Faults:

Within the third week of owning my car I blew a radiator hose, around 72,500 miles. This was partially my fault do to lack of general maintenance done to the car after purchasing it used, and driving in the 80+ degree weather all day long.

The passengers side seat has never functioned properly, I think it may just be a motor, but I am not too sure.

Coolant sensor drives me CRAZY! It is always dinging telling me I am low, when I am not.

I know the previous owner had to replace the convertible top, not exactly sure what the issue was, don't know if I really want to know!

Driver's side window leaks in the rain and must be opened and re-closed from passengers side in order to ensure a dry seat... hope this is just a seal issue.

General Comments:

I absolutely love my car! It is bright yellow and gorgeous. I love my ability to burn out off the line every time. The power and handling is perfect and yet with the top down at 60+ the wind isn't that bad!

The factory stereo system is great, it is the pre-amped 6 speaker and boy does it bump for just having the stock speakers. 6-disc CD changer in the back has its drawbacks, but is great on long trips.

The leather seats are amazingly comfortable and great on long trips. The black is hot in the summer, but the heated seats are a life, and butt, saver in the winter. There is plenty of room in the back which is surprising seeing as it is a 2dr.

For a ten year old used car I could not ask for a better car. Very few spots of rust beginning, maybe 2 if you look hard enough, and for being driven in Upstate New York in the winter this is amazing!

Faults:

Muffler rusted out 77000miles $30 for new one, welded it in myself.

Front rim 75000 $300 previous owner had hit a curb and bent the rim.

General Comments:

The car has been over all very reliable. I have been very impressed with power and performance. Acceleration can be slow as well as evident body roll. However, it is very fun to drive. Seats are very comfortable for long trips. Interior is very natural and controls are well placed.

Faults:

Overheating and coolant seeping is a problem with many of these engines.

Head gasket seeps oil at 85000 miles and I found out that the head bolts that were installed were weak and do not retain torque.

I have been through 3 tonneau cover motors. Rebuilt motors are about $600 and a new one is $1200 with installation running about $300 with programming. Poor design and a constant problem for any Saab NG900 (94-98) owner. I'm not sure if I'll replace this one or get rid of the car. Beware when buying a NG900 convertible as this is a problem for all of those years.

Parts are incredibly expensive. Even the aftermarket parts available on a few websites offer no relief from the high pricing of parts.

General Comments:

The car is a blast to drive, when it isn't in the shop. I only drive it in the summer and it seems to be in the shop every month for one reason or another despite being meticulously maintained. The convertible top, especially, has been a major problem, yet Saab doesn't feel the need to rectify this by offering repair due to faulty design.

When it runs, it runs great, however, I'm not sure if the maintenance costs justify ownership of this vehicle.

Faults:

Serpentine belt blew, locked up pulleys, smoke filled the cabin and car froze at and skid to a stop; $650.

Ignition switch electrical part failed, caused the car to turn off randomly, first time at 75 on highway (lost power steering, power brakes, almost crashed) ; $350.

Crankshaft pulley sensors failed, $500, caused the car to throw me forward doing 35 and slam my face in to the steering wheel.

Head bolts (2) needed re-torqued, caused loss of coolant out of engine, $550 and may need head gasket replacement soon.

Idle speed and fuel/air mix continue to fluctuate after being reset, $100 so far.

Blew a coolant hose to the engine, emptied the coolant everywhere and filled the cabin with smoke, $170.

Passenger door handle, little metal part inside snapped off and broke, $55 used DIY.

Seatbelts in front lost tension and got slammed in doors, needed replaced, $165 used DIY.

ACC sensor fan in cabin broke, $110 DIY.

ECU computer screen died, $125 used DIY.

General Comments:

These car's just aren't reliable. I LOVE the car and the handling and speed, but it's so unreliable, and I need a car I can count on to not only start,but get me where I need to go. This one can't.

Car was good for a few weeks, then the serpentine belt blew, and every other month since then it's been in to the shop due to some stupid problem.

It's been towed 4 times since I got it, and the cabin has filled with smoke doing 65mph+ twice. Twice it has stalled completely (no power brakes/steering) over 65mph due to serious problems.

Tiny stuff, like a sensor that is magnet on the end of a wire, cost well over $200, and at $90/hr labor, it builds up quickly.

Nobody here except the dealership will touch Saab's for anything, but basic maintenance. The dealer is nice and cut me breaks on parts and labor costs, but it's no good if the car breaks every other month.

Dangerous things like the ignition switch should be recalled (the ignition's on 9-3 models were recalled, but the 900's suffer from the problem too).

The dealer says none of this is out of the ordinary, and that in fact my Saab is doing quite well for it's age. If you can afford the downtime and repair costs, this is a great car, but I can't. I'm getting a Lexus ES300 that's more reliable and cheaper to fix.