1994 SAAB 900 SE from North America

Summary:

An amazing, reliable car, but can turn into a money pit

Faults:

Currently:

Brakes need to be replaced.

Shocks need to be replaced.

Sunroof leaks.

All the sensors in the car sometimes misread (eg. The car will tell me my brake lights are out when it is not so)

High beams often don't work in cold weather.

Air conditioner doesn't work.

Previously Repaired:

Fuel line.

General Comments:

It seems like I have a lot of current repairs on the car, but the sunroof is inconsequential. I have sealed it, so technically it is fixed, but not in a sense that it works properly.

The sensors are just a minor annoyance. Each time I check to make sure the brake or head lights are working.

The high beams are an issue in the winter, but most places I drive have lit roads, so it's not necessary to use them.

The first few gears are slow, but once I shift into 3rd, this car flies.

I love the weight of the car. It makes me feel very safe while driving.

I have been driving this car for 3 years and I love it. Even when there are problems, this car is reliable. I've gotten compliments on it very often, with people who cannot believe that it is a '94! The body style looks much newer.

The ONLY drawback with this Saab or any Saab is the cost to fix it. That is why so many of the problems have not been fixed yet.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd October, 2009

7th Nov 2009, 18:45

Sounds a lot like a Chevy.

8th Nov 2009, 11:41

Saabs are not like Chevys.

I'll take a Saab, thank you.

19th Jun 2010, 02:46

Heya, I was wondering if you could tell me roughly what all those repairs cost for your 94, and whether you've had a hard time finding parts?

Thanks!

19th Jun 2010, 07:34

Lucky it was a sunroof and not the power top on my '97. Saab quickly became a Slaab.

19th Mar 2012, 15:21

You can find a lot of pieces on the Internet, and there are a non official Saab specialists that can save you a lot of money.

H.

1994 SAAB 900 SE 2.0 turbo from North America

Summary:

The best car ever built!

Faults:

Water pump replaced at 100,000.

Power steering line replaced at 106,000.

Idle control module replaced at 106,000.

Passenger side ball joint replaced at 110,000.

Fuel pump at 131,000.

Normal expected maintenance (tires, brakes and oil changes)

General Comments:

This is by far the best car I have ever owned. It looks almost new inside and out, it is very fast and handles as good as a BMW (I am sure some BMW owner will take exception to this...), gets 28mpg overall, big enough to haul a refrigerator, and is a tank in the snow with the correct tires. This really is the perfect vehicle!

The only drawback is it is a little costly to maintain. But considering all of the positives, this is something I can happily live with. Too bad they don't make them like this anymore.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th May, 2009

1994 SAAB 900 s 2.3 non-turbo from North America

Summary:

A great car with a few small problems

Faults:

It is possible to park the car in any other gear other than reverse and then start it without a key.

Had a bad exhaust leak.

Heater core was bad causing severe loss of coolant.

Brakes got rusty surprisingly quick.

Windscreen wipers don't work.

Rear hatchback door struts gave out causing a broken finger.

Eats a lot of oil.

Tape player does'nt work.

General Comments:

Well, to start with, I think that most of these problems are from normal wear and tear plus the last owners negligence.

This car is my second car after my Ford Festiva died and I think it is a reasonably good car.

It has a very peppy throttle and it runs like a champ.

It will easily hit 110 mph.

The steering is just plain awesome, it will turn on a dime and has that 'rally car' feel. It was a big step up from a Ford Festiva.

The cabin is surpisingly comfortable especially on a long commute to work. The bucket seats just make it feel like you are in a lazy-boy with a 5-speed.

However, it does require a good bit of maintainence and seems to have a new problem every week (but nothing major).

Thankfully the engine is built like a Scandinavian rock and has stood up to a long life while still providing great service. All of the other things

(such as the windscreen wipers not working) are just a minor inconvenience as long as I don't get caught in a rain shower!

One of the best things about this car is that with the 2.3 litre NON-turbo is that is gets fairly good gas mileage.

Another bad thing about a foreign car is that the parts are not cheap at all! So I find myself "cutting corners" a lot with it.

Oh, and the dealers? Forget about it! They usually refuse service to my car (as old as it is) and then carry about trying to get me (a 22 year old gas station employee, going to college) to buy the brand new, fully loaded 9-2X!

Well I don't care how old it is... I STILL LOVE IT!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th June, 2008

17th Jun 2008, 13:46

You must be very forgiving.

I think if that old Saab were my car and it broke my finger, I'd find the nearest cliff to push it off of!

Unless of course it were raining, then I wouldn't be able to find a cliff, since the wipers don't work.

23rd Jul 2008, 22:56

Yeah but it was kind of my fault. It will stay up as long as I push it ALL of the way up, which I didn't know the first time I opened the hatchback.

31st Dec 2008, 15:58

Thank you for this review.

Wish you all the best with your Saab.