Are Saabs typically more expensive to maintain than Toyotas?

Answer 1

It all depends on which Saab and which Toyota.

I'll tell you this; unless you're an experienced scavenger of junkyards, you may not want an older Saab.

Typicall a Saab is a luxury car, and Toyotas may or may not be, so it follows that the more expensive ride will be more expensive to maintian.

Hi,

I drive a 1993 Toyota Corolla today. About 9 months ago I sold my Saab 900SE V6 1995. I find that this has saved me about �500/month. The savings are in service, insurance and fuel. The greatest saving is in serve and parts. When I serviced my Toyota the first time the bill felt like winning the lottery. "Is this all?"

Saabs are great machines, but unless you have money to waste I can only recomend you to get a Toyota.

Oh, one more thing. All kinds of people ask me when I am selling my Toyota and if I could please call them at that time. This never happened with my Saab.

I have a 1988 900 Turbo. I do all my own work, so it is hard to say how it compares in service costs. I will say that mine has 300k miles with no major issues other than regular maintenance. I have owned Plymouth, Honda, BMW and this SAAB is by far the most durable. I have not had any problems finding parts, but so far I have only replace routine parts (brakes, shocks, etc.)

I cannot speak about late model SAAB, although they seem inferior to the older models in quality and durability. The auto industry is very homogenized these days, so most manufacturers are close to each other in quality.

Try to avoid model years that are new designs. Manufacturers need a couple of years to work out defects. For SAABs the 1990 to 1993 900 is great, but avoid the redesigned 1994 900.

--Answer ==

I guess it depends from which direction you are coming at this. I have a 1988 Saab 9000T that is a daily driver with 350,000 miles on it. In my daily travels I have not seen a 1988 Toyota of any type driving around. So in my case I *guess* it is more expensive to maintain a "typical" 1988 Saab than a "typical" 1988 Toyota that was scrapped and crushed long ago.

Definitly not! they just require more attention at maintnence (certin oil, plugs, etc.). they are not like jap cars where you can completely ignore them and expect them to run. any car can cost alot to run, EVEN a Toyota, Honda, Nissan whatever, it just depends on the maintnence history. remember...a lemon is a lemon.

ANSWER

My background: 25+ yrs of SAAB ownership (900's, 9000's, & 9-3), 40+yrs ownership of all American mfg cars, 10 yrs Japanese, and a couple Volvos; I have 50yrs experience working on cars - street, racing, trucks you name it... The only repair I have never tackled is an automatic transmission rebuild/repair -- I've done everything else on numerous makes/models/years. I have done complete rebuilds/restorations too, parts from junkyards, jobbers, and dealers So, my point is I have a very diverse and thorough set of experiences and knowledge... I use factory manuals and aftermarket manuals to perform repairs... I am NOT a mechanic by trade, although I am an engineer in numerous fields - software, hardware, mechanical and design. So, here are my thoughts/answers:

Synopsis: As for maintenance costs, as a function of cost of ownership - a properly and regularly maintained SAAB which is driven normally and with reasonable care SAABs are either no more or only minimally more expensive to OWN and use based on the serviceable miles driven when evaluated against the cost per mile driven when driven to the point of retirement (no longer serviceable or road worthy).

As with nearly all questions the answer has dependancies, and assumptions which are vital to the establishment of an accurate, informed and viable answer... Often SAABs are marginally more expensive to repair -- REPAIR, (as in a failed part or damage due to abuse or lack of maintenance) BUT NOT more expensive to maintain! As for required/scheduled maintenance costs that varies -- the dependancies include: who is doing the work (dealers are more expensive, many independants who work on imports charge more, etc) HOWEVER, for oil changes, brakes, tires, wipers, etc - the majority of 'wear & tear' maintenance there is little if any difference in cost -- of either parts or labor. The cost of other -- some BUT NOT ALL parts can be more expensive IF you don't shop around - new and used! One of the important factors is the number of repair shops which work on SAABs in your area... For example, in New England/Florida/California/Colorado there are many shops/mechanics, costs are not as high as in areas where few shops work on them. In Arkansas, where there has never been a SAAB dealer, the nearest is Texas, Missouri or Tennessee, few shops and mechanics exist who have experience or a willingness to work on them -- repairs take longer hence the costs are higher. So in some cases higher costs have nothing to do with the reliability or mechanics of the car... the higher costs are due to service options.

A fundamental cost analysis will prove an uninformed car owner spends more to own, maintain and repair ANY car than an informed owner of the same car who seeks out the best repair shops, the most helpful and cost effective parts suppliers... Car clubs, owners' groups are a fantastic source of information -- everything from good repair shops to great mechanics, even advice/help for those willing/interested in doing your own repairs/maintenance. One of my degrees is in Economics, as a consequence I can offer a scenario which proves owning (repairing/maintaining) a SAAB can be cheaper than a Chevy, ford, Toyota or Honda... simply by altering who does the repair, where the parts/maintenance items are purchased and how regularly the car is serviced I can show how a SAAB is as cheap or cheaper to own/maintain than a car of far less quality, safety and performance! I have found/negotiated with shops/mechanics willing to let me bring in the part - new mostly, and pay them to do the 'repair' or replace the part.

The rule of thumb to low vehicle costs is quite simple: "regular maintenance -- frequent oil & filter changes (less than 5K between), frequent air & fuel filter changes & maintenance (fuel system cleaner), frequent transmission oil & filter changes, cooling system maintenance - deep cleaning flushes & new coolant, suspension & brake maintenance - shocks/struts-brakes (pads & rotors) brake fluid flushes, alignments, fluids - steering etc WILL provided the car is NOT driven abusively keep repairs and maintenance costs at a minimum regardless of the manufacturer or model". Most people fail to do the majority of these things regularly which is the reason for most failures/required repairs...

I have for over 40yrs simultaneously maintanined a minimum of 3 cars (for the last 25 yrs mostly SAABs) and during the last 15yrs I have maintained 5 cars - 3 of which are SAABs each of which is 15+yrs old with more than 180k miles. I have a 1995 Toyota Camry which is no less expensive to maintain/own than my '94 or '96 SAAB 9000... What makes the difference is the SAABs are far more comfortable to ride in, enormously more safe, only minimally less fuel efficient than the Camry (less than 3mpg) -- better stereo, quieter, and far better overall quality etc. I will put my kids in a SAAB as a first car before I would put them in any other car in the world by virtue of its internationally recognized safety record, standards and history! My wife was T-Boned by a full sized American car going 40mph which ran a stop light making a full front end driver side impact crash. My wife walked away completely without injury - upset only by the fact her 13 yr old SAAB had been hit and that her Latte had been spilled all over the interior... The SAAB was repaired and the repair shop was astonished at the minimal structural damage to the SAAB (driver's front door and fender) despite the wreck totalled the American made vehicle!

Presently I have to change a front bearing assembly on a 9000. The dealer price for the bearing assembly is ~$400 bearing only, auto parts stores ~$300, mechanic ~$350, internet $198. Parts and labor installed by mechanic ~$435. To do the job myself, I will invest about an hour of my time. My teenage sons and daughter can and have done the job by themselves its not difficult nor complicated. Actually little more than a brake job. But for the average person who does not wish to do the work the price of the repair ranges from ~$500 to $275 (if negotiated with mechanic). The 900's and the 9-x's front bearing repairs are much cheaper but require the bearing to be "removed & pressed" rather than replacing a complete "assembly" due to significantly different designs. However, front bearing jobs on various other vehicles: cars, trucks, SUVs & vans will run in the same range especially 4-wheel or "All wheel" drive vehicles or "heavy duty" vehicles (above half ton) and will/can take much more time.

High value maintenance/repair intangibles... there are many critical issues here as with every car, areas and value SAAB is and has been a recognized world leader for years. There is much to be said, and considerable value recognized -- added, for the safety of the occupants of any car -- at any price! According to US and international standards SAAB has long exceled with respect to safety, SAAB has been among the top 3 for decades -- long before the Japanese or American manufacturers considered safety a priority! SAAB safety firsts include: seat belts, head rests, reinforced door panels, to name but a few. SAAB has for many years historically out performed the industry at large and all but a very few individual vehicle models with respect to safety performance at any price. SAAB has out performed vehicles which cost far more than the most expensive SAAB - sometimes those costing 2, 3 or 4 times as much with names like Mercedes, BMW, Cadillac etc... As for technology, SAAB was the first production car to offer gas savings & power enhancing via a turbo, over 20 yrs ago; larger wheel diameters, GM appropriated SAABs climate control system and air filtration technology and designs for their high end luxury cars (Cadillac etc) when they bought SAAB the reason was simple SAABs was the best in the world - including separate left right controled systems; four wheel disc brakes, ABS SAAB has been the front runner in many areas of automotive technology which has saved lives, improved efficiency and set a standard of luxury that few others offered at any price let alone to the middle class.

A final word about cost, durability, maintenance, and repairs... "SAAB Long Run"... In 1986 SAAB set out to prove its performance, excellence and durability via an endurance test of a production SAAB. Three production line vehicles were selected at random as they rolled off the line. These three vehicles - FACTORY STANDARD - UNMODIFIED SAAB 9000 Turbos were taken to Atlanta, GA to the race track at Talladaga. The objective was to see how much distance could be covered over a set period of time - 20 days, on an closed road track. At the end of the 20 days 22 international/world records were set/broken. The cars ran non-stop except for driver changes and minor required maintenance. The final numbers were approximately: 213kph / 132mph average speed over 20 days 24 hrs a day non-stop, the cars covered 100,000 km during the 20 days, over 50,000 miles at an average speed in excess of 132mph. The 9000s were factory stock.

If you are not impressed consider this fact -- other manufacturers were interested in demonstrating their "automotive excellence and leadership" without naming these internationally recognized German car manufacturers, suffice the point to say those who brought cars to Talladega with the intent of demonstrating their "Best of Class" engineering. Shortly after beginning the endurance test the German engineered/built cars were having serious mechanical problems, some of the failures forced the cars to be withdrawn from the test and eventually with only a few days into the endurance test the entire team of German cars withdrew/stopped the endurance test due to their cars inability to perform successfully. To underscore SAABs engineering excellence and quality -- durability ten years later, in 1996 SAAB brought another 7 factory stock cars (900's, turbos and naturally aspirated & others) to Talladega with the intent of extending its record and improving it as well. Once more SAAB set records -- The new SAABs set/broke 40+ new records, including many SAAB set a decade earlier, including a new top average speed record for the FIA's 25,000 mile endurance run at140.7 mph!

No other auto manufacturer has ever successfully completed the endurance standards SAAB set each time in Talladega. Of those who tried each of the "other manufacturer's" teams was forced to drop out due to mechanical problems OR willingly dropped out due to abysmally poor performance! No other manufacturer holds the FIA endurance records SAAB holds. Be it German, American or Japanese automotive engineering, few if any, have set or exceeded a standard equal to or better than those set by the Swedes with their lowly, often criticized as "ugly" or "quirky" car with the key on the floor between the seats... (BTW the reason for the key being between the seat is in truth another safety factor... with the ignition key between the seats instead of on/beside the steering column there is no risk of knee or leg damage caused when the knee/leg impacts the dash/column as a result of an accident! Each year many people suffer injury to knees/leg as a result of the knee being forced into the dash - and a ring of keys dangling from the ignition -- upon impact with another vehicle!)

I have retired (sold) a number of SAABs with over 400,000 miles, not one of mine was retired with less than 200,000... Only one out of 15 died - engine failure (the oil return line from the turbo failed). We have had only 2 new SAABs the rest were used. With very long commutes and many drivers our cars are subjected to considerable use and varied driving habits/styles. Of all our vehicles the SAABs have been the most reliable and least expensive to maintain at the level/quality one expects of all vehicles, but even more so of a luxury sports sedan! BTW almost nothing, including station wagons has as much cargo space as the SAAB hatchback..!

Again - cost to maintain... its a very complicated answer, one not determined by what most believe are the obvious and "sole" determining factors. But as for safety, reliability and durability amongst the very -- most critical factors -- these are factors far too frequently realized and painfully understood far too late...! Happy motoring... GM just announced its acceptance of the sale of SAAB... So the humble Swedish legend will live on!