1993 SAAB 9000 Aero 2.3 turbo from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Fast, fun, and furiously expensive

Faults:

Hmmmm... cha ching:

Turbo blew at 90,000km - $1200

Head gasket went at 98,000km - $1700

Radiator blew, trans fluid in water at 103,000 - $1300

Autobox dropped its guts at 106,000 - $3000

Sunroof gave up the ghost at 102000km.

Electric seat motors are slowly dying.

Cruise Control dead at 85,000.

Passenger heated seat dead at 90,000.

Heater hoses blew out at 100,000.

So that's pretty much the entire car then. Its in the shop now and I look forward to getting is back and trading it in on something I can sell on for a decent amount of cash.

The depreciation on these things is killer.

General Comments:

Well, where can one start... this has been the most expensive car to maintain I have ever owned. In fact, I could probably have bought a Porsche with the cash I've thrown down this money pit.

The interior is fantastic when my sunroof isn't leaking. The performance is brilliant on the open road, when the car is running.

In all honesty, I do actually quite like the car. The looks grew on me - and the performance when overtaking is magic. Its just a pity it was designed by a team of muppet's.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 30th November, 2006

14th Feb 2007, 14:38

Sounds like you bought one that was abused and not maintained properly, or perhaps a fluke bad example. I have owned three high mileage 9000 Turbos, the best being a 1987 Turbo with >210,000mi at purchase that had been beaten its whole life (it showed) and never let me down mechanically for over 50,000 miles, save a self-destructing brake caliper (corrosion) and a seized alternator ($15 fix with a used part). Sold it at 261,000mi for more than I purchased it for. The post-1993 models shared a large number of components with earlier models (owned and worked on a 1994 9000 with 250,000mi as well), and are generally noted for improved reliability.

Wish I could say the same for my immaculate one-owner 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo with 80,000mi that seems to require at least $300 a month in just parts to stay on the road.

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1993 SAAB 9000 CSE 2.3 4 cylinder from North America

Faults:

So far it seems as though the transmission likes to jerk into gear when you are driving slowly, along with a lot of automatic parts (windows, sunroof etc.) that like to occasionaly stop working on you, and then work again later. I was given the wrong spark plugs and the car ran like crap, now that its fixed the car seems to run really well. The windshield washer fluid compartment is broken and unable to hold any fluid. The antenna likes to be really loud when going up and down too. The sound system sucks, and passenger seat is a little bent up (no idea why) but it sits crooked.

General Comments:

This car drives like a dream on the freeway, noise is rarely heard. Heated seats, and power everything is really nice.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 7th June, 2006

8th Jun 2006, 13:02

Top up - or preferably change - the automatic transmission fluid and see if that makes a difference.

24th Jan 2012, 23:12

The power seat motors in the 9000 operate the backrest by a steel cable, that has a 90 degree radius bend, spinning inside a plastic sleeve, driving gears or screws at the other other end. The sleeving can break on the bend, allowing the inner steel cable to move outwards, releasing one end from the motor drive socket.

As the other side's cable will still usually be driven, the frame of the seat twists under the high torque of the system. Scary to see, but in my case easily fixed by resetting the seat to straight using the motor, and lightly hose-clamping some suitable hose or light metal sleeving over the sleeving break, after lubing the inner cable well. I used rolled TV antenna aluminium "split tubing", and it worked fine.