People who ask about my car at some point always seem to ask if I have many problems. What harpua said, plus the trans is weak, the old non-watercooled turbos were awful, parts are terribly expensive to buy new, few capable pro mechanics, the vacuum line thing, and the engine is in backwards making the clutch a breeze, but the crank pulley and belts a royal pain. This is all classic 900 stuff - I have no experience with any of the other models.

Anywho...they are hard to own in my opinion. Anyone who owns other vehicles can probably attest, most other vehicles are a bit easier to own especially as they age.

BUT - they drive better than most other cars and crash better than most other cars. Seems to me that (economics aside) if more people bought based on how a car really behaves when it matters...a lot of really popular vehicles would be adjunct failures in the marketplace. NHTSA gives safety concern ratings to so many popular cars. Why do people buy these?

Chrysler LHS.
Mazda 626
Cavalier
Buicks Regal and Century
Even Corolla got only 3 of 5 stars for rear seat safety.
Chrysler Sebring is 3 star
Ford Escort is awful.
Oldsmobile Intrigue and its twins actually got a 1 star for rear seat safety in a side impact.

Hmmmm.
My definition of reliable is the car my kids walk away from when an inexperienced teenager loses control on a wet road and spins into me in a bad way (or any other bad crash). Thank God I'm not driving a mechanically reliable Mazda 626.
Love those Saabs. Wish they would have used a better heater control valve, a better trans and learned to bolt a head on properly.
-J

posted by 12.155.24...

• SAABs unreliable???, Finch, Wed, 22 Dec 2004 19:07:02
  • Re: SAABs unreliable???, Brice, Sat, 25 Dec 2004 08:33:25
  • Re: SAABs unreliable???, JohnInAtl, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 13:09:06
  • Moving into the mainstream....., Mike Lynch , Thu, 23 Dec 2004 12:07:19
    • Well said Mike..., Viggenator , Thu, 23 Dec 2004 14:07:02
  • How do you define reliability?, Noel, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 06:55:49
    • Re: How do you define reliability?, Ed W, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 11:41:15
    • Re: How do you define reliability?, Bill in VA, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 11:36:10
  • My 1985 900 is VERY reliable n/m, Henri Lefebvre, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 06:49:42
  • Re: SAABs unreliable???, Harpua, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 02:00:29
    • Very well written Harpua. A little more on that?, JDSaab, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 07:44:59 <-- Viewing This Message
      • Re: Very well written Harpua. A little more on that?, Harpua, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 10:03:56
    • A matter of perception and choice, Henri L, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 07:17:29
      • henri, do tell, i have a '75 tr6, email me details? nm, baggsly , Thu, 23 Dec 2004 15:29:44
      • do you live in CT? i saw a TR6 at a SAAB shop>, prodigal son, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 08:27:30
        • Re: I live in Alberta, Canada n/m, Henri L, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 15:21:29
      • Which clutch on the TR6?, BobH, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 08:03:24
        • Re: Which clutch on the TR6?, Henri L, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 14:26:10
          • Thank you, Henri <nm>, BobH, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 20:45:55
            • Re: Thank you,, Henri L, Mon, 27 Dec 2004 07:44:39
    • Reliability is Improving, Greg Abbott , Thu, 23 Dec 2004 07:05:18
      • Re: Reliability is Improving, Harpua, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 09:42:06
        • I think he was referring to, Finch, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 10:07:11
          • yep, Greg Abbott , Thu, 23 Dec 2004 11:28:46
  • Re: SAABs unreliable???, Willy, Wed, 22 Dec 2004 22:09:48
    • electrical problems..., isobel, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 06:43:37
  • Don't know. Overall very good luck here., saw, Wed, 22 Dec 2004 21:56:19
  • Like all machines it depend on how they're maintained, Saabpilot , Wed, 22 Dec 2004 20:59:15
    • Re: Like all machines it depend on how they're maintained, Spiros Trianta, Thu, 23 Dec 2004 17:02:17
      • dude, early 2nd gen 900s were notoriously bad>, prodigal son, Fri, 24 Dec 2004 22:02:59
  • Not in circles out here, I guess..., Scott Paterson , Wed, 22 Dec 2004 20:06:11
  • Re: SAABs unreliable???, Dean, Wed, 22 Dec 2004 19:59:35
    • i would agree......they ain't cheap, but here's why:, prodigal son, Wed, 22 Dec 2004 21:01:49

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