Author Topic: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)  (Read 18434 times)

Tech II

  • SaabTechTalk Team
  • Airflow
  • **
  • Posts: 32
  • Number of thanks: 4
    • View Profile
Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« on: 02 July 2011, 06:16:52 PM »
Thanks to Chris (Zaphod) for the suggestion.  This topic is for owners to review their Saab in their own words for the benefit of other contributors to STT who may be interested in buying or just reading your views.

We look forward to reading your reviews!

drbolaget

  • Saabisti
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • Number of thanks: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« Reply #1 on: 05 July 2011, 01:27:11 PM »
My son bought our 1988 c900 aero turbo off ebay about two years ago. (I say 'our'. It's technically his, but I drive it a lot and do most of the fixing....) We had to find a friend with a big 4x4, rent a car trailer, and drive 5 hours to pick it up from a small country town in the high country of Victoria. It was able to start with a jumper, but was unable to drive due to an unknown fault in the clutch and/or gear linkage. It was filthy throughout, had damaged CV boots, and oil and food ground into the carpets. But no rust. We fixed it up, replacing the ignition and gearstick housing, welding up the clutch pedal which had broken, fitting new CV boots, and installing a new battery. This got us started and rolling. Since then we have given it a fair going over: vacuum hosing, plugs and leads, all fluids, front brake discs, windscreen, new shocks, exhaust manifold gasket etc etc. Recently we fitted a modified APC computer (=red box) and it really flies once you hit about 2500 revs. We guess it would put out around 175hp, and the boost gauge has it at around 12-14 lbs, but with loads of torque and limpet like handling and grip it is actually a more inspiring drive and better handler than my stage 3 9000 aero. I'll get a photo up some time.

Kev_Mc

  • SST paid up supporter
  • Super Aero
  • *
  • Posts: 658
  • Number of thanks: 10
  • 08 9-5 Aero
    • View Profile
Re: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« Reply #2 on: 05 July 2011, 01:35:01 PM »
My son bought our 1988 c900 aero turbo off ebay about two years ago. (I say 'our'. It's technically his, but I drive it a lot and do most of the fixing....) We had to find a friend with a big 4x4, rent a car trailer, and drive 5 hours to pick it up from a small country town in the high country of Victoria. It was able to start with a jumper, but was unable to drive due to an unknown fault in the clutch and/or gear linkage. It was filthy throughout, had damaged CV boots, and oil and food ground into the carpets. But no rust. We fixed it up, replacing the ignition and gearstick housing, welding up the clutch pedal which had broken, fitting new CV boots, and installing a new battery. This got us started and rolling. Since then we have given it a fair going over: vacuum hosing, plugs and leads, all fluids, front brake discs, windscreen, new shocks, exhaust manifold gasket etc etc. Recently we fitted a modified APC computer (=red box) and it really flies once you hit about 2500 revs. We guess it would put out around 175hp, and the boost gauge has it at around 12-14 lbs, but with loads of torque and limpet like handling and grip it is actually a more inspiring drive and better handler than my stage 3 9000 aero. I'll get a photo up some time.

Welcome to STT  :) Look forward to seeing the photos  8)

SaabCrazee

  • Saabisti
  • *
  • Posts: 10
  • Number of thanks: 2
    • View Profile
Re: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« Reply #3 on: 07 July 2011, 04:07:04 PM »
I recently purchased my '91 900 Turbo Convertible after lusting after the 900's for 30+ years. A good friend of mine bought a 1979 900 Turbo Coupe brand new. We cruised in that car so much, we wore our own grooves on the main drag through town. Early one morning, my buddy was on his way home from working a double shift at the mine, fell asleep at the wheel and rolled that beautiful car four times into a cow pasture. It came to rest on it's wheels, badly dented up and with a cracked windscreen. He got out and took an accounting of his badly damaged baby. All the lights were lit, the engine had died, other than all the body panels being virtually destroyed, the car looked sound. Doug got back in the driver's seat, turned the key, and smiled as the still fairly new engine purred to life. He put it in 1st gear, got turned around and eased the Saab back onto the highway... And drove it 57 miles home. 2 months later he came by my house and his Saab was in the driveway... Good as new. Since that moment, I have always respected the marque and loved the familiar body lines passed down through the years.

My "new" Saab is in remarkable shape for its 20 years. Dashboards don't last as long in the states, as we have so many days of sunshine and heat, but that will be remedied soon. I'm in the process of tracking down and purchasing every trim piece, body panel, light, and badge I can find. Not that any of that is needed now... Rather as insurance against any future catastrophe. Weatherstripping is particularly hard to find... I've found some (mostly for the passenger side), and will eventually have enough to replace all of it, as it becomes necessary. I will be keeping this car long into my old age. I don't want to have to hunt parts for it when it's 30 or 40 years old...

I was (and still am) a member of SaabScene under the same ID. I look forward to chatting with many of you here as well.


Cheers,

Jim

drbolaget

  • Saabisti
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • Number of thanks: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« Reply #4 on: 08 July 2011, 08:32:47 AM »
Welcome to STT   Look forward to seeing the photos 
.

OK: here is a pic:


Kev_Mc

  • SST paid up supporter
  • Super Aero
  • *
  • Posts: 658
  • Number of thanks: 10
  • 08 9-5 Aero
    • View Profile
Re: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« Reply #5 on: 08 July 2011, 08:36:16 AM »

OK: here is a pic:

Nice c900  8) Interesting photo angle  ;D

steve lewis

  • Saabisti
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Number of thanks: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« Reply #6 on: 08 July 2011, 10:48:10 PM »
I'm well known for looking through rose tinted spectacles but I really do love c900's

I have fitted over 400 headlinings picking the cars up from many parts of the country and driving them to Luton and the Midlands to do the work. I had no idea what I was collecting and I've collected some less than pristine examples (inc my own LOL). I've fitted many convertible roofs that require a 400 mile round trip and none have ever let me down.

They have a huge boot, whether turbo or normally aspirated they have excellent performance and excellent torque characteristics, many newer vehicles were left behind on steep motorway gradients. They're not bad on fuel returning at the worst 25mpg but the best I have had is 33mpg (so could be improved upon by a modern there).

The handling is ultra sharp and bear in mind that most of the suspension orignates from a 1965 design.

I love my sunroof and have it open in almost all weathers.

Mostly I love the fact that I'll not see another usually and when I do we're waving at each other.

If you love them ... you do ... and if you don't then ... you don't

Revvers

  • Saabisti
  • *
  • Posts: 2
  • Number of thanks: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« Reply #7 on: 26 July 2011, 08:35:24 PM »
Hello. I'd had enough of my Audi and went back to a c900 earlier this year, after having one in the early 90's. I love mine!! It drives great,looks good and is just brilliant fun to own. Plus everyone thinks it's sooo cool!! What's not to love?

MeatballTurbo

  • Saabisti
  • *
  • Posts: 2
  • Number of thanks: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« Reply #8 on: 04 August 2011, 07:22:20 PM »
I bought mine on ebay drunk about a year ago, it has body rust, faded paint, coolant incontinence, a failed thermostat, and a non working heater valve, the headlining is ripped and saggier than a working girl's twunt, and it drains the battery in less than a week. But I love it, just don't get to drive it enough as was a project car then.

It is an 8v turbo Special Edition, and boosts perfectly handles well, and sounds nice on boost, and my best experience of was coming back from a classic car show, in convoy on the motorway with an R33 Skyline GTR and an 80's wide arse 911 turbo, swapping places at 100 miles an hour and at one point forming a 3 wide rolling roadblock at 95 stopping a  cock in a modern M3 who felt it his duty to sit behind franticly swapping lanes and tooting and flashing.

I will get this fixed up starting with the battery drain and the thermostat if I can get the top off the very corroded housing without shearing the bolts.

Thorfinn

  • Saabisti
  • *
  • Posts: 10
  • Number of thanks: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Review your classic Saab 900 (M79-93)
« Reply #9 on: 14 April 2012, 03:31:38 PM »
...Or you could use the phrase:  "Saggier than a working girl's M3 Driver" ;D