1987 SAAB 900 i review from UK and Ireland

At around 70,000 miles the car needed a new driveshaft, very unusual and couldn't be explained, at 214,000 miles there is still one original one. The first clutch gave way at 108,000 miles not too bad!

Other than that, a couple of radiators, a water pump, a reconditioned gearbox at 177,000 miles as a long trip to the south of France was looming and there was a slight whine. The cylinder head gasket blew at 195,000 miles as a result of driving 100 miles with little coolant on the motorway, silly really. A replacement cylinder head was needed and the clutch was replaced as well, seemed silly not to. A new set of H.T. leads were required at 200,000 miles.

Currently the car is inoperative although hasn't failed an MOT in 6 years! Much better than the newer 900SE light pressure turbo! Not quite sure what is wrong with it and I'm considering sourcing another engine and gearbox. Although the car does very few miles having since been usurped by the newer car, it did do a 2,000 mile continental trip in 5 days whilst having 209,000 on the clock without missing a beat.

Very good cars, must be as I'm on my fifth and have covered well over 500,000 miles in them with very few problems. The boot is probably one of the best attributes, very few cars even estates can get 2 school trunks in their boot or 200 bottles of Champagne.

Although it isn't that powerful it is a brilliant long distance cruiser, 100 on the motorway without feeling out of breath. It is also very good when the going gets slippery or offroad. The chains bought for the first SAAB have only been used once on the subsequent annual skiing trips to the Alps.