Roland writes:

Hey Sajeev,

A few years ago I was looking for a midsized SUV for my business (kitchen renovations) and ended up with a ’07 4Runner Sport — which my son (and business partner) decided was for him. Not wanting to derail a business and personal relationship, I stuck with my ’01 Silverado pickup.

Recently I’ve been looking at midsized SUVs again (this time for myself), but don’t want anything new, being a firm believer in used vehicles. One option is the Saab 9-7X (here comes the derision!). I like the size, styling, don’t need seven seats, and if I can interpret various articles — it was the best GM SUV of its time, but Saab fans hated it for that reason. I can pick up an ’06 model for about a $1,000 (CDN, with 104K miles) with a blown 5.3-liter engine, no rust, etc. Question: Would this be an opportunity to drop a 6.0-liter into a 9-7X without the harsh ride of a TrailBlazer SS?

Or just find a 5.3-liter replacement engine and keep things as is?

Or am I nuts?

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