Why aren't classic Saabs more desireable?
Discussion
I may be biased as I have one (scruffy '92 900 Turbo) but I don't understand why they haven't become more desireable (and consequently expensive) than they are? They have the perfect combo of being 80's cool, quick, practical and able to do mega mileage. I read a fact along the lines that they were the most expensive 4 cylinder car on market at that time. A really good 900 Turbo can be had for £8k and there must be far fewer of them than there are 205 GTI's, Golf GTI's. Ok, it may not have their performance but nonetheless. I know this car and while its very highly priced https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/magazine/1989-saab... its got to be arguably one of the best around and yet its still seems to offer pretty good value. The same applies for the 99.
I was going to post this in Saab forum but I thought you may be more subjective over here!
I was going to post this in Saab forum but I thought you may be more subjective over here!
Woody.GTJ said:
I may be biased as I have one (scruffy '92 900 Turbo) but I don't understand why they haven't become more desireable (and consequently expensive) than they are? They have the perfect combo of being 80's cool, quick, practical and able to do mega mileage. I read a fact along the lines that they were the most expensive 4 cylinder car on market at that time. A really good 900 Turbo can be had for £8k and there must be far fewer of them than there are 205 GTI's, Golf GTI's. Ok, it may not have their performance but nonetheless. I know this car and while its very highly priced https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/magazine/1989-saab... its got to be arguably one of the best around and yet its still seems to offer pretty good value. The same applies for the 99.
I was going to post this in Saab forum but I thought you may be more subjective over here!
I have driven Saabs occasionally, enjoyed them all, but never owned one - although the 900/99s were made in decent numbers I guess in this country at least they were always quite niche. Perhaps this feeling still perpetuates?? A car for someone 'in the know' rather than the masses, hence unlikely to command the same premium from those looking to relive their youth.I was going to post this in Saab forum but I thought you may be more subjective over here!
Woody.GTJ said:
I know this car and while its very highly priced https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/magazine/1989-saab... its got to be arguably one of the best around and yet its still seems to offer pretty good value.
That's a lovely 16S.Wheels look bigger than standard though.....?
Always had a soft spot for them, knew a few people with them back in the mid 80's and drove them often back then, including a tweeked 8v early Turbo. Talk about turbo lag
Had to wait over 10 years before I got the chance to own one, and adored the '92 900SE I owned in the late 90's, great cars, and was close to part ex'ing it for a mint 900 Ruby in 2000, but bought a 9000 Aero instead.Always regret not buying the Ruby.
I own one, someone said about it not being as desirable as a 205gti as a 18 year old, and its true. I wanted one as I got older, appreciating the engineering and quirkiness more and more. Also...ppl tend to drive them, mine has a 178,000 miles on it, not unlike these hardly used Porsche's and BMW E30's or any Ford from the 80's which ppl must have loved enough not to drive them or, dare I say, have had a bit of a haircut?
I still would love a 205gti, Renault 5 turbo, a nice E30, but I do love my SAAB.
I still would love a 205gti, Renault 5 turbo, a nice E30, but I do love my SAAB.
To be honest apart from the turbo engine I don't think there was anything that special about them to make them a poster car.
I grew up on RWD and bought a 1982 Capri 2.8 Injection in 1984. My girlfriend at the time had a solicitor boss with an E21 BMW 323i.
A couple of years later I had a work colleague whose boyfriend had an E30 325i and she came to work one Monday regaling us with a story of a duel they had over the weekend with a Saab Turbo (BMW won, of course) and by then I had another Capri 2.8i!
Back then it just seemed like the Capri was the blue collar option, the BMW was the white collar option and the Saab was the "just to be different for the sake of it" option.
I grew up on RWD and bought a 1982 Capri 2.8 Injection in 1984. My girlfriend at the time had a solicitor boss with an E21 BMW 323i.
A couple of years later I had a work colleague whose boyfriend had an E30 325i and she came to work one Monday regaling us with a story of a duel they had over the weekend with a Saab Turbo (BMW won, of course) and by then I had another Capri 2.8i!
Back then it just seemed like the Capri was the blue collar option, the BMW was the white collar option and the Saab was the "just to be different for the sake of it" option.
POORCARDEALER said:
Good cars,, beard image
The 'beard' image was only to the uneducated and people with no interest in motorsport.However, for those of us that grew up with Saab's involvement in rallying and rallycross in the 60's, 70's and 80's the cars had anything but a 'beard' image.
The first driver to score a hat-rick of championship wins in the European Rallycross Championship was Swede, Anders Norstedt, who was won Division 1 3 times in a row in 1984, 85 and 86 driving a 900 Turbo (as well as coming 3rd in 87 and 88)
He is also known for one of the most spectacular accidents in European Rallycross when he rolled his 900T all the way down Paddock Hill at Brands during the GP in the late 80's......
[pic]https://live.staticflickr.com/7016/6531496943_b438438865_b.jpg[pic]
Not to mention Saab dealership owner Will Gollop, who cut his teeth and won his first rallycross championship driving Saab's in the UK.
Even Abbott Racing had some success in circuit racing in the UK with their 900 in the 1980's.
I love old Saabs and am often tempted to find a 3-door 900 Turbo, but with the factory having disappeared what is the parts position?
One of the benefits that have kept me conservatively sticking to BMW, Mercedes and Porsche so far in the category of 20-30 year old cars that I run has been that the parts backup for their obsolete models, while not perfect, is much better than for many other makes.
One of the benefits that have kept me conservatively sticking to BMW, Mercedes and Porsche so far in the category of 20-30 year old cars that I run has been that the parts backup for their obsolete models, while not perfect, is much better than for many other makes.
Lowtimer said:
I love old Saabs and am often tempted to find a 3-door 900 Turbo, but with the factory having disappeared what is the parts position?
One of the benefits that have kept me conservatively sticking to BMW, Mercedes and Porsche so far in the category of 20-30 year old cars that I run has been that the parts backup for their obsolete models, while not perfect, is much better than for many other makes.
Like most classic cars, parts can be overpriced, however, there are enthusiasts on the continent do a lot of 3-d printing for some plastic parts. There is also a very good company called saabits based in Europe , who are fantastic. Ebay also has some decent sellers.One of the benefits that have kept me conservatively sticking to BMW, Mercedes and Porsche so far in the category of 20-30 year old cars that I run has been that the parts backup for their obsolete models, while not perfect, is much better than for many other makes.
https://www.saabits.com/
Lowtimer said:
I love old Saabs and am often tempted to find a 3-door 900 Turbo, but with the factory having disappeared what is the parts position?
With a car that ended production almost 30 years ago, there would be very few parts still available from a dealer for a 900T even if the factory was still going!There's a big specialist Saab parts network in Sweden and elsewhere supplying parts for old 2-strokes and V4's, 99's and 900's etc.
I've had three Saabs, an 1989 900 2.0T16VS coupe, a 1993 900 2.0 Turbo SE, and a 1996 9000 2.0 Turbo CSE. All were under £1,000 purchases at the time. I didn't bond with either of them that well, but I think that was down to owning E28 and E30 BMW's previously and having rwd and handling far superior to my Saabs. I personally found them lacking in fun factor.
aeropilot said:
With a car that ended production almost 30 years ago, there would be very few parts still available from a dealer for a 900T even if the factory was still going!
There's a big specialist Saab parts network in Sweden and elsewhere supplying parts for old 2-strokes and V4's, 99's and 900's etc.
Good to know, I shall look into that. The first part of your answer magnifies my appreciation of the helpfulness of Porsche, Mercedes and BMW in still providing active support for their 30 year old, and even older cars. There's a big specialist Saab parts network in Sweden and elsewhere supplying parts for old 2-strokes and V4's, 99's and 900's etc.
MGBs, Morris Minors and E-types seem to have generated their own industries.
Lowtimer said:
Good to know, I shall look into that. The first part of your answer magnifies my appreciation of the helpfulness of Porsche, Mercedes and BMW in still providing active support for their 30 year old, and even older cars.
Indeed.And in its pre-GM ownership days, you could have included Saab in that list, but GM ownership put an end to that.
There was also a time when Volvo used to have whole page newspaper adverts extolling the fact that there was nothing you couldn't get from the factory to keep an old Volvo on the road............but, with their obsession about the enviroment and Chinese ownership, I wonder now how much you can still get for a 1970's 244 or a P1800 from a Volvo dealer?
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