I’m looking to get a new car as my old one ended up getting totaled.
I found a 2002 Saab 9-5 with 155,000 miles on it for really cheap. It’s got a clean title and a good carfax report. I’ve also searched around for reviews, and almost every one is positive on the car.
The only thing I can’t really find is anything regarding the mileage. 155,xxx is a lot of mileage for a 9 year old car…
Does anyone know how long a Saab will last, mileage wise?
Obviously, no one will be able to give me an exact number, but any insight would be helpful.
how long it will last is dependant on previous maintenance. if its a manual, id imagine it would be in need of a clutch sooner rather than later. if its an automatic, im not sure what the timeline is for the saabs - i know alot of volkswagen automatics that year have trouble around 100,000 miles and anything you get after that is a gift. does it have the turbo engine? youre also on the upper mileage end for a turbo as well.
im more of a vw/audi enthusiast, so my experience with saab is limited, but turbos and clutches are general wear and tear items that need to be replaced around then - also timing belts usually need to be done every 80-100k, and that can be an expensive job
thats more or less standard mileage for that year car, at 15k a year - if a car is just an appliance to you id recommened looking more at a honda of some sort, or a hyundai. or find a 4th gen volkswagen, id recommend the 02-03 GLI.
If you think it may need the maintenance that clockworkchad suggested try phoning a dealership and see what the parts would cost. I used to own an 85’ Audi and the parts were very pricey. Ran like a top but parts were brutal.
it really depends on if he wants just an appliance or something sporty. seeing as he wanted a saab, i assume he wants something a little bit flashier thats a bit more solid which is why i recommnended the jetta GLI, but you can get a newer hyundai for the price or an older vw so it depends. hydundais arent really flashy, and my look and feel cheap, but they run forever with almost zero maitenance, so do the new kias and suzukis. also, if you get a volkswagen, audi, saab, its alot more cost effective if you are mechanically handy on your own, because you can get the parts online cheap and save yourself the labor…
also, the ford focus was a great little car for what it was. if you can get past the looks, its a nice bargain.
Saab is a good car, but as mentioned, are very expensive to fix if they have problems. That is what you need to watch out for. with a turbo powered car, you need to make sure the oil is changed every 3000 miles, regardless of what the owners manual says. Depending on what you are looking for, you can probably get something just as reliable in the aforementioned hyundai, kia or suzuki, or an older GM or Ford. My family has had GM cars forever and my brother is a Pontiac/Buick/GMC mechanic and they will last just as long as any other car if you maintain them properly.
I used to detail cars on the side to get some extra money. I had a guy with a 95 turbo. Nice to drive back and forth from his location to mine. Lots of pickup with that turbo when floored.
The only car I would almost trust with that many miles is a Honda. And I’d still be skeptical. Price would have to be pretty low.
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
I’m looking to get a new car as my old one ended up getting totaled.
I found a 2002 Saab 9-5 with 155,000 miles on it for really cheap. It’s got a clean title and a good carfax report. I’ve also searched around for reviews, and almost every one is positive on the car.
The only thing I can’t really find is anything regarding the mileage. 155,xxx is a lot of mileage for a 9 year old car…
Does anyone know how long a Saab will last, mileage wise?
Obviously, no one will be able to give me an exact number, but any insight would be helpful.[/quote]
Saabs used to be known as breaking down often and being expensive to fix. they even used to call it having a “saab story”. i dont know about that exact model that you are looking at. might want to look for a saab forum and ask some car guys about your specific model.
my brother had a saab 9-7X (2007) and currently has a 9-3 (2009). the newer models are much more reliable and he had no problems with those 2.
like i said, i would look into some car forums and ask those guys. my good friend is a bmw guy and knows every fucking thing about every single model, frame up…try to find a saab version of that.
When I was in the market for a used car, I remember picking up a Consumer Reports automobile review guide. I was in the market for a Volvo or Saab, because I somehow associated Swedish companies with safety and quality. I don’t recall the exact year, but a lot of the 9-5s from the early to mid 2000’s got absolutely horrible reviews for reliability, cost of repairs, etc. I also remember many of the Volvos getting mediocre crash test results (!)
I wound up getting a Honda Accord. Best car I’ve ever owned.
[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
When I was in the market for a used car, I remember picking up a Consumer Reports automobile review guide. I was in the market for a Volvo or Saab, because I somehow associated Swedish companies with safety and quality. I don’t recall the exact year, but a lot of the 9-5s from the early to mid 2000’s got absolutely horrible reviews for reliability, cost of repairs, etc. I also remember many of the Volvos getting mediocre crash test results (!)
I wound up getting a Honda Accord. Best car I’ve ever owned.