1987 SAAB 9000 Turbo 2.0 turbo from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

A great car

Faults:

Front wheel bearing.

Trip computer display (easy fix - replace light bulbs).

High beam switch (easy fix - remove and clean contacts).

Windscreen washer switch (easy fix - clean contacts).

Sun roof leaking (easy fix - blow out drain holes with air compressor).

Synchros on 2nd gear is very poor. Problem is on upshift. Will need to fix.

Air conditioning does not work. Unsure of fault.

Rear brakes rattle like maracas.

Hydraulic lifters are starting to make more noise than rear brakes!

General Comments:

Very nice car, always wanted to own one. Is it the largest luxury manual hatchback there is? At 227kph, it was apparently one of the fastest production cars in the world in 1986.

With hatchback and folding rear seat, it is very practical. And comfortable.

Smooth turbo power delivery, great for open road driving. Handles well on winding roads.

Lots of accelerative power yet can be very economical when driven easily.

Bloody awful turning circle.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd February, 2004

1987 SAAB 9000 i 2.0 injection from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Perhaps the most versatile car ever?

Faults:

Not a lot for a 13 year old car doing 20K miles/year. I changed a faulty CV boot at 60,000. Changed brake caliper at 75,000. Front suspension spring snapped at 80,000.

General Comments:

A great workhorse and comfortable tourer. You can get a double mattress in the boot (!) with the seats folded down. I have carried a desk in there without dismantling it. At the same time, I have used it for long distance journeys with 5 adults and luggage and arrived fresh and relaxed. Performance from non-turbo engine pretty good. Great cruiser. Handles very well in cornering for a large car. Very secure. Very solid. A truly reliable companion. Perhaps the most versatile car ever made, combining good performance and handling with fantastic load carrying ability - though perhaps the Turbo would go one better in performance. In this overall respect, the 9000 is a better car than its replacement, the 9-5.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th August, 2002

29th Nov 2002, 22:22

Couldn't have put it better!

"Perhaps the most versatile car ever built"

My former 9000 CC -86, was as yours, the non-Turbo 2,0 I model.

It ran with flying colors well beyond 220,000+ miles (!), and would have continued if not smashed by thieves :-(

This exceptionally roomy hatchback had handling that defied belief!

I first discovered this in snow; when the front wheels just couldn't cope with more speed or power (the feedback to the driver is outstanding!) - the rear started, ever so slightly, to drift as well. That WITHOUT ANY input from me!! I found myself in a controlled four-wheel slide as if by magic! (Like a revelation - really, how is that possible!?)

This discovery repeated itself until I just had to conclude that this was the car's handling nature!

Later on, I discovered the exact same characteristics on wet pavement in summer.

Beautiful handling! Astonishing balance!

Get the picture? - VERY stable, very precise & convincing steering, and, whipping it to its absolute limit, the return from the car is : "You're really pushing! I'll help you out with a slight rear drifting!" (Would make anybody drive like a rally champ...). No fish-tailing like rear-wheel drives, either!

Just controlled, P-E-R-F-E-C-T, four-wheel slides!

And that in a big roomy family car, renowned for it's comfort!

Safety is legendary in the Saab 9000.

For 10 (TEN!) consecutive years it was ranked around the World as THE safest car, all categories (1986 - 1996). (the result of the passive safety, in combination with the active safety).

My present car - a 9000 2,3 Turbo -94 (manual) - has the added excitement of an impressively torquey, very smooth engine.

"Enjoyment" is just not adequate! The driving experience is just hard to describe! Relaxing, in that you know you have more than enough power at your command, and absolutely thrilling! Try one for yourself!!

The impressive power is rated at 200 hp (proven to be underspecified), and is easily upgraded (for acceleration junkies like me...) to 300 - 320 hp!

For the money, the Saab 9000 is hard to beat!

I don't get a penny for saying that ;-), it's my sober evaluation of the car.

Please feel free to contact me, if you wish :-)!

gunnar.bengtson@telia.com

Gotta go feed my polar bears ;-) !