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My new retro!BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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May 13, 2009 16:03:44 GMT
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I've been looking for a replacement daily since the demise of the BMW, and a couple of days ago, RR member Funkula mentioned that there was a Saab for sale for £75. I PM'ed him and he kindly gave me the details of the owner. After a few phonecalls we arranged to go see it yesterday. Me and PaulMI16 then went to check it out as it was sort of on the way to brother Street's place, and Ashby Folville, where we were attending the car show. After a bit of a sniff and poke around it I decided to buy it, paid the lady the money and arranged to come back today after I'd got it insured and taxed (it still has a months MOT) Well, this is what £75 worth of Saab 900i 16v looks like... I'm really happy with it! Really smooth, incident-free 30 mile drive back to base this afternoon, gave it a wash as it was pretty mucky and it's sitting pretty. I need to give it a good service (Has full service history!), a valet, couple of tyres and take it for an MOT in the next few weeks. Chassis seems sound, engine's a bit smokey when you boot it (I had to test it!) but I reckon an oil change will sort that out. Her husband wanted to scrap it, but I think she was rather fond of it and wanted to see it into a good home. 'Course I might not be so chipper if it catastrophically fails the MOT next month but I'm feeling quite positive! Big big thanks go to Funkula for setting the whole deal up, and to PaulMI16 who has kindly been ferrying me around here there and everywhere this past two days!
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Last Edit: May 13, 2009 16:04:34 GMT by BenzBoy
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May 13, 2009 16:05:38 GMT
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Coooolll...got such a soft spot for these.
Job jobbed me thinks
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May 13, 2009 16:07:13 GMT
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nice, these Rear drive or front something tells me front. Lovin the hubcaps.
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Nissan Laurel SOLD BMW E34 Diesel SOLD Toyota Soarer 4.0 V8 SOLD Audi A4 1995 TDI SOLD Peugeot 205 1.9 TD SOLD Lexus IS300 SC
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May 13, 2009 16:28:17 GMT
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They're FWD. Thats a lot of car for the money
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My new retro!BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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May 13, 2009 17:16:35 GMT
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The engine set-up is bizarre - they're FWD but the engine is mounted longitudinally but also backwards, with the alternator, water pump etc facing the bulkhead! Very strange, but I think it's a quirky car all over.
I just hope it doesn't require that much for the next MOT - the back door bottoms and rear arches are a bit frilly in places but that's no big deal. I'll just use it for a while and see what things emerge.
I did suspect head gasket failure as there was dried up mayo in the header tank, but it may have already been fixed as it has a new rad and the fluids seem to be staying where they're supposed to.
I'm fully prepared to do a head gasket though, it doesn't seem that hard on these.
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May 13, 2009 17:32:32 GMT
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Looks loads better for a bath, and it was an enjoyable expedition and i'm chuffed I could help you out.
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205 GTi Mi16
205 XS - Now in filmidget's signature
Clio dci 80
I've found in life if someone is an idiot, they generally stay and idiot.
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street
Posted a lot
6.2 ft/lbs of talk
Posts: 4,662
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May 13, 2009 18:10:24 GMT
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Bloody hell that looks really smart!! Couldn't ask for better than that, and it came along at just the right time aswell!
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May 13, 2009 18:36:14 GMT
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amazing. for that money it would have been criminal to refuse it!
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,537
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May 13, 2009 18:37:50 GMT
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Can't complain with an MOT'd motor that gets you home for only £75! Great!
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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Ray Singh
Posted a lot
More German exotica in my garage now
Posts: 1,985
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May 13, 2009 18:50:17 GMT
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Fantastic buy - what are the long term plans assuming you get the dreaded ticket?
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rysz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,558
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May 13, 2009 18:54:24 GMT
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Nice one Dean.
Looks like a smart one and an absolute Bargain!
Rysz.
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May 13, 2009 19:01:13 GMT
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bit steep at £75 dean.......................NOT !!! you couldn't get a taxi leiester and back for that!!!! have a bit of a saab history myself ,2 99,s and a 900 ,[sounds like an ice cream order] brilliant dailies [nearly bought my old 99 back last week as a daily ] love it mate
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yes ,it started badly ,petered off in the middle and the least said about the end the better!!!
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May 13, 2009 19:04:48 GMT
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What does £75 worth of Saab 900i 16v look like? ****ing ace to me
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My new retro!BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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May 13, 2009 19:20:21 GMT
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Thanks everyone! It's my first Saab and I'm just getting used to all its funny ways. I figure that at the price I could have just drove it straight onto the weigh bridge and not lost out, but I already have one car's death on my conscience this month... ;D Her husband was going to scrap it, so I figure I've balanced out the karma now after breaking the BMW. Plans are just to give it some love and run it I think - I need to focus on the Mercedes and get that going again, so a nice old motor to drive around in will do me just fine. If some alloys come up cheap enough I might buy them, but only after I've got another ticket on it.
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May 13, 2009 19:32:56 GMT
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Very nice, don't think I've ever seen gold wheels on a car before! (Unless thats the light on the camera or whatever)
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stwat
Part of things
Posts: 546
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May 13, 2009 19:37:27 GMT
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What an utter bargain Does it have the clutch at the front of the engine too like the old 99's used to have? Or is that the back of the engine, that is actually at the front of the car,,hmmmmm I'm just confusing my self now ;D
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1992 190E 1.8 manual
1989 300SE Low mileage LuxoBarge
1988 190e 2.6. 1988 190 2.3-16 Cosworth
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May 13, 2009 19:39:31 GMT
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Nice one, those little rear quarter lights are called Opera Windows by the Saabisti and limited to the 5 doors and only certain years.
Great motors, they feel both older and newer than the design suggests.
Sills are weird on them, it isn't the obvious place directly below the door it is slightly further underneith.
Also, Saab were very forward thinking and recessed the door at the chassis to allow ladies in skirts to get into car easier.
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May 13, 2009 19:40:42 GMT
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What an utter bargain Does it have the clutch at the front of the engine too like the old 99's used to have? Or is that the back of the engine, that is actually at the front of the car,,hmmmmm I'm just confusing my self now ;D Basically the same as the 99 but bigger, early ones even had the same front handbrake.
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My new retro!BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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May 13, 2009 19:40:55 GMT
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Hehe, yeah the clutch is at the...er... front of the car, near the radiator. Should be an easy swap if ever I need to do that. Funnily enough I have no idea where the gearbox is. I must look for that tomorrow when it's light... ;D I need to do the headlining as that's kippered as a lot of Saabs seem to be, but I reckon I can do that with a bit of careful scissor work.
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May 13, 2009 19:41:58 GMT
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Wow what an insight into Saab thinking there meatballturbo Will add them to the list of useless info I have!
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