Saab 900 classic shape

dunski

Hi All,

I am interested in a saab 900 classic shape. I think there Pre 93'. Has anyone got experience with these. Are they expensive to run / maitain.
Are parts difficult to get? Any clubs? Any info required would be much apprecited!
Thanks

PaulK_CCI

dunski wrote:

Hi All,

I am interested in a saab 900 classic shape. I think there Pre 93'. Has anyone got experience with these. Are they expensive to run / maitain.
Are parts difficult to get? Any clubs? Any info required would be much apprecited!
Thanks

Used to own an 81 EMS myself for years, and they're wonderful cars. Not overly expensive to run. Parts are reasonably priced, and easy to get. Fuel economy is not great, but they are very comfortable to drive, have some of the best seats of any car and a classic shape and following to ensure values remain stable, or will even go up steadily. But only for the better examples.

Best to go for a post 86 - 92 model with the 16 valve engine either with or without Turbo. They have a tougher gearbox and different front brake/handbrake caliper design.

ISSUES you will find with the Saabs:
- Gearbox problems, especially on the early 81-86 models.
- The 16 Valve Turbo engines have a weak Exhaust manifold. Very expensive to replace, so check that thoroughly
- The old 8 valve engines, pre-83 have waterpump that is very difficult to get
- Sagging headlining!!!!
- Front brake caliper incorporates handbrake, and it's a design flaw, so check handbrake works!!! This was replaced in 86/87
- Rust! especially the front and rear suspension struts. If they go, the handling will never be the same

But values are creeping up for good ones, and they have a very devout following!!! I do have a soft spot for them myself.

8~)

Yep, I had one for a while, a 1990 2 litre 16valve 3 door. All parts I needed I got from local motor factor (service items, clutch) and breaker (headlamp).

Not expensive to run, no more than any other 2 litre petrol. Comfortable but narrow cabin so if you're a bit lardy it might not be comfortable. There are clubs and good links, buying guides, etc. on the 'net. Go googling.

What to watch: saggy headlining, worn trim (only because it's harder to find than for more common cars, some dodgy switches (hazard, demister, etc.) clutch/gearbox issues and I suppose rust now that they are getting old. The one I had is still owned by a relation of mine and is in fair order - if you're really interested I can ask if the owner would be persuaded to part with it.

dunski

Thanks for the info Paul + 8!

dasher

PM sent.

This link is the best resource available for the 900.
http://www.saabcentral.com

junkyard

Great cars but you either love them or hate them, I've had more than I can remember from 1980 to 1994. Usual problems as mentioned above. There's a black 900 turbo aero with beige leather interior for sale in Bantry in this weeks buy and sell (munster issue) for`1200 euros if your looking for one, I'll get the number if you want it.

8~)

It's often said you either love or hate the 900... I was somewhere in between love and hate. In terms of driving comfort they are fine, though they don't inspire flying along backroads (no matter how often Saab assoicate with planes when advertising their cars - planes generally fly in straight lines). They're quirky which is nice, though I feel they drive like a big VW Beetle - is that a good thing?

Could live with a turbo 900 though - look good in black.

kikel

Beautiful looking cars. know feck all about them..

CJhaughey

I have a Charcoal metallic 900 Classic 1991 16v LPT (low pressure turbo).
I was thinking of holding on to it but if you want to do a deal?

MercMad

I took one in years ago as a part ex, it was an '84 Turbo and I dove it and couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about....................................then
the turbo kicked in and Hhhhhhhooooooooooooollllllllleeeyyyyyy Shhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit
the thing flew !!

It was scarey and as mentioned it didn't like corners, massive understeer !

But I liked it to drive, solid and quirky !

The 99 is cool too, maybe the early 900's time has come !

Certainly the 9000 wasn't as well built IMO !

Silvera

I too have a 'soft spot' for the SAAB 900 ......but also know very little about them.

I recall them when they were new (showing my age now;)).......I even have a set of 900 brochures sent to me c.1989 by SAAB UK

Class cars! .....will own one someday soon;)

ds20prefecture

I used my brother's 1990 900i 4 door for a year. Nice car - lovely dash for that period, great seats, good ride, floaty handling. Still a lot of them knocking about in daily use - indeed the one I drove is still floating about blackrock looking as good as the day it was sold.

A couple of things - they are a long car at over 16 ft but they are not a wide car - shoulder room in the back is cramped. They are also very heavy, and so quite thirsty.

green-blood

agree with most of the above on advice

there's great on line support from saabcentral, gearboxes can be weak, autos not great and teh headlining are the biggest issues, pre 87 the handbrake works teh front wheels which usually leads to sticking calipers.... its great driving along with smoke pouring from a front wheel.... being designed as LHd the pedals have shafts to the passanger side to operate the brake and clutch master cylinders. The clutch one can get sloppy, usually you need to just drillout the ovalled clevis pin and replace with a slighly larger one.... so watch out for sloppy clutch pedals and bite points on the floor.

I've had 2, 86 four door, all the faults which I never sorted and sold without ever putting on the road and a 91 LPT 3 door which I adored. VERY heavy on juice.

They are a big comfy barge with astonishing pace when the turbo is on song. Yes they understeer but they have the best power steering ever, you know it will understeer so you just pre-empt it... well ahead of the times in terms of safety too, if you hit anything this side of a hummer you'll win. The boot is unfathomly HUGE

I miss mine badly, but good ones are now at strong numbers in teh uk and the VRT office have copped on to imports. I'm waiting a few years then I.'m going after a full pressure turbo 16s, black, tan leather..

I love old 900s

MercMad

Thats a sweet one GB !!

They are very durable hence there are a good few around/ It'd be nice to get an original Irish one, a black turbo, with a "900" reg number !

There were plenty around new but....................where are they now !

8~)

They're scrapped.
Local breaker to me had what looked to be a good condition 900 4 door recently - very tidy looking, no damage but not wanted.

green-blood

booo

I wish I had a yard to save just this type of loss

8~)

I do have a yard and I have 'saved' doomed cars... but this saving thing wears off after a couple of years because the yard gets so cluttered and nothing gets done. For a while there I had something in the region of 8 or 10 cars around the place, quietly rusting away. Getting up on a wet or misty Autumn or winter morning to face a line of damp W123s does nothing for my morale. Finding a mouse has eaten the indises of a car does even less.

Now I have two cars garaged, which is great, two cars out in the elements, waiting me to clear out a shed for their winter storage and a couple of wrecks in a field.

-AS

8~) wrote:

I do have a yard and I have 'saved' doomed cars... but this saving thing wears off after a couple of years because the yard gets so cluttered and nothing gets done. For a while there I had something in the region of 8 or 10 cars around the place, quietly rusting away. Getting up on a wet or misty Autumn or winter morning to face a line of damp W123s does nothing for my morale. Finding a mouse has eaten the indises of a car does even less./QUOTE]

you're taking all the romance away . .