1988 SAAB 900 SPG review from North America
"It was a lemon when I bought it, but it is now back on track :)"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
In order by date (oldest -> most recent)
Replaced transmission the day I bought it (down in WV at his shop) along with front and rear main seals.
Rebuilt Clutch Slave Cylinder.
Rebuilt Clutch Master Cylinder.
Head gasket blew shortly after I bought it.
Engine started to knock and lost a lot of power apx 1,000 miles after replacing head gasket.
Distributor went bad.
Seized brake caliper in the rear.
Installed X-Drilled rotors and performance pads all around.
Swapped engine and tranny from my 1990 900T. Donor motor had 200k.
Replaced exhaust.
Shift linkage rod bushing failed.
Ignition Key cylinder was faulty.
General comments?
OK... this car has been a serious lemon, however... it is my dream car and it has 0 rust on it. I bought it knowing it needed a tranny, however the rest of the problems have been totally uncalled for.
The previous owner obviously didn't take care of it, and probably beat on it.
It is in good hands now as I have 3 other Saab's including a 1989 900T, a 1983 900 4 door, and a 1973 Sonett III.
I fix everything on my own, and parts are very cheap.
The car is finally coming together and it is starting to behave like a Saab should. It just needed a lot of TLC.
Overall, the car is an excellent car and it is VERY fast. I am currently running 18 psi of boost and have many performance modifications. I am very easy on it though ;) I only use the power when I need it hehe.
SPG's are sexy, fast, luxurious, comfortable, and handle like nothing else. They are great cars.
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| 1987 - 900 2.1 8-valve 4 cylinder I'm in love with this car, can't you tell? ;-) |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1988 |
| Year of manufacture | 1988 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0L turbo 16v DOHC Manual |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 6 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 205000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 215000 miles |
| Previous car | SAAB 900 |
| Date of Entry | 4th October, 2005 |