Faults:

Most defects were known when purchasing; Radiator was blocked, exhaust blowing, worn engine mountings, ABS light came on intermittently, brake discs undersized at front, cruise control inoperative.

General Comments:

Fantastic car; I honestly do not believe that it is possible to go as fast, in as much comfort, so reliably, so safely, and so stylishly, for so little money, in any other vehicle on the road.

The wrap-around leather seats are just astoundingly good, and the Millennium Falcon-style hyperdrive acceleration in second gear is even better.

I was very lucky with my car; it was a one owner from new vehicle with 135000 kms from new in 20 years, with full dealer history.

This is my fourth 9000 Aero, and I will definitely be keeping it.

Faults:

Master and slave cylinder for the clutch at 130k (master was good, but replaced as a set).

Weak synchros on the 5 speed transmission, but the car still drives fine.

Safety valve for TCS system likes to come apart, and I must re-glue it sometimes.

Weird belt tensioner design. Mine was bent, and the car ate a few belts until I realized and replaced it.

Everything else has been wear items: front brakes, tires, and a battery.

BTW, it uses an odd battery, you can't find cheap ones. Had to pay out for an Interstate.

It's a 20 year old car, things go wrong obviously.

General Comments:

Overall, a good car. The feel of the car on the road and the build quality, are off the charts.

Very practical car, I'm always amazed how much stuff will fit in the back.

The interior is nice, but the leather in these cars doesn't hold up as well as some of the other euro cars. Comfortable seats, automatic climate control, which actually works 20 years later, power everything, heated seats, you get the point. The cabin is a little noisy, especially on rough roads.

Acceleration getting onto the freeway is still better than most cars. Off the line, the turbo lag hurts, but it's decent. Handling is decent, especially for a big FWD sedan (hatchback none the less).

Fuel economy to performance ratio is almost unbeatable. Seriously, other car manufacturers are now getting to where Saab was 20 years ago. I can get 30+ mpg highway, then pass without fear or downshifting. This thing makes some torque BTW. I've noticed if I drive like a maniac, my mileage suffers considerably (no surprise there).

Maintenance can be a problem is you're not a car person. If I had to rely on someone to fix everything on this car, I would have sold it by now. I fix the small issues myself, and take it to a mechanic for the big stuff.

Traction control can be a problem on these older 9000s according to my mechanic (he's a master Saab tech, LOL) and a number of people on the net. Somehow when it fails, it disables the car from running properly. The newer 94+ models are suppose to be very reliable, even compared to other car models.

Faults:

The car went through tires like nothing.

The electrical system was faulty.

Sloppy gear box.

The radio died.

Car would stall out in traffic.

The traction control can be scary.

Very expensive!!!

General Comments:

The car was reliable, until you shut it off and woke up the next morning. Cold starting was for the dogs... The car had to be prepped 20 minutes before you took off with it, and you had to let the turbo cool down for 2 minutes before shutting the car down for the night.

The drive was fair, but don't get stuck in traffic with it. If you're a person who worries about gas, this car is not for you. The turbo eats all the fuel.