It's an automatic and Convertible too
...a buddy of mine is buying a commuter car and he likes a 2000 Saab 9-3 Turbo Convertible. He'll have a PII but I am just wondering if there's anything specific that I need to tell him to look out for? I suggested a Maxima but he's in a hurry and currently there is no Maxima that meets his criteria for sale and he found the Saab which somehow met his criteria. Thanks for the input guys.
As long as the PII was done by someone that knows what they are doing and the oil has been changed on time it should be good to go.
There are a couple of things to keep in the trunk if he end up getting it so let us know.
My brother had one and said that certain parts, like headlight assemblies, are unobtanium.
Not inexspensive but they are not hard to get.
Looks like it's a no go. We test drove the car again and this time when we tried to accelerate the car hard around 3,500 RPM (on 2nd gear) the car sputtered and the check engine light flickered...we pulled the codes and they were P1312 and P1303. Didn't get a chance to do full PPI but he's going to do more research on the codes to see what they can be...Anybody know what they mean?
The sucky part is that he already put $300 down which he'll probably lose if he doesn't buy the car...oh well...
I have some budget SAAB race cars and now some SAAB street cars too so I have been learning SAAB's at a fast rate for the past few years but I am not a pro-SAAB mechanic so take this for what it costs... I think those codes are generic "misfire" codes and are usually indicative of a bad Direct Ignition Cassette. If I were diagnosing this car I would swap in some new spark plugs (Note that it is almost unanimously agreed by SAAB people to stick with the NGK plugs that SAAB shipped the car from the factory with.) and try a known good DI Cassette from another car... Good luck!
In reply to rbankracing:
That sounds like the problem. Btw, it's a 5 speed. Assume around $90 - $100 per hour labor rate, how much would replacing the spark plugs and DI Cassette would cost in parts and labor?
Are either of you handy with tools? It is really easy to swap in a DIC and/or plugs, like maybe 30 min if you take a beer break.
In reply to pinchvalve:
Haven't you spread this lie in previous threads?
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dautomotive&field-keywords=saab+9-3+headlight+assembly+2000&rh=n%3A15684181%2Ck%3Asaab+9-3+headlight+assembly+2000&enc=1&ajr=3
Ah yeah boyee! Gimme all yo money I just found yo headlampz.
81gtv6 wrote: Are either of you handy with tools? It is really easy to swap in a DIC and/or plugs, like maybe 30 min if you take a beer break.
This, but only if it's a long beer break. DI is four torx/10mm/whatever odd combination of fasteners the last person threw it in with and a plug.
Big thing to look out for with those cars is sludge. If it hasn't been perfectly maintained the oil pickup will get clogged, it will starve, and someone will be unhappy. Best to drop the oil pan and see what's going on. Unfortunately, IIRC, that requires the subframe moving at least some distance...
Also... Eeuroparts.com Thesaabsite.com ^Both good new parts sources Saablink.net Saabcentral.com ^Both good Saab forums if you're after information.
Hello ea-sport, These guys are all correct, changing the DI Cassette and plugs is a perfect Do-It-Yourself project. The part itself is rather expensive though, so I wouldn't just "throw the part" at the problem and would try and find one I could borrow if possible to make sure it really is the issue...
One thing to note: a 2000 9-3 will run on Trionic 7, and needs to have a black DI.
Red DI's came on Trionic 5 cars ('93-98 9000, '94-'98 900 incl base '99 9-3) Black DI's came on T7 cars (All 9-5's, '99 Viggens, and all '00-'02 9-3's, '03 9-3 convertible)
T7 DI's work in T5 cars, but not the other way around.
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