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The infamous Saab 900 that so many of us get our intercoolers from.

Does anyone have any experience with them? I found one local, for a good deal. New clutck, 90k, and such. Seems pretty nice.

Anyone have any experience with that car, or SAAB's in general?

They seem a bit quicker than a stock SS, which would be good because I'm used to quick, but gas mileage seems pretty good.

I figure it's a GM, but built to European standards, so lighting and such can't be horrible.

What do you guys think?

Ever looked under the hood of one?

Nope. I haven't.

900s are pre-GM. I considered one until I looked under the hood - cast iron engine sitting backwards on top of the transmission. I do like the interior and how it feels around me. Friends of the family used to sell Saab, Subaru, and M-B and the son had an SPG convertible with a chip and bigger turbo that could chirp 4th (fast for 1992), but as a rule they're pretty slow 'cause they're heavy. I'd only get an SPG. How about a Sonnett III - under 2k lbs.

Steve

evolutionmovement wrote:I considered one until I looked under the hood - cast iron engine sitting backwards on top of the transmission.

Yep. I had to help sell a 1991 900S nonturbo once. Car was in very good shape, only 91k miles, driven by a little old lady. But once I popped that hood, I said no way would I dare own one of these. New clutch? No big deal. A clutch on those cars is easier than a drivebelt

Oil changes at the dealer are $150 BTW. I saw the records of that car.

I'm confused. Why does it matter? Simply servicability?

Obviously, I won't be modding this car. So is it something to simply totally avoid, or what?

In searching, I have found that GM bought SAAB in 1994, and the 94 and 95 (and up) 900's were GM built.

Am I going to buy this car, and have a bunch of shit just go wrong and not be able to fix it?

I'm also looking into a Miata, a 97 Ford Taurus SHO (more seriously if the cams have been welded), this SAAB, and that's about it so far. the SHO is the only Auto I'll consider (because I like those cars, they are fun as hell and HUGE to boot).

BAC5.2 wrote:I'm confused. Why does it matter? Simply servicability?

Obviously, I won't be modding this car. So is it something to simply totally avoid, or what?

In searching, I have found that GM bought SAAB in 1994, and the 94 and 95 (and up) 900's were GM built.

Am I going to buy this car, and have a bunch of shit just go wrong and not be able to fix it?

I'm also looking into a Miata, a 97 Ford Taurus SHO (more seriously if the cams have been welded), this SAAB, and that's about it so far. the SHO is the only Auto I'll consider (because I like those cars, they are fun as hell and HUGE to boot).

You should get an SVX. You want one hell of a ride? SVX will give you one; every time you get behind the wheel.

I've never seen an SVX that didn't leak oil somewhere, and I hate Automatics. The only car I'd consider buying that's an automatic right now, is a gen3 SHO, because I like those things. I doubt I'd get one, since my neighbors SHO is almost exactly the same as the one I am looking at.

BAC5.2 wrote:I've never seen an SVX that didn't leak oil somewhere, and I hate Automatics. The only car I'd consider buying that's an automatic right now, is a gen3 SHO, because I like those things. I doubt I'd get one, since my neighbors SHO is almost exactly the same as the one I am looking at.

Buy one with a 5sp swap done to it...there's a few in Jersey...

SAAB? Ever hear the term "SAAB story"? The service costs are large so they nickel and dime you to death.
The higher boost turbo models are pretty fun for FWDs though.

I don't intend to go to the dealer for service. I'll do maintainence on my own (do I seem like the type to be worried about maintainence). I imagine OE parts are expensive, but I've got access to service manuals for all cars (mitchell and Alldata), and I have access to a lift, and the experience to do just about anything.

Whatever car I end up buying, I'd prefer to be stock.

I got a saab for free... took the cd deck and wiring out and figured I made out pretty good... will elaborate later as I'm at work and on the phone right now


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ok so my girlfriend's sister had this saab... that would have one thing go wrong then get it fixed and something else would break... I fixed quite a few things on it for her, and eventually she ended up giving it to me for free after the last time it broke...

what happened is that she was driving down the road and it lost all electricals and started to overheat...

she parked it and had it towed home, and then called me and told me to get the damn thing out of her driveway, she didn't want it anymore if it was goign to keep breaking once a week...

I towed it to my house rather uneventfully, and opened up the hood... WHAT A MESS!!!! my diagnosis is that either the waterpump or alternator pulley seized... the problem is that the hood opens to the front and the alternator and water pump are on the rear of the engine basically right up against the firewall, and under the A/C compressor and all the lines....

so I just yanked the $100 cd deck and 0g wires and the blizzak snowtires and the car sits on blocks in my driveway....

A 97 SHO huh?
Trying to give Roman a run for his money?

watch out for bad body corrosion on the SAAB. I had to put a fiberglass floor in my girlfriend's '89 900, due to the huge gaping hole there

they leak a lot so there tends to be rotted floor boards. there is a thick carpet, and under that, a thick rubber sound deadening pad so water and horrid rust can hide pretty well, especially right behind the front wheels

as for the SHO, why not a 5 speed from '94, for instance ? might be hard to find a good one. the earlier ones were more gnarly, tuned more sporty. watch out the valves hit the pistons, often, when timing belts break without warning. I've seen a few of them for sale with busted engines as a result

I do like the SHO. My neighbor, I'd go so far to call him a SHO expert, has had pretty good luck with his.

I would love a Gen2 (a 95 MTX, preferably silver with black leather), but I haven't really decided.

The V8 is nice, throaty, and the Gen3 is COMFORTABLE. Plus, the 97 had the electronically valved struts, which was kinda cool. But the 97's interior is about a million different colors. It was a good deal though. The cams haven't been welded though, which kind of scares me at 81,000 miles.

Yea, I know the V6 was interference. If it goes, it's the perfect opportunity to do a 3.2 bottom end from an automatic with the 3.0 heads from the manual.

I remember reading in a magazine, many years ago, that Jay Leno had an SHO wagon made, iirc. I seem to recall that he did something else weird with an SHO motor and a Fiesta, called the SHOgun or something. Wacky rear-engine thing i think, sort of like the Renault Clio V6.

That doesn't surprise me. Leno is a bit of a car buff. I wonder what other odd creations he has in his garage?

Dave - I don't remember the SHO-Wagon, but I know about the Shogun.

They only made a few. To get one, you had to buy a Fiesta, a MTX SHO (both brand new at the time), and then pay to have the conversion done.

I think the total cost was just under 50grand.

The Fiesta was 220hp, rear engine, rear drive, Manual transmission. Custom body kit, and custom paint.

Jay Leno's SHOgun had Nitrous. I tihnk they made 10 of them or something like that. Each was a different color. Jay's is purpleish, and I think it's #7.

Just one more tidbit.

Once I looked under the hood of that 900S, my new nickname for all Saab 900's is "the retard." It's deformed enough to me to be called a retard

I just think its funny that you have to take off the wheel and fender liner to change the belts.

snowboarded wrote:That doesn't surprise me. Leno is a bit of a car buff. I wonder what other odd creations he has in his garage?

http://www.seriouswheels.com/top-1966-O ... y-Leno.htm

Oh that Leno, he puts everthing on a vette chassis. He's got a Buick Roadmaster that has a similiar treatment.

1,000 lbs/ft I wonder what that feels like.
But it doesn't hit peak hp till 6350 rpm's. I wonder what the dyno of that thing looks like.

I've never seen an SHO, so I searched google, it looks a lot like a Taurus?!?

Think of it as a Taurus on crack. I've seen one at the track with stock trim put on it. Now there's a sleeper.

Wasn't the SHO a V8 Taurus? Or was it turbo/supercharged? It was something crazy.