Up until recently I drove a Jeep Cherokee which I loved. I was offered more cash than I paid for the Jeep and after much deliberating and thinking about the running costs I decided to sell it (sob).
Before the Jeep was picked up I had to find another car FAST ! Being a big fan of Swedish ... Read review
Saloon - Front (FWD) - 5 Speed Manual, 5 Speed Automatic - 2290 cc - Max Speed: 146 mph - 220 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: Vector Sport, Vector, Linear Sport, Linear
Saloon - Front (FWD) - 5 Speed Manual Gearbox - 1796 cc - Max Speed: 123 mph - 122 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: Airflow, Linear, Vector, Vector Sport, Linear SE
Advantages: Safe, solid, reliable, fast and well equipped. Disadvantages: Can be heavy on petrol and expensive on insurance.
...
I found a SAAB 9000 Turbo for sale on ebay and e-mailed the seller to ask how much he would be prepared to sell the car for cash. The sale had 8 days left to go until the auction ended and I could not wait that long. The seller e-mailed me back and said he would take £250 for it. SOLD !!!
The SAAB 9000 is a 1990 2.0 litre Turbo in metallic grey. The mileage is 175,000 which, although high, is nothing for a SAAB engine.
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Driving the SAAB is a pleasure, it has a 4 speed auto box and you can see what ratio / driving range you are in by looking at the dashboard, so there is no need to look at the transmission. It also has power steering, a god send on a car this size, ABS brakes and the front seats have height adjusters, lumbar support and thigh support not to mention seat warmers. Great in winter ! The steering wheel can also be adjusted so that it can ... more
Up until recently I drove a Jeep Cherokee which I loved. I was offered more cash than I paid for the Jeep and after much deliberating and thinking about the running costs I decided to sell it (sob).
Before the Jeep was picked up I had to find another car FAST ! Being a big fan of Swedish cars I decided to have a look on the net to see what I could find that was cheap and cheerful to get me to and from work and around on my visits every day. Unfortunately, there is no point in having a flash car in my job as sooner or later some idiot is going to damage it, this is another reason why I got rid of the Jeep.
Having had 6 Volvos in the past, I decided to have a look at SAABs for a change, they are very reputable and under-rated cars.
I found a SAAB 9000 Turbo for sale on ebay and e-mailed the seller to ask how much he would be prepared to sell the car for cash. The sale had 8 days left to go until the auction ended and I could not wait that long. The seller e-mailed me back and said he would take £250 for it. SOLD !!!
The SAAB 9000 is a 1990 2.0 litre Turbo in metallic grey. The mileage is 175,000 which, although high, is nothing for a SAAB engine.
The car was in Broadstairs, Kent and I live in Swansea, so I got the train to Broadstairs to collect the car and drove it home. It got back to Swansea with no problems at all and I found the car to be very economical on the motorway, giving over 30 miles per gallon, which on a 2.0 litre Turbo engine is not bad at all.
Since having the car and using it for work, it will give around 20 miles per gallon on journeys around town.
I was shocked at the insurance cost though. It costs me around £600 a year to insure the SAAB, which is nearly £200 a year more than the Jeep ! and the Jeep had a 4.0 litre engine !!! I did explain this to the insurance company who said that unfortunately SAABs are quite expensive to insure, especially as it is a Turbo engine.
The Turbo incidentally is fantastic, the acceleration is incredible, but of course, by using the Turbo a lot, this will decrease fuel economy somewhat.
The bodywork on the car is in remarkable condition for a car that is 14 years old, with no rust or rot. Some SAABs do suffer from corrosion, so always check this thoroughly.
Driving the SAAB is a pleasure, it has a 4 speed auto box and you can see what ratio / driving range you are in by looking at the dashboard, so there is no need to look at the transmission. It also has power steering, a god send on a car this size, ABS brakes and the front seats have height adjusters, lumbar support and thigh support not to mention seat warmers. Great in winter ! The steering wheel can also be adjusted so that it can be moved closer or further away from you, making driving more comfortable.
Being a CD model, it also has climate control which is very efficient. The only problem is that if the car is cold it tends to come on "flat out" when you start the car to try and warm it up, so you have to turn it down.
The model I have is a saloon which is a little less practical than the hatchback version, nevertheless, there is ample room inside for five adults and plenty of space in the boot for luggage, shopping etc.
A friend of mine who had a SAAB 9000 recommended I buy one with service history, but for what I paid for the car I am not concerned that it does not have any. It appears to be fairly well looked after and to be honest I do not intend throwing money at a car bought for £250, I will just run it into the ground.
SAAB parts are very expensive, especially from a main dealer, but as I mentioned I do not envisage spending vast amounts on this car in any case. If it had a major expensive problem I would simply get rid of it and buy something else, but so far so good !
The SAAB has a distinctive shape to it, making it different from many of the cars of today which all look similar to me. It is apparent from the exterior that the car is well built and solid. The doors are heavy and "clunk" when closed, rather than many "tinny" cars nowadays, which makes you feel safe when driving it. This model is of course too old for NCAP crash tests but I am confident it would do very well should the worsed happen, even by todays tough safety stadards.
The dials and instruments on the dashboard are well laid out and easy to see, some of the dashboard is also wooden (ooh !). The vehicle has central locking and electric windows all round, it even has an electric sunroof.
My only 2 faults with the car are the material that was used to make the seats is made of a dark blue material which attracts fibres and threads like a magnet, making the car look a bit scruffy if not cleaned regularly.
The only other fault is that sometimes the auto box "shunts" from one gear to the other indicating transmission wear. It was hardly surprising when I discovered the transmission fluid well was empty ! I have now filled this up and the transmission is smoother, but there is obviously some wear and damage, but I can live with this and am certainly not prepared to go to the expense of remedying the problem as it will not be economical to do so.
This car is a bit of a wolf in sheeps clothing, the engine is extremely powerful and would surprise many people I am sure, it certainly gave me a shock when I put my foot down !
An ideal, reliable, safe car this. I am sure I will have lots of happy motoring out of it before I buy something else.
Hope you enjoyed the read and the pictures ;-)
It's great to be back at Ciao by the way. Thanks for all your messages in my guesbook, and a special thanks to lil_miss_pink x x x
***UPDATE*** I have just had a minor accident in the SAAB, I inadvertently reversed into a metal barrier that was the same height as the boot. I was going quite fast too as I genuinely did not see anything behind me. Anyway, There is only very minor damage to the saab, a small crack in the plastic on the tailgate an a small dent in the lip of the boot - thank crunchie it's built like a tank ! Not sure how much damage I have done to the metal barrier - I DID NOT STOP TO FIND OUT !!!
The SAAB 9000 is a very sophisticated car designed for today’s modern roads, even if it was discontinued a few years back! It is now known as the SAAB 9-5, and although the name is marginally different the car isn’t significantly different. The SAAB 9000 has sleek looks, with the curvy bonnet and rear spoiler, and galvanised everything.
SAAB made many special editions of the 9000, for an example the Griffin 3.0. Other Saab’s came ... ...commonplace on most cars. All SAAB 9000 engines were OHC engines I think, which stands for ‘Over Head Cam’. Any mechanics reading this will know what I mean! The engines also had direct ignition, and I’m not too sure what this is either! I think it means there are no spark plug caps. Most SAAB engines will cover over 300,000 miles plus without any major worries at all! Also, most SAAB engines have a turbo, although not all of them ...
o_morris 01.10.2003
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Saab 9000
Advantages: capable of very high mileage, corrosion free, very reliable, economical Disadvantages: Heavy vehicle, engine lacks power from standing start
...an amazing series of cars saab have produced. 10 out of 10 for engineering, comfort, reliability and economy. Due to popular belief, Saabs are seen as expensive to run. Not at all. the only high cost is taking it to a main saab dealer for service or repairs (if any). You can expect to get a very high mileage out of every saab. It would be highly unfortunate if you had to retire a saab early.
I own and drive a 1990 saab 9000s. air con, 5 speed, PAS, ... ...bent.
The name SAAB says it all, highly recommend. I could go on for hours about how it glides long the roads, quietly and effortlessly. I could tell you all about the very low wind noise at high speed, and the lack of noise from other outside sources. But, no, I think I'll stop there and let you find out for yourelves. ...
mixture 18.03.2003
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Saab 9000
Advantages: cheap to buy, reliable, longevity, build and design quality, hi-spec, powerful, unique Disadvantages: Thirsty and no diesel offering but who cares
Cars should be objects of desire that fulfil a functional needs of every day life.
Not everyone can afford to have more than car at any one time (including myself) so I had to choose something that gave me:
1) Luxury
2) Performance (and safety in overtaking)
3) Ambience of quality
4) Reliability
5) Excitement
6) Pride in ownership
7) Space for 5 adults
8) Plenty of sensible stowage 9) Ageless design
10) Relatively cheap to maintain
11) ... ...common like your average Beemer, Merc or Mondeo
I'm not a boy racer and I love to enjoy my motorway cruises. I love the excitement of having all that potential power under my right foot. The 2.3litre Full pressure turbo (B234R variant also used on the Aero) gives knight rider style acceleration even in 5th gear that really does compare against modern supercars.
These cars may not be made any more but they certainly represent value in today's marketplace. ...
sslam72 08.04.2005
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Saab 9000
Advantages: Fast and reliable Disadvantages: Spare parts expensive
...and having fun.
The Swedish Saab 9000 for me was like a status symbol, almost a dream...and after some years saving money I could buy it.
It was 1987, and I bought a Saab 9000i 16v color silver grey, 140 HP, it costs me about 20.000 € ( it was in Italian Lire).
It's a powerful car,looks very good with a good acceleration and handling, but really reliable when you have to stop, and the fuel consumption was not so bad compared to others two liters.
... ...in aerodynamics( you know that Saab produce also component for airplanes and truck)The dashboard is complete it's seem like to drive an aeroplane.
The automatic air conditioner is silent and efficent.
Also people oversize (like me) can seat easily and comfortably.
There were also some defect: it doesn't have a good value like used car,in few years you lose almost all the commercial value.
The customer service was quite reliable, but the cost ...
taisu 03.12.2005
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Saab 9000
Advantages: Fast,comfortable,reliable,safe,well equipped,different,not eminently nickable Disadvantages: Image a bit old fashioned,costly to repair
My 1993 Saab 9000 Aero is just that-the ultimate sleeper. Its 2.3 225BHP turbo engine will whisk you to sixty in 6.5 seconds,and will overtake better than virtually anything on the road. It never gets a second look from car thieves/vandals,as it doesn't have the kudos of an Impreza or a M3 (having owned both of these I can testify to their unfortunate popularity with thieves and vandalizing cretins),yet it is almost as quick,far better equipped,safer,cheaper ... ...around town. The kicker is,that Saab enthusiasts know what quality these cars have,and so whatever you pay for one,ou will almost certainly get back when it becomes time to sell. Do yourself a favour-if you want a fast,reliable,fantastically well equipped,comfortable,safe,economical car,then look no further. Take one for a test drive,floor it in second,and the grin you get will need surgery to remove,I promise! ...
scubamike68 12.12.2006
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Saab 9000
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I bought my second hand 1995 N Reg Lantra in 1998 from my local Hyundai dealer because the dealer tempted me with a super part exchange deal for my old car (SAAB9000). I find my 1.8 litre not too powerful despite its claimed 100 BHP. Apparently Hyundai replaced the 1.8 litre with a more powerful 2.0 litre in 1996.
Build quality and finish is good but not as superb as Japanese cars made by Honda, Toyota amongst others.
Being Automatic the break pads only last 10000 miles or thereabouts. 30mpg fuel consumption is just about achievable. ...
I drive over 40000 miles a year and have a company car. I don't have to think about fuel consumption or service costs. I chose the Saab 9-5 due to previous positive experiences with a Saab9000. I've also driven BMW, Honda and Audi cars in similar circumstances.
First impressions are that the car is not attractive. I don't think anyone considers Saab to design eye-catching cars but if you can get over the looks and actually get inside the cabin you really begin to appreciate what saab does really well.
The inside is, like the 9000, huge. I have not found as big a boot or as much interior width in other cars. Compared to Audi in particular this is noticeable. The boot comfortably carried all the luggage necessary for long touring holidays with two infants without imposing on the cabin space. the height of the boot helps enormously ...
pmiller 02.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Saab 9-5 2.3T
I bought my saab 9-5 2.3t 4 years ago and it was a high mileage second hand car at the time and I'm only just thinking about replacing it. This car is superb.
I bought it after owning a saab9000i which I found to be very comfortable and reliable and the saab 9-5 is no different. Although the servicing costs are relatively high I have only once had a problem with the engine and this is in a car which is fast approaching 200000 miles on the clock. Many of those miles I have put on myself, in comfort, travelling around the motorways of Britian and Europe.
And this is where the 9-5 is meant to be. It cruises along with no effort at 70 mph and pulls away when you put your foot down as easily as it pulls away at the lights. It also pulls away easily from 80 or 90 mph and in the passanger compartment, with the saab stereo, climate ...
hairy3074 04.01.2007
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Saab 9-5 2.3T
![Olympus µ[mju:] 9000](http://imagesa.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/640/Olympus_u_mju_9000__7056640.jpg)
