1996 Saab 900 Consumer Reviews

Awesome 4 seater

Written by: mr. t on 01/07/2008

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 2 Dr S Convertible

Review

The 1996 Saab 900 S 2.3 convertible is one of the best cars on the market today in its category, Not only is it fast, great looking, reliable, and well built, it also gets an incredible 30 mph on the Hwy. and seats four comfortably. Awesome.

Favorite Features

Favorite feature is the styling and aerodynamics.

Suggested Improvements

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Great car

Written by: cj on 10/23/2007

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 4 Dr SE Turbo Hatchback

Review

It being my first car I am very new to the whole car scene but for an entry level Saab it is nothing less than what I hoped for. The pickup and speed on the vehicle are tremendous. The sound system has been great. I just added subs to it and it made it even better. Overall it is a great vehicle. I was lucky that when I bought it had only 22,000 miles on it and it is a great car.

Favorite Features

Speed, sound system, and internal features.

Suggested Improvements

Design and size of engine.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Reliable Vehicle

Written by: TheRickster on 06/10/2006

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 4 Dr S Hatchback

Review

Bought my 1996 900S unbelievably cheap from original owner with 242,000 miles on the clock. Best investment I ever made! I have seen other reviews here, but believe me this car is made to last as long as you maintain it religiously! It is possible to install aftermarket audio in this car, but the install kit and wiring harness will set you back about $40.00. Total install and prep time is about 45 minutes, however, the factory audio system has features you won't find anywhere else. I like the weatherband tuning which will instantly pull in weather reports for your area. Plus, most people will assume that your car is expensive, especially if well cared for, no need to tell the truth!

Favorite Features

Factory Audio. Trunk Space. Larger N/A Engine. Brand.

Suggested Improvements

Power Antenna. Lack of aftermarket support. Proprietary Audio System Design.

8 out 10 people found this review helpful

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210,000 MILES AND STILL GOING!!

Written by: KayCee on 03/21/2006

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 2 Dr S Hatchback

Review

My Saab is really the energizer bunny. I bought this car used at an auction for $1,000. It had 170K miles then. I now have over 210K miles and this car still runs strong. The only thing I have had to do is change the original clutch at 200k miles. I truly love this car and I have owned plenty of cars. I also have a 2000 BMW 3 series which is fun but my SAAB is my baby. It is my daily driver at about 35 miles to work each day. If you are concerned about a high mileage saab, dont be. Just make sure it wasnt dogged (carfax) and you will be fine. My car will go for another 100K miles easily. If you see a green saab on I95 doing 90mph in northern Virginia, just smile and envy me in it.

Favorite Features

SID display, unique design, key in the floor ignition, all the standard features, comfort, reliability, roominess, economy, cargo space, the way it corners, heated seats, the way it cruises effortlessly at 80+mph. Oh stop reading and go buy one

Suggested Improvements

All should be turbo, lol

8 out 8 people found this review helpful

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Sweet... maybe too sweet

Written by: Redoubt on 03/11/2006

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 4 Dr SE Turbo Hatchback

Review

Our 1996 900 SE Turbo is the kind of car you’d want for your daughter if she was about to move away to college. It’s a completely stable drive in both city traffic and on the interstate and has a respectable safety rating. Very typically European, you and the machine are a single entity. It’s not about comfort or quiet… you won’t be napping in the driver’s seat. You have to actually drive this car but once you do, you’ll never feel the same about a Ford or Chevy. The 4-cylinder engine is topped with a turbo… and probably requires this as a means to produce the power that is definitely available. But the downside is that it is also very thirsty… expect to get a Thank You note from OPEC.

Favorite Features

Spirited performance in all driving ranges. Vehicle responds smartly when needed. A very stable driving experience.

Suggested Improvements

Environmental controls need to be redesigned to be more driver friendly.

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Superb design, dodgy execution

Written by: Atomic920 on 01/05/2006

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 4 Dr S Hatchback

Review

I paid $4,600 for a non-turbo S with low (68K) miles. It was 8 years old, but thought it should go well. Uh-huh. Fun driver, but it's stranded me 3(!) times in one year driving only 8K miles. First a serpentine belt pulley failure two weeks after buying it. No warning - belt almost fell out of engine bay. Second was the alternator ($600 repair). Third was the clutch cable. Other probs: E-brake cable squeals, rust, aftermarket CD impossible. For an old car, it cruises effortlessly at 75mph. Decent mileage. Smoothest 4-cyl. I've ever had, but nothing like the 200hp turbo of 9-3. Takes slow turns like a drunken sailor.

Favorite Features

Quiet. Vault-like bodyshell. Torquey engine. Great styling. Turning radius. A 9-foot Christmas tree fits entirely inside car.

Suggested Improvements

Reliability! Basic engine/electric parts shouldn't fail so quickly. It's worse than my old Elantra. Rear seat legroom. No cupholders. Propietary audio. Can't turn headlights off (!?)

6 out 6 people found this review helpful

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good car

Written by: scott Graber on 07/15/2005

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 2 Dr S Hatchback

Review

Very pleased with vehicle. I bought it with 98,000 miles. I've since put 35,000 of my own on it with only a few minor and one moderate repair(s). I do much of the work myself and find it pretty easy to deal with.

Favorite Features

Suggested Improvements

2 out 4 people found this review helpful

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Best little car around!

Written by: Susannah on 05/02/2005

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 2 Dr SE Turbo Convertible

Review

I needed a car that was safe, reliable, and fun. I am very pleased to say that the Saab SE Turbo fits all those catagories. It is quite reliable (and it has 75,000 miles). It always performs flawlessly. It is REALLY fun to drive (without busting your wallet in gas money)! Put the top down, find a nice back road, and prepare to have mucho fun! Luckily I haven't tested it's safety but I have no doubt that, due to how it's performance so far, it would keep me safe in the event of an accident. I highly recommend this car!

Favorite Features

Turbo, seat warmers, comfort, style, gas mileage, etc...

Suggested Improvements

I haven't found anything that needs improving...

8 out 8 people found this review helpful

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Best of all worlds

Written by: vince on 04/17/2005

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 4 Dr S Hatchback

Review

If you are looking for a show off car, wrong address, this car has all the best features one can desire: performance, reliability, great design. It is the best car with an understated look, not for everybody ,only for saab lovers

Favorite Features

Great interior, no glitters just functional and to the point, great handling, stick to the road, sporty car if you want a car that feels like sitting in your living room, stay home...

Suggested Improvements

Do not make it look like other cars

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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VERY glad I bought it!

Written by: dw on 12/19/2004

Vehicle

1996 Saab 900 2 Dr SE Turbo Hatchback

Review

I purchased my 900SE turbo hatchback used, and it's been the best auto purchase I've ever made. This car is a great combination of performance (0-60 in less than 7 sec and great highway acceleration), economy (25-30 mpg) and utility.It's carried a LOT of stuff: kitchen set, diswasher, wall oven, kid's college stuff, & is a great performance car - I have to be careful to avoid speeding tickets. On a recent highway trip (NJ to western PA) it got 30.2 mpg. The only repairs have been typical maintenance (tires, brakes, etc.), DI casette at around 80k miles, and a power antenna that I broke. Mine has 110k miles and looks and runs like a much younger car - & still has the original clutch.

Favorite Features

Turbo acceleration, hatchback utility, fuel economy, traction in snow & wet conditions. With winter tires, it's convinced me one doen't need an SUV.

Suggested Improvements

Front seats a bit narrow (or, more likely, I'm a bit wide). Not all 1996 models have the lumbar support adjustment (mine doesn't). Hatchback layout may lead to rattles.

4 out 4 people found this review helpful

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