1977 SAAB 99 ems review from North America
"Make me one car. Make it that one"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Previous owner replaced drive/spline shaft at 45-50k, suggested that I do the same before too long. Well, indeed. I limped home stuck in 2nd gear at 94k.
General comments?
Engine/ drive train were not quick from dead stop, but what do you want for ~110hp and ~3400 lbs? (Hmmm. See above, and note that I was age 22, previous owner female and 55!) However, from 30 mph to 80 mph, this same little box would out-perform others handily.
And handling/road stability? Wow. The V-8 sleds with no sense of direction would be quite frustrated as I slipped away from them on back roads. Yes this was a fun car.
Way ahead of it's time with cab-forward design. And what ever happened to understated sophistication in cars? Simply everything was at-hand, with no silly schlock. What a joy.
Oh, and room for 4 with 25+ miles per gallon. 30 at times, back in 1977. Hello, Detroit, anyone listening???
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| Fun, nimble, quirky lovable car! |
|
| Never again! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1977 |
| Year of manufacture | 1976 |
| First year of ownership | 1985 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1986 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 92000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 114000 miles |
| Previous car | Dodge Aspen |
| Date of Entry | 29th April, 2006 |