If you’re struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor. Click betterhelp.com/carwizard for a discount on your first month of therapy. If you have questions about the brand relating to how the therapists are licensed, their privacy policy, or therapist compensation, here is an overview written by the TH-cam creators behind the channel Cinema Therapy that goes into these topics:www.reddit.com/r/cinema_therapy/comments/1dpriql/addressing_the_betterhelp_concerns_headon_deep/
GG, thought the previous comment fest about BH, would steer you back from the darkside. We need ads for getting insurance to cover mental health. Then maybe the Real Doctors will rejoin the networks and stop with the Alacarte stuff that is no better than Cheerful screen interactions shown in the Movie Demolition Man.
stop pilfering scams, it makes your entire business look like a scam. I wouldn't trust you to work on my car because you take sponsorships from such shady companies.
No thanks, I don't want my private information sold to advertisers, or unqualified "professional" help from people who have questionable credentials. Please vet your sponsors.
Wizard I'm here to complain like the rest lol naw just wanted to say I enjoy seeing the interior reviews because as she said not all cars r the same and I love the minor details that differ
A Saab 900 Turbo saved my life when I was hit broadside in the driver's door by a woman that ran a red light at 50mph. It took the fire department 45 minutes to cut me out of the car, but I was alive. Thank you to the Saab engineers!
@@rideguide9217 January, 1994, Marysville WA., 8th and State street. The injuries I received changed my, and my family's lives, forever. Everyone in my family now drives Lexus vehicles, all of which have excellent safety records. Best wishes and drive safe!
This is a car that was designed by engineers not a design committee that's soul purpose is to cut costs and maximize profits. Sadly we probably will never see this level of engineering ever again.
There's a story about the designing of the 'new' 900, when the GM managers kept presenting standard GM parts for the designers to use, like the audio system, but they couldn't stop the designers redesigning everything to suit the Saab philosophy. Of course that meant that nothing was as cheap as it could have been, and Saab continued to lose money.
If i’m not mistaken, all cabriolets came from the assembly plant in Finland. The 900 was the only car I knew growing up in Finland, and also the 99. They were very common back then and later I realized how quirky they were. We called them ’saabisms’. It was very safe car compared to others at the time. Volvos were even more safety-oriented. That door closing sound brings me back to the 80s, it was very solid, even the door handles were real metal.
I'm always meaning to visit the factory museum in Uusikaupuki. They usually did their own thing like making a stretched 900 combi and engineering a V8 9000 for 'research' purposes.
I was working at the Wichita airport as a technician for Air Midwest in 1983. Air Midwest was the first American customer to buy Saab's SF340 Turboprop aircraft. I had purchased a VW Rabbit GTI from the VW/Volvo/Saab dealership in Wichita and stopped in for a warrantee service, when the salesman that sold me the car called me back to show me a surprise that our company didn't even know yet. I saw the 1994 900 Turbo sedan that Saab had sent over as a thank you gift to Air Midwest. I loved the ignition key in the console, the quality build and the hood design along with the very unique-at-the-time fuses that were under the hood and neatly labeled. I was used to looking for fuses under the dash with a flashlight Lol. The aircraft was well-designed from a maintenance standpoint as well. Great video and thanks for the memory flashback!
I have a 2008 9-3 aero wagon with almost 200000 miles. The only major problems I have had were electrical but they are all sorted now. I guess I got the Saab bug when my dad had two back in the late 60s I'm on my second one now. I wish GM hadn't totally screwed them up.
An interesting story for everyone. I was a Saab salesman and manager in the early 90's in Manhattan Beach CA just south of LAX. The new Saab 9000's wheelbase was an exact match for the expansion strips in all of the SoCal freeways and you can feel a slight waviness when you drive anything but the standard 9000. Driving between 60-70 mph outside of the LA area caused this horrible front to back oscillation that was so bad it scared everybody to death, it literally felt like the steering was broken or something. Saab sent engineers to check it out and there was nothing they could do so the majority of those 9000's had to be shipped out and sold anywhere but in Southern California. Nothing wrong with the cars, it was just a weird wheelbase combined with a horizontal frequency thing in the freeway construction.
@@RobertCrickmore That's too bad about the 9000s, but just another SoCal Saab story to add to the quirkiness. This may only be of interest to me, but I bought my '99 9-3 cv in '02 from Saab of Sta Monica and had it serviced for years at 2GFS. Yes, I still got it, but we're now here in Boston where it gets fixed by specialists who used to be at Charles River Saab.
@@Joshtheweatherman Not really the case. I had a 76 GL99. Bought it new and everything went wrong with it. Even the paint started bubbling up. The electrical and the air conditioning; The car was one giant piece of crap. You name it, it failed. I don't think even GM could mess up a car that bad.
@@alext8828 GM went to crap after the recession. Ask me how I know. I’ve owned several GM’s after the recession, and the ones before the recession were very reliable. The very early days of Saab and GM wasn’t bad, it was the later days.
I did my apprenticeship on Classic 900's are they are now called, and eventually went on to be a Saab Master Tech. They are super simple to work on, even if your a non-saab basic mechanic. Clutch can be changed in 40mins as its right there at the front. And the fuel system on the one you have there is just "Bosch LH", which about every car in the world had in the late 80's. In europe its getting hard to find good ones now as rust really takes hold if in wet countries. That one looks really nice. Paul @ The SAAB Clinic.
This is what my old Saab mechanic used to say; he loved working on the classic 900s but the 9-3s and 9-5s were a bit trickier. Personally I used to service my old 9-5 and I found it pretty easy to work on though I never did very complex stuff.
I drove Saab's for 35 years beginning in 1984 thru 2019. I owned a 1974 Saab Sonett III, a 1986 Saab C900, a 1999 Saab 9-5 Sport Combi, a 2009 Saab 9-3 Sport Combi and lastly a 2011 Saab 9-5 Turbo4 Premium Sedan. All of them were extremely reliable and never stranded me anywhere. The key was to do maintenance on time. I had a Saab specialty shop in my area do all the work. I retired from work in 2018, sold my last Saab to another enthusiast and moved on to a 2019 VW Arteon SEL Premium R-Line.
@@PSB-900 that’s so cool. Many who had Saabs, had several of them in a row like in my family, pre-GM 99s and 900s. You should get one just for retirement fun?
@@GeorgeStar - The Volkswagen Arteon in the States is pretty limited in in production numbers. It was imported to the USA in 2019 and will be out of production in 2024 world wide. An EV version is said to take its place.
@GeorgeStar the VW Arteon was the (slight "up market") replacement for the VW (Passat) *_CC_* . The larger and slightly luxury / sportier family sedan in Volkswagen's line up. The Arteon not only replaced the CC, it took some slack from VW canceling the (slightly larger, more luxurious) Phaeton. But it has not been popular here - selling even few cars then the CC did in its time, I have only seen two in the last 5 years. (wish I had been able to get the W 12 version of the Phaeton, or the Touareg W12). The Arteon will be replaced by the ID. 7 electric car starting next year (sedan, the Arteon wagon continues till 2026).
6:12 That dipstick is actually for the transmission.... 9:12 Yes, the passenger seat is heated as well. But it's controlled by a thermostat in the seat, so no visible switch for it 10:30 Those "cupholders" are for stationary picnics only... 12:45 Note that the engine and transmission do not share any oil, as in some other cars. The lubrication systems are completely separate. Check #1 for the cruise control is always: Apply vacuum to the line going out of the vacuum pump. The throttle should move - if not, you know it's probably something mechanical. The cruise ECU expects to see ground through the wire going through the pedal switches. Any switch faulty will cause non functioning cruise. The ground goes via the brake lights, just to complicate things... Oh well. Thanks for a great video. Nice to see a mechanic who actually understands these cars.
I worked on these for many many years. I also collected them before I had kids. This is a really awesome car. If you do all the preventative maintenance work and do upgraded suspension. Just a great car all around.
Mrs. Wizard - The passenger seat is heated. It is controlled automatically by a thermostat, instead of the rheostat that the driver has. Also, the interior door handles are high quality plastic, not leather.
Yep! Of course, one could add. Seats have been heated in Swedish cars for many years before 1988. The thing with the driver's seat is, that it has Adjustable heat! (Later models like the 9-5 had to make do with just High/Low heat. On the other hand, the back seat was heated too).
I'm a Saab addict, that is one beautiful car. I loved my 92 convertible, so much fun on a summer evening. Definitely needs a wind blocker, I used to drive mine into the winter with the top down once I got that. When running put it in 4th then reverse as I don't think there are syncros on reverse. That transmission is a weakness on these, they don't like being treated roughly or any higher horsepower than stock. Treated like this one looks to have been it should go for a long time.
Passenger did get heated seats - although, they were automatic/non-adjustable. The heat came on, I believe, at 40 degs or something like that. Had girlfriends who got a kick of their rear-ends heating up. Quite sure it "helped" me out a few times with them. :)
@podtri419 My 1987 turbo convertible has a rheostat type of switch for adjustable heat intensity, It's placed where the later cars h/lamp height adjustment switch is situated.
Great video, I've had several 900's the last one was an '88 turbo. USA got the very muted version with around 30hp less than Europe. Amazing cars to drive, very confusing heater control if you have to take it apart. All vacuum switches. The most important tool to change the clutch is an old spark plug lead! They were highly tunable with an anolog engine management system. The easiest way to get more power was to break off the plastic clip on the wastegate actuator, slacken the lock nut, turn the shaft 6 times & do the lock nut back up. Brought boost on sooner & was the unofficial method of getting higher output on the works rally cars. I remember buying one with 186k on the clock, it had only lost 3hp when it was put on the dyno.
Great handling car. My friend bought a one year old 1986 900s and it was a great car to drive. The styling was unique in a good way. Loved the button start and interesting way the hood opened. You hardly ever see one these days.
I had this problem on my RHD 1984 Turbo 16. The switch wasn't bad, but since there wasn't room to fit the clutch master cylinder and brake booster on the right, they used some shafts that ran across the firewall under the dash to operate the cylinders in their usual position, and the links and clevis pins had worn so that there was too much play to activate the switches with the pedals not depressed.
Weezard. Please give us some driving tests after you've fixed these beauties. Those SAAB 900's always sounded so good, would love to see and hear it run.
I did a head swap on one of these back in the '90s, for a friend who had gotten the car as a hand-me-down from his parents, after it had blown a head gasket. Was an older model that had the "B" engine, which was based on a Triumph engine that was licensed to SAAB. Was actually a pretty easy job. These are great cars, the hatchback versions will swallow half a house if you put the rear seat down. But quirky design is EVERYWHERE on these cars, they give me the impression of being designed by a really brilliant engineer on their first day on the job.
Many cabriolets and special models were made in Finland. Also Saab used some Talmu lights and blinkers (Talmu is originally a Finnish company which is part of Hella GmbH).
Actually ALL 900 cabriolets were made in Finland. The design was also made by Finns. Also 9-3 cabriolets. Also the V8 SAAB 9000, which was a totally Finnish project and sadly just a proto.
@@Hamokk Right, thanks. Just asking because I heard that Valmet Automotive specially developed the folding roof technology for Saabs. That technology then would become an actual separate business division for Valmet. I believe Valmet has a factory in Germany specializing in cabriolet roof designs for various automotive makers.
All 900 Cabriolets were built at Saab-Valmet plant in Uusikaupunki Finland. Their electrically operated roof mechanism was designed in the same factory but built by ASC or the American Sunroof Company. Late model 93 NG Cabrios were built in Austria as GM was leaving the Uusikaupunki plant.
In middle school, a friend's dad drove a 900 and I thought it was the coolest car ever! 15 years later, I bought a 9-3 manual. I loved it, it rode like a Merc, and it could smoke 3 Series at least up to 90mph. I got rid of it pretty early though because it had constant electrical gremlins - like the headlights would burn out every couple months, alarm would go off all the time, wipers would just decide to turn themselves on - and nobody could ever fix it. Despite that, still probably my favorite driving car. Ridiculously safe, comfortable, pretty fun, unique - it's a shame nobody makes anything like it anymore.
My brother-in-law's father worked for Saab in North Texas. I remember when Bro-in-law was dating my sister, and he drove up in these strange Swedish cars. I loved riding in those cars, because they were so cool, and comfortable. One day, he drove up in a white 900S, tossed me the keys, and said he wanted to know what I think about it. I was thrilled! All the other times he let me drive the Saabs, he acted nervous in the passenger seat the whole time. I went out to the driveway and eagerly got into the Saab, started it up, and I was startled by the prototype automatic shoulder belt that started slicing towards my tender, teenage neck. Anyways, the car drove very well, and they decided to use airbags. I don't know how many prototype Saab guillotines they made, but I drove one of them.
I worked part time in a European repair shop in Tallahassee in the early 90s, while in college. I looked at a Saab 900 convertible, and asked the guys at the shop for opinions. They said that no one would work on it. I ended up buying a 72 Karmann Ghia, which I loved. That said, I’ve always liked these weird cars.
I had a 9-3 turbo and it was INSANELY FUN, basically infinite passing power. 40-70 faster than a 911 Turbo. And it fit two kids two dog comfortably with four bikes on the rack. I loved it till about 200k when the turbo bearing spun and it was too pricey to repair. Quirky quirky quirky and FUN AS ALL GET OUT
I have two Saab, my first cars, Saab 99 and Saab 900C. They been excelent to drive, easy to fix and it didn't cost your too much like todays cars. If headlamb broke it cost only, something 20 to 50 dollars, todays cars headlamb you cannot fix by yourself and it cost something like over 2000 euros.
Had an 89 Saab 9000 Turbo and loved that car. Always wanted a 900 because it seemed like Saab saved all the Swedish quirk for that. I remember my brother in law mechanic was disappointed that the ignition was in the usual spot lol. Also those cup holders were the worst, I used mine for daily driver, so I cut the corner out of a McDonalds drink carrier and put it in the center console.
My uncle and his sons worked at a Saab auto Plant in Sweden, he also owned a Saab a sports version, you could hear him coming miles away, back then and maybe now they still use miles, Swedish Miles. His engin roared like a F1 Car, when he pulled up, popped hood showed us his torbo, it was glowing RED, he said it's an airplane engine.
SAAAAB! Thanks to EuroAsian Bob and the Wizards for featuring this c900, an immaculate 73k mi 5spd. Nevermind "Better Help", just get a Saab convertible. Mine's an OG 9-3 (1/2 GM) I bought back when I lived in SoCal. The first time I sat in the driver's seat for a test drive, I was sold. No matter the LA traffic or my work stress, I called it "my prozac" (back when that was the thing), just put the top down and enjoy. Anyway, they may seem quirky and strange at first, but after decades of driving mine, these things make perfect sense. Here's to the lucky BaT bidder, and I'd be curious to see what this "Springtime in Sweden" model gets.
I have a really soft spot for these Saabs. This one looked aamaaziing! You should have let us enjoy the magnificent sound of it as well! But I am lucky. I live in the city where the oldest Saab dealer in Norway is located and I get to hear them every once in a while passing by 😍
I had a 1985 Saab 900 Turbo 3 door. Incredible car, engineering like no other. The turbo seized and I swapped in a rebuilt one with a few spanners. THe wastegate was adjustable with a spanner. After that it was really fast.Cars were simpler.
I'm born 1967 (in Sweden). As far as I remember from what I was a kid, the things in glow compartment aren't cup holders. They are as I remember holders for license and insurance of the car in Sweden at the time. For some reason they were round. Later the registration was put as a sticker on the rear registration plate. Now everything is computerized. But for sure this is not cupholders.
No, those tax stamps were gone since at least fifteen years in 1988, that is a rudimentary cup holder. Volvo har the same thing. I strongly doubt that they were intended to be used while the car was moving.
Some early chevs and Ford trucks had those same cup holders in the glove box....my 88 Chevy truck had them and the dealer told me they were in fact cupholders but not meant to be used while driving
If you meant "cupholder" in that you are supposed to use it whilst you are driving, then you are correct it isnt one. However, it is a cup "holder"/resting place meant for stationary use, taking a break from driving somewhere. Tons of cars of all brands used to have them, looking exactly like this.
One nice feature of the gearbox under the engine is that you can change the clutch without separating the engine from the gearbox. Simply remove the plastic cover, push the clutch pedal, place a v belt in the pressure plate, unscrew pressure plate and slave cylinder and your clutch is removed.
Immigrant in Sweden here. Our first car in Sweden was a brown 1979 99 CC in 1987. It broke all the time but I loved it. Handbrake on front axel, driver could regulate the hot air for rear passengers' feet (!) haha
I purchased a 2010 9-3 Vert with 58k garage queen. Loving life. Definitely needed some things brakes, couple of CVs, coils/plugs but really it’s running great. Top goes up and down no issues!
I'm glad wizard included the part about having the transmission in reverse or it won't let you take out the key. As a veteran valet several years ago, I already knew this; but a coworker didn't. He parked a 9-3 convertible and disappeared for like 15 minutes. Finally, he quietly appears and signals for me. I cross the street to the parking garage and he's freaking out. "I had to leave the key inside! I can't get it out! I've tried everything!" Chuckling, I walked over to the car, sat inside, shifted to reverse and boom. Out came the key. Dude's mind spontaneously self destructed. Then we had a talk about Saabs and how he's unlikely to ever drive one again, and how society will likely never see such engineering and quality go into a production vehicle in our lifetimes. I want one, but I know parts are gonna be a problem. So I'll probably just have to stick to 200 and 700 series Volvos for my future classic Swedish car collection.
My mom had an '85 900 sedan with a five speed. It was slow but fun to push its limits. Ilkka and Don, the local Saab mechanics, managed 150K miles from the original clutch. Mom got another 20K miles or so until the already big rust problem got impossible to manage. Apparently, 1985 saw problems sourcing good quality steel and so many of them rusted away.
The ignition key on the floor has several benefits. It started when most cars had their key on the steering column or the dash = high risk of a broken/injured knee cap in case of an accident. Also, always having the car in reverse when parked, doubled as an extra parking brake.
I've had both a 9-3 turbo and a 9-5 Aero. Great cars, though not without some quirky problems, such as throttle body and coil pack problems. Both were 4-cylinder cars and the coil assembly would replace all four coils in a single cassette or assembly.
Ive always wanted one and especially in the bright yellow paint work, and the lower cladding is to aid its aerodynamic efficiency when being driven. And came from the Carlsson edition roadcars, which are greatly appreciated and now becoming very rare in good condition and on the road.
Excellent video and look around. Videos from the wizard are always top notch. Only one thing, the fuel hoses look to be original as best as i can tell. Those fuel lines are nylon and as such are very brittle after 40 years. All fuel supply and return hoses should be replaced to prevent possible car fire.
Had a 1980. What a super fun, interesting car. Everything about it was so WEIRD, but it worked very well. It was 16 years old when I had it though so was starting to have problems. AC issues, electrical gremlins, collapsing seats, and an oil leak in the turbo.
I drive a '96 9000 Aero, just before the GM introduction, Factory high output Mitsubishi TD04 turbo, No TCS, 5 speed of course. I will NEVER sell it, they are bloody fantastic
Hey a 9000 owner !, i also have a 9000 Aero, and a 9000 Track car as well for fun days. I also Remap them for much improved power and economy. Your 9000 Aero can go to 275 bhp with just a simple remap, no mods needed. Paul @ The SAAB Clinic UK.
I had a 900 Turbo SPG for a year after college in the early 90s. Fun car! Did a long cross country road trip. Seeing you open the hood brought back memories. 😉
I saawb this car in the background of another video, wondering when you would talk about it. I own one, did a complete stage 1 rebuild. I love this car its sooo much fun! I'm in NC
I am driving a 2011 9-5, with a manual transmission (I think only handful of those were imported to the U.S.). The basic model, i.e. with the 4-cylinder engine, so hopefully it is going to last me a while. Bought it 4 years ago with 56K miles on it, now at 78K. This is my second Saab (and likely to be the last, unless someone revives the brand, with a non-EV model ...). My first was a 1977 99, which I drove for a few years in the early 80's. Hands down the 2 best cars I ever owned (although I have fond memories of my very first car, a 1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia, which rusted away of course).
I've had two Saabs in my lifetime; a 96 sedan with freewheeling feature and the Ford V4 (fun to drive, but slow) and a I think it was a 96 Sedan Saab with manual trans. You can always tell a true Saab owner (older models) because they can put the key in the ignition switch and start the car without looking down. I went to a function at a hotel once with valet parking for the event and left the key in the ignition (manual trans) engine running; they left the car in front area with the VIP cars because they couldn't figure out how to get the key out. (As you know, has be put in reverse to release the key , I guess they have never seen a Saab before)
Well it was actually a mix. Clarion was the default. Alpine were then the default in 1992, at which point you could also pick a Sony branded stereo from the options catalogue.
Not a Saab fan but the failure makes sense. You want your cruise control to disconnect when you apply the brakes which is communicated via the brake switch.Also on a manual vehicle, the clutch switch has the same effect to stop the engine racing if you depress the clutch. I use the clutch all the time to disconnect the cruise in my heavy duty truck while applying some accelerator to avoid a harsh snatch from drive to overdrive if I need to slow down or stop it accelerating past legal speed on a slight downhill.
I had an 87 900 turbo convertible as my first car and it does actually have a passenger heated seat. In the lip of the seat where the plastic met the leather it said ‘auto heated seat’ so it would turn on with that one switch.
This brings back memories, I had a 1979 saab 900 turbo,that had an 82 saab engine in it,the only car that had gas lines inside the cabin,and of course i had a gas line break.
Apologies If repeating prior comment. Ignition key in the console was to remove the possibility of having a key ring jam into your knee during an accident… also, exterior door handles were engineered to be like tow hocks. Just in case you end up in a ditch during the winter, you can pull the car out using the door handles.
There's that, and I've heard it was also b/c heavy key rings hanging there wear out the ignition? I think it also made them hard to steal, along w/5spd manual which you need to pull up and out of reverse. Wow, I didn't know that about the door handles, those Swedes thought of every little thing.
Ok!! A SAAB! I owned 8 of them, and 2 of them made 250,000 miles. Both 1991 models, a 900s and a 9000t stage 3. I also wore a tweed jacket, and smoked a pipe. 😊 They are odd, but quite dependable. My 1992 turbo convertible is still alive in the Midwest…. After GM dissolved the dealership network, I went to Audi. I am averaging 49 mpg from my hybrid.
I owned a couple early 900s and a 99. I would describe them as a Porchefied 80s VW with Sweedish safety. The gearbox is smaller than average, so they won't take a lot more power. If you're looking at a 4spd, don't do burnouts, because 1st gear will explode upon hooking up. I believe that was fixed with the 5spds. But, these cars have the 911 quality feel, and give an excellent driving experience. The manual transmission is particularly good, and significantly netter than the 911 or VWs of the time. I've not owned an auto.
The passenger seat is heated, but not manually adjustable. It reacts to a thermistor that heats the seat when the temperature reaches 14°c or below on the seat base.
I remember as when I in Highschool, got to choose a company to do my mandatory school pratice, and I chose SAAB, back in 1988. I got the previledge to go on test runs with 900 turbo, as well a 9000 turbo - and 9000 Talladegas. :) Would sure like to own a Talladega today. :)
Wow. So this is like an old Japanese motorcycle. The crankcase included the transmission in those too. They also had the clutch in there. It was an odd multplate design that worked in the oil bath of the crankcase just fine.
I had a few SAAB 99ems and 900 turbo. Awesome cars in Snow .Early ones also had a free wheel lever on floor to eliminate engine braking on icy roads for front wheels to not lockup slip and lose steering on ice downhills. Often people jambed ignition key not placing transmission in Reverse. Early ones 1960s had v4 Motor and Two stroke engines. Rover built the engine. On older 99 you can change clutch disc without pulling motor or trans . Old 240 Volvo the best cars ever made.
If you’re struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor. Click betterhelp.com/carwizard for a discount on your first month of therapy. If you have questions about the brand relating to how the therapists are licensed, their privacy policy, or therapist compensation, here is an overview written by the TH-cam creators behind the channel Cinema Therapy that goes into these topics:www.reddit.com/r/cinema_therapy/comments/1dpriql/addressing_the_betterhelp_concerns_headon_deep/
GG, thought the previous comment fest about BH, would steer you back from the darkside. We need ads for getting insurance to cover mental health. Then maybe the Real Doctors will rejoin the networks and stop with the Alacarte stuff that is no better than Cheerful screen interactions shown in the Movie Demolition Man.
stop pilfering scams, it makes your entire business look like a scam.
I wouldn't trust you to work on my car because you take sponsorships from such shady companies.
I love a good SAAB story 😊
No thanks, I don't want my private information sold to advertisers, or unqualified "professional" help from people who have questionable credentials.
Please vet your sponsors.
Wizard I'm here to complain like the rest lol naw just wanted to say I enjoy seeing the interior reviews because as she said not all cars r the same and I love the minor details that differ
A Saab 900 Turbo saved my life when I was hit broadside in the driver's door by a woman that ran a red light at 50mph. It took the fire department 45 minutes to cut me out of the car, but I was alive. Thank you to the Saab engineers!
Wow! When did this happen?
@@rideguide9217 January, 1994, Marysville WA., 8th and State street. The injuries I received changed my, and my family's lives, forever. Everyone in my family now drives Lexus vehicles, all of which have excellent safety records. Best wishes and drive safe!
It didn't save your life; it simply postponed your eventual death.
@@paulparoma go away
@@jajco191 So you think you'll never die?🤣
This is a car that was designed by engineers not a design committee that's soul purpose is to cut costs and maximize profits. Sadly we probably will never see this level of engineering ever again.
"sole" purpose; otherwise it's a KIA Soul-less.
That's not how it works... Designers will spend anything they set their eyes on, budget be damned.
Yes, because it leads to bankruptcy.
There's a story about the designing of the 'new' 900, when the GM managers kept presenting standard GM parts for the designers to use, like the audio system, but they couldn't stop the designers redesigning everything to suit the Saab philosophy. Of course that meant that nothing was as cheap as it could have been, and Saab continued to lose money.
I sincerely hope so 😂
If i’m not mistaken, all cabriolets came from the assembly plant in Finland. The 900 was the only car I knew growing up in Finland, and also the 99. They were very common back then and later I realized how quirky they were. We called them ’saabisms’. It was very safe car compared to others at the time. Volvos were even more safety-oriented. That door closing sound brings me back to the 80s, it was very solid, even the door handles were real metal.
True about safety with Saab and Volvo. But good luck finding a turbocharged Volvo from the same era. They just didn't last.
All 900 cabriolets, but not all saab cabriolets were made in finland. The second generation 9-3 were mostly made in austria, the last ones in sweden
The design was also Finnish.
I'm always meaning to visit the factory museum in Uusikaupuki. They usually did their own thing like making a stretched 900 combi and engineering a V8 9000 for 'research' purposes.
I was working at the Wichita airport as a technician for Air Midwest in 1983. Air Midwest was the first American customer to buy Saab's SF340 Turboprop aircraft. I had purchased a VW Rabbit GTI from the VW/Volvo/Saab dealership in Wichita and stopped in for a warrantee service, when the salesman that sold me the car called me back to show me a surprise that our company didn't even know yet. I saw the 1994 900 Turbo sedan that Saab had sent over as a thank you gift to Air Midwest. I loved the ignition key in the console, the quality build and the hood design along with the very unique-at-the-time fuses that were under the hood and neatly labeled. I was used to looking for fuses under the dash with a flashlight Lol. The aircraft was well-designed from a maintenance standpoint as well. Great video and thanks for the memory flashback!
I used to work on these saabs 20 years ago. They are strange but very well made and super reliable.
Saw one on its roof in Maine 20+ years ago. We flipped it back onto its wheels and the guy started it up and drove it home.
Strange indeed but who doesn’t like something a bit different?
I have a 2008 9-3 aero wagon with almost 200000 miles. The only major problems I have had were electrical but they are all sorted now. I guess I got the Saab bug when my dad had two back in the late 60s
I'm on my second one now. I wish GM hadn't totally screwed them up.
No. They were not reliable. In fact 95% of them were in junkyard in under 10 years.
They weren't exactly reliable
An interesting story for everyone. I was a Saab salesman and manager in the early 90's in Manhattan Beach CA just south of LAX. The new Saab 9000's wheelbase was an exact match for the expansion strips in all of the SoCal freeways and you can feel a slight waviness when you drive anything but the standard 9000. Driving between 60-70 mph outside of the LA area caused this horrible front to back oscillation that was so bad it scared everybody to death, it literally felt like the steering was broken or something. Saab sent engineers to check it out and there was nothing they could do so the majority of those 9000's had to be shipped out and sold anywhere but in Southern California. Nothing wrong with the cars, it was just a weird wheelbase combined with a horizontal frequency thing in the freeway construction.
@@RobertCrickmore That's too bad about the 9000s, but just another SoCal Saab story to add to the quirkiness. This may only be of interest to me, but I bought my '99 9-3 cv in '02 from Saab of Sta Monica and had it serviced for years at 2GFS. Yes, I still got it, but we're now here in Boston where it gets fixed by specialists who used to be at Charles River Saab.
Classic Saab. Pre-GM.
@@alpine1600s the only Saabs I consider real Saabs. They tried their best under GM but it was never the same.
@@kobbetopExactly. GM destroyed their reputation, and ended it after the recession.
GM ran SAAB into the ground.
@@Joshtheweatherman Not really the case. I had a 76 GL99. Bought it new and everything went wrong with it. Even the paint started bubbling up. The electrical and the air conditioning; The car was one giant piece of crap. You name it, it failed. I don't think even GM could mess up a car that bad.
@@alext8828 GM went to crap after the recession. Ask me how I know. I’ve owned several GM’s after the recession, and the ones before the recession were very reliable. The very early days of Saab and GM wasn’t bad, it was the later days.
I did my apprenticeship on Classic 900's are they are now called, and eventually went on to be a Saab Master Tech. They are super simple to work on, even if your a non-saab basic mechanic. Clutch can be changed in 40mins as its right there at the front. And the fuel system on the one you have there is just "Bosch LH", which about every car in the world had in the late 80's. In europe its getting hard to find good ones now as rust really takes hold if in wet countries. That one looks really nice. Paul @ The SAAB Clinic.
This is what my old Saab mechanic used to say; he loved working on the classic 900s but the 9-3s and 9-5s were a bit trickier. Personally I used to service my old 9-5 and I found it pretty easy to work on though I never did very complex stuff.
I drove Saab's for 35 years beginning in 1984 thru 2019. I owned a 1974 Saab Sonett III, a 1986 Saab C900, a 1999 Saab 9-5 Sport Combi, a 2009 Saab 9-3 Sport Combi and lastly a 2011 Saab 9-5 Turbo4 Premium Sedan. All of them were extremely reliable and never stranded me anywhere. The key was to do maintenance on time. I had a Saab specialty shop in my area do all the work. I retired from work in 2018, sold my last Saab to another enthusiast and moved on to a 2019 VW Arteon SEL Premium R-Line.
A 2019 what???
@@PSB-900 that’s so cool. Many who had Saabs, had several of them in a row like in my family, pre-GM 99s and 900s. You should get one just for retirement fun?
@@kobbetop - Maybe down the road. I would love to own a 1986 Saab 900T SPG w/ a 5-speed manual.
@@GeorgeStar - The Volkswagen Arteon in the States is pretty limited in in production numbers. It was imported to the USA in 2019 and will be out of production in 2024 world wide. An EV version is said to take its place.
@GeorgeStar the VW Arteon was the (slight "up market") replacement for the VW (Passat) *_CC_* . The larger and slightly luxury / sportier family sedan in Volkswagen's line up. The Arteon not only replaced the CC, it took some slack from VW canceling the (slightly larger, more luxurious) Phaeton. But it has not been popular here - selling even few cars then the CC did in its time, I have only seen two in the last 5 years. (wish I had been able to get the W 12 version of the Phaeton, or the Touareg W12). The Arteon will be replaced by the ID. 7 electric car starting next year (sedan, the Arteon wagon continues till 2026).
6:12 That dipstick is actually for the transmission....
9:12 Yes, the passenger seat is heated as well. But it's controlled by a thermostat in the seat, so no visible switch for it
10:30 Those "cupholders" are for stationary picnics only...
12:45 Note that the engine and transmission do not share any oil, as in some other cars. The lubrication systems are completely separate.
Check #1 for the cruise control is always: Apply vacuum to the line going out of the vacuum pump. The throttle should move - if not, you know it's probably something mechanical.
The cruise ECU expects to see ground through the wire going through the pedal switches. Any switch faulty will cause non functioning cruise. The ground goes via the brake lights, just to complicate things...
Oh well. Thanks for a great video. Nice to see a mechanic who actually understands these cars.
SAAB content - automatic Like!
Oh, my childhood in Finland, when most of the police cars were OG SAAB 900's.
I worked on these for many many years. I also collected them before I had kids. This is a really awesome car. If you do all the preventative maintenance work and do upgraded suspension. Just a great car all around.
Mrs. Wizard - The passenger seat is heated. It is controlled automatically by a thermostat, instead of the rheostat that the driver has. Also, the interior door handles are high quality plastic, not leather.
Yep! Of course, one could add. Seats have been heated in Swedish cars for many years before 1988. The thing with the driver's seat is, that it has Adjustable heat! (Later models like the 9-5 had to make do with just High/Low heat. On the other hand, the back seat was heated too).
So you can’t turn it off?
@@leenevin8451 It only turns on once it is below a certain temperature outside and someone is sitting on the seat (there is a pressure switch).
Saab 900 Turbo are worth big bucks these days. It was before GM came into the equation and just made it harder for Saab to make unique cars.
I'm a Saab addict, that is one beautiful car. I loved my 92 convertible, so much fun on a summer evening. Definitely needs a wind blocker, I used to drive mine into the winter with the top down once I got that. When running put it in 4th then reverse as I don't think there are syncros on reverse. That transmission is a weakness on these, they don't like being treated roughly or any higher horsepower than stock. Treated like this one looks to have been it should go for a long time.
Passenger did get heated seats - although, they were automatic/non-adjustable. The heat came on, I believe, at 40 degs or something like that. Had girlfriends who got a kick of their rear-ends heating up. Quite sure it "helped" me out a few times with them. :)
@podtri419 My 1987 turbo convertible has a rheostat type of switch for adjustable heat intensity, It's placed where the later cars h/lamp height adjustment switch is situated.
That is not a Saad story.
@@jomaoliveira7949 😂😂😂
Super! 😂
lol...
it's build and labeled like a fighter jet because saab builds airplanes/fighter jets
Big Love from the Netherlands 🇳🇱❤
🍃💨
Great video, I've had several 900's the last one was an '88 turbo. USA got the very muted version with around 30hp less than Europe. Amazing cars to drive, very confusing heater control if you have to take it apart. All vacuum switches. The most important tool to change the clutch is an old spark plug lead! They were highly tunable with an anolog engine management system. The easiest way to get more power was to break off the plastic clip on the wastegate actuator, slacken the lock nut, turn the shaft 6 times & do the lock nut back up. Brought boost on sooner & was the unofficial method of getting higher output on the works rally cars. I remember buying one with 186k on the clock, it had only lost 3hp when it was put on the dyno.
Great handling car. My friend bought a one year old 1986 900s and it was a great car to drive. The styling was unique in a good way. Loved the button start and interesting way the hood opened. You hardly ever see one these days.
I had this problem on my RHD 1984 Turbo 16. The switch wasn't bad, but since there wasn't room to fit the clutch master cylinder and brake booster on the right, they used some shafts that ran across the firewall under the dash to operate the cylinders in their usual position, and the links and clevis pins had worn so that there was too much play to activate the switches with the pedals not depressed.
My sister had a red coupe, with the body aero package….. loved driving it when i got a chance…
I enjoy Ms Wizard interior commentary.
In my opinion, it’s the worst part of the video. I always fast forward through her overview.
Weezard. Please give us some driving tests after you've fixed these beauties. Those SAAB 900's always sounded so good, would love to see and hear it run.
I did a head swap on one of these back in the '90s, for a friend who had gotten the car as a hand-me-down from his parents, after it had blown a head gasket. Was an older model that had the "B" engine, which was based on a Triumph engine that was licensed to SAAB. Was actually a pretty easy job. These are great cars, the hatchback versions will swallow half a house if you put the rear seat down. But quirky design is EVERYWHERE on these cars, they give me the impression of being designed by a really brilliant engineer on their first day on the job.
It's cabriolet. Was it made in Finland? They made quite a lot of Saab 900 cabriolets in Uusikaupunki.
Many cabriolets and special models were made in Finland. Also Saab used some Talmu lights and blinkers (Talmu is originally a Finnish company which is part of Hella GmbH).
Yep, can very well be made in Finland - even if a "Springtime in Sweden" limited edition 😉
Actually ALL 900 cabriolets were made in Finland. The design was also made by Finns. Also 9-3 cabriolets. Also the V8 SAAB 9000, which was a totally Finnish project and sadly just a proto.
@@Hamokk Right, thanks. Just asking because I heard that Valmet Automotive specially developed the folding roof technology for Saabs. That technology then would become an actual separate business division for Valmet. I believe Valmet has a factory in Germany specializing in cabriolet roof designs for various automotive makers.
All 900 Cabriolets were built at Saab-Valmet plant in Uusikaupunki Finland. Their electrically operated roof mechanism was designed in the same factory but built by ASC or the American Sunroof Company. Late model 93 NG Cabrios were built in Austria as GM was leaving the Uusikaupunki plant.
In middle school, a friend's dad drove a 900 and I thought it was the coolest car ever! 15 years later, I bought a 9-3 manual. I loved it, it rode like a Merc, and it could smoke 3 Series at least up to 90mph. I got rid of it pretty early though because it had constant electrical gremlins - like the headlights would burn out every couple months, alarm would go off all the time, wipers would just decide to turn themselves on - and nobody could ever fix it. Despite that, still probably my favorite driving car. Ridiculously safe, comfortable, pretty fun, unique - it's a shame nobody makes anything like it anymore.
My brother-in-law's father worked for Saab in North Texas. I remember when Bro-in-law was dating my sister, and he drove up in these strange Swedish cars. I loved riding in those cars, because they were so cool, and comfortable. One day, he drove up in a white 900S, tossed me the keys, and said he wanted to know what I think about it. I was thrilled! All the other times he let me drive the Saabs, he acted nervous in the passenger seat the whole time.
I went out to the driveway and eagerly got into the Saab, started it up, and I was startled by the prototype automatic shoulder belt that started slicing towards my tender, teenage neck.
Anyways, the car drove very well, and they decided to use airbags. I don't know how many prototype Saab guillotines they made, but I drove one of them.
Luckily , I see a few every week.. in my town in PA..( we had a dealer)..greetings from Penn State.
I worked part time in a European repair shop in Tallahassee in the early 90s, while in college. I looked at a Saab 900 convertible, and asked the guys at the shop for opinions. They said that no one would work on it. I ended up buying a 72 Karmann Ghia, which I loved. That said, I’ve always liked these weird cars.
I had a 9-3 turbo and it was INSANELY FUN, basically infinite passing power. 40-70 faster than a 911 Turbo. And it fit two kids two dog comfortably with four bikes on the rack.
I loved it till about 200k when the turbo bearing spun and it was too pricey to repair. Quirky quirky quirky and FUN AS ALL GET OUT
Jeremy Clarkson said it best th-cam.com/video/9Xhkyp5Ckm0/w-d-xo.html
I have two Saab, my first cars, Saab 99 and Saab 900C. They been excelent to drive, easy to fix and it didn't cost your too much like todays cars. If headlamb broke it cost only, something 20 to 50 dollars, todays cars headlamb you cannot fix by yourself and it cost something like over 2000 euros.
Had an 89 Saab 9000 Turbo and loved that car. Always wanted a 900 because it seemed like Saab saved all the Swedish quirk for that. I remember my brother in law mechanic was disappointed that the ignition was in the usual spot lol. Also those cup holders were the worst, I used mine for daily driver, so I cut the corner out of a McDonalds drink carrier and put it in the center console.
My uncle and his sons worked at a Saab auto Plant in Sweden, he also owned a Saab a sports version, you could hear him coming miles away, back then and maybe now they still use miles, Swedish Miles. His engin roared like a F1 Car, when he pulled up, popped hood showed us his torbo, it was glowing RED, he said it's an airplane engine.
So exciting to have CW and Mrs. W review SAAB. That car exemplifies "Built to Last"
Hi Wizard, SAAB was building Jets, that is why. Thanks. Great video.
SAAAAB! Thanks to EuroAsian Bob and the Wizards for featuring this c900, an immaculate 73k mi 5spd. Nevermind "Better Help", just get a Saab convertible. Mine's an OG 9-3 (1/2 GM) I bought back when I lived in SoCal. The first time I sat in the driver's seat for a test drive, I was sold. No matter the LA traffic or my work stress, I called it "my prozac" (back when that was the thing), just put the top down and enjoy. Anyway, they may seem quirky and strange at first, but after decades of driving mine, these things make perfect sense. Here's to the lucky BaT bidder, and I'd be curious to see what this "Springtime in Sweden" model gets.
Always love when you cover Saabs! I did a manual conversion and engine rebuild on mine on my channel last year!
Just love these Saabs!!! greetings from a Swede ;)
I have a really soft spot for these Saabs. This one looked aamaaziing! You should have let us enjoy the magnificent sound of it as well!
But I am lucky. I live in the city where the oldest Saab dealer in Norway is located and I get to hear them every once in a while passing by 😍
I had a 1985 Saab 900 Turbo 3 door. Incredible car, engineering like no other. The turbo seized and I swapped in a rebuilt one with a few spanners. THe wastegate was adjustable with a spanner. After that it was really fast.Cars were simpler.
I'm born 1967 (in Sweden). As far as I remember from what I was a kid, the things in glow compartment aren't cup holders. They are as I remember holders for license and insurance of the car in Sweden at the time. For some reason they were round. Later the registration was put as a sticker on the rear registration plate. Now everything is computerized. But for sure this is not cupholders.
Thanks for the insight 👍 The 900 (Cabriolet) is a cool car 🖤 And also as a fun fact that this exact car may very well be made in Finland 😉
No, those tax stamps were gone since at least fifteen years in 1988, that is a rudimentary cup holder. Volvo har the same thing. I strongly doubt that they were intended to be used while the car was moving.
Some early chevs and Ford trucks had those same cup holders in the glove box....my 88 Chevy truck had them and the dealer told me they were in fact cupholders but not meant to be used while driving
If you meant "cupholder" in that you are supposed to use it whilst you are driving, then you are correct it isnt one. However, it is a cup "holder"/resting place meant for stationary use, taking a break from driving somewhere. Tons of cars of all brands used to have them, looking exactly like this.
One nice feature of the gearbox under the engine is that you can change the clutch without separating the engine from the gearbox. Simply remove the plastic cover, push the clutch pedal, place a v belt in the pressure plate, unscrew pressure plate and slave cylinder and your clutch is removed.
Immigrant in Sweden here. Our first car in Sweden was a brown 1979 99 CC in 1987. It broke all the time but I loved it. Handbrake on front axel, driver could regulate the hot air for rear passengers' feet (!) haha
When I was a young lawyer, the managing partner at the firm had one of these. Very, very cool.
I agree they are cool !😀
I really hope it comes back to Finland where it was made!
Superb car, world class design and engineering. Saab been one of the worlds best autos
Family car 2001 9-3 SE and it is a riot. Timeless interior, cool exterior and zippy……..GE so what, we love the SAAB.
I purchased a 2010 9-3 Vert with 58k garage queen. Loving life. Definitely needed some things brakes, couple of CVs, coils/plugs but really it’s running great. Top goes up and down no issues!
What a great car! Finally you had one 900 Turbo in you shop! The way you introduced this car was very sweet.
I'm glad wizard included the part about having the transmission in reverse or it won't let you take out the key. As a veteran valet several years ago, I already knew this; but a coworker didn't. He parked a 9-3 convertible and disappeared for like 15 minutes. Finally, he quietly appears and signals for me. I cross the street to the parking garage and he's freaking out. "I had to leave the key inside! I can't get it out! I've tried everything!" Chuckling, I walked over to the car, sat inside, shifted to reverse and boom. Out came the key. Dude's mind spontaneously self destructed. Then we had a talk about Saabs and how he's unlikely to ever drive one again, and how society will likely never see such engineering and quality go into a production vehicle in our lifetimes. I want one, but I know parts are gonna be a problem. So I'll probably just have to stick to 200 and 700 series Volvos for my future classic Swedish car collection.
My mom had an '85 900 sedan with a five speed. It was slow but fun to push its limits. Ilkka and Don, the local Saab mechanics, managed 150K miles from the original clutch. Mom got another 20K miles or so until the already big rust problem got impossible to manage. Apparently, 1985 saw problems sourcing good quality steel and so many of them rusted away.
Great cars! Loved my 89 SPG. Also the easiest clutch replacement, ever! Wish I still had that car. Love seeing that one in such great shape!
The ignition key on the floor has several benefits. It started when most cars had their key on the steering column or the dash = high risk of a broken/injured knee cap in case of an accident. Also, always having the car in reverse when parked, doubled as an extra parking brake.
I've had both a 9-3 turbo and a 9-5 Aero. Great cars, though not without some quirky problems, such as throttle body and coil pack problems. Both were 4-cylinder cars and the coil assembly would replace all four coils in a single cassette or assembly.
I’ve had several Saabs..never heard of the SIS..very cool…Bob gets great cars.
I survived two major wrecks in my Saab 900 and Saab 9000. I really wish I still had those cars. Better than anything that is being built now.
So interesting!! I’d love to seen an engine out on this thing!!
You may ask "why are they made like a fighter jet?" Because: Saab made fighter jets. Their ads used to promote this.
I know, right? Besides all of those wonderful mechanical & electric labels, you almost expect "Escape" labels By the door handles... 😉
@@marko7843
Ejection seats....oh wait.....
SAAB - Born from jets.
@@JohnSmith-pl2bk Yeah, Aston already did that...
It’s tough to find a convertible Manuel transmission mid size car these days. I love it
This IS my dream car.
My wife had a boss a number of years ago with a yellow one of those. He loved it. They sound surprisingly good too.
Saab turbos are powerful for purpose.. between about 50mph to 70mph acceleration to pass someone it performs really well
You got to love that mid range, on boost acceleration!!!
Ive always wanted one and especially in the bright yellow paint work, and the lower cladding is to aid its aerodynamic efficiency when being driven.
And came from the Carlsson edition roadcars, which are greatly appreciated and now becoming very rare in good condition and on the road.
Those foglights add a very nice touch
Excellent video and look around. Videos from the wizard are always top notch.
Only one thing, the fuel hoses look to be original as best as i can tell. Those fuel lines are nylon and as such are very brittle after 40 years. All fuel supply and return hoses should be replaced to prevent possible car fire.
Had a 1980. What a super fun, interesting car. Everything about it was so WEIRD, but it worked very well. It was 16 years old when I had it though so was starting to have problems. AC issues, electrical gremlins, collapsing seats, and an oil leak in the turbo.
One of the easier cars to change the clutch in. I miss these old Saabs, thanks for sharing Mr and Mrs Wizard.
I drive a '96 9000 Aero, just before the GM introduction, Factory high output Mitsubishi TD04 turbo, No TCS, 5 speed of course. I will NEVER sell it, they are bloody fantastic
I sold my '96 Aero 2 years ago after driving it for 18 years, and miss it more than any car I've had in over 50 years.
Hey a 9000 owner !, i also have a 9000 Aero, and a 9000 Track car as well for fun days. I also Remap them for much improved power and economy. Your 9000 Aero can go to 275 bhp with just a simple remap, no mods needed. Paul @ The SAAB Clinic UK.
I had a 900 Turbo SPG for a year after college in the early 90s. Fun car! Did a long cross country road trip. Seeing you open the hood brought back memories. 😉
That will go for a pretty penny. Ultra rare and well known edition among saab afficianados.
Whoever marked Mrs. Wizard's part as filler: You're going to hell 😭
What a beauty, thx for sharing it with us
Surely the "Springtime in Sweden" must be a hilarious reference to the Mel Brooks movie "The Producers" from 1967...
I saawb this car in the background of another video, wondering when you would talk about it. I own one, did a complete stage 1 rebuild. I love this car its sooo much fun! I'm in NC
I am driving a 2011 9-5, with a manual transmission (I think only handful of those were imported to the U.S.). The basic model, i.e. with the 4-cylinder engine, so hopefully it is going to last me a while. Bought it 4 years ago with 56K miles on it, now at 78K. This is my second Saab (and likely to be the last, unless someone revives the brand, with a non-EV model ...). My first was a 1977 99, which I drove for a few years in the early 80's. Hands down the 2 best cars I ever owned (although I have fond memories of my very first car, a 1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia, which rusted away of course).
I love these in the hardtop! such a classic
I've had two Saabs in my lifetime; a 96 sedan with freewheeling feature and the Ford V4 (fun to drive, but slow) and a I think it was a 96 Sedan Saab with manual trans. You can always tell a true Saab owner (older models) because they can put the key in the ignition switch and start the car without looking down. I went to a function at a hotel once with valet parking for the event and left the key in the ignition (manual trans) engine running; they left the car in front area with the VIP cars because they couldn't figure out how to get the key out. (As you know, has be put in reverse to release the key , I guess they have never seen a Saab before)
84-92,Hahn AB Germany, 2 of my friends bought new ones in that period, I made the mistake of buying a scirocco 😢AIM HIGH AIR FORCE 😅
Nice touch: Clarion was the OEM stereo brand for Saabs back then. The owner chose Clarion for the aftermarket CD receiver also.
Well it was actually a mix. Clarion was the default. Alpine were then the default in 1992, at which point you could also pick a Sony branded stereo from the options catalogue.
Growing up my best friends dad was the sabb mechanic in Louisvile KY.
SAAB born from jets. My friend has a few SAAB'S on his lot here in Boise Idaho.
I love the old Saabs!
Not a Saab fan but the failure makes sense. You want your cruise control to disconnect when you apply the brakes which is communicated via the brake switch.Also on a manual vehicle, the clutch switch has the same effect to stop the engine racing if you depress the clutch. I use the clutch all the time to disconnect the cruise in my heavy duty truck while applying some accelerator to avoid a harsh snatch from drive to overdrive if I need to slow down or stop it accelerating past legal speed on a slight downhill.
I had an 87 900 turbo convertible as my first car and it does actually have a passenger heated seat. In the lip of the seat where the plastic met the leather it said ‘auto heated seat’ so it would turn on with that one switch.
So long, Marroon Golf. Black Saab rules!
This brings back memories, I had a 1979 saab 900 turbo,that had an 82 saab engine in it,the only car that had gas lines inside the cabin,and of course i had a gas line break.
Apologies If repeating prior comment. Ignition key in the console was to remove the possibility of having a key ring jam into your knee during an accident… also, exterior door handles were engineered to be like tow hocks. Just in case you end up in a ditch during the winter, you can pull the car out using the door handles.
There's that, and I've heard it was also b/c heavy key rings hanging there wear out the ignition? I think it also made them hard to steal, along w/5spd manual which you need to pull up and out of reverse. Wow, I didn't know that about the door handles, those Swedes thought of every little thing.
This SAAB is my JAM! I LOVE SAAB ❤
Ok!! A SAAB! I owned 8 of them, and 2 of them made 250,000 miles. Both 1991 models, a 900s and a 9000t stage 3. I also wore a tweed jacket, and smoked a pipe. 😊
They are odd, but quite dependable. My 1992 turbo convertible is still alive in the Midwest…. After GM dissolved the dealership network, I went to Audi. I am averaging 49 mpg from my hybrid.
I owned a couple early 900s and a 99. I would describe them as a Porchefied 80s VW with Sweedish safety.
The gearbox is smaller than average, so they won't take a lot more power. If you're looking at a 4spd, don't do burnouts, because 1st gear will explode upon hooking up. I believe that was fixed with the 5spds. But, these cars have the 911 quality feel, and give an excellent driving experience. The manual transmission is particularly good, and significantly netter than the 911 or VWs of the time. I've not owned an auto.
I'm still living the dream with a 900 hatch back 16v and 200k miles 1989. Original owner. Perfect condition
Man these were everywhere in the 80s. Every yuppie had a BMW or Saab.
Richard Pryor in the Moving video with a 1988 Saab 900 turbo" My brand new 24 000 dollar Saab.."
Always a pleasure to hear the calm wizards voice !
The passenger seat is heated, but not manually adjustable. It reacts to a thermistor that heats the seat when the temperature reaches 14°c or below on the seat base.
I have a Saab and it's an amazing car beautiful,powerful and very economical. Super reliable.
I remember as when I in Highschool, got to choose a company to do my mandatory school pratice, and I chose SAAB, back in 1988. I got the previledge to go on test runs with 900 turbo, as well a 9000 turbo - and 9000 Talladegas. :)
Would sure like to own a Talladega today. :)
Wow. So this is like an old Japanese motorcycle. The crankcase included the transmission in those too. They also had the clutch in there. It was an odd multplate design that worked in the oil bath of the crankcase just fine.
I had a few SAAB 99ems and 900 turbo.
Awesome cars in Snow .Early ones also had a free wheel lever on floor to eliminate engine braking on icy roads for front wheels to not lockup slip and lose steering on ice downhills.
Often people jambed ignition key not placing transmission in Reverse.
Early ones 1960s had v4 Motor and Two stroke engines.
Rover built the engine. On older 99 you can change clutch disc without pulling motor or trans .
Old 240 Volvo the best cars ever made.