Swede dreams are made of this - now for sale

[dollywobbler]

Alas, the Bond is gone. To a good home though and to someone who seems full of the necessary enthusiasm to overcome some of its foibles.

 

In return, I ended up with a Saab 900 16v.

 

It's a decent old bus - quite brisk, solidly built and almost everything works despite 177k on the clock. One headlamp wiper and an electric rear window is about all that's on the 'broken' list. Five days after the swap, with tracking checked and a new pair of front boots, we headed down to Devon to see my family.

 

A brief pause on the way down.

 

We went the motorway route, which meant about 200 miles of 80mph driving, followed by 50 or so at 60. It averaged 30mpg and even though it was bitterly cold, the screenwash still worked, as did the rather marvellous heating. We filled up in Barnstaple - £51, ouch - and after some driving around Devon and the trip back home (M5 until it jammed up, A303 until that jammed up, then minor routes to Oxford, A43/45 and A14) it managed 35mpg. Not BX territory but not bad for something so perky.

 

Then I finally treated it to a rear silencer as it didn't have one at all. Still not too noisy but quieter now!

 

All-in-all, it's a nice motor. Doesn't really excel at anything, but is thoroughly pleasant with enough quirkiness for it to be interesting. That said, once the weather warms up, I can see me swapping this for something a little less sensible. Roll on Spring!

[Andrew353w]

Thought I recognised a layby on the good old A361! Did you also mean to photograph a member of your Christmas entourage "utilising the facilities" near the fence in the background.....

[dollywobbler]

I'd better clarify - that's my wife capturing the lovely sunset on her phone.

 

Said sunset

[trigger]

Did you also mean to photograph a member of your Christmas entourage "utilising the facilities" near the fence in the background.....

I was thinking that but was also worried that it maybe Mrs. DW and wondering why she was weeing standing up?! Anyway the SAAB looks like a great purchase, There's still quite a lot of them left on the road which must be a testament to how good they are.

[Milford Cubicle]

It looks a good buy, I like the awkward side profile of the 5 door. Impressive economy too, my old 900i 8v struggled to beat 25MPG.Surely it excels at practicality? They have an enormous boot, longer than a lot of estates with the seats folded down.

[dollywobbler]

It looks a good buy, I like the awkward side profile of the 5 door. Impressive economy too, my old 900i 8v struggled to beat 25MPG.Surely it excels at practicality? They have an enormous boot, longer than a lot of estates with the seats folded down.

It's good on practicality, but not as good as my BX estate. Certainly a lot better than some rivals. But there's a lot to be said for a car that's good in many areas and outstanding in none. The more brilliant aspects a car has, the more flawed it is elsewhere. It is crap in snow and ice, even with the same brand of new tyres as the BX though. I was surprised by that. Even had some entertaining oversteer on one slushy roundabout! I like the torquey nature of the engine too. Many 16v engines are all about peaky power, and crap lower down the rev range. This isn't.

[wuvvum]

This is the only permutation of classic 900 I haven't owned. I've had single carb, twin carb, 8 valve injection, 8 valve turbo and 16 valve turbo (both LPT and full pressure), but for some reason I've never owned a normally aspirated 16 valve. I can imagine them going quite well though - the same engine in the heavier 9000 was quite adequate for the job. I have to say I agree with you about the snow thing - I was surprised how poor 900s are in the snow (pre-87 cars are worse as they have the handbrake on the front wheels so if you start understeering there's bugger all you can do about it), but then the same goes for old Volvos as well - 240, 740 and 340 are all fugging useless in snow. Probably the best 2wd car I've had in the snow is the AX.

[MrRegieRitmo]

Does it not excel at 'visibility' with it's cockpit style front windscreen?

[Milford Cubicle]

I thought my 900 was pretty good in the snow, especially given its relatively wide summer tyres. Plenty of traction thanks to the weight distribution.

[dollywobbler]

I thought my 900 was pretty good in the snow, especially given its relatively wide summer tyres. Plenty of traction thanks to the weight distribution.

Well, it's not hopeless, but it's not as sure-footed as my Citroens, and given that it's Scandinavian, I'd expect better! I don't like the steering either. I haven't driven anything so devoid of steering feel since the Subaru. At least it's not quite as light as that was. Jumping back into the 2CV this morning it's quite unreal how much info you get about grip and the road surface!

[Richard]

When I lived on a farm my 900 got out when the farmer was stuck in his tractor. That was an 8V GLs (s= twin carb) with 165 tyres though.

[Barry Cade]

I have to say I agree with you about the snow thing - I was surprised how poor 900s are in the snow (pre-87 cars are worse as they have the handbrake on the front wheels so if you start understeering there's bugger all you can do about it), but then the same goes for old Volvos as well - 240, 740 and 340 are all fugging useless in snow. Probably the best 2wd car I've had in the snow is the AX.

Saabs and Volvo's are excellent in the snow,just need the right tyres! I even managed 3 miles of single track in my 190D today,of 5" of snow and packed ice.. Its all about tyres!!Watch this!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSZLSfBDyhsA 900 drived by the master...

[dollywobbler]

I don't disagree - but the Saab's no handler. My Citroens are far more fun to punt into corners - and now the ice has gone, I actually can again!However, in the BX today and it's immediately apparent just how refined and smooth the Saab is at motorway speeds by comparison. Less wind and engine noise and much more relaxing, despite a similarity in engine speed. The bloody windscreen washers are a lot better on the Saab too!

[Milford Cubicle]

Small cars with skinny tyres and little engines are naturally good in the snow, it's a bit much to expect a big car with wide-ish tyres to drive in the same manner.I found my SAAB quite fun to drive, it could certainly be flung about a bit. The main problem is the extremely light steering, like you said.

[alfetta]

the early front handbrakes sort of useful, works a bit like a limited slip diff to get traction in snow..Owned a few of these, but after the turbo's couldn't go back to a normal one..btw sometimes garages jack up on and bend the rear axle - causes camber change and 'interesting' oversteer handling characteristics. .light steering is probably due to the american sourced PAS rack....Dont forget these cars were getting dated in the 80's, it harks back to the 60's 99 basically! Actually you'd probably find a 99 more entertaining, they're lighter have less overhang and better road feel...The 900 came about as they wanted a bigger slice of the US market - they never produced a better winter car than the 96 and to a lesser extent the 99!as to useless in snow, well scandinavians use proper tyres!

[Milford Cubicle]

I'm sure I read something about Erik Carlsson purposely bending the rear axle on the 'yumps' to make his 96s handle better.

[madwelshman]

I'm sure I read something about Erik Carlsson purposely bending the rear axle on the 'yumps' to make his 96s handle better.

That was on the Saab 92's that he rallied. There was to much positive camber, so he'd load the car up with passengers and blast(as much as you could with only 2 cylinders and 28hp) down a rough track he knew of with plenty of yumps to 'adjust!' the rear suspension geometry.

[dollywobbler]

Indeed. I haven't carried out similar mods on this, but I'm already bored of it so hoping to swap it for something more boat-floaty. Or maybe I should just get on with making the Renault work (sadly the two Citroens are ganging up on the poor Renault and are fast developing faults to ensure the Monaco remains where it was when Lanktim delivered it. Pants!)

[dollywobbler]

Swede dreams are not made of this. Anyone want it? Has full tank of fuel! I should get around to syphoning that out for the Renault...

[pogweasel]

How much ACTUAL CURRENCY do you want for it?

[dollywobbler]

Well, after splashing out on new tyres and two exhaust sections, I'd like £400 but offers will be entertained. Binding brake issue included for free. Now that's value.

[pogweasel]

Hmm, could I not just have mats & flaps instead?

[VWPowered]

i've been offered a 900i on an E plate fer free do i take it... yours looks nice though chap this has chrome hubcaps etc on it sure its blue

[Milford Cubicle]

At that age, is it the extra cool pre facelift version with bumpers that look like shelves?

[Richard]

Almost certainly not. Most D plate 900s were the facelift version. They did carry the old shape on a bit longer on the povo spec 2 door, carbed 4 speed ones IIRC.

[madwelshman]

An E plate 900 will definitely have the later spec bumpers that "blended in" with the rest of the bodywork a bit more than the earlier slab of rubber type.900i is a good car, 133hp if 16v. On the 16v note, listen out for noisy timing chains, they can self distruct and cause a few quids worth of damage when they do go. Gearboxes can be a weak link if been worked hard. They tend to jump out on the overrun, or be whiny if tired. Otherwise, not a lot to watch for. Rear hatch tends to rust, door bottoms to.In general, a good solid car, not that fast if non turbo, but usually very reliable.I've had quite a few Saabs and I love them, especially the 60's and 70's models, I'm always on the hunt for them.Will

[dollywobbler]

I must admit, the best Saab I've driven to date was a two-stroke 96. Superb machine. I just find this utterly dull to be honest. Yes, quite nippy (when the brake's not binding) but it feels a bit too much like fitting a Zetec engine to a coffee table. It's an odd mixture. All zingy go but in something that utterly fails to raise a smile.Other than that, it's brilliant so who's going to have it?

[Cavcraft]

Not me alas though still tempted by the CF.

[dollywobbler]

I keep forgetting that we own that! Haven't seen it for months. Must ring the bloke up and see if he's done 'owt with it yet.

[saabhappy]

Mine's a 'C' plate so has the shelf-like bumpers. I've a rear bumper for the later model, post face-lift, if anyone wants to force money into my hand. Came off a 'G' reg.