Not a lot for a 13 year old car doing 20K miles/year. I changed a faulty CV boot at 60,000. Changed brake caliper at 75,000. Front suspension spring snapped at 80,000.
A great workhorse and comfortable tourer. You can get a double mattress in the boot (!) with the seats folded down. I have carried a desk in there without dismantling it. At the same time, I have used it for long distance journeys with 5 adults and luggage and arrived fresh and relaxed. Performance from non-turbo engine pretty good. Great cruiser. Handles very well in cornering for a large car. Very secure. Very solid. A truly reliable companion. Perhaps the most versatile car ever made, combining good performance and handling with fantastic load carrying ability - though perhaps the Turbo would go one better in performance. In this overall respect, the 9000 is a better car than its replacement, the 9-5.
Couldn't have put it better!
"Perhaps the most versatile car ever built"
My former 9000 CC -86, was as Yours the non-Turbo 2,0 I model.
It ran w flying colors well beyond 220,000 + miles (!), and would have continued if not smashed by thieves :- (.
This exceptionally roomy hatchback had handling that defied belief!
I first discovered this in snow : when front wheels just couldn't cope w more speed or power (the feedback to the driver is outstanding!) - the rear started, ever so slightly, to drift as well. That WITHOUT A-N-Y input from me!! I found myself in a controlled four-wheel slide as if by Magic! (Like a revelation - really, how is that possible!?)
This discovery repeated itself until I just had to conclude that this was the car's handling nature!
Later on, I discovered the exact same characteristics on wet pavement in summer.
Beautiful handling! Astonishing balance!
Get the picture? - VERY stable, very precise & convincing steering, and, whipping it to it's absolute limit, the return from the car is : " You're really pushing! I'll help you out with a slight rear drifting! " (Would make anybody drive like a Rally Champ...). No fish-tailing like rear-wheel drives, either!
Just controlled, P-E-R-F-E-C-T, four-wheel slides!
And that in a big roomy family car, renowned for it's comfort!
Safety is legendary in the Saab 9000.
For 10 (TEN!) consecutive years it was ranked around the World as THE Safest car, all categories (1986 - 1996).
(The result of the Passive safety, in combination w the Active safety).
My present car - a 9000 2,3 Turbo -94 (man.) - has the added excitement of an impressively torkey, very smooth engine.
"Enjoyment" is just not adequate! Driving experience is just hard to describe! Relaxing, in that you know you have more than enough power at wish, and absolutely Thrilling as an enjoyment! Try one for yourself!!
The impressive power is rated at 200 hp (proven to be underspecified), and is easily upgraded (for acceleration junkies like me...) to 300 - 320 hp.
(!)
For the money, Saab 9000 is hard to beat!
I don't get a penny for saying that ;-), it's my sober evaluation of the car.
Please feel free to contact me, if You wish :-)!
Gunnar.bengtson@telia.com.
- - - gotta go feed my polar bears ;-) ! - - -
Note: A Comments RSS Feed is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site