[TodmordenLad]

Found myself reminiscing about a Saab I once ran for three years in the early/mid 90s after reading a post about how modern dashboards are increasingly resembling iPhones and the like.
My Saab had the best switchgear, ergonomics and driver cockpit of any car I've owned, I reckon. It was also sweet to drive, propelled by a powerful (for the time) turbo petrol engine. Unfortunately, my employer dropped Saab from the list when it came to renew so it was a one off experience.
What a pity they folded. They made some lovely looking, rapid cars in their time

[Sedoy]

Never say never, they might bring it back as an EV. It won't be NEVS to me...

[KennyFSU]

I remember in HS I was drooling over the 9-3 Viggen, love those hatches.

[stein_325i]

Calling @Alfisti

[MmmmmM2]

[3798j]

In the list of favorite cars owned, my 1978 Saab99 Turbo is among the ~most~ favorite. Burgundy with burgundy seats, heated driver's seat, Inca wheels, and front and rear spoilers (identical to this internet photo)...it was such a good looking, good performing sport sedan...introduced at a time in an automotive era that didn't have many interesting alternatives.

[P1]

Always loved these...



And yes, it's for sale: https://www.saab-heritage.fr/saab-90...r_24_i_26.html

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by MmmmmM2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY-x...hannel=Hagerty

Nice video. Mine was a four door 900 with a 2L turbo, IIRC

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by stein_325i

Calling @Alfisti

My DD ...........



Bought it in 2010 from the US when a dollar was a dollar and the US was in the middle of a shit show so picked it up for $17K with 33,000KMS (22K miles).

Now at 135K Kms.

Ownership has been good, not brilliant. It's tough to mark the car as it lives outside in absolutely BRUTAL weather. The car drives like new and the body and underbody is in remarkable shape.

There have been no major failures but little things simply add up. I just had the aircon, fuel gauge, hood lock and sunroof rubbers fixed at a cost of $2K. That sounds a LOT of money for a car worth maybe $5K at most bt reality is a replacement vehicle, new, a MUCH smaller vehicle with less cargo room, less power and less everything, is $400 a month, so in 5 months I am square. That's the math for me.

Total cost of ownership is in the region of $275 a month, for the same money on a new lease I would have been out about $200 month more.

Here's my quick run down;

+ Perfect size trunk, the amount of times I have JUST and I mean FUCKING JUST fit shit in there is absolutely remarkable.
+ Still looks good today
+ Still safe by today's standards
+ Relatively light
+ Buttery smooth transmission and engine at low revs
+ Great seats
+ No major failures
+ Excellent freeway MPG
+ Relatively analog, it doesn't fucking beep at you or try to change lanes or brake or FUCKING BEEP FOR FUCKS SAKE. Fuck i hate the beeping in newer cars.
+ Engines respond well to a cheap tune

- Tight back seat
- Suspension is both harsh and sloppy, quite the achievement that
- Maintenance is not Toyota cheap, brakes, suspension etc are the hidden costs
- Parts will be an issue in smaller cities (not an issue for me yet at all)
- Premium gas
- Poor city MPG
- Doors REFUSE to stay open when exiting vehicle, drives me insane
- Both the 2T and V6T are bottom end only, once past 3500RPM you are just making noise not power

[MmmmmM2]

Originally Posted by TodmordenLad

Nice video. Mine was a four door 900 with a 2L turbo, IIRC

Yep! Jason Camissa does good work.

[its55]

Once bought and owned a new ‘81 Saab 900 5-speed. Really enjoyed that car. Too bad GM destroyed the brand.

[SteveinArizona]

I always liked the Saabs. American car makers have not done well when buying foreign car brands. GM screwed up Saab. Ford screwed up Volvo and Aston Martin. In the reverse order, Daimler couldn't make the merger with Chrysler work (although Chrysler is still using a Mercedes frame design for its 300 series!).

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

I always liked the Saabs. American car makers have not done well when buying foreign car brands. GM screwed up Saab. Ford screwed up Volvo and Aston Martin. In the reverse order, Daimler couldn't make the merger with Chrysler work (although Chrysler is still using a Mercedes frame design for its 300 series!).

Eh, the way I see it, is those companies the Americans bought AT THE TIME, were screwed already by their own management, GM and Ford just delayed the inevitable and wasted billions doing it. In the end, we had to bail out GM and ChryCo for it. Ford had to turn over the company assets to the Banks just to get cash to redesign its lineup.

I like(d) all three brands, but auto industry economics moved on and the old school way of running an auto business wasn't adaptable. VW has materially changed the manufacturing cost environment with its build-everything-off-of-one-platform MQB crap. Government crash standards and environmental standards has also de-stratified the industry, making all cars pretty much the same blobs throughout the lineup. Hammer 1 and Hammer 2.

[Germanauto]

My dad drove a 2004 Saab 9-5 for several years. It was the first European car in our family and felt absolutely nothing like other GM products at the time, which was an extremely good thing.

I always found it ugly however the 9-3 from the time was really beautiful IMO and still looks great today.

[INROADRACR]

I was a long time Saab owner before I ever got into BMW's. In college I had a beat up 1974 Saab 99 that was an electrical nightmare, but actually a great running car. The first new car I bought was a 1985 Saab 900 Turbo and that car was flawless. I drove it for about 100K miles and never had a repair - usual maintenance, but nothing ever broke.

In 1990 I traded up (or so I though) for a 9000 Turbo. I don't think I realized it at the time, but that car was actually a joint venture between Saab and Lancia - both companies were hurting at the time. All three of these cars were MT's and the engine and drive trains were always good, but the electrical issues and body mechanics of the 9000 were constantly causing me trouble. I kept that car for 9 years before buying my first BMW - a 1999 328i which I drove for 21 years. Saab was dead to me and I've been happy with BMW ever since.

[M-technik-3]

I like the SPG series but other that you can keep em. Just grew tired of plowing through corners with FWD.

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by M-technik-3

I like the SPG series but other that you can keep em. Just grew tired of plowing through corners with FWD.

Yeh, the torque steer through the FWD on mine could be trying at times when you put your right foot down hard - mind you, I've had some hairy moments with RWD in my BMWs over the years, tbh, so horses for courses at the end of the day

[coonz]

Originally Posted by TodmordenLad

Found myself reminiscing about a Saab I once ran for three years in the early/mid 90s after reading a post about how modern dashboards are increasingly resembling iPhones and the like.
My Saab had the best switchgear, ergonomics and driver cockpit of any car I've owned, I reckon. It was also sweet to drive, propelled by a powerful (for the time) turbo petrol engine. Unfortunately, my employer dropped Saab from the list when it came to renew so it was a one off experience.
What a pity they folded. They made some lovely looking, rapid cars in their time

Saab and Vovlo both had / have a certain Scandinavian cool about them. The 99 turbo was a hot rod back in the day.

[coonz]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

I always liked the Saabs. American car makers have not done well when buying foreign car brands. GM screwed up Saab. Ford screwed up Volvo and Aston Martin. In the reverse order, Daimler couldn't make the merger with Chrysler work (although Chrysler is still using a Mercedes frame design for its 300 series!).

Its ironic that it took the Chinese to turn Volvo around. I currently run a V60 T5 'dog wagon'. After 25 years of BMWs, it compares very well.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by coonz

Its ironic that it took the Chinese to turn Volvo around. I currently run a V60 T5 'dog wagon'. After 25 years of BMWs, it compares very well.

Volvo is making some of the best cars in its entire brand history, especially its famed wagons. It's unfortunate that the market does not appreciate them more.

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by coonz

Its ironic that it took the Chinese to turn Volvo around. I currently run a V60 T5 'dog wagon'. After 25 years of BMWs, it compares very well.

Very nice car, the V60, one of the nicest estates going. I'd certainly take one over the latest 3 series. The auto box isnt great but it compensates in many other ways.

[10"]

There was a time my ultimate dream car was a Saab 900. I still want one, but am afraid I won't be able to maintain it well. Amazing cars with so much character

I did get a Volvo 850 at some point, which was great but horribly unreliable