Faults:

The braking system had some minor issues such as failures in hoses, bleeding, and electronic ignition components, nothing of vital importance.

Although it's robust, being a classic, finding specific parts (like original racing kits) is a challenge, and the quality of British components isn't the best. It's not a Ford or a Vauxhall; finding spare parts isn't easy, and they're expensive, like all Saab parts.

As for maintenance, it's generally a very reliable car, but it does require strict maintenance, and it's best if it's done by a specialist from the Swedish brand.

The air conditioning, while it never had any problems, didn't cool very well, and the heating was hotter than an oven. It's clear this was a car designed for the Swedish or Scandinavian climate.

General Comments:

Besides being robust and well-built (it never had a rust problem in over 30 years), the car was very safe and easy to handle, two virtues that were not easy to find in cars from the early 80s. My previous car was a Peugeot 505, which is well known for being comfortable and reliable; little to nothing can compare with the 99. The Swedish car surpassed it in every way (and that wasn't an easy task).

Its stability is excellent; the handling is quite neutral for a front-wheel-drive car, since its engine, although longitudinally mounted, is positioned directly over the front axle, with the transmission located under the engine. This makes the overall ride height relatively high, but because it has a very wide track, the height-to-width ratio is normal. It's even curious that there are no anti-roll bars, yet the car corners remarkably flat, with hardly any body roll.

The steering, aside from being slightly slow for very spirited driving—which isn't typical of a car in the 99's class—is delightful to use: precise, as with any rack and pinion system, and very smooth, even when parking. However, what impressed me most was the extreme smoothness of its return to center: without any jerking of the accelerator or engine braking, as is quite typical in front-wheel-drive cars, and without the slightest harshness.

The brakes are excellent. I certainly didn't subject them to any excessively harsh tests, but based on how they perform, they are more than adequate.

The driving position is perfectly adjustable. The seats, already superb in terms of lateral support and, above all, their ergonomic design, have a couple of improvements for the driver: electric heating (which activates automatically when the ignition is switched on if the temperature is below 14 degrees Celsius) and height and tilt adjustment. In other words, not only can you adjust the distance to the steering wheel and pedals and the backrest angle, but also the seat height and tilt. Because the distance to the steering wheel and pedals is well-balanced and the gearshift lever has a very short throw, a perfect driving position can be found for any size driver.

Finally, I'll talk about the mechanics. It's a robust car and quite quiet, considering it's a very old model.

The engine, with its very square profile, runs with exemplary smoothness and silence. It revs to 6500 rpm without complaint, even well beyond its maximum power output. It always starts on the first try, and in just a few seconds, the choke can be almost completely bypassed.

The power isn't extraordinary, but the engine's flexibility certainly is. From below 1500 rpm the engine pulls impressively, all the way up to 5500 rpm; the next 1000 rpm are taken more slowly, as if it's lacking breath.

Thanks to its efficient aerodynamics, fuel consumption is not too high, although it is certainly not a fuel-efficient car; it is simply on par with any 2.0 engine of its time.

I don't think it's a car for everyday use these days, but anyone who has owned one surely enjoyed it as much as I did.

Faults:

Clutch drive. Went twice, but not much else.

General Comments:

The 99 looks nice. No way these rust, they are made of real steel!

Heavy to drive; steering and clutch are weighty items. A 4 speed manual; perhaps an auto would be nicer? The heavy theme is extended to the instrumentation. No flimsy switchgear here. The interior is really well thought out, with such neat touches as the ignition key placement.

Mine had the much-maligned Triumph fuel injected engine, but it gave me no problems.

In Australia, parts for Saabs and therefore repairs are expensive.