Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  one saab story after the next - 1996 Saab 900
  By saabstory - February 15 - 10:00 am

  This car had one problem after the next. I replaced the mechanical seat, ignition, clutch cable, window motor, heat blower,cd player, tires repeatedly, etc. etc. The repairs were endless. I just traded it thank god, it was bottom less pit. The air was out and the car was not wanting to be put in reverse. I finally gave up...

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  1st time Saab owner - 1996 Saab 900
  By Gene - January 16 - 1:18 pm

  Ive had the car for about a year. I love the turbo performance and tight handling. I had to replace a tonneau cover motor which was really a surprisingly easy to do.

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  All around great car - 1996 Saab 900
  By mxracn746 - April 11 - 4:41 pm

  Have owned our 96 900S for about a year. Its a good reliable car. Has 143,000 mi on it. The only thing we had to do was rebuild the ditributor because the camshaft sensor went bad in it. The secondary air vacuum system keeps poping up a code in the computer of a partially blocked system, which I know its just water and I need to just take a shop vac and suck it out. I just clear the code from the computer every now and then. Other than that, Ive had absolutly no problems. we take it on 200~300 mile trips about once a month without hessitation.

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  Its O.K. - 1996 Saab 900
  By Joe I. - September 12 - 10:00 am

  Owned since 1998, Ive had the LCD display and the radio head replaced once. Also, the heated seats have quit working. The biggest expense so far has been replacing the spark plug wires(about $300, yes $300) and another $450 for labor and the valve gasket that allowed oil to seep and damage the wires. Also, parts are OUTRAGEOUSLY priced, up there with BMW and Mercedes. The ride and handling are good and the car is generally fun to drive, and overall I like the car. However, if you are contemplating buying one of these, remember this is not a low-maintenance vehicle. Fortunately, as a used car theyre generally (initially) cheap.

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  Loved the Car, Hated the Reliability - 1996 Saab 900
  By Andrew K - March 3 - 3:43 am

  This car was a sheer to drive and handled like a dream. However once the car hit 90,000 miles it was pretty much all downhill from there. Repairs went through the roof, headgasket, clutch cable (3 times), reverse sychro gear which made a horrible grinding sound, the turbo went, the water pump and alternator went, the drivers side window frame broke on its own, the tires cost 500 dollars every year and not to mention electronic issues every now and again. The car was a complete disaster, the amount of repairs that i had could have paid for a new saab, every time the car went it it would be at least 400 - 700 dollars to fix. I would buy another if it was more reliable!

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  Beautiful Car - 1996 Saab 900
  By Wei - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Love my convertible beauty!! Its fun to drive. Auto tranny slows a bit but very good for city drive. Encounted many quirk minor failures: A/C, outdoor temperature sensor, oil pressure sensor, SID(SAAB Info Display) lost pixels, check engine light on and off... Major disapointment is dealer, SAAB OF TROY in Troy, Michigan. Was charged $500 to replace my driver side seatbelt system, just because it was deadlocked. Maybe replacing whole system is the only solution, but I was even refused to give a 12 point courtesy check after the service. Its free in most garages! And worse, my car wouldnt start when I picked it up... I will never go there again.

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  Dont do it - 1996 Saab 900
  By Saab Sucker - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Everythings needs fixing and it is very expensive. Do not buy this. I love to drive it but it is not worth the trouble.

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  Superb design, dodgy execution - 1996 Saab 900
  By Atomic920 - March 11 - 8:03 pm

  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 its 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. Ive ever had, but nothing like the 200hp turbo of 9-3. Takes slow turns like a drunken sailor.

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  Fun to Drive - 1996 Saab 900
  By Prmetime - October 17 - 10:00 am

  I purchased mine brand new and I have had almost no problems. The only one I had was an electrical glitch which was finally fixed and the car has run flawlessly otherwise. It is a great Gran Tourismo especially after I put aftermarket shocks and springs on it. It is comfortable, fun to drive, and has great cargo space.

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  Sweet... maybe too sweet - 1996 Saab 900
  By Redoubt - November 3 - 2:30 pm

  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.