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Monte Carlo update
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Monte Carlo update

December 22nd, 2008 · 22 Comments



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UPDATE: I’ve just emailed the seller to let him know I’m passing on this vehicle.

——

OK, so I’m looking at a 1999 Saab 9-3 Monte Carlo and I had it inspected today as part of the process.

The car’s being offered at what I thought was a pretty attractive price, but the inspection today showed me why it’s being advertised at the price it’s at, and it told me that I’d have to get it for a fair bit less than the asking price to make the transaction worthwhile for me.

Here’s the list I jotted down on the phone after speaking with the mechanic in Melbourne:

- Various paint chips and small dings, carpark sort of stuff.
- Windscreen needs replacing
- Fluid levels were low, long gaps between services
- Minor weeping from head hasket
- Minor leak from rear dampers
- Dash fascia craked over the gauges
- Rear washer non-operational
- Rear hatch struts need replacing
- 2 of the wheels have scuffing enough to be noticed
- Rear main seal on its way out
- Reverse gear synchro wearing

As you can see, some of those items are fairly small time, but the big ones there are pretty BIG.

Consequently, I’m going to either have to negotiate a significant drop in price, or let it pass.

Here’s the car. We’ll see what happens.

100_0934

Tags: Troll stuff

22 responses so far ↓

  • 1 ctmNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 7:12 pm

    Sounds like the car hasn’t been with someone who cared for it like Saab nuts usually do…

  • 2 alaeroNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 7:52 pm

    let it pass if it doesnt feel right.

    the reverse syncro wearing OUCHY!!!

    consequently, black 5 door viggen on ebay australia or Richo’s viggen..Maybe?

    a.

  • 3 sabNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 8:45 pm

    offer him $5k swadey! :) buyers market…. and a tranny rebuild aint cheap.

    best of luck with it!

    sab

  • 4 swadeNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    Even I’m not that viscious, Steve! We’re negotiating around $7K and I’ll get back to him tomorrow.

  • 5 SAABoyNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    Hmmm,

    The main things that jump out to me. Head gasket weep, rear main seal going out, and the rear synchro!

    When I got my 9k aero checked out before i bought, the mechanic told me one of the cylinders was leaking a bit. but a few tests after that all confirmed there was nothing wrong with it..

    whose ng 900 DOESNT leak oil?? ( just kidding, not a good way to write that problem off)

    Rear gear synchro? Be nice to it and ull get by fine :)

  • 6 MarkacNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 9:16 pm

    I see what you mean about those wheels. I wonder what happened to the originals?
    I think there’s one or two other Montes advertised around the $9K mark.

  • 7 MarkacNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 9:24 pm

    Swade here’s a UK Monte that might give you some ideas: http://www.saabscene.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31637679

  • 8 AdamNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    What ever you do, don’t underestimate how much money it will be to get that stuff fixed. I had most of those problems myself.

  • 9 BernardNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 11:32 pm

    Swade,
    Headgaskets can weep for years without major issues. A lot of people just re-torque the head (using new bolts) without taking anything apart.

    The rear main seal is not a big issue. The seal itself should be cheap, so it’s mostly labour.

    For the synchro, you should start by switching the transmission to Saab’s synthetic fluid (make sure you get the one for the 9-3 hatch and not the SS). There is a service buletin on the topic. I’ve seen this fix a crunchy third gear on a 300,000km transmission.

    Everything else sounds like cosmetics or regular maintenance. Is the windscreen expensive in Tasmania?

  • 10 swadeNo Gravatar // Dec 22, 2008 at 11:42 pm

    All reasonable points, Bernard, but I’m not sure I want to deal with maybe’s when the probability isn’t in their favour.

    I know the gearbox issue could go on for years with some good fluid (I’m using Redline in my Alfa and its absolutely brilliant) but it’s a mammoth job if it does stuff up.

    We’ve more or less agreed on a price, but I’m leaning towards letting this one pass.

    I’ve just found another one at a similar price with less mileage and the original MC wheels (which would have been another expense, eventually). Of course, it means shelling out for another vehicle inspection, but that’s the nature of these things, I guess.

    We’ll see.

  • 11 Ryan MNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 12:40 am

    I mean my 9000 doesn’t even have a reverse syncro. Just have to be careful when shifting into reverse, particularly if you’ve been idling in neutral with the clutch out for a few moments…

  • 12 BernardNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 1:33 am

    Swade,

    The Saab synthetic fluid is magic. A friend of mine uses it in his Land Cruiser, after trying every other brand on the market. It’s the only kind that doesn’t whine, drag or crunch. I think it is a necessary upgrade for any NG900/9-3 hatch that did not come with it from the factory.

  • 13 Ron57RCNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 4:54 am

    I’m not a mechanic, but never the less I have had many years experience of things mechanical / electrical.
    It is true that some kinds of wear or leaks may not get noticeably worse over time, but one thing I am sure of is that they certainly don’t get better.
    As long as the problem exists there may come a day when the wear / leak accelerates or the component fails completely. You certainly could monitor the situation, but I’d rather not be constantly looking over my shoulder, so to speak.
    It’s your call, but I’d rather start with something good which, if I wished, I could always make better.
    Ever heard the saying, “buy cheap and it will cost you dear”?
    The other Monte Carlo which you’ve found might prove to be a much better cared for example. If you know what you want, it’s worth waiting for.

  • 14 Paul HumpageNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 5:16 am

    To me it just looks like the owner hasn’t been arsed looking after it, for that reason alone i’d look somewhere else.

    Paying to fix up things from day one of new ownership is bloody disheartening.

  • 15 turbinNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 6:16 am

    Hatchback full of FAIL.

  • 16 saabillNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 7:34 am

    Give it a miss. A quick search shows there are 3 more Monte Carlos for sale, all manual and 2 are less than $9,000.

  • 17 swadeNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 7:36 am

    I’m going to look into that one in Sydney today…..

  • 18 alaeroNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 7:39 am

    I echo what Paul said,

    You dont wont to be fixing someone else’s problem.

    Glad you have moved on from the Melbourne one matey.

    a.

  • 19 swadeNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 8:16 am

    I’ve just emailed the owner to let him know I’m passing on it.

  • 20 Magz from OzNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 8:38 am

    Hi swade, have you seen the Cab Monte Carlo on E-bay? a lot more expensive but may be negotiable!

  • 21 MarkacNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 8:41 am

    There are some good Montes out there. You don’t need a bad one. I had that experience with a ‘97 Talladega. Wish I’d walked away from that one!

  • 22 David WishartNo Gravatar // Dec 23, 2008 at 6:45 pm

    OK – just now reading your description, the Monte sounds too rough to consider at the price. Still unique, though.