To reinforce oldsaab's comments:

We have a 1993 900s with the 2.1L. Parents have a 1989 900s with the NA 2.0L. The 2.1L does have a bit more power, but the engine has been apart 3 times already, the first 2 times as a result of the known headgasket problem (see Townsend's site), and the first of those times before we bought it (but done wrong). The head's been re-machined twice now and it is not high miles! If you get a 2.1L you want one that got the updated headgasket early in life (got an early 30k service) + ideally was switched over to Mercedes coolant early as well.

Imho, the 16 valve 2.0L turbo manual is the one you want. I believe even the 8 valve turbo gets as much power + more torque than a NA 2.1L. Don't get me wrong, a NA 900 is a great car, but nowhere near as much fun and the 2.1L is not as reliable as the 2.0L.

Insurance on either is probably about the same. Both cars are worthless for collision. 1992 might be marginally cheaper to insure because the ABS + air bag improves perceived safety, and sedan vs 2 door or NA vs turbo = family car vs sports car to an insurer... insurance cost is almost entirely injury related at this point (our 1993 gets 4 out of 5 for safety with our insurer making it very cheap to insure, still safer than most modern cars!)...

Really it comes down to the condition of the rest of the car. A $1000 repair is a lot, but unless it's a rust bucket, I wouldn't think twice about fixing the problem. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't. I've done lots of $1000 repairs, and still our total cost of ownership (including purchase + every maintenance item + every rented replacement car) is about the same as leasing a base model honda civic.

James...

posted by 216.59.229...

• 86 900t to 92 900s, Matthew Hutchinson, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 09:54:32
  • HEY MATTHEW, 89SPG, Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:11:39
  • Re: 86 900t to 92 900s, oldsaab, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:06:19
    • 2.1L NA, James, Sat, 14 Mar 2009 04:22:56 <-- Viewing This Message
  • A Common Canundrum, No Snaab, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:16:11
  • Re: 86 900t to 92 900s, Saabnutt, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:01:46
  • Re: 86 900t to 92 900s, lancer, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:01:06
    • kinda vague, saab86, Sat, 14 Mar 2009 04:03:49
    • Re: 86 900t to 92 900s, Justin VanAbrahams , Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:09:23
      • Re: 86 900t to 92 900s, Frank Myers, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:15:19
    • Re: 86 900t to 92 900s, Frank Myers, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:08:47
      • Re: 86 900t to 92 900s, Matthew Hutchinson, Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:29:39
        • Good plan, No Snaab, Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:03:30
      • keep it, or sell it to me for $350., Jer, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:21:17
        • oops, don't know how that pic got there :), Jer, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:23:50
          • Re: oops, don't know how that pic got there :), Notnoel , Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:36:19
            • Re: oops, don't know how that pic got there :), Frank Myers, Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:41:36
              • Excellent rube goldberg!!!!, Spike, Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:33:13

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