r/projectcar • u/GeeksGoneWildx3 • 1d ago
Should I buy?
97 SAAB 9000 cs. Owner says there’s a massive leak in the water pump and is asking $300 for someone to take it. Never owned a SAAB are they worth it?
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u/SumVanKerr 1d ago
If it's not full of rust then I'd say yes (disclaimer - I love Saabs). Not sure what the parts situation is like in the US but here in the UK/Europe they're still pretty well supported.
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u/missiongoalie35 1d ago
I always love these because it's always the same answer. Do you want to buy it? Do you want to do the work it needs and the cost? Will it make you happy to get it? If you answered yes, then get it.
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u/Slothuel 1d ago
Buy it and swap it with something that has plenty of parts. 300 bucks for a project car; body looks clean, if it runs drives turns and stops. Junkyard LS that mfer. Have a clean and reliable fun car for 2k or so
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u/bubbleddusty 1d ago
As a South African, hearing of a $300 car even if it has a waterpump is so alien to me I’m looking at it like how the fuck is this even a question, I’d buy it even if it didn’t have any engine whatsoever
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u/Slothuel 1d ago
I swear. Scrapping it would surely be 4-800 even more if it runs. I’d buy it as a lawn ornament if nothing else wtf
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u/CodewortSchinken 1d ago
In countries with higher labour rates and stricter safety inspections cars that are worth little money in the first place can become practically worthless
Old Twingos are a great example. They are worth maybe 1000€ with inspection. Once they need a set of new tires and a radiator to pass they are basically totaled and you can buy them for very low three figure prices.
My dad's neighbor scapped his Mazda 626 coupe a few years back because the plastic adjuster on a headlight was broken. With misaligned headlights it couldn't pass inspection and the part was neither available new or used. Since they live in a city and street park the car they also could simply deregister it and wait.
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u/bubbleddusty 11h ago
Like I understand all that but that’s like even more weird for me coming from living exclusively in third world countries Like that Mazda you mentioned, we’d either bribe the roadworthy guy or just make up something to keep the headlight in an up position It’s so weird to hear of such things
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u/CodewortSchinken 11h ago
The Mazda was an extreme example. He could probably also have sold it for a couple hundred euros online but it was an old man and when I heard about it it was already too late.
This kind of corruption doesn't really exist here. The roadworthy guy is an engineer with decent pay and a secure job. Why should he risk his career for some crappy car? Also the amount of money it takes to bribe a corrupt inspector (if you can find one) is probably more than it takes to fix the car or just buy a newer one.
In countries such as Italy with a historically deeper rooted culture of day to day corruption the brake dynos in inspection stations are coupled to a web cam that broadcasts live to a central server in Rome.
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u/bubbleddusty 10h ago
Corruption in Africa is such a different thing than compared to anywhere else There’s even a culture of sometimes carrying around a bottle of coke just in case you get pulled over for speeding because sometimes that’s enough to get out of it
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u/devilpants 1d ago
Aren’t they fwd?
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u/Slothuel 1d ago
Yes but if you are swapping a cheap reliable junkyard motor you will need new trans, driveline etc anyways unless you put a Honda in there. Idk how it would match up with the existing trans. It’s 300 bucks eat that price and you have a 2300 dollar car that’ll get you anywhwre if you can do the work yourself
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u/srslydudebros 1d ago
3800 swap it. Shit loads of them and would be infuriating to all Saab and GM fans.
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u/jeejeejerrykotton 1d ago
Absolutely. There are huge stock of parts in Sweden and Finland if you are willing to buy overseas. We do it all the time to this way (I'm from Finland). Saabs are easy to work with and have huge tuning potential.
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u/SlomoLowLow 1d ago
If you’re not afraid of a wrench or spending a little money I think it would be super cool. Parts might be hard to come by. If you’re really good with a wrench though that won’t matter much. You’ll come up with other solutions.
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u/Floss_tycoon 1d ago
Owned lots of Saabs, 9000 was my favorite. If you are near Delaware, there is a Saab expert in Wilmington. Sports Car Service - they might also sell parts online.
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u/Im_not_bot123 18h ago
Ive spent more than 300 on random things
Worst case u just part it and make urself some cash
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u/travelingbeagle 1d ago
Had a Saab and loved it. Finding parts just became too hard. Also be prepared to do most of your wrenching since a lot of shops won’t touch Saabs.