1996 SAAB 900 S review from North America

This vehicle had problems since the week after I bought it. To begin I will say that I do my own simple mechanic work, and the things I can't handle or don't have time to go to the shop. That being said, I gave it a thorough inspection upon purchase, and everything seemed fine. The way it ran after the first week, I expected to find duct tape holding things together!

Somehow, miraculously, the car had no problems for a week, and then noises began. The clutch blew after about a month (manual transmission).

The A/C compressor jammed up, which disables the entire vehicle.

Changing the serpentine belt, which on a regular Japanese and even American vehicle should take under an hour, took about 4 hours... A SIMPLE BELT CHANGE. This belt change had to take place in a Meyer's Grocery Store parking lot, with myself, a friend, and even a certified mechanic, although admittedly he was not experienced with SAAB vehicles. But, this adds to the worthlessness of the vehicle. Any car that requires a mechanic special training just to work on their vehicles should be avoided for obvious reasons.

This car ended up costing me as much as I paid for it in repairs. Sold the car for a massive lost. I will never- I repeat- NEVER purchase another European-made vehicle again, too finicky, awkward quirks and problems, and very cheaply made.

The things you would expect a luxury car owner to pay attention to are spot on with these types of vehicles, though. The heated leather seats and little pieces of trim are well built and look sharp... but the buck stops there. The rest of the car, which a luxury car owner would not pay attention to, such as reliability and random parts falling off (such as mirrors and headlights falling out), are common in these vehicles if you read other reviews.

THERE IS A REASON YOU DO NOT SEE MECHANICS DRIVING THESE CARS. Anyone can afford a used luxury Benz, BMW, or SAAB, but no one should dump the money to attempt keep one running.