then trade it in 2 years before stuff starts messing up.
Its hard to beat a Saab thats working right. Nice looks and a true european feel and they dont look cheap either. Problem is they are very labor intensive and cheap parts hard to find and seem to wear out the most expensive parts like engines and trannys before they should. An 03 Saab is not going to give you the dependable service as maybe an 03 taurus for example. Saabs have much in common with the land rovers being that they depreciate for the same reasons. They are for people who can afford a new one and then trade it in 2 years before stuff starts messing up.
Land Rover? Sure you're not thinking of Jaguar?
The newest generations of Saabs are built on GM platforms, have Aisin transmissions, and GM engine blocks (I believe they're tuned a bit differently with different cams and turbos, but the 9-3 in question has the same engine block a Cobalt). Saab purists think GM ****ed Saab, but I don't really think so. New model years had issues, but they were worked out. I don't think the GM parts have hurt Saab. On the other hand, Ford did **** Volvo. They used Volvo parts to improve Ford products, and didn't use Ford parts in Volvos, but the generation of Volvos that came out under Ford's ownership were horribly problematic. Look up early 2000s S80s - they are perhaps the most unreliable cars out there. However, Ford did alright with Jaguar and made them reliable. The X-type was a loser and the Ford V6s aren't as refined as they should be for a Jaguar, but they are reliable at least and with Jaguar styling. The new Jags are pretty awesome.
FWIW I don't think the demise of the company makes much difference on the value or utility of an 03 SAAB. MG cars, which I know are a lot easier to work on and don't have as many "black boxes" that are difficult to impossible to repair rather than replace, but anyway MG cars are probably easier to get parts for now than when British Leyland was in business.
Other posts have pointed out that this car is probably not worth what's being asked for it, and it probably is not "The" 9-3 to buy, if you want one, though.
The only SAABs that are affected by the company's current situation are the post-GM cars, currently for sale new, but with no warrenty.
There's enough aftermarket support for the 2003 era (if you know where to look) and plenty enough OEM stock and surviving examples that parts availability won't be a significant problem for the remaining usable life of the car. However, parts and repairs can be pretty expensive because you'll need to either take it to a dealer (if there are any left in the upcoming months) or a Saab repair specialist (who can charge almost as much as a dealership because of their specialized expertise). With the exception of really basic stuff like brakes and tires, taking it to a corner shop or national chain to save money will often end up costing you even more, after you take it to someone who knows what they're doing to fix the mistakes made by the corner shop.
Are you sure it has a 6-speed? I don't think the 6-speed was available yet in 2003. If it's an Arc and not a Linear, the asking price is pretty decent. I wouldn't bother with a Linear.
Sarcasm detector broken. You can get all those parts because the manufacturer of them still exists- Chevrolet, Honda and Toyota are still around. Saab is going under, unless someone is going to buy the tooling off them and hire people to make spare parts, there aren't going to be any. also, show me an auto parts store that has a hood, a door, etc for cars. However, if you're willing to make friends with all your local junk yards (or just buy a second one for parts) then you might be good to go.
Because there are not companies that make reproduction parts? Do you really think the manufacturer makes replacement parts every model they ever made, even though they are not currently built?
Parts exist... Do you think there are full factories worth of tooling to reproduce parts for non-current models of cars?
Because there are not companies that make reproduction parts? Do you really think the manufacturer makes replacement parts every model they ever made, even though they are not currently built?
Parts exist... Do you think there are full factories worth of tooling to reproduce parts for non-current models of cars?
Laws require manufactures keep a certain amount of parts available, for a certain amount of time. Otherwise, it would be a much better business model to make one car and no replacement parts for it. Then when it broke you would need to buy an entirely new vehicle.
When factories get rid of the tooling, they make enough parts to satisfy demand for the legal length of time necessary.
Also, many of the designs of cars are protected, meaning that you couldn't legally copy that ford mustang hood and sell it (although you could certainly create your own).
If saab can't pay its bills, then none of the legal ramifications of not having parts really matters. You can't fine or penalize further a company that no longer exists, therefore the only parts available are what they had on hand at the time they closed up shop. And even then, who is going to be around to pick up that part and send it to someone who wants it? If I was a business that bought a lot of the remaining parts to resell, you can bet I'd be charging a premium because where else you gonna go?
If I was looking into buying a vehicle the potential for no parts or overpriced parts would be a deterrent for me. Sure there may be parts around right NOW since saab is just now going under, but where are parts going to be 7 years from now when you need a new fender?
To me, great cost or inconvenience finding a part is pretty much the same as no part at all, at least for a daily driver kind of car.
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