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Too good to be true?

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2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  VincentD 
#1 ·
My mum is about to purchase a 1994 Saab 900 2.5 V6 for £230. Is this price to good to be true? Neither of us know much about cars so any advice on one of these would be appreciated. How much do these usually go for?

Rach
 
#2 ·
Can't give you much advice on what to watch out for on the V6 I'm afraid, though a quick search on Autotrader currently shows the cheapest V6 in the UK is selling for £595.

Has it got an MOT? Is it being sold as a runner? That can't be far off it's scrap value. If it has an MOT and goes and stops without too much noise or drama then it may be a bargain. May be worth contacting a local Saab independent to see if they'll give the car a quick once over to check there are no major issues. However at that price, I'd normally expect something to be wrong.

Welcome to Saabscene by the way :)
 
#3 ·
The V6 engine is the only one that uses a timing BELT. This is a time critical change - it has to be done every 30,000 miles. I believe there was a mod that increased the change interval, but there is a history on another board (do a search on saabnet.com with the words V6 and timing belt) of this being a 'hand-grenade' motor. Bent valves due to premature belt failure is not uncommon.

I'm not trying to put this motor down, as there are some V6 owners who are happy with their car. The asking price, however, is probably an indication that this particular one is problematic and the present owner wants to cut his losses.

My advice would be to walk away.
 
#4 ·
But a belt change is easy and doesn't cost much, right?

Important to establish why the seller is looking to offload the car so cheaply. But if it's got tax and MoT, a shade over £200 has to be worth a punt. If it breaks, throw it away (or break it for parts) and get something else.
 
#5 ·
A serpentine belt change isn't difficult. This is the one that drives the a/C compressor, water pump and whatnot.

A timing belt change is not a typical DIY and will be expensive unless you have the experience to do it. It is also a recurring expense.

All the other Saabs in the range - the 2.0i, the 2.3i and the 2.0 turbo - have timing chains which typically last the life of the car.

Seeing as it's for his mum, I'd advise a 2.0i or a 2.3i; they're much easier and probably cheaper to maintain. If you want a bit more grunt, the 2.0 turbo has a lot more going for it in terms of adding more power.

My tuppence worth..
 
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