User Reviews
Displaying all 1986 Saab 900 reviews reviews.
1986 Saab 900Review
Liamthedave writes:
Good Car All Around. — I got my 1986 Saab 900, non turbo, in August of 2013. After blowing a CV joint in November of the same year(donuts are less spectacular in a front wheel drive), and then repairing it, I have come to appreciate what I saw as just any old car. It gets fairly good gas mileage, is decently fast, has quite a bit of cargo room, and can comfortably seat 5(I've fit 7). The manual transmission only has problem shifting into reverse, due to the lack of synchros for that gear. It is built like a tank, I've been backed into, multiple times, and escaped with nothing but some scratches and a bent front license plate. It is pushing 190,000 miles, and I intend to put at least another 100.000 on it before passing it to my first child. Primary Use: Commuting to work Pros: Cheap, fuel efficient, fast Cons: Heavy, part cost, quirkiness |
1986 Saab 900Review
Alex writes:
Fantastic Car, But Showing Its Age. — I owned my 1986 Saab 900 over ten years ago, so the mists of time may have romanticized the ownership experience. Even so, I must admit in all truthfulness the 1986 Saab 900 was a wonderful car: characterful, safe, enormously practical, economical and dependable. Its worst aspect was acceleration, or lack thereof. The old 8-valve non-turbo wasn't excruciatingly slow, but it certainly wasn't any ball of fire. Even with the 5-speed manual transmission, anywhere you went was a leisurely drive. The automatic would have been even worse! Braking was decent, as I remember. ABS wasn't available, at least not on non-turbo Saab 900s in 1986, so skill and judgment are necessary to prevent skids. The parking brake acted on the front wheels, a really odd feature that was discontinued in 1987 or '88. The interior is cavernous; Fold down the back seat and anyone 6 feet or less can sleep comfortably on the completely flat cargo floor! These things are built like tanks. The sheetmetal is thick, and if you whack the roof with your fist, you'll hurt your hand before you leave a dent. The doors have a heavy feel, and even on base models like mine, the quality of materials and workmanship is impressive. Saab people are weird, though. You can get sucked into owners' clubs, and things can get weird quickly there. Seriously, though, many Saab people are a little fanatical and exclusive. Mention you like BMWs or Audis and you might find yourself disinvited to the Christmas soiree. That said, quite a few wonderful people are in Saab clubs, and if you keep your mouth shut about wanting a Mini Cooper or VW GTI, you'll have a blast. Problem Areas: These 900s are more resistant to rust than most mid-80s cars, but the newest "classic" 900s are about 17 years old. Rust is a problem at the bottom inside of the front doors, in the fenders, and pinch weld joints at the bottom of the rocker panels. Rust is difficult to repair on 900s because the front fenders are welded on; very few parts just bolt on these cars. Manual transmissions are known to be weak. I never had trouble, but it does occur. Some higher-mileage 900s exhibit final-drive pinion whine, which can be quite expensive to put right. Higher mileage 900s with front-parking brakes can suffer the dreaded Saab "caliper clunk" when applying the brakes while moving backwards. It's merely a problem of annoyance; nothing serious is affected, but it is nevertheless a little embarrassing and annoying. Primary Use: Commuting to work Pros: Quality, economy, safety, style, speed (900 Turbos) Cons: They're old. |
1986 Saab 900Review
motorboss writes:
Awesome Car — I have a 1986 Saab 900 turbo hatchbacthk...It has the 5-speed manuel...the car got great gas milage and pulled about 172 HP...the only thing i ever had to do to it is replace the turbo and the power window switch...it was fast too i think i had it up to about 145 mph...it didnt have mutch room but im single and dont have a family so that didnt matter to me. Owner for 8 years, 2 months Miles Driven per Year:20,000 Pros: fast, HP, turbo, gas milage Cons: small |
Displaying all 1986 Saab 900 reviews reviews.
Reviews From Other Years
1998 Saab 900 Reviews
It's A Keeper. By Benjamin
Fell in love with this car when I first saw it and have taken long trips with it, to North Carolina and Outer Banks having no trouble with it. Enjoy it most in the summer with the top down and the AC ... Read More
You Either Love It Or Hate It! By Janey
Well firstly it's not a convertible, it's a Talladega, this application didn't have my trim on the option list. The handling on this car is fantastic, I would never go with another car for handling. T... Read More
1997 Saab 900 Reviews
1996 Saab 900 Reviews
The Best Overall Car Ive Owned (have Had 7so Far) By chitownfan420
the car is comfortable quiet and legitimately fast. its very classy and practical with out being smug or boring. its rust resistant i live in Rockford (northern IL where we have to use tons of salt to... Read More
900se Turbo Rockawesome Power By Kevin
Swedish engineering has been like a waking up moment. The things that are different are for a great reason like key in the console and the window controls on the console. Second gear is the best, it... Read More
1995 Saab 900 Reviews
Lots Of Style And Reliability For Modest Cost. By Dane
I bought this car off a 3 year lease return with 50k miles. I now have 170k miles and I've run it hard through Minnesota winters. The car stills runs great with only minor maintenance repairs. It even... Read More
Saab Rules By Lars
Not cheap to run but very good value all in all. A true 4-seater with ability to cover long distances in a very relaxed fashion. Cruise contro on, top off and you're ready to travel anywhere in Europe... Read More
1994 Saab 900 Reviews
Gotta Love The Swede! By Will
Handling is exceptional along with braking. Build quality is good on mechanicals but not so much on interior parts. The car is a neat green color and it has the S.E wheels which look nice. Its no s... Read More
Best First Car In Existence...also The Easiest Car To Learn Stick On!! By Zach
from a glance...u wouldn't think much of it...and if you just quickly test drive it, u would think its just a normal car, but to live with it is like having another best friend that you hang out an... Read More
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Other Years
- 1998 Saab 900 7 reviews, 188 photos
- 1997 Saab 900 25 reviews, 210 photos
- 1996 Saab 900 15 reviews, 94 photos
- 1995 Saab 900 15 reviews, 127 photos
- 1994 Saab 900 6 reviews, 63 photos
Used Cars for Sale
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1998 Saab 900 For Sale
2 listings
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1997 Saab 900 For Sale
1 listing
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1996 Saab 900 For Sale
1 listing
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1995 Saab 900 For Sale
1 listing
1986 Saab 900 Trims For Sale
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1986 Saab 900 S Hatchback For Sale
1 listing