Stu9 wrote:
I have the chance of an old 99' 9-3 vert, a few things done but not sure, no mot but seemingly runs and drives and the roofs works (which is a bonus mist en: ) how much should I offer or leave it.
Good afternoon, 'Stu9'. We bought a '99 with new MOT from a dealer in 2015. We paid £1995 for it and had it checked out at our trusted local garage. They reported that although the hood was working correctly, two of the rams were leaking quite badly. These later failed in short order, before which the hydraulics required topping up every 10 - 20 cycles. It is better not to take the roof operation for granted, but to check it thouroghly.
Secondly, do try to view the underside on a lift. Our garage found corrosion (I kept the photographs for evidence) close to the jacking points that they considered should have been an MOT fail. Words were had with the supplying dealer and this was made good, but by then we had lost confidence in the car.
When we found that the cost of new rams would exceed the value of the car, we part exchanged it at a Saab specialist (who could not have been more helpful) for an '06 car. These, in our view, are a much better proposition, with their improved hood and much reduced scuttle shake compared with the earlier car.
I'm not saying that you should look a gift horse in the mouth, but our experience turned into an expensive mistake. Our mistake was to trust the dealer in question despite their good local reputation. An expensive lesson, which we should not have needed after almost 50 years of motoring, was duly learned. Do your homework and remember, buyer beware!
Regards, John.
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) how much should I offer or leave it.
) I never did find the problem.
