Vee

My 2000 Ford Taurus may be on its last legs. I inherited it as a company car and it's done very well. 150,000 miles with all original everything. Other than changing its oil every 3,000 miles (almost religiously) I've spent very little in any type of repair.

I've always wanted a convertible, and plan to buy one when the Taurus finally dies, and the Saab is on the top of my list.

My question is how dependable are the Saabs? Am I buying a car that I probably won't have to worry about, or do they start causing minor problems after awhile. I don't usually follow the recommended maintenance, other than making sure the oil is changed. Are Saabs one of those cars that really need the services?

Thank you for any insight or advice.

Saab Fahrer

On the Saab tops I have worked on, I have found that the coating on the hydraulic lines deteriorates which can allow the hoses to weaken. The lines themself are not hard to replace just hard to bleed.

Also, cloth tops only last so long. Constant cycling of the top causes the rubber water barrier to wear out where the top folds and will eventually leak. The tops can be bought online for $300-400 but expect to spend a couple of days doing it.