1985 SAAB 900 review from North America

A/C system has never worked but doesn't bother me much.

It has minor oil and power steering leaks.

Head was planed and refitted and harmonic balancer replaced at 180,000 miles.

Heater control valve replaced at 200,000.

Clutch at 210,000.

Speedometer / Odometer and Tachometer all began failing around 235,000, and now do not work.

Exhaust needed to be repaired and welded every three months until I found someone who knew how to fix it.

The original radio stopped functioning in 2000.

It tends to run warm in the summer under 30 MPH and is a little sluggish in the heat.

I knew the second owner and purchased it from the third as an emergency vehicle. It quickly became my daily driver as my other cars failed. This car has needed some work over time but has never broken down. It drives great! The pedals, shift knob and steering wheel fall right into place. Fuel mileage is 25-30 MPG if driven gently, 15-20 MPG when driven it's hardest, which is hard acceleration and highway speeds of 90 plus MPH. It just cruises along!

It has huge cargo capacity, like a station wagon. With the rear seat folded and the hatch open but tied down, the car has easily carried huge objects like sofas, beds, and even three kayaks at once!

The car handles very well, particularly in the rain. It's like a snowmobile in the snow and ice. The car seems to be made to stay cool without A/C. Despite the Atlanta, Georgia heat, I can leave the windows up and vent fan running in 80 degree weather and am comfortable. I only crack the windows 1-3 inches until temps are over 90. It's cozy warm, even in very cold weather, and seems to run better the colder it gets.

Having a good mechanic (like I do) who knows the SAAB 900 is a big plus. We estimate mileage at 350,000 but it may be much more because we don't figure in road trips and weekend driving. The 210,000 mile clutch job was the car's first! This is the most reliable and inexpensive European import I have owned. SAAB claims this car can reach one million miles with proper maintenance and I believe them. This is a true classic and a seemingly bulletproof car.