Used 1995 Saab 900 Consumer Reviews
Performance and Looks at a bargin price!
I've had new Audis and Acuras (all five spd's) since '86 so I know luxuary and performance and having a 1968 Fiat 850 conv I know about turning heads. This sweet, hard driving, head turning, performance/luxo conv has it all! It's a joy to drive with torque forever and pushed back in your seat acceleration! And it is amazing how many people call out, "Nice car!" when I'm driving with the top down. Yes, Saabs do not have the best realiability record but when you can buy a car like this with only 70K miles on it for $9K dollars that leaves a lot left over if needed. When it comes to return on investment, the Saab 900SE convertible "beats the street" easily!
Fun to drive
I wasn't sure I wanted to buy this vehicle even after test driving it. It was 3 weeks later before I bought it. With a bit of luck I have a good mechanic how was very knowledgable with the saab. He told me it was a very good vehicle as far as this one is concerned. Someone took good care of it. I did have a lot of work done and was a bit of an expense but would not trade it for the world. I look forward to my 32 mile drive to work through the back roads of Chester county Pa. I love to have the top down as often as I can. I would not recommend this vehicle to those who bully on a vehicle but taken very good care of this vehicle will last another 100,000 miles. I love my saab.
- SE ConvertibleMSRP: $14,999838 mi away
No sob story
I bought my 1995 900 S on e-bay a year ago. It had 86k miles, and I've put 12k more on it. I'm happy with the car. The engine gets excellent mileage (29 mpg) and has plenty of power. The handling is nimble and smooth for a small car. Some little parts have had to be replaced, such as the power antena motor and washer pump, which you wouldn't expect to have go out. I also replaced the clutch at 95,000 miles, which is to be expected. Interior is OK, a little flimsy with the plastic. For service, find a good mechanic that you trust, and plan to order parts yourself on the Internet, where you will pay a lot less than your local parts store. You'll pay big bucks for service at a dealer
Not happy
I've had this car since new. The only reason I've kept it so long is that it is sort of a challenging game now to keep it alive. Everything, I mean everything breaks on these things. Just as soon as I think nothing else can break, something does. Just 130K miles. But every suspension piece has been replaced, including the rear axle which is easily bent. Radiator, window regulators, power steering pump, rear main seal, headliner, head gasket, clutch cable. AC compressor, fuel pump. Even the steering wheel fell apart. New parts from Saab are ridiculously expensive ($250 dollars for the headlight wiper motor). You've got to be absolutely crazy to even think about owning one of these
Possessed from day one!
It's funny that I've read so much about the timing issues in the v-6 which is the only problem I've never encountered with this car! Back in its day day it was fast and smooth, however almost monthly I encountered problem after problem! Strut towers completely rotted out, stalling, fuel pump issues, a $500 dollar tune-up, throttle body issues, constant leaking issues in the trunk, frozen rear calipers etc.etc.etc.! Basically the car is junk now with only over 100k miles. Oh and unless a mechanic has a tech 2 scanner you're pretty much screwed as Saab made sure these were pretty much unfixable unless a dealer was involved...Long story short...Good Luck or get a BMW or a Honda!
Saab 900S Convertible
We bought this car used and it's been a good buy for us. The car no longer is used daily for work but daily for local trips. We wished we had bought a turbo charged or V6 engine. The plain 4 needs more power. In the 36,000 miles we had the car, only the fuel pump has needed replacement.
6 or 8 cyl. - It Makes a Difference
I have driven SAABs more or less steadily since the 1970's. I love the feel of the car, and the used ones are cheap compared to the quality. But when I went to buy one a couple of years ago, I was warned not to buy the V6. And from the reviews here, I would say that was right advice. My 4-cyl. convertible at 120,000 miles just lost its clutch cable. Other than that, it has been a champion. I love how it corners and how it feels on the road, and I love the mileage: I get over 32 mpg on road trips and 26-7 in town. I spent $400 to get the top adjusted, and it works without a hitch now. Only problems: shift lever knob came apart, glove compartment lock failed, and seat lever cables broke.
Saab 900 5dr
Buy this car, this is a great car to by you son or daughter for their first car!
Saab
I purchased this red convertible 2 years ago and still enjoy driving it (especially with the top down). I now have 128000 miles on this 2.0 turbo 5 speed 900SE that provides plenty of go and great mileage! If you treat it right it will treat you right. Do the maintenance to improve reliability.
Don't buy this car.
This has been a miserable vehicle from day one. 3 water pumps in the first 40,000 miles. Incredibly expensive repair parts. Wheels bend when you run over a penny. Something breaks on a monthly basis. Sunroof leaks, but the part costs twice what the car is worth. Engine pulleys fly off at random periods. Let us pray that GM lets this miserable mark die a quick death.
best old car
I luv this car! Owned it now almost 10 years. Maintainence is a must, by reliable tech, but worth the ride. Solid with well designed panels etc. Great gas milage. Just sad it is getting old......top down, great......top up, quiet. Old Saab is best design.
Good car
I bought my 900s 4dr brand new in 1995 and I still have it. It has 161,000 miles on it and has broken down once, last week when the fuel pump died. Not bad for 161,000 miles. The car gets excellent mileage (I can put over 475 highway miles on a tank), does great in the snow and is a stable, competent perfomer on the highway. The trunk is HUGE and with the rear seats down is like a pickup truck. I plan to keep it until it dies, wich knowing SAABS is a long time away!
12 years - still goin' strong
This car has been a daily driver since we bought it new in '95. We have had no major problems and the car has seen tough duty here in the snow belt. Handles well in the winter, the convertible is great in the summer, good stereo, climate control. etc. It is expensive to repair: we replaced some AC parts and the tonneau cover motor, but fortunately repairs have been few and far between.
My 4 Door 900S just keeps on running.
I bought my 1995 900S on the internet in 2006. The car has 92K and a perfect car fax. The original owner only dealer serviced the car for it's first 11 years. It was involved in crash and needed a fender & door. Because of this I bought the car for $1200. I bought original parts online and a local body man put it all back together for $600.00. Sure my serpentine belt let go without warning. Lucky I stopped immediately. The clutch cable also let go. I have a really good Import guy. No more dealer service.The belt job with all new pulleys was $185.00. The Clutch cable job was $150.00. Saab wanted $650.00 for the job. I am happy for a total of 2K US this baby runs strong & Looks Sharp.
Good, just not good enough
Ever since i had this car, one thing after another started to fall apart. but the amazing thing is, I can still drive it with so many problems. Horn doesn't work, both strut mounts broke, brake lights out, the turbo coughs up a lung, doesn't shift into reverse without praying in tongues first. I do not recommend buying this car without a warranty because fixing it is very expensive. It looks nice and drives nice, but i wouldn't buy another one.
My saab
This has been an outstanding car. It has proven reliable, fun to drive, and great for moving large items I would not normally expect a car to handle. Maintenance cost are expensive but I have had almost no trouble with the car.This year model with a cable shifter is dreadful no feel and treamoudous effort required.
Fun little car
This car is great. I have had a BMW, a Mustang and other fun cars but when it comes to good looks that fit an adult, good solid OEM engine, driving fun and a lot of appeal this car really fit the mark. The car is 12 years old and looks perfect, the paint is perfect, the engine runs like a charm, and the seats are in great condition. Very little road noise even compaired to some non-conv.
Beware!
I purchased my Saab with only 17,000 miles on it. Shortly after, the glass rear window suddenly shattered while the top was going down for no apparent reason. Three weeks to get that fixed. A few weeks later, I went to put the top down, and the motors were dead. Another two weeks in the shop. Then the next summer, the manual transmission would pop out of first and reverse for no apparent reason. Two weeks in the shop. Then the CD changer went. 6 wks for a new one. Some things on this car are plain cheap, like the rubber shift boot straight out of 1970's Ford school bus. I got rid of the thing after a couple years, and will never consider another Saab product.
Bad Car
I really hate this car. It has been nothing but a lemon. I would not recommend anyone purchase this year or model. Bad transmission, bad engine, poor handling.
Saabs are different !!
I've had this '95 SE 900 for almost a year, and have had some unusual things happen. The driver's side seat belt slipped out of my hand, locked up, and the whole assembly had to be replaced! Over $400. Motor for the tonneau cover went bad, $500+ for part, $200 labor. Gaskets on head covers replaced, $600+. It wouldn't be so bad considering the age of the car, but it only had 58K miles on it when I bought it. You also have to make sure to have the timing belt replaced religiously. Overall, with parts & labor so high, if I knew then what I know now, I would have bought a different make. These are as expensive to maintain as BMWs, Jags, etc.
Fun in the Sun!!
Looks and handles great. I love the car. No majopr problems. My only beef is that parts aren't always easy to find and you pay a premium.
Don't Buy a Saab with the V6 engine !!
I have owned this Saab for 1 year. 2 weeks ago it overheated all at once with no prior warnings - I assumed something innocuous like a sticking thermostat; imagine my surprise when the dealership informed me of a "ruptured oil cooler line"....I had never even heard of such a thing. 62k miles and it needs $3000 worth of engine work !!! No dealer assistance, and the people at Saab Customer Assistance waited a week before even calling the dealership, then told me, car is too old, too many miles, acted like I was an inconvenience, Based on my experience, I could not recommend a saab to anybody under any circumstances - bad motor, they know it, I had saab technicians tell me it was just a bad engine design from the start, this wasn't the only problem I had, only the biggest - buy at your own risk if you dare
Sad to see it go
My first Saab was a 98000 mile 900S for my 17 yr old son. He thought he was the coolest kid in town, and my wife and I loved to drive it too! Unfortunately, he slid into a curb and tore up the underside of the car. What caused us to total it was the air bags- the dash has to be replaced, too, a $2000+ repair by itself. We are heart broken! Enjoy one while/if you can.
First Love
I thought it was about time I share my love for my car with the rest of the world. I never want to drive anything else again. I am the third owner. My car has 160k miles on it and the only problem with the performance I have ever had is that sometimes the car hesitates when I drive it gently. I still haven't figured out why. The convertible top is finicky and sometimes just won't go down. And the leather on the front seats is cracked. I don't notice that when sitting in them though :) The engine gives me as much power as I could want whenever I ask for it. I get about 26mpg. I do a bit of every kind of driving; city, highway, country roads. I would drive this car forever.
fun but not really reliable
ok, car very fun to drive
A Tough Decision
The two most notable features of this car are its fun to drive factor and its reliabililty. This car is extremely fun to drive; despite the vague transmission, handling and power make for a satisfying experience. Steering is too light for some, appreciated on long hauls, however. Reliability was too poor to consider buying another Saab. Pulleys in the engine designed of plastic break frequently, and often without warning-a disconcerting and unnecessary feature. Compact size makes nights on the town difficult - back seat passengers in the coupe will hate you for the awkward and humiliating entry/exit. Gas mileage is excellent.
I love this old Saab
I bought this Saab from a person that had it from day one and when I bought it had 148K miles on it. It had been maintained pretty well. 9 months into the experience of ownership (my first for a Saab), I am very impressed. It drives great and I love the interior. MPG 24 city, 33 hiway. No oil burning, even at 154K miles now. The downside is the GM 6 cyl. engine. It runs well, but it was VERY poorly designed. Any maintenance, even routine, is a chunk of money. If I had it to do over again, I would get the 4cyl turbo motor instead. In any case, I'm going to keep this baby forever and when gas motors are obsolete I will have a fun to drive antique!
900 se v6
great car, fun to drive. only major problem was alt. $400 and 3 alts later to get right one. love the auto top. great car in summer and the snow of winter. wish i bought it new.
1995 Saab 900S
Never a "Saab guy" but understand why people get attached. Bought this 900 S 3 years ago, and it has proven to be durable, economical, and fun to drive. Do my own maintenance and find this non- turbo very straightforward. Parts can be sourced very cheaply via the internet. Low resale simply means you can pick them up cheap! Enjoy the ride!
Price is cheap, but the repairs are brut
Don't be fooled like I was on the 900's, (or any older Saab in that case) that they are cheap. The performance is great. The cars look great, but the car will come to haunt you. Before you know it you'll have $3,000 of repairs on a $7,000 car. It's a great car. I love mine, but don't tell me i diddn't warn you.
Saabs Are Great!
I bought my Saab 2 months ago. It had 80,000 miles on it. It was love at first sight. It was green with tan leather. The car handled very well and the turbo charged engine provided plenty of power. The downside was that when the car was on the highway, it was always wandering. Other than that the car was a dream.
SAAB 900 SE IS THE BEST
SAAB 900 SE D DOOR 1995 SI A SUPER CAR TO DRIVE. THE INTERIOR DESIGN I NICE AND EXCELLENT.
fun car but stay away with.
I had this car for over 2 years now and bought it used. Ever since I owned the car, it gave me plenty of issue to deal with. The ignition switch, spark plug wires that cost $500, and things here and there. It finally died of timing belt mishaps where it was required to have replaced every 38,000 miles. It is stupid of me not to check that but that is crazy for every 38,000 miles! Since the top is falling apart, the shocks are gone, and half of the car does not run properly and it looks nice in the drive way with it's top down, I will have to let it goto the junk yard.
Fun car
Fun to drive, handles well and is comfortable for two people. Only had the car for a month or so and I'm very impressed. 119,000 miles and still runs like new.
1995 Saab 2 dr turbo hatchback
Fun to drive. Not good for more than 2 people because of the space. Had to replace the clutch. Great gas mileage. Good control. It's not all that reliable. Would not buy again.
Good car...but be prepared
This is a great car...if you know what you're getting into. Impressive handling and styling, nicely appointed interior, lots of room for people and cargo, and a certain "cool factor" because not too many people drive this. However, when it's time for repairs you'll need a second mortgage to afford it. High labor and parts costs really add up. And for God's sake - remember to change the timing belt. I did not and my car blew up with 66,000 miles on it. I would definitly lease a new Saab, and maybe even buy a new one, but I wouldn't recommend buying a used one. It's just too expensive.
I second - SAAB WONT BACK YOUR CAR!
The roof would fail all the time, finally SAAB replaced the motor Since then the rear window has sunk in, and has peeled away from the exterior canvas. The leather drivers seat has cracked and ripped The oil pump went @ 70,000 miles and the engine was ruined. SAAB put in a rebuild, w/ only a 30 warranty This engine burns a quart of oil every 1,000 miles (more if I push the car hard, or DOWNSHIFT - which 1/2 the fun of having a standard) Stereo equilizer buttons (ie. bass treble) pop off and either break or get lost Turns out SAAB discontinued these buttons, now I have metal nobs sticking out of the system
Nice car
It is a nice car that I wish had a better resale value. I drives nicely.
Better with age
Most of what you read about the nightmare v6 is true. Saab has improved the timing belts now so they should last at least 60,000 miles. Shade tree mechanics can not change!! I learned the hard way major repairs must be a certified Saab mechanic. But I have now driven the car for over 100,000 miles and it is proving to be one of the best built and most reliable vehicles I have ever had. Performance is fairly good primarily at higher speeds. Handling is excellant even on icy roads. Seats are very comfortable and road vison is very good. The tight suspension means that the ride is harsher than I would like but firm and tight is a Saab tradition. All small trim and electronics still work well.
SAAB wont back your car
Timimg belt is know issue with the car. Mine no exception, trashing the engine. Servie had been done by at SAAB dealer but SAAB wont make good on it - so what good having "SAAB certified dealers"?? Going to small claims to try to get some of the repair costs (5k+) back . Beware SAAB products!
SAAB 93SE
SAAB 93SE is a fuel-efficient car with stong realiable engine and performance. It is easy to master and drive. With great maintenace records, the car can run for many years.
Fun car to own
I bought a used Saab on eBay. The price was excellent and the car is well worth it. It handles very well, with a quick and smooth manual transmission, responsive steering, and quiet ride. Gas mileage is good Smart, stylish car. An excellent buy if you get a good used one. I can't believe I was actually thinking of shelling out $20k+ for a new car. OK, so the back seats are a bit tight for an adult. Good thing I won't have to sit in the back.
Great car
Have enjoyed this car almost every minute. Handling, styling, interior, engine have all held up in nearly ten years as the second owner. Known issues like the timing chain Saab replaced at their expense at 90k miles. Wheels tended to bend easily adding to already existing steering geometry issue. Saab makes an upgrade kit to fix steering issues. Antenna no longer retracts; air_conditioner has hose leak, but these are minor considerations and arise with any vehicle. Just replaced rear shocks at 160k. Tune-ups and regular oil changes keep engine in good shape. I would recommend a good engine code-reader. Difficulty reaching spark plugs means trip to garage is a must for routine tune up.
People love their Saabs even w/Problems
... the sport feature and driving through a deserted canyon. romantic I know. But after all the problems I have had, can't get that romance out of my system. bought the car one year used and main probelms: convertible malfunction, probs w/ seals, strange gurgling sounds w/ engine, CD skips,scratches, and doesn't recognize CDs, alarm shorts battery. So I baby it and deal because I know she'll last and last.
A Good Ride
Since Saabs are now no longer SAABs, it makes sense to buy used or keep an older one on the road longer. I was ready to sell this one, but after a minor series of maintenance I found i liked it more than anything newer. It's not the fastest, but - no turbo to worry about. Not the biggest, but I'm thin. High 20's mpg, great stereo and really great in the snow. I'm keeping it another year at least.
NEVER OWN A SAAB AGAIN
From the time I purchased my car, I have had nothing but problems. First the valve cover gaskets needed to be replaced, then came the muffler, timing belt, water pump, windshield washer motor, stereo antenna, oil pan gasket, and finally the valve cover gaskets again. This has all happened within 18 months. I love the car as far as performance and handling, but the cost for repairs has soured my liking for SAAB's. I will never own another. I plan on getting rid of this one as soon as possible.
accessories
I just bought a beautiful 1995 saab se turbo. Mainly bought it for the performance and comfort. Now that I have it there is really only one thing that bothers me and that is the cup holders. Does anyone know where I could get cup holders for that car? to put anywhere??
Good, but Expensive
I bought this car with 82K, with all the maintenance records since new. It was beautiful, but thanks to an ignorant previous owner, he didn't replace the timing belt at 60K. The engine blew, after the engine was replaced for $2200 the clutch cable went shortly after. Other than that it has been reliable for the past eight months with no problems.
What a disappointment
If you purchase one of these, pray to whatever you hold sacred that it doesn't break down. I just replaced the clutch (58,000 miles) at a cost of more than $1,000. Outrageous repair costs seem to be the norm for these cars. The car's handling is nothing special, compared to other european sedans (which may not be fair), and the quality of construction is marginal (a lot of the interior knobs and covers are starting to fall off). I intend to sell the car as quickly as possible.
Loved the car not the reliability
Trouble from the start. Front end trouble....needed a "kit" to fix. Saab fixed. Oil leak. Engine noises. Radio broke. Coolant started leaking out. Right before I traded it in for a Toyota Solara the top wouldn't go down. Traded in after 1 year when the warranty was up!! Beware this car.....needs alot of attention.