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Used 1994 Saab 9000 Consumer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
40 reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 1994 9000, so we've included reviews for other years of the 9000 since its last redesign.

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Pros
Cons
4.5 out of 5 stars

It's a Saab, but I love it

csf9000, 02/28/2002
1994 Saab 9000 Aero Turbo 4dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Found this black on black Aero with 35K miles in near perfect condition and got a good deal. In the 4 years, I did pretty good on repairs. Only in the last few months have I had major things go out. The cooling system seems to a bit weak as well as the CFC AC, but I live in Phoenix so I imagine I am harder on this than most. But then the heater core went also, so I would watch for or be prepared for something like this. Other than that is has been a great car.

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5 out of 5 stars

Yes ok...but I look after my SAAB's ..

Jack, 07/01/2022
1992 Saab 9000 Turbo 4dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I have owned 9000's as Carlsson 1991 2'3T, 1996 CSE, Aero 1996, Anniversary 12/1998. I bought that as soon as seeing the advertisement...flew to Melbourne and drove it back...about 1900 kMs. Found it was not a fat friend who had broken the passenger seat but from SAAB expert Steve Emmanuel (SAAB Wreck NSW) that they have adjustment 'stays underneath the squab...and sometimes they break..the seat twists. I bought the last two in the country...about $260 I recall. Back to square 1...I bought the Carlsson instantly and flew to Victoria (Melbourne) initially and drove to Queensland. Later I drove it down to Sydney and took it to Heasmans in Sydenham NSW for the same work I have done on every car...100% steering , Bilsteins and camber to suit me...to suit my driving. After 60 years patronage they know me well. I also had them change all the engine mounts replaced as one was crook... Some time later I had my clutch kit installed by people I'd never use again at Everton in Qld (SAAB "experts")..On the drive home 'way back when' I found they'd left a minor hose off the cooling system so... in peak hour traffic... temperature went too high.. Escaping the traffic was not easy...people don't give way....I managed to get into a side street, waited until traffic eased...an hour and an half...and find water. The repairers didn't even apologise....That might be unfair reflection but someone there was rip tear and bust and didn't QA the work done. That was a decade ago...so maybe entirely new staff since then... Owing to not using the car over the last perhaps 10 years my eagle-eyed son last weekend when I was trying to sort out the idling problem saw they had left one gearbox bolt and the starter loose... What I am probably getting at is that unless we use recommended people (Abbott for example) who are utterly thorough and check everything for us and with great experience and savvy our cars will always be at risk. Going back to the beginning...if a balljoint breaks or drops out as nut has spun-off the fault comes home to the owner/driver. Require fully descriptive invoices or even work statements. Don't settle for broad statements...We must, if we want our SAAB to last, be pro-active owners...and ask around until we find real and serious SAAB experts...or good mechanics that understand SAAB systems and how to make them 100%...If an engine falls out of a car....we are just letting other people take responsibility...and they probably will not....we are neglecting that we may be also causal through neglect or allowing poor quality after-market parts to be used ...and there are good quality items...not just chinese junk. . The Carlsson had one nuisance which not even SAAB could diagnose...I eventually did...When turning on lights at night, engine stopped dead!...There's a design flaw allowing a fault in the switch to kill the engine.As 9000's are becoming scarcer at wreckers...I bought about 8 or 9 'spare' headlight switches about 8 years ago....and a spare genuine clutch slave cylinder. As the car is essentially on blocks I also had all the braking system overhauled by real brake machining experts at Olympic Circuit Southport...The son who does the work was an airforce mechanic. Recently they have stopped doing the "R and R' work...The mechanic was damned good ...old chap maybe he retired or maybe some licensing issue came up. I replaced the fuel pump in the Carlsson as a matter of course owing to 'age' (the car's not mine)...I also had a 200cell cat exhaust fitted and when the car came back from the garage (2 months later!) head mechanic said' MAF is fine'...before he said 'crook' so I bought a reco'd one $400 trade....and sent it back as wrong one was sent up. That's when he said 'yours is ok'. It's not. Car will not idle until warm...cuts out over and over...so two days ago I unplugged the MAF...expecting things to get worse...and the car just idled nicely but at 1000rpm...I suppose I have spent $3000 on the Carlsson over 20 years...or maybe $3800 with very good tyres. Hardly any of that has been owing to faulty car. Some SAABs have been banged up and 'repaired'. Some have been flogged and not maintained. Even SAAB when flogged and used on salty English roads and when people park without moving car when turning steering...will eventually crack up.The anniversary ...I did the work cost me about $2500 including a crook alternator... If you do not look after suspension engine and gearbox mounts trouble is bound to creep up. Wheels don't fall off unless cheap chinese ball joints used and abused..chinese coil packs are unreliable...but as yet no one repairs the electronics inside the pack....have the steering and suspension rubbers and components really professionally checked every year. Having your SAAB scrutineered at least every 12 months might be money well spent. Voila

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4.38 out of 5 stars

Lots of car for the money

axel, 12/05/2004
1994 Saab 9000 CS 4dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

9000's are among the best deals out there right now. You can get a last-year of production (1998) or anything from the 90's and the car you get for the money paid makes it a superb deal. It's hard to understand the relatively low prices, as these Saabs are easily the equivalent of similarly aged BMWs or Audis, and even the base model (CS) has more features than the average German cars of the 90's. It is true that finding a servicing mechanic can be a challenge, and replacement parts are definitely not cheap, but there's nothing unexpected in that. Overall, I highly recommend any 90's Saab 9000 if you're looking for a (still) suberbly safe car.

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4.38 out of 5 stars

Wonderful car

james, 09/15/2009
1993 Saab 9000 CSE 4dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This is my first car. I love it. I go hunting, fishing, canoeing and skiing all with just my saab. I bought it for 700$ with a lot of body damage. It drives straight and runs good. I take for routine trips that are over 200 miles with no problems. It handles great on the snow and ice (I live in Alaska), The exhaust fell off at the headers, but with a little welding it is as good as new. It looks like a piece of junk but when it drives and runs great who cares. I drive over 20000 miles a year and I have already put 15000 miles on this car (it originally had 185,000 miles). I love this car.

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4.5 out of 5 stars

Great first car for new driver

durbon, 02/25/2010
1992 Saab 9000 S 4dr Hatchback
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The car has 250k on it now and I still get over 30 mpg on the highway. The 5 speed trans is very easy for my 16 year old to learn stick. The leather interior is still in great shape with no visible wear. I bought it from my brother after he put 70k on it over 5 years with little or no trouble. Great car that needs a cup holder to be complete.

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