I've seen Lamborghini's, Ferrari's, Jag's, 50's chorvettes and Impalas, and heck, I've even seen a Delorean, but I've never ever seen an old Saab (pre GM) I really wish Saab still existed. The 1987 Saab 900 turbo (painted in the color green) is my dream car.
I have the same year and color combo, LOVE HER!! His is just pristine. Mine is rough around the edges with around 300k on the odo, yet she cranks right up. the best part of having a SAAB is the owner/enthusiasts community. They are a great group of people who are there to help answer questions and get the hard to find parts. This was a great video thanks for posting!
Picked up my 900T in Gothenburg duty free in 1982, $2200 I believe and what a car! It was described as a Mercedes on steroids which was apt; it smoked a BMW 3 series by comparison. I drove it for 10 years and passed it on to my son. Too bad what happened to Saab taken over by GM and now gone. Looking at this video I realize the quality and good design of the car. RIP Saab.
Those dash gauges! Those side vents! That windshield! How did they let that company all fall apart! I remember seeing the launch convertible version in the Helsinki airport wow.
Laguna2013 The company killed itself. Sort of. Despite urging from GM, Saab engineers refused to compromise on safety and quality etc so Saabs always came off the production line making a loss. Certainly in the naughties. Sadly, Saab had some beautiful looking cars about to launch around the time it closed but they just couldn't crack the economics, is my understanding. Jaguar was turned around under Ford and it is a great pity GM couldn't do the same with Saab. The fact that most Saabs still look so right today, is a testament to how good their designers were and given how much brands are homogenised these days, Saab styling really is a big loss.
Laguna2013 That's the same question I be asking. I was sure Saab would be here forever it was the best car I never drove anything like the 900 Lord I can not forgive myself for not keeping the ones that i have had in the past. Yes I was young and dumb
They didn’t have the range of vehicle, only the 9-3 and 9-5 (a few crossovers towards the end but too late) If you take other manufacturers for eg they start from a super mini all the way to luxury 4X4 and everything in between. Shame.
The GM management are nuts not able to lead a premium brand like Saab, and their demands. The former mngmt of Saab where also nuts as they not sold 40% from Saab instead to Ford. Why Ford yet? Because they had the PAG-group where they owned Jaguar, Range Rover and Volvo. And all of this brands succeded and are still alive! Saab is the best!
I really enjoyed the casual laid-back approach in this review ... allowing the owner (John) to tell us about his car ... excellent camera work & editing ... oh ... and a beautiful SAAB ...
I love the presentation and information of all your car video's. However, the electronic "music" in the intro is a bit irritating. I felt like I was confined in an elevator waiting for the door to open. I haven't noticed this in your other video's.
I owned 5 of them over the decades, all different models. Starting with a B201 non Turbo engine, also owned one of those rare B212's, up to a Heuschmid tuned 900S B202 with more than 200 hp. I fell in love with the 900 in the late 1980s simply because of the design ... I loved it an still do. I did lotsa repairs on my SAABs by myself and lotsa repairs can be easily achieved with common tools and a car jack. If You get a 900 and wanna do repairs on it, please get TORX-Bits first. Things that have to be taken care about on a more than 10 year old 900 is corrosion. There's a few spots on the chassis that tend to rust badly over the years. Another problem is the transmission, especially on Turbo-models. The transmission wasn't designed for more than 150 hp. Due to the design and the form-factor they could not change the transmission, please refer to next paragraph to explain why. Another factor is that a 900 is a car that wants to be driven. They are not designed for long standing times, they want to be driven. A SAAB 900 is kinda like an everyday-companion. If they stand too long they give You trouble ... brakes, etc. You should see the historical perspective: Please keep in mind that the SAAB 900 was meant to be nothing else than an interim solution. During the 1970s SAAB teamed up with FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo ... a collaboration that ended with 4 different cars all based on the same frame and the experiences / synergy of those 4 manufacturers: The SAAB 9000, the Lancia Thema, the FIAT Chroma and the Alfa Romeo 164. Development delayed for years and years. The SAAB 90 and 99 were kinda outdated in the late 1970s, therefore SAAB badly needed to get a NEW car on the market, which was the 900. The SAAB 900 was nothing else than an interim solution, which lasted for 14 years and wasn't meant to last that long. I'm a huge SAAB enthusiast and I have to admit that the SAAB 9000 was the best car they ever built, imho. I still love the classic 900, for sure. As a car and companion the 9000 is more or less my soulmate, especially the later models from the mid 1990s. Did General Motors mess it up? It would be easy to blame it all on General Motors. General Motors simply wasn't aware of what SAAB Automotive was and did everything wrong. In counteraction SAAB Automotive did lotsa things wrong during the General-Motors-Era. Me, myself and I prefer the 9000 over the 900, as a final statement to this comment.
This brings back some memories; my dad has a friend who had plenty of these. Back in the day these cars were quite expensive, at least where I live, but they depreciated quickly too, which is strange for a quality car like this. These are getting rarer, but you still see them in daily use here in the Netherlands. Most of them are high mileage by now, 200,000 miles and in some cases over 300,000 miles are very common. Finding a low mileage Turbo isn't easy anymore. Apart from the regular 2, 3, 4 and 5 door versions and the cabriolet, there was a CD-version, which was a 4 door with about 8 inches of extra wheelbase. I don't think these were exported to the States, though. I think the absence of torque steer is mainly because of the equal length drive shafts. Also I believe with the double wishbone suspension used here it's easier set up the geometry in such a way to further eliminate torque steer. Love the design of those, distinctive, no thrills and super easy to live with. Funny how John mentions the electric mirror controls, something I always noticed too. The only thing I find a bit clumsy to use is the knob used for the distribution of air. Mercedes of the same vintage had a similar knob that rotated the full 360 degrees and was more intuitive. Another quirk was the ignition key which you could only remove if the car was in reverse gear. Apparently there were quite a few people who tried to jank out the key and had it broken. The front hinged hood wasn't that uncommon on European cars of the time, but the amount in which it moves forward, before it opens on the Saab is. These cars have excellent seats, better than the competition at the time. The heated seats were standard equipment here in the Netherlands.
About two years ago was a 2003 9-5 aero caravan with 630'000 Km in pristine condition and maintenance for sale in the Netherlands. Sold in a week! No questions, its a Saab!! lol
Yeah, turbos are also infinite life so, it is literally a car with out a fault and will last forever without replacing major parts.Especially over 30 years or 300k miles. Because Swedish Premium Quality!
As an 18 year old with a 1989 900 Turbo and a 1991 900S I love everything about this review! What a lovely 1988 sir! You are one lucky guy to have one in such mint condition!
I live in Trollhättan where they used to build SAAB, and i have acctually worked on the factory. My dreamcar is still an OG 900 Aero, but they are really rare in good condition even here in Sweden.
The feeling and handling of these is spectacular. Unforgettable experience, gotta love the og 900. And an interesting and quirky car too but still so highly usable
I am in the longitudal front wheel drive club. 1999 Passat 1.8 turbo 5 spped manual. The famous 20valve 4 cylinder under the hood. I love me a 1.8t. So smooth efficent and powerful all at the same time. Like the Saab too. A classic. A friend had one in high school. Not the most powerful thing but unique and cool.
What a find! What retired dentist who stored the car in his garage and only drove it on the weekends did this guy buy it from?! To find a 88' 900T 5 spd with only 67k on it is the find of a lifetime. That car is without a doubt a $10,000 car to many Saab enthusiasts. Considering that those cars have no problem making it to 250k as long as you keep the rust away, go easy on the transmission and stay religious with synthetic oil changes ( synthetic in the gear box as well is a godsend when it comes to smoothing out the fee of the shifter), this car could see another 10 years of daily driving without a hiccup. I mean, look at that paint! I was going to say that he HAD to have repainted it until I heard that he bought it with 67k.. then I was blown away that there was an 88' 900T in the U.S.A. in that condition still. I have owned 29 Saabs in the 22 years that I have had my lisence and have had every package that the 900 came in from a 84' 8V Turbo 4 door manual to a handful of 88' 900 SPG's. I still have two classic 900's, a white 5 spd 91' 900S with a SPG body kit and a 88' SPG with the airflow kit and 16" super aero wheels. It's also fully painted crimson metallic. I also have 3 9000 Aero's, 2 being Eucalyptus Green 5 speeds one a 93' and one a 94' with the last being a black on black 97' automatic. Then there is my black on dark grey 04' 9-5 Aero automatic and my 06' 9-7x with the 325 hp fully aluminum 5.3L LS V8 which I consider one of the best driving SUV made. The things Saab did to Chevy's Generic Trailblazer to make the 9-7x really transformed the SUV into something special. So as you can see, I am quite a Saab guy myself. Love the content and look forward to anything Saab that you have to come!
Hey Fran, i just found this by accident and as a european im surprised that americans are interested in our special brand. I had Volvo and Saab thru my life and actually i have 5 Saab; 3x 9-5 the 9-3 and a 99 Turbo from 1978, the first model year of the 99 Turbo. These where the best cars ever made, anything is well conceived and functional. New owners where mostly higher educated who want something extraordinary and quality and who have the income to maintain this extraordinary. To get parts for this old Saabs is not very tricky when you have the right sources. ;)
Wonderful job, as usual! That is such a clean example, it's not even fair! John is a lucky guy to have gotten his hands on it, and seeing some of his perspective was great too. Now I'll be spending the rest of the day trying to find a 900 of my own! Thanks for the great content and for giving me the SAAB bug again!
Hi All! Here is a review of @RocketJohn's 1988 SAAB 900 turbo! This car is totally choice! Watch while John details all the special aspects of this unique and amazing car! Let us know if you have any questions...
i'm absolutely in love with this car. i was going down memory lane on youtube because i was an exchange student to Sweden in 1988 when i was 17. this has to be my most favorite car of all time - so unique, so scandinavian. i'm so sad that the old school SAAB is gone. i would give this man way more money than i should to take this off his hands...hahaha :D
This video really explains why Saab was held in such a high regard years ago. Each succesive model after this was worse than the one it replaced. Such a shame to see the company fall.
I heard that after the GM takeover, GM insisted that Saab basically rebadge a GM platform to reduce costs. The result, of course, was a GM car which was nothing like what Saab buyers expected a Saab to be. Attempts by Saab engineers to re-inject some Saab engineering into these cars just drove the costs back up again.
I owned a 1987 Saab 900 without a turbo. It was monochromatic white and I bought it from my son for $3000.00. That was the best bargain I have made. It had 129,000 miles when I got it as a daily driver and during a backpacking trip to Cranberry Wilderness area in eastern West Virginia, it snowed over a foot and the overnight temperature was low enough to give me some concern about my old battery. That beautiful Saab 900 started right up and even with the older European style Michelin tires, that 900 without chains took us right on up to scenic highway 150. We saw that one truck had been on the highway and since the road was steeply uphill, I wondered if the front wheel drive would spin as the weight shifted to the rear! It didn’t and we made the five hour drive home without incident. That was the early 1990’s and today I owned 2001 Saab 9’3 convertible with turbo. It drives fine, but it is not the car that the 900 was even though it only has 112,000 miles on it and looks brand new. It is not my daily driver and it is more like driving a Cavalier than a Saab! This is just another brand that GM murdered to get rid of the competition! Shame on GM!👍🤠🇺🇸🙏✝️
Absolutely great video. The c900 SAAB is quite simply an amazing piece of engineering, extremely well built, safe and a well kept gem. If properly maintained, the B202 H engine will last many years/miles. With the proper tune, the whole driving experience is enhanced to a new and more enjoyable level. It is really great to see such a well kept example. Hopefully, the c900 SAAB will continue to get more and much deserved recognition!! Kudos to "Heidi and Franny's Garage" for bringing some love and attention to this very practical model SAAB!!!
Cool beans!!! I am subscribing to your channel, very impressed with the quality, presentation and content. Big thanks to "SAAB Planet" for making us SAAB enthusiasts aware of "Heidi and Franny's Garage!!!!
I owned its older brother - a 1987 900 Turbo hatchback [1st year for the Aero front lights] that I purchased with 47,000 miles and sold with 250,000. Absolutely of all the cars that I've owned, this is my favorite. I never replaced the clutch. I never had the valve cover removed. Sure, the car was always at the mechanic's and that drove me crazy but I loved every moment of driving it! Drove from L.A. to DC alone in 3 days and no fatigue whatsoever. 28 mpg on the road. Great seats and upright position. Great cargo area with easy access due to that long hatch. Pulled like a tank. Elegant and utilitarian with just the right amount of performance. Glad to see that there are some well preserved ones like yours still on the road. Enjoy. All the best!
My childhood friend came from a SAAB family. 95s, 96s, 99s. Two cycle, four cycle, three cylinder, V-4s, Sonnetts, the whole enchilada. Great cars great memories.
Just bought and sold an almost identical model, here in the UK. That is an exceptionally well maintained / refurbished vehicle. The vast majority still on the road, here in the UK, wouldn't be quite up to that standard. Here, that vehicle would be worth about £8-10,000 this year. There ought to be minimal turbo lag and no torque steer whatsoever. It does get you noticed, even here, where they are still seen almost daily. People do have overwhelmingly positive associations. When I drove mine, I got almost as much attention as in my Maserati Granturismo :) But, unless very very well maintained, it is a comparatively unsophisticated drive, compared to modern cars. Obviously. You can put in a short shift kit which really tightens up the gear throw and selection. Being a Saab, the safety is second to none, for its age. Depending on which year and model, these 900 turbos had up to 185 ish bhp here in Europe and that's plenty, to keep up with modern traffic. They don't need to be modified. But. Certain Saab engines can cope with mods up to 400+ bhp without upgrading major components. Bracing to improve rigidity can be helpful too. So, plenty of scope for making the car very fast, quite cheaply. Like all classics, if you can afford to, buy the best car you can and you'll have a much better ownership / driver experience.
I bought an '82 Turbo, new. Didn't know you had one, Franny, but might have guessed! In an act of nostalgia, bought a '95 convertible about five years ago. Been doing research as I prep it for sale, and happened upon this video.
I really appreciate you giving the owner time to talk, seeing as he was so passionate and well spoken- why not? Let him ramble! Eloquent info dumps are what RU-vid is for, really. Very informative!
I like this format, more reviews please! My memory of the 900 Turbo is that you had to let them idle awhile after a hard drive, if you shut it down with the turbos spinning, it would drop oil flow and then destroy the turbo...
Beautiful vid! John, don't sell this car, ever! I had two 900, one was 900 gl '84 non turbo 100 hp and other was 900 8t special '89 produced in just 300 cars in Finland (as i've researched) in Edwardian gray paint (it was SPG in States) and dark red leather interior with aero kit. Beautiful and powerful fp turbo intercooler ran like charm but i had to let her go for about 3000 euros some ten years ago (about 3500 bucks) but now it would have cost much more. All SAAB 900 and 9000 cars had heated seats and mirrors as a standard in Europe (not sure about States) till 9-3 and 9-5 when it became an option. Besides these two, i drove 9000 2.3l dark green non turbo and this was a nice car as well, but not close to mine 900 which was my boys dream and I've fulfill it! Last four years I drive 9-5 '02 2.0l lpt which I enjoy almost as I had in 900, no matter it was produced by GM because this car has been made by Swedish engineers who took care of quality and safety. Beautiful silver pre restyled 9-5 and she still looks like few years old even she is sweet sixteen now. ;) These cars are not expensive to maintain and if you change liquids, filters, belts and sparks on time, you will enjoy countless miles (kilometres) in it. SAAB is special car for special people, hence good community and sense of brotherhood. Every time when I pass by the SAAB, I nod and this other driver nod back, like we know each other. Same thing is when you ride a motorcycle and the other rider nod or push a siren. SAAB drivers love their cars and love people who love their cars too. I drive SAAB for 20 years and planning to drive these till I retire.
Fantastic job on the video Heidi. Miracle job on the editing Franny. You turned my unscripted babbling mess into something coherent and palatable! haha Well done!
If the Chinese NEVS guys are smart they’ll offer this design almost exactly in electric when they come to N American city markets. I had a friend with this and I still think about her car. I’d definitely buy one.
I love that the engine is the wrong way around in the bay, the clutch is in front of the engine, with a chain going down to the gearbox. Its one of the very few cars where you can change the clutch without taking the gearbox off. :-) Got a Saab 900-2 convertible 2.3 16v myself as a new project. Saved her from a scrapyard where she'd been sitting for over a year. 150k miles done. Ok, not pre GM, but still has its quirks. Cant wait tl get her on the road again.
Cool! Miss my first car, it was a '89 900 coupe in mint condition. Im currently driving a '02 9-3 and the quality isnt to be compared with the older Saab's.
As an owner of a 96 900 I love these cars. Center ignition is just so nice for a right handed user. I would Love to own a pre gm saab someday. But I don't think I'll drive anything else!
I just saw this.... great review and a great car, John. I owned SAAB's for over 20 years. All turbos except the 99 EMS. Started with a '73 99 EMS, 4 turbos (81, 84, 88, 89), 2 turbo SPG's 91 & 94. Finished with a '99 9-3 Viggen (GM car)... I actually carried a washing machine in my turbo with the seat folded down... huge. Fabulous cars....
I absolutely love everything about the Saab 900 except the dash - I persoanlly don't care about ergonomics; I would much rather aesthetics over function in that case. But aside from that, this one in the video looks stunningly mint.... one envious guy here!
I remember when these cars were new.I remember the commercials and reading about them in the car magazines.They called them road scorchers.There one of the best looking cars ever made and that is a good motor they have in them and there one of the best handling cars ever made 2.I always wanted a red convertible with black interior and I wanted 2 put some big wide tires with centerline rims on it.Nice cars.😀🇸🇪
I loved mine. Bought it new in 1987. After about 3-4 years, it was in the shop with miscellaneous leaks all the time. Gave up on it in '93 and still miss it. Perhaps one day, I'll buy a replacement? I'm not sure. It was definitely a fun vehicle.
I had an '82 Turbo and it had its fair share of issues, but it seemed every time I went to get a replacement part, it was completely different than the original. I loved the innovation. I'm sorry you had so many problems. Every once in a while one gets through :(
@@HeidiandFranny It was a great video. Brought back soooo many memories. We had every kind of SAAB from every era starting in the early 60s with the 93 2 strokes, 95 & 96 V4s, through the 99, 99 EMS, 99 Turbo 4 dr with Hatch, 900 Hatch, 900 2dr w/trunk, a whole handful of 9000 hatches, CDE, and finally an '06 9-3. Also got our neighbors hooked on SAAB and they had a couple of Black 99 Turbos with the whale tails on the hatches and Aztech pyramid rims. And many more. A number of times strangers cmae to the house needing work on their SAABs thinking we were must be a SAAB garage. Ha! Oh how I wish they were still in business bringing the uniqueness of the SAAB to the world.
Being a Dutch Saab fan (one of many) and the glad owner of a 2008 95 2.3 Turbo Aero, who hasn't been driving anything else but Saab for 22 years, I love this video. This semi classic 900 T is a very nice and well kept specimen, but due to physical issues I need to drive an automatic.
Dr. J had a black 82 with the Inca that sat at the dealership when he was on road trips. Clews & Strawbridge in Philly burbs. Mine was an EMS non-turbo.
What a beautiful example of a fine automobile! Great review, too! I had a 1983 900 Turbo in 1985 when I lived in Vail, CO. I bought it at Glenwood Springs Saab. It was the same color/interior combo, but a 4 door sedan. Serious winter assault vehicle. It flew over the passes between Vail and Denver, especially in the winter with a full set of studded snows. I live in Seattle now and have a 2007 9-3t ragtop now. It's post GM, but still enough Saab in it to love. 👍😉 Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Stay safe and healthy!
I've owned lots of SAABS. From 1971, 73 Model 96, 1973 Sonett, a 1980 900 EMS (my favorite). Then a 1982 SAAB 900 Turbo which was a horrible car. Broke the bank. Then a 2002 SAAB 9-5 in which I drive daily. Love these cars!
Had a 1980 I bought new (and just beat on). It was my second Saab having owned a 74 99 previously. Many ski trips driving from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe or Mammoth at, ahem, elevated speeds. Tires? Oh I went thru tires hot footing it in the canyons and mountains. Told myself to save it for the track and carried my race go kart in the back. Slept in it etc etc. A thrown timing chair (the tensioner came adrift I'm fairly sure) signalled the end in 1995 - sad to see her go. The refinement/sportiness/utilitarian combination. There's nothing today that ticks the boxes that it did. Reliability? It was off the wall stuff that would go wrong. EG: After I had 160,000 miles on it the threaded inserts in the polymer fuel tank for the fuel pump backed out for instance. The fuel system was sealed and under pressure so one day there's the odor of fuel. Not a leak to be found anywhere but it was stronger in the trunk. Some soapy water later, tada! Tightened the screws and no change. So I modified the gasket on the gas cap (tsk, tsk) and problem mitigated (can't say solved but it took care of the problem). The 99 would occasionally blow the fuel pump fuse . . . The accessibility of the fuse box was hands down better than any other car. The open style fuses would physically distort from heating so a peek at them every now and then was wise as they gave you a heads up on what was likely to blow. It could all be traced to the multi-termination, single point ground screw in the rail at the base of the radiator. Clean out any and all oxidation and put contact grease on all of it.
Thanks for the video guy's I really love and miss these wonderful old classic saabs I have previously owned three all combi 3+5 door cars and always wanted the 900turbo aero but it never happened! The UK weather can be unkind to cars and the 900 had a few spots where they would rust but all things considered were reasonably reliable, I remember the 900 being good in the snow when we had bad winters and were very strong cars well built I particularly liked the steel girder inner side impact protection which you could hit with a hammer and it would bounce off, lol.As you said it has character in abundance I truly miss Saab 🇸🇪👍❤
Goodness, I've had a couple of these hatches in the 5 door and loved them... if I could find an early 90s classic 5Door with sunroof to convert to a turbo and whale tail I'd die happy. Cheers from Australia
According to American and Canadian Auto Insurance Corporations,Saab vehicles were safest cars on the road. Back in 1980's I lived in Bay Area and 900 Turbos were everywhere (Mostly with black paint just like this one). I always liked that deep sound of 900 Turbo and being 6'3'' tall (maybe 6'4"),I really admire extra leg room in those cars.
Omg that 900 looks amazing! I have had a lot of Saab 900 regular and turbos and I know this car inside out as I rebuilt some of them! Probably owned around 10 or 12 when i was younger. I live in Sweden and the rust is taking them as the winter is hash to all cars here when they need to put salt on the road :( ,Wish people could learn to drive instead! I have seen cars like this 900 in less great condition sold as a modern new car here in Sweden when it comes to money! I have owned a lot of different brands but i always come back to Saab so i'm not sure what to do after my Saab 2.0 liters 9-3 sport hatchback 2008 will get old enough to be unreliable. This is my best car so far , Never had any issues in my 7 years I have had it just regular maintenance so i am super happy.
wow!! now this brings me back to my childhood. my Dad had a black 1986 3-door hatchback (pre-facelift) with 5-speed manual. He loved it like was one of his children. Thank you, Franny, for doing an episode on the Saab its brought back a lot of memories and I wish you both all the best you guys are doing an amazing job and it's always better to watch two good-looking ladies doing a car review on youtube lol. once again thank you and keep up the good job... 😜😀😎💞💞.
What can I say? That's a really beautiful example of one of the, in my house anyway, most famous modern classics. Back in the day, as someone once said, my old man had it's predecessor, the Saab 99. And a huge fun part of this video, for me, is that my dad's car had the exact same colour scheme as John's one, but with velour seats. I'm approx 20 years older than you John by the by. LoL! Not only that, but my dad's name was also John. Heh, brain twist, much? My dad was an medical doctor and religiously replaced his car every 12 months, but the Saab 99 lived with us for 2 years, he loved it so much. I was allowed to drive it on just two or three occasions. It was fantastic, the fastest car we'd ever had at the time, and even as a young idiot, I could feel the special quality of it . The only other car he kept for 2 years was a convertible 1302S Beetle. :¬) Apparently the engine in this SAAB originally came from a design commissioned by Saab, but then, finding it too costly, it was manufactured by the Triumph Motor Co in the UK and later ended up in Triumph cars too. Check out the famously good handling "RWD" Dolomite Sprint. Hey John, swap out those winter tires as soon as you can. I believe my old man used Pirelli Cinturatos way back in the '70s.
I've got an original generation 93 turbo aero convertible and what I find unusual is that with the original 900 they literally covered the thing in "turbo" badges on the front side and rear but on the later 93 turbo/aero/viggen there isn't a single turbo badge or emblem ANYWHERE on the exterior and the only turbo reference is embossed on the seat backs!
I remeber the 900 turbo was a good car, I had a 1979 year model for a while myself. The vastegate valve broke on it so the turbo just kept on charging. I worked in a SAAB shop in the 80 ies here in Sweden.
Owned two Volvo 240’s back in the 80’s. They were wonderful. American cars in those years were dreadful. I looked at the Saabs, but they got poor gas mileage. My Volvos both got 30 mpg. Still, the Volvos were boring; Saabs were interesting. Still are.
But Saabs gas mileage may not have been #1 but it still wasn't THAT bad. I know for a fact because between me & my parents we've had our share of Saabs and Volvos, amongst other american brands...all i regret today is not having kept all the foreign brands