Now I get why people love old Saabs

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
10/05/2017 at 15:30 • Filed to: Project Dumpster Fire, Saab

As previous mentioned, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! this week and it went pretty OK. Also as mentioned, this is not my first drive in a Saab 900 as this particular one was my daily driver from 2001 to 2004.

Some background: Back when the Saab was my daily it was basically the only car I drove. That isn’t strictly true, of course, as I drove my dad’s 2000ish Camry and my mom’s 2001 GMC Yukon XL. The former was woefully slow and un-fun to drive, but had better AC than my Saab and sometimes you really do just want to drive an automatic. The GMC was a different beast entirely and doesn’t invite comparison. So back then I mostly drove the Saab. My Saab.

Unnecessary history lesson out of the way, I can get to the meat of this ramble: I now get why people like these cars. Before that drive, I was restoring it out of nostalgia. Now I am actually looking forward to driving it.

Now the hard part: Why?

Well… it is hard to describe. A friend of mine recently bought a 1983 900 Turbo on a whim. He is a hardcore Volvo guy, but the Saab was cheap and he figured he could flip it. He now drives it more than any of his other cars. Paraphrased, old Saabs drive like nothing else he has ever been in. From the old school turbo lag to the odd suspension they’re just… different.

And I totally agree now.

Steering feels effortless but very immediate. The car just feels connected to the road in a way I’m just not used to, even in my Alfa. Acceleration is quick but in no way urgent. It doesn’t feel fast, but I never had to put much effort to go the speed I wanted to be doing. The cockpit is weird and foreign but very well laid out. The dials are clear and uncluttered. Everything just works really well.

The only design feature I didn’t like was the window controls. Similar to my Disco, I never can remember which way to press to make them go. I remember that it is backwards of what I think, but half the time I remember it correctly, flip it in my head, and get it wrong.

Ok and the clutch has a huge travel and almost no feel.

But yeah…. Do yourself a favor and go drive an old Saab. Or better yet, buy one. They’re cheap, fun to drive, and (relatively) easy to work on.

Something something born from jets.

DISCUSSION (11)

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
10/05/2017 at 15:49

Please don’t make me reconsider a 900 Turbo, the last time I went to look at one, I was met with rust, neglect and a willingness deep inside me to spend way too much money to get it back to its former glory.

punkgoose17 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
10/05/2017 at 15:52

So, this is a Turbo, not a naturally aspirated car?

I wonder how driving an NA car is because they are closer to my budget?

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > punkgoose17
10/05/2017 at 15:58

My understanding is the 16-valve (post 1985ish) NA cars are pretty drivable. The 8-valve NAs are pigs.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
10/05/2017 at 16:00

Yeah, rust is bad ...

Nothing > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
10/05/2017 at 16:21

I loved my 900T until the transmission what kaput. Hands down the best $900 car with a complete service history and no rust that I’ve every purchased. The ‘92 Miata was second, the ‘85 Ramcharger comes in a third. There’s a brief history of cars I paid $900 for.

1967ers - lover of dead auto marques > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
10/05/2017 at 16:37

Was out and about in the SPG today. They really are a hoot to drive. A 900 on a twisty back road is just a great experience.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
10/05/2017 at 16:45

Ouch! Have you started the repairs?

Kinja'd!!!

That’s the one I checked out. Hadn’t run in 6 years, needed a new interior and had rust on the hood, sills, doors and wheel wells. But even in that terrible a shape, it oozed character.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
10/05/2017 at 16:48

I have not. The Alfa was in storage while my garage was being rebuilt from some storm damage. Will probably pull the trigger when I get the Volvo back from the body shop. (Ceiling light fell on it when the tree hit the garage.)

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
10/05/2017 at 16:51

Haha, you can’t make that up, can you? I’m looking forward to future updates!

Urambo Tauro > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
10/05/2017 at 21:23

Man, I can’t wait until my brother’s 900 is up and running. He doesn’t know how to drive stick, so that means that when the time comes to road test the car, I get to be the one to drive it around first. Gotta make sure it shifts okay before he can learn how to use it.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Urambo Tauro
10/06/2017 at 08:54

That is awesome! I am looking forward to hearing about it.