Just wondering how long (approx) the sax generally takes to learn well
enough to play at a moderate or lower intermediate level.
Did you take lessons & internet classes?
When did you think about renting\buying a sax?

What do I think about buying or renting? Well, obviously, to learn, you need a sax. Don`t go spend a lot of money until you know you love it.
The best way to learn is to take lessons. That way you can hear the tone and learn intonation. Internet lessons for the saxophone would not work very well seeing as they MIDI files aren`t quite in tone through most computer speakers and you can`t ask questions. There is a LOT more to playing the sax than fingers!
To play at an intermediate level depends on the person. If you practice every day, I got to lower intermediate level in about 4 months, or to what I consider lower intermediate. I`ve been playing for almost 2 years and am not at the highest level (obviously you would`ve heard of me by now... and there IS no highest level!)
Time depends. Take lessons to be good. Only take them from someone you are comfortable with. I just quit some lessons because I could not get into the way the guy was teaching... but hey we still run into each other a lot and I continue to learn things from hearing him.