1997 SAAB 900 Reviews - Page 7 of 9

Muffler rusted out 77000miles $30 for new one, welded it in myself.

Front rim 75000 $300 previous owner had hit a curb and bent the rim.

The car has been over all very reliable. I have been very impressed with power and performance. Acceleration can be slow as well as evident body roll. However, it is very fun to drive. Seats are very comfortable for long trips. Interior is very natural and controls are well placed.

* Tracking arm seized

* Pollen filter blocked

* Aerial non-functioning.

A solid, powerful vehicle. Gives a sense of security and confidence.

Not fast, but assertive when needed.

Weak points: Fuel consumption is high; Visibility (especially when parking) is poor; CD/Tape/Radio is average to poor;Handling not as good as expected.

Strong points: Seats are AMAZING; Solid build; Huge boot (trunk) ; other drivers give you respect - NOBODY wants to tangle with a SAAB because of their reputation for strength.

Overheating and coolant seeping is a problem with many of these engines.

Head gasket seeps oil at 85000 miles and I found out that the head bolts that were installed were weak and do not retain torque.

I have been through 3 tonneau cover motors. Rebuilt motors are about $600 and a new one is $1200 with installation running about $300 with programming. Poor design and a constant problem for any Saab NG900 (94-98) owner. I'm not sure if I'll replace this one or get rid of the car. Beware when buying a NG900 convertible as this is a problem for all of those years.

Parts are incredibly expensive. Even the aftermarket parts available on a few websites offer no relief from the high pricing of parts.

The car is a blast to drive, when it isn't in the shop. I only drive it in the summer and it seems to be in the shop every month for one reason or another despite being meticulously maintained. The convertible top, especially, has been a major problem, yet Saab doesn't feel the need to rectify this by offering repair due to faulty design.

When it runs, it runs great, however, I'm not sure if the maintenance costs justify ownership of this vehicle.

Serpentine belt blew, locked up pulleys, smoke filled the cabin and car froze at and skid to a stop; $650.

Ignition switch electrical part failed, caused the car to turn off randomly, first time at 75 on highway (lost power steering, power brakes, almost crashed) ; $350.

Crankshaft pulley sensors failed, $500, caused the car to throw me forward doing 35 and slam my face in to the steering wheel.

Head bolts (2) needed re-torqued, caused loss of coolant out of engine, $550 and may need head gasket replacement soon.

Idle speed and fuel/air mix continue to fluctuate after being reset, $100 so far.

Blew a coolant hose to the engine, emptied the coolant everywhere and filled the cabin with smoke, $170.

Passenger door handle, little metal part inside snapped off and broke, $55 used DIY.

Seatbelts in front lost tension and got slammed in doors, needed replaced, $165 used DIY.

ACC sensor fan in cabin broke, $110 DIY.

ECU computer screen died, $125 used DIY.

These car's just aren't reliable. I LOVE the car and the handling and speed, but it's so unreliable, and I need a car I can count on to not only start,but get me where I need to go. This one can't.

Car was good for a few weeks, then the serpentine belt blew, and every other month since then it's been in to the shop due to some stupid problem.

It's been towed 4 times since I got it, and the cabin has filled with smoke doing 65mph+ twice. Twice it has stalled completely (no power brakes/steering) over 65mph due to serious problems.

Tiny stuff, like a sensor that is magnet on the end of a wire, cost well over $200, and at $90/hr labor, it builds up quickly.

Nobody here except the dealership will touch Saab's for anything, but basic maintenance. The dealer is nice and cut me breaks on parts and labor costs, but it's no good if the car breaks every other month.

Dangerous things like the ignition switch should be recalled (the ignition's on 9-3 models were recalled, but the 900's suffer from the problem too).

The dealer says none of this is out of the ordinary, and that in fact my Saab is doing quite well for it's age. If you can afford the downtime and repair costs, this is a great car, but I can't. I'm getting a Lexus ES300 that's more reliable and cheaper to fix.