I bought a new 07 Saab 9-3 Aero wagon 6spd using European Delivery. It was my daily for 11 years and 177K miles. I'm still on the original clutch and a bunch of other equipment. I didn't have to fix the AC until 2020.
My friend had the same with an automatic. He had it tuned with new turbo, intercooler, suspension etc. He loved it and it was crazy fast. The guy he sold it to, got rid of it after speeding tickets. The Aero wagon was great looking in its day also
I loved Saabs from a very early time in my life, and after owning a ton of OG900's (turbos and SPGs) I finally owned a Monte Carlo Yellow 9-3 Viggen coupe back in 2004. It was a great car, and I wish that I still had it. They are truly great cars given the times in which they existed.
@@carattop you're so stupid you probably think the moon is real too. here's a test for your ignorant ass. go look up the piston ring part number for the "saab" h-engine and put that in autodoc, when you find out it's an opel part you will feel really stupid, ignorant
Saab used to be a niche but highly regarded brand here in the UK. Then GM bought them, so they ended up with all the issues that GM cars are reknown for, but at least you can still buy the GM parts unlike any Saab specific parts.. I hope this one keeps going when the Wizard works his magic.
I’ve had my -98 9-3 convertible for thirteen years. I’ve spent more on fixing and renovating it over the years than I did buying it. Worth every cent every time I drive it.
1986 Saab 900 Turbo. Best car I ever owned. I even named her "Gretchen". I dream about her sometimes. I should have never let her go. Mountains, plains, ice, rain, snow...the places she took me.
I own a 400+k km Saab 9-5 2.3t from 2001. Wich I bought for 750 euro's. Repair costs over 4 years. A 1000 euro's. Car is in mint condition now. Parts are very cheap here in The Netherlands and readily available. Just got the yearly APK wich is like an MOT. And it passed with flying colors again. These are indistructable if treated correctly.
The genesis of that engine starts with Triumph. The British company did some stupid things with the design, such as angled head bolts that cause head gasket failures. SAAB bought the design and fixed all the problems and turned these into real powerhouses when turbocharged. Great video!
The Triumph 1.7 litre engine was really really bad. At 1972 with the new SAAB 2.0 the care went from trouble to really great. My dad owned a 2.0L 1974 SAAB 99.
The 1.7 was actually designed for Saab by triumph with the agreement that Saab had exclusivity on the engine the first couple of years ...first use in a triumph was 1972 while Saab had it in 1968 ... Triumph went on to use it in the dolomite and the first 16v version of that engine was the dolomite sprint
Saab actually *is* an airplane company. It originally already *was* an airplane company that decided after WW2 to "do with cars". But at some point the branch didn't develope as supposed and got sold. To GM. Which never understood Europe and European cars and finally ruined it. The 9-3 and 9-5 share many components with Opel / Vauxhall cars of that era. For some parts you might look into the Opel partsbin and find them at lower prices. Thanks for sharing !
I know it's "common knowledge" among Saab enthusiasts that GM ruined Saab, but it's not really a fair statement. Saab would have failed completely in the 90's without GM. GM did fundamentally change Saab, and not necessarily for the better. That said it wasn't GM's ownership that killed Saab. They (Saab) decided that they should compete with BMW. They should have just kept being Saab, and not tried to compete in the Euro luxury/sport market.
@@joedunn1109 Sure - things aren't that simple and I agree with you that without GM Saab had drowned even earlier than it finally did. GM helped Saab cutting costs and that's why the Opel / Vauxhall Vectra and Astra share so many components with the Saabs. Fact is, that Saab with GM could not find its place in the market any more. The 99 and 900 I had very very unique cars - the 9-3 I lended for a weekend was just boring in comparision. For what they offered you could buy one and a half Opel Vectra with the same engine and options ... The time and market developement acted against them and so was the global economy - and the world did not need another "luxury / sports car". The GM mediocrity helped them for some time to stay afloat, but the numbers were to small to even maintain the brand name and manufacture the cars in i.e. Korea. So they went down.
I think SAAB was not making any profit on the car manufacturing already in the late 80s, and decided to sell it. My impression was that the development and manufacturing was too expensive and the price on the cars was too low. SAAB had a lot of its own parts and solutions that increased manufacturing cost. If you are making a different product you must be able to charge more for it, but SAAB was compared to Volvo and similar brands, slightly below the premium brands at that time. And it did not have the premium brand feel or quality.
@@larion3296a large car company will destroy any other car company if possible..... especially if not from u.s.a. it's called competition.... also destroy what is not u.s.a. ... just look at recent world history , it is a cultural reality ...
@@piet-heins.2708 Well spotted! it was badged as 1998 93 but Saab seemed to promote it as a 9-3 all very confusing. I bought in 2004 and just wanted a good value, fast drivers car. I got all that in that car!
I love these cars. I’m a proud owner of three of them… 00’ 9-5 Aero wagon, 03 9-3 SE Convertible, and a 07’ 9-3 6speed. Having some mechanical aptitude and being able to source your parts out helps to ease some of the ownership pains. People always ask me “how can you afford to fix that thing”… easy, I fix it myself.
I drove and wrenched on Saabs for 15 years, a 1995 9000 aero and then a couple 9-5 wagons, which I used to tow my boat. Great affordable family car, but I never realized how simple replacing a cabin air filter could be until I bought a Toyota!
@@Gurupimp10 running a stage 3 saab 9-5 aero myself dynoed at 305hp. did absolutely nothing besides typical stage 3 stuff (full exhaust, bigger cobra pipe, ect.) hasn't broke down yet! didn't even need to upgrade injectors or axles or anything. exhaust was really the only big ticket item
Owner of a 2000 9-5 Wagon here. Bought it off Facebook Marketplace for only $1,450 and I believe it showed somewhere around 128,000 miles on the clock. I’m not gonna lie, it needed a bit of work and there was about a 2-3 week stretch where I sat cussing at it. But after a few encouraging words from my neighbors I got her fully up and running. Honestly, I don’t think they’re that hard to work on 🤷🏾♂️
@@Soh90Good on ya. Hopefully it has the more reliable 2.3L 4 cylinder. From what I recall, replacing the direct ignition cassette and spark plugs with quality OEM spec parts and doing an ATF drain and fill every other oil change keep it happy. And use premium gas when you’re towing or driving in the mountains with a load.
It was a collaborative destructive effort. Saab had to initially be bought out because they couldn't stay afloat on their own and make a profit. Much of it was because they were very over-engineered yet sold in too low of numbers. One great example: my OG Saab 9-5 came with pretty strong forged rods from factory. The Saab 9000 predecessor came with forged pistons and rods from factory. Some people put the old Saab 9000 bits into their 9-5 motors to make over 500 horsepower with mainly factory-spec internals. That's a lot of material for a daily driver that isn't an AMG. But even when GM bought Saab, they didn't collaborate enough. You may remember Top Gear said that Saab developed their own satnav unit on the 2003-2006 Saab 9-3 because the GM offerings weren't good enough. GM should've collaborated with Saab on that feature so it could be used in more models. After all, those old GM Denso nav units were kinda terrible. GM initially saved Saab from themselves. But then GM's gross management incompetence at the time resulted in Saab's demise. Personally I think Saab should've done more collaborations with Subaru, so that Subaru could have a more 'premium' offering that also focused heavily on safety.
Saab destroyed Saab. They didn't want to compromise on quality. as ordered by GM And used only good and expensive parts. So no money was made. I own a 9-5. Live in Europe, and got to experience the demise of Saab very closely.
Saab design was an absolute delight. The interior design is more than "simple", it belies an incredibly well thought out design ethos. Some examples: 4:40 The two small buttons to left underneath the clock (to the left of the CLR button). These two buttons are clock time up / down. Push and the time setting advances forwards or backwards, hold the button and and it advances quickly. I've never seen a clock that was easier and more intuitive to reset. In most cars, it seems like you have to navigate multiple layers of buttons and software that it's nearly impossible to figure it out. 5:00 The button above the dashboard cup holder labeled "Night Panel" is for driving at night, especially in dark environments. That button disables all the gauges and lights on the dashboard to minimize light distraction, so you can focus on the road; this is inspired from jet cockpits. Even cooler: the night panel button doesn't just shut off the dash lights, it disables the gauges... the the gauge dials actually flop down to zero! So cool. The only gauge that stays illuminated in Night mode is the speedometer which only illuminates to half way on the dial (maybe 60 mph or 80 mph I can't recall). If you drive faster than that, the rest of the gauge range will light up to accommodate your speed. If you make an adjustment to a button or dial, say on the radio, that cluster will illuminate to accommodate you too. Sick! 6:25 Those are slots to hold change (quarters, nickels, dimes) in front of the cup holder. I'm surprised that Mrs. Wizard didn't mention the seats: so well designed and sporty/comfy that Saab enthusiasts have been known to mount them on a swivel base to use as a desk chair (google Turning an Old Saab Seat into a Desk Chair)! 5:45 Putting the key on the floor was both a safety feature for the driver (so the lock mechanism is out of the driver's way in case of an accident) and also a security feature (locks the gearbox instead of the steering column like most cars) to prevent theft. 7:40 Note the sweet integrated design, and tactile feel for the cup holder, as well as the smooth calibration of the tension spring. Still functions perfectly. Many small, thoughtful touches like these in Saabs. A couple other notes in general on Saab innovation (not this specific car): Saab introduced seat belts as standard equipment in 1958. First automaker to do so. In Sweden, Saabs were known as the safest cars, not their domestic rival. Saab made their bones on the 4 cylinder turbo to optimize fuel efficiency, power, low end torque, and driver fun. Fast forward to today, and the rest of the industry now is following suit. The gear ratios and turbo make this thing a blast to drive: Saab ads at the time had insane comparisons to super cars for how fast this car can accelerate from 50 to 80 etc. All in all, Saabs were so well designed they are a delight. We are all much worse off that Saab is no longer a part of the auto industry. :(
@@adamrudling1339 I believe 'we are in the weeds here', however it makes no difference on whether Nils Bohlin had worked for SAAB, Ford, GM, VAZ or Rolls Royce - as at the time of the seat-belts invention he was being employed (and paid) as a Volvo engineer so Volvo owns the design. However, on a very positive note, Volvo elected to allow any automotive builder to use the design without having to pay a licensing fee for their use - which was a magnanimous gesture - something that would not happen in today's world that's dominated by very greedy, aggresive marketers and bean-counters that place maximum - and often extortionate - profit ahead of social responsibility and thus the betterment of humanity.
Im a Brit, but I did escape for 3 years on a project in the US (H1B Visa). I needed a car and wanted a manual transmission which I failed miserably to find. So jumped at an 02 SAAB 9-3 convertible in a gorgeous metallic blue, the only thing I didnt like was the autobox! That cost $8k in 2009 (had the purchase invoice at $42k in 2002). I loved that car and traveled all round the Mid West reliably, repair shops wouldnt touch it as it was "European" so had to fix things myself. The worst being replacing the waterpump (a GM part!) which involved removing the inlet manifold and turbo whilst in Chicago in February which was an experience. The display pixels failed, that was a repair kit off Ebay from the UK. I sold it for about $5k so am staggered that you could get more than that now.
Saaaaab! As a '99 9-3 cv owner myself, I couldn't hit this video fast enough. In my case, I'm very happy w/my daily driver bought in '02 in CA, now here in MA, but still rust-free. Sure, it requires attention, but there are parts available and plenty specialist mechanics, also a strong community. Personally, I like the simplicity of these cars, and the quirks make perfect sense to me now. Mine is also a 5spd MT w/similar mileage, but the b204 is tuned (~240hp?) to be quick enough. No idea what it's worth, but I don't care. Thanks, Wizard, for showing off this one. Once sorted, it will be a great car. Yay for Bill!🙂
Before you replace the axle seal, check axle for freeplay. Known issue is the bushing in the diff wears out. They can be replaced in the car, but are a pain.
I drove a 2000 9-3 for a long time, but was never brave enough to stick a drink in that front cupholder. Always figured I would spill it on the radio somehow. Impressed to see that both exterior badges are intact on this one (the paint flaked off mine) and the info display doesn't have any dead rows! I had to repair that ribbon cable twice since some of the contacts would flake out from the temp changes over winter. Really fun and interesting car for its time though. I miss it.
Yup. Alas, Saab AB (Aerospace) has nixed ever bringing back a Saab automobile. How? Saab AB has full ownership of the moniker and will not ever let it be used on a car (most likely it would be Chinese) again.
I bought a 2007 SAAB 9 3 from a Copart back east. After I received the vehicle the title was changed to "Salvage". The original owner hit her front bumper three times in her own garage! So far, a perfect convertible! 83,000 miles and runs like new. My 2006 9 5 from Hawaii has 48,000 miles and is waiting for new oil cooler lines.
Check the engine for black sludge. To do that, you’ll have to take the oil pan off, clean oil pan and sif, AND put a modified crank case ventilation (aka ‘MOD6’) in. A bit of history: Saab already made airplanes in the ‘30s and decided to make cars as well. The first Saab looked like the hull of an airplane ;-)
I had a 1977 99ems... Amazing car. In snow it was incredible never stuck. I am a mechanic so I worked on Volvo and Saabs. When it got old to use we drove it around our Motocross track jumped it could not kill that car.. Amazingly strong . Reverse mechanism key switch jamming up and water pump shaft snapped and sadly junked it. I always wanted another one.
Really nice to see a saab. My son has driven a 9-3 2001 for five years. It is what i would call is a $500 car and his first. The only thing besides tires and service in five years and 40 000 miles is a lower control arm same as this one. Those repairs are totally worth it. It looks like a really nice car rust free with a good engine. We still se them a lot here in Sweden. .
So relieved that Wizard said the repairs are worth it on this little Saab. They are such fun cars when taken care of. Project Farm just dropped a video where he fixed an $800 Honda with 1k in parts. Add in the cost of his labor, and he was probably in for 3-4k total. But, compared to the cost if used cars now, Project Farm came out way ahead.
I'd never be caught dead without a SAAB in my garage, best all around car on the planet! Sporty, luxurious, efficient, stylish, reliable, they have everything
Saab was a neat company that made neat cars. I remember Saab ads on TV with the tagline "Only one aircraft manufacturer also builds cars." One of the local regional airlines (Pacific Coastal) has a fleet of Saab 340 turboprops. Nice planes.
My first car was a 1986 Saab 9000 Turbo with a 5 speed manual. It would consistently 33 mpg in normal driving and it could do 130 mph. From 1986 till now there has been little to no improvements in economy ICEs.
I’m so happy you finally got another Saab in the shop! My first car was a Saab as a matter of fact! It was a 1996 900 S, unfortunately it was an automatic but it was definitely one of my favorite cars. One thing I will say about the reverse lockouts on the Saab is that it should also be noted that you shouldn’t try to force the key out of the ignition when it stops, assuming you don’t have the car in reverse because that will damage the ignition lock cylinder, and if you do it too many times, you will have to replace it and that can get very expensive, and based on the current estimate and what you guys have found this far I don’t suppose that Bill is going to want to deal with something like that. Seen it happen many times before on Saabs that are equipped with a manual transmission. Also, another fun fact is that you can view the mileage without turning on the key all you have to do is press the odometer reset button on the gauge cluster. You can also turn on the radio when the car is off on Saabs, and the same is true for Mercedes-Benz as well.
The night panel button on the head unit has a neat feature. At night, you can turn off all the dash lights except the speedometer. Kinda cool, even though I did not like the feature on my Saab. Sadly, my daughter totaled that one.
SAAB make fighter jets and numerous engineers working on car design used to work in the aviation wing. I loved my 95... that had a damped folding cup holder but the mechanism was even better
I drove a 9-5 once when I worked for a detail shop a long time ago. I loved it. That car was so smooth and quick, it left a lasting impression. One of my favorite cars I've ever driven.
Worth every cent that Bill wants to put into it. The value of the car is what someone is prepared to pay for it, not what dealers say. SAAB are Swedish Military Aircraft Engineers.
7 місяців тому+1
This generation SAAB is a GM product. SAAB have been out of business for a long time.
Well, yes and no. There are two different Saab companies, like there are two different Rolls-Royce companies. Saab and Rolls-Royce are around as aerospace and defense contractors. Saab Automobile is out of business while Rolls-Royce Motorcars is a division of BMW. The automobile divisions were spun off from their parent companies.
I thought that Saab’s were well engineered until I had to remove a dead heater blower motor from a vintage Saab. I removed the center dash speaker, unbolted the motor and found that the speaker opening was about 1/4 inch too small to remove the blower motor. The 30 minute fix became hours of difficult labor. Unique car. The 900 Turbo in the 80’s took the company to new heights and was a Saab Black Series was featured on Seinfeld.
that classic Saab hatchback profile is timeless, from the 99EMS i had in the 80s to the 9-3 Viggen i just drove to work today. Its the right size too, not too big like most modern cars. This Saab was definitely worth fixing; cant find anything else new today as cool and quirky.
I have a Saab like that here in Sweden. Yes, Saab started building cars after World War II when the demand for fighter planes fell (naturally). In the beginning you could only get your Saab in "army green"... Saab still builds fighter planes today, but sadly no cars. The fact that there are such large buttons on the dashboard, I have heard, is because the Saab people thought that you should be able to handle the car with winter gloves on! To sum up, I have found it to be a very practical car, which has been relatively cheap to maintain and durable.
Worked on many Saabs and you would be surprised by how well the bolts will come out of it. With that mileage I’d also recommend taking the valve cover off and retorque the head bolts. I almost bought a 96 900s back in 2009 that had the old goofy bar/rod/triangle shift linkage that would pop out under aggressive driving conditions. I didn’t buy due to the collision damage suffered in the right rear quarter panel. I’ve also driven a Saab 2.0L that had a 2.3L from a 9-5 installed in it and after an ecu swap and reprogram for the difference in reluctor wheel tooth variations had more power than it should have ever had and grenaded the transmission on a test drive. Great cars but with that comes expertise knowledge and the utmost care of ownership.
It's a credti to SAAB with the improvements carried out over what was a very 'ordinary' engine design. Sadly SAAB did not have the funds to design an engine from a clean sheet.
The ONStar badge on the dash would seem to indicate this was a product of the GM control period at Saab. They weren't bad, just not that appealing to the U.S. market. My high school math teacher drove the 2-stroke 3 cylinder one to school each day. The "big chainsaw" was smoky and you mixed the gas and oil. Unscrew the gas filler cap and invert it and that's how much oil you add to a tank of fuel. Front wheel drive and a four speed on the column. Very unusual for the late sixties in a small new england town.
I am always a sucker for a SAAB story. Why? I own a snow silver metallic 2010 9-3 Aero. With still only about 47,000 miles. Never seen snow or salt. Every option except factory GPS. Even the fancy limited edition and now rarely seen wheels. All not so unusual fourteen years ago. But a very unique and near-perfect survivor now. And yes, the SAAB story is a tear-jerker. They never should have gone away. But they did. PS Those last years of 9-3 and 9-5 colors.....all computed to mimic colors on the Swedish landscape. Moss, trees, glaciers, fresh snow.....and night sky.
4:19 this model is limited to 140mph, but the viggen model is limited to 155. They share the same instrument cluster, so the speedometer needs to cover the higher range Also the reverse lock is anti-theft. The steering wheel doesn't lock because the key isn't on the steerimg column, so instead they made the entire transmission lock
Also on this model and others I love the front reverse side lights. When putting in R the front side lights go on so you can see either side of the car. Cadillac had that also but GM is crap compared to Saab.
@@johngaudet6316 those also come on with the turn signals! That’s probably the feature I miss the most from my 1999 9-3 on my 2008 9-3 It was legitimately SO USEFUL
Hi Wizard , I have a 1999 9-3 which I’ve owned 6 years + . The 3 engine motor mounts can be moved from underneath by supporting the engine whilst work in progress . The RH side ( passenger side in USA , I’m messaging from uk ) can be accessed by removing wheel then arch protector trim piece , again supporting the engine . You may have to lower it ever so slightly to access the Allen key fixing .
I had a 2006 Saab 9-3 which ran very well for 195,000 miles. Then avoiding a tree falling on me, I went off road, damaged the sub frame, cracked the bumper, and gashed the oil pan. I stopped the car immediately and had it towed, saving the engine and everything else. For $4000 I could have fixed the car, but instead I sold it for $500 to my Saab mechanic. He fixed it up, costing him $4000 in parts, and resold that car for $4500 making no money on it at all. But he is still servicing that car today, now with 260,000 on the original powertrain as I took care of it and apparently the next owner is at least doing a decent job maintaining the rebuilt car. They can and do last a long time with the Toyota (Aisin) transmission and GM engine.
Try replacing that antenna with an aftermarket unit, the top is a nightmare to emulate plus that injector cartridge, always fails. Having said that I love the V6 (rare in the UK) and the 9-5. The last of which were Buick Regal bodies with SAAB innards.
My mum just totalled her 2001 93 SE Turbo, 87,000 miles from new, broke my heart. Wife and I still have our 04 95 aero, which I bought for $800 5 years ago. 80,000 miles later it’s never missed a beat. At a cross roads though, clunks and bangs and rust to deal with, needs all new rubber! Totally uneconomical to repair but it’s part of the family.
I never understood this lol My SAABs have been incredibly reliable, never leaving me stranded, meanwhile all my friends Hondas and Subarus are constantly dying and exploding
Just an advice replace the battery and make sure that much the specification as in the Saab manual. What will happen with a no so good battery: the ecu will switch off randomly everything that is not essential. Let say you AC on, light on, and so on. The ecu will swich off the AC, then vipers and so on when the battery cannot handle the load. Speaking for experience....
When you ran down the sides saying ding ding ding, you reminded me of our brand new 1971 Lincoln Continental. When they redesign the car for 1970, it had beautiful styling and they decided to run the rub strip down one of the contours. Unfortunately, that's not where all the doors hit the car....!
FAQ: in addition to the ignition key only being removable when the shifter is in reverse, there’s a trick to changing the clutch. To replace the clutch, the transmission must be placed in 4th gear or else the transmission won’t separate from the engine block.
Ive had a few Saabs and they have all been great my wifes current 9-3 b207L has been an absolute tank. We bought it for 900 bucks and shes gotten like 80k miles out of it so far and it still runs great.
My parents had a '99 900SE and they were just off a 93 like this one, slightly different but basically the same car. It was sooo cool! And then they got a 95 Aero SW. The feature I always loved was the night panel. It was the best feature if you drove at night on the highway. Perfect specially is you were in an unlit highway, your eyes would get used to the dark quite quickly
I have that same engine in my 2004 95 wagon. Most of these are re-programmed to produce more power and that's the case with mine. Stage1 in my 2.0t is 225 hp and 250 lb.-ft. instead of stock 150hp. Important thing is to have receipt that shows quality program being used. Cheap ones can cause a lot of problems.
Still dailying my 230k+ Viggen.. it’s getting tired but I’m having a hard time figuring out what to replace it with. The buttons are all unique shapes to allow you to find them by touch. Night panel is a cool feature to reduce eye strain, turning off the unnecessary gauges unless certain thresholds are exceeded. The Speedo is only lit up to 85 mph unless you go faster than that. Good AC and enough power to express myself. No shortage of Saab stories though…
Saab started as a maker of airplanes and their early cars were painted with the same paint used for airplanes… not sure if they used some airplane parts as well…
I never really gave Saab a second thought until my buddy bought a 9000 aero. I was impressed. Ended up finding a 95 900se 5 speed with the 2.0t. I loved it. Only major work I did was a Viggen clutch and that was only because I added a 3" turbo back exhaust and tuned ecu from Jack Stoll performance. Stock clutch just couldn't handle the extra torque. Other than that, all it needed were cheap/easy fixes and regular maintenance. My first turbo car and I learned a lot during ownership. I wouldn't mind having another one.
The cup holder is designed to destroy the stack with every bump in the road. That's a beautiful car! Someone really did take care of her. Worth every penny!
Back in the day I had this same car a few years older it was a 900 Turbo. I used a sneaker on the floor as a cup holder because I wanted to preserve the dash holder for future blessed owners. I'm now 55 years old on my 6th Saab.
Key removal/insertion & starting is a unique SAAB quirk. Same as the 1973 SAAB 99 is drove for while (the key lock was in the centre between the front seats too). Quite quirky, but not as quirky as a Citroen. Can’t wait to see the Car Wizard encounter a Citroen 2CV, aka The Tin Snail.
my dad had an orange '99 with a stick. 7 year old me thought it was soo cool i spent the night in it in the garage the first night he brought it home - under-rated cars for sure. Also, CW - SAAB makes some of the best military aircraft in the world and has done so for years (Drakken, Grippen - check em out!)
my grandparents had saabs 900,93,95 throughout my childhood, friends and family and my mum had one too. UK, we always said they were just a rebadged vectra, but theres something about them that is comforting.
The later model year 9-3s with the 2.0T are great as a used car purchase. Easy to work on, over 30 mpg on the highway, plush and soft real leather seats, great A/C, fun to drive/fast, they go 250K miles reliably and cheap to buy/insure.
I've had 2 of them this exact generation my first was automatic my last was manual with a td04 turbo upgraded injectors and downpipe made just over 400 to the wheels she was green with a roof rack, will be buying my third one soon and really going nuts with it
An 80s Saab is like a Porsche 911 of Hatchbacks, in the way it drives, and they have a lot of the same qualities in how they feel, plus their own unique traits. They're definitely different than the next generation. The steering was a little light, but other than that, the driving experience is sublime. Saab is an interesting company, and their desire to build great cars was also their achiles. Jason Camissa has a great video explaining their history.
I borrowed my mothers SAAB 93 1998 while moving, it is a 2.3 liter, manual in quite nice cosmetic condition, 124 000 miles with no rust. The SID1 and ACC displays are shot so I have ordered new ones and there is a slow leak of servo fluid. In Sweden this car is worth 500 US$ (if I fix the servo leak)...
I freaking love the cup holder in every SAAB. They all have a different transformer cup holder. Was hurry to look at every new Saab in car show when i was younger too look for their Cup holder. + They are soo much comfy.
9-3 Viggen was an awesome car. 20 psi of boost from factory. Loads of low end torque and turbo shove is crazy. Amazing highway car. Very comfortable and practical 5 door. 😅
When I was young, i asked a neightbor about the "night-panel"button... Such a simple solution, to a comfortable nightride. 😃 Only the speedometer was light up, when all things worked as it should. -And it did for many years...
The Mercedes compressor has that kind of cup holder! Careful condensation off of drinks can go into the radio and fry the electrical! it happened in my aunts Mercedes compressor with the same cupholder condensation off of soda, followed the cupholder right into the radio shorted out the electrical system
I worked for Saab in the 99 years, loved those things, they started going down hill when the 900 came out. The reason they chose reverse for the gear selection was due to research where they found that the first gear selected on start-up was REVERSE. 🙂
My dad was a SAAB guy, and only owned a Mercedes and a WV in between the 11 Saab's he owned. Do the fact that he (and I) was a Sweden explain anything? Saab 92 (1952) Saab 93 (1957) Saab 93 (1959) VW 1500 Variant (1961) Saab 93 (2:nd car 1967) Saab 95 (1967) Saab 99 (1971) Mercedes 200 (1977) Saab 900 (1981) (because I crashed his Mercedes) Saab 900 50 years anniversary (1987) Saab 9000 (1990) Saab 9000 (2001) Saab 9-5 (2011)
@@AndrewTrain-m3i Two are favourites, the 99 of 1971 because it was so inventive for the time, at least according to my teenage opinion, and the 9-5 of 2008 (I owned it before him 2008-2011) and it extremely good in slippery weather while being fun to drive because of the power and road stability.
Wizard, as others have may have mentioned, Saab started life as an aircraft manufacturer (and still is, as Saab AB) shortly before WWII; before and right after WWII, most of Sweden's automobile sales were imports, so they started their auto manufacturing division in the late 40s. GM ownership of Saab Automobile came first with them purchasing a majority stake in 1990, then purchasing the rest outright from Saab AB in 2000. One of the taglines Saab used in their ads in the early-mid Aughts was "Born from Jets", but Saab had traded on their aerospace lineage in ads going back to at least the 80s.
Thanks Wizard! I think Bill did and has done well with this particular car (cost-wise). I'm not a SAAB fan, but it seems to be a nice example. Re: the license plate, I immediately "got it" as SAAB has a very prominent aircraft division (fighter jets etc). I have no idea what the long-term outlook/forecast would be for such a vehicle. Are they known to be high mileage vehicles. ? Thanks again.
I've bout 6 and still own 2 of latter ones, from 1986 to 2011. Loved the manual, 9000s, love Aeros. Best seats, best overall road handling. Shame on GM for not keeping it going.
Some of the most comfortable seats I've ever enjoyed
Yox, like Volvo
SAAB and Volvo seats are designed by Orthopaedic surgeons.
My Saab seats go...."ahhhhhh."
@@foxstrangler And during a long period made in the same factory.
Yessss my 9-5 aero had the BEST seats. Never got fatigued on long drives. That car was incredible
Love to see the SAAB still taken care of and the owner enjoying it.
I bought a new 07 Saab 9-3 Aero wagon 6spd using European Delivery. It was my daily for 11 years and 177K miles. I'm still on the original clutch and a bunch of other equipment. I didn't have to fix the AC until 2020.
That V6 with the 6speed is something else. It never stops pulling.
I have 2008 aero wagon unfortunately auto.
Great car with almost 200k miles now.
My friend had the same with an automatic. He had it tuned with new turbo, intercooler, suspension etc. He loved it and it was crazy fast. The guy he sold it to, got rid of it after speeding tickets. The Aero wagon was great looking in its day also
❤❤
My 07 9-3's AC lucky only need a charge, for now.
I loved Saabs from a very early time in my life, and after owning a ton of OG900's (turbos and SPGs) I finally owned a Monte Carlo Yellow 9-3 Viggen coupe back in 2004. It was a great car, and I wish that I still had it. They are truly great cars given the times in which they existed.
Saabs are just typical GM junk
I'd love a viggen.
@@somdusazerate Not at all... You're clueless.
@@user-hf6rq7tf4i it's still based on Opel technology
@@carattop you're so stupid you probably think the moon is real too. here's a test for your ignorant ass. go look up the piston ring part number for the "saab" h-engine and put that in autodoc, when you find out it's an opel part you will feel really stupid, ignorant
It's a SAAB! I love SAABs. I currently own three and they are the best cars I've ever driven. Thank you Car Wizard.
Saab used to be a niche but highly regarded brand here in the UK.
Then GM bought them, so they ended up with all the issues that GM cars
are reknown for, but at least you can still buy the GM parts unlike any Saab
specific parts..
I hope this one keeps going when the Wizard works his magic.
I’ve had my -98 9-3 convertible for thirteen years. I’ve spent more on fixing and renovating it over the years than I did buying it. Worth every cent every time I drive it.
1986 Saab 900 Turbo. Best car I ever owned. I even named her "Gretchen". I dream about her sometimes. I should have never let her go. Mountains, plains, ice, rain, snow...the places she took me.
That's a little weird tbh ;)
@@lievensnl
we all have our weird parts... and thats completely a nonissue so far
Awesome! I too had a 900 T. Best handling car I've ever owned. It could corner like a Porsche. And very comfortable seats.
Had a blonde that once did those things with me.......sniff
I also had a 1986 Saab 900 Turbo. Over 200,000 miles when I sold it for a 1992 Saab. Excellent and dependable.
I own a 400+k km Saab 9-5 2.3t from 2001. Wich I bought for 750 euro's. Repair costs over 4 years. A 1000 euro's. Car is in mint condition now. Parts are very cheap here in The Netherlands and readily available. Just got the yearly APK wich is like an MOT. And it passed with flying colors again. These are indistructable if treated correctly.
As long as you can avoid rust and sludge issues, they're golden machines. Same here, >450k km 2001 9-5SE Combi. Awesome car to drive in.
@@TopVersnelling I updated the oil ventilation system to mod 6. Wich should resolve sludge issues.
400k on a car.. Amazing man
Finally a Saab!!! I've had like 6 of em and I love them! Also the best acronym for these is Somethings Almost Always Broken.
Svenska Aeroplan AktieBolaget
They started as a military airplane company, and had trucks (Scania) and cars (SAAB) as side business.
Swedes suck at making cars
Something An A*hole Bought
or something a**holes always buy🤣🤣
Certainly no more troublesome than any other European make, probably less so.
The genesis of that engine starts with Triumph. The British company did some stupid things with the design, such as angled head bolts that cause head gasket failures. SAAB bought the design and fixed all the problems and turned these into real powerhouses when turbocharged.
Great video!
The Triumph 1.7 litre engine was really really bad. At 1972 with the new SAAB 2.0 the care went from trouble to really great.
My dad owned a 2.0L 1974 SAAB 99.
Junk from birth.
The 1.7 was actually designed for Saab by triumph with the agreement that Saab had exclusivity on the engine the first couple of years ...first use in a triumph was 1972 while Saab had it in 1968 ... Triumph went on to use it in the dolomite and the first 16v version of that engine was the dolomite sprint
This engine is very far removed from the Triumph engine Saab borrowed for a couple years around 1970...
@@MrJMS814 the Saab engines from the 99 are incremental devellopments
My first car was a 2002 Saab 9-5 Aero 5spd..man I miss that car. Most comfortable seats ever
Saab actually *is* an airplane company. It originally already *was* an airplane company that decided after WW2 to "do with cars". But at some point the branch didn't develope as supposed and got sold. To GM. Which never understood Europe and European cars and finally ruined it. The 9-3 and 9-5 share many components with Opel / Vauxhall cars of that era. For some parts you might look into the Opel partsbin and find them at lower prices. Thanks for sharing !
I know it's "common knowledge" among Saab enthusiasts that GM ruined Saab, but it's not really a fair statement. Saab would have failed completely in the 90's without GM. GM did fundamentally change Saab, and not necessarily for the better. That said it wasn't GM's ownership that killed Saab. They (Saab) decided that they should compete with BMW. They should have just kept being Saab, and not tried to compete in the Euro luxury/sport market.
@@joedunn1109 Sure - things aren't that simple and I agree with you that without GM Saab had drowned even earlier than it finally did. GM helped Saab cutting costs and that's why the Opel / Vauxhall Vectra and Astra share so many components with the Saabs. Fact is, that Saab with GM could not find its place in the market any more. The 99 and 900 I had very very unique cars - the 9-3 I lended for a weekend was just boring in comparision. For what they offered you could buy one and a half Opel Vectra with the same engine and options ... The time and market developement acted against them and so was the global economy - and the world did not need another "luxury / sports car". The GM mediocrity helped them for some time to stay afloat, but the numbers were to small to even maintain the brand name and manufacture the cars in i.e. Korea. So they went down.
I think SAAB was not making any profit on the car manufacturing already in the late 80s, and decided to sell it. My impression was that the development and manufacturing was too expensive and the price on the cars was too low. SAAB had a lot of its own parts and solutions that increased manufacturing cost. If you are making a different product you must be able to charge more for it, but SAAB was compared to Volvo and similar brands, slightly below the premium brands at that time. And it did not have the premium brand feel or quality.
@@larion3296a large car company will destroy any other car company if possible..... especially if not from u.s.a. it's called competition.... also destroy what is not u.s.a. ... just look at recent world history , it is a cultural reality ...
@@wacholder5690If you had one of these or you actually looked at parts, you'd find that these share almost nothing with other GM cars
Had a 93 myself years ago. Absolutely loved it. Gorgeous car, great daily driver. I love this example.
A 93 or a 9-3? There is a difference, you know…😉
@@piet-heins.2708 Well spotted! it was badged as 1998 93 but Saab seemed to promote it as a 9-3 all very confusing. I bought in 2004 and just wanted a good value, fast drivers car. I got all that in that car!
I love these cars. I’m a proud owner of three of them… 00’ 9-5 Aero wagon, 03 9-3 SE Convertible, and a 07’ 9-3 6speed. Having some mechanical aptitude and being able to source your parts out helps to ease some of the ownership pains. People always ask me “how can you afford to fix that thing”… easy, I fix it myself.
I drove and wrenched on Saabs for 15 years, a 1995 9000 aero and then a couple 9-5 wagons, which I used to tow my boat. Great affordable family car, but I never realized how simple replacing a cabin air filter could be until I bought a Toyota!
They are so awesome, tuning them are so much fun :) A Saab with 150hp can easy hit 300hp, very over built witch is great for us to play with :)
@@Gurupimp10 running a stage 3 saab 9-5 aero myself dynoed at 305hp. did absolutely nothing besides typical stage 3 stuff (full exhaust, bigger cobra pipe, ect.) hasn't broke down yet! didn't even need to upgrade injectors or axles or anything. exhaust was really the only big ticket item
Owner of a 2000 9-5 Wagon here. Bought it off Facebook Marketplace for only $1,450 and I believe it showed somewhere around 128,000 miles on the clock. I’m not gonna lie, it needed a bit of work and there was about a 2-3 week stretch where I sat cussing at it. But after a few encouraging words from my neighbors I got her fully up and running. Honestly, I don’t think they’re that hard to work on 🤷🏾♂️
@@Soh90Good on ya. Hopefully it has the more reliable 2.3L 4 cylinder. From what I recall, replacing the direct ignition cassette and spark plugs with quality OEM spec parts and doing an ATF drain and fill every other oil change keep it happy. And use premium gas when you’re towing or driving in the mountains with a load.
It's a shame that GM destroyed Saab.
Yep I agree, at least Ford kept Volvo going.
It was a collaborative destructive effort. Saab had to initially be bought out because they couldn't stay afloat on their own and make a profit. Much of it was because they were very over-engineered yet sold in too low of numbers.
One great example: my OG Saab 9-5 came with pretty strong forged rods from factory. The Saab 9000 predecessor came with forged pistons and rods from factory. Some people put the old Saab 9000 bits into their 9-5 motors to make over 500 horsepower with mainly factory-spec internals. That's a lot of material for a daily driver that isn't an AMG.
But even when GM bought Saab, they didn't collaborate enough. You may remember Top Gear said that Saab developed their own satnav unit on the 2003-2006 Saab 9-3 because the GM offerings weren't good enough. GM should've collaborated with Saab on that feature so it could be used in more models. After all, those old GM Denso nav units were kinda terrible.
GM initially saved Saab from themselves. But then GM's gross management incompetence at the time resulted in Saab's demise.
Personally I think Saab should've done more collaborations with Subaru, so that Subaru could have a more 'premium' offering that also focused heavily on safety.
If SAAB was a healthy profitable business its parent company wouldn't have had to sell it.
@ilovecds9606 Until they had to sell it for substantially less than they had invested in it to the Chinese.
Saab destroyed Saab. They didn't want to compromise on quality. as ordered by GM And used only good and expensive parts. So no money was made. I own a 9-5. Live in Europe, and got to experience the demise of Saab very closely.
Saab design was an absolute delight. The interior design is more than "simple", it belies an incredibly well thought out design ethos. Some examples:
4:40 The two small buttons to left underneath the clock (to the left of the CLR button). These two buttons are clock time up / down. Push and the time setting advances forwards or backwards, hold the button and and it advances quickly. I've never seen a clock that was easier and more intuitive to reset. In most cars, it seems like you have to navigate multiple layers of buttons and software that it's nearly impossible to figure it out.
5:00 The button above the dashboard cup holder labeled "Night Panel" is for driving at night, especially in dark environments. That button disables all the gauges and lights on the dashboard to minimize light distraction, so you can focus on the road; this is inspired from jet cockpits. Even cooler: the night panel button doesn't just shut off the dash lights, it disables the gauges... the the gauge dials actually flop down to zero! So cool. The only gauge that stays illuminated in Night mode is the speedometer which only illuminates to half way on the dial (maybe 60 mph or 80 mph I can't recall). If you drive faster than that, the rest of the gauge range will light up to accommodate your speed. If you make an adjustment to a button or dial, say on the radio, that cluster will illuminate to accommodate you too. Sick!
6:25 Those are slots to hold change (quarters, nickels, dimes) in front of the cup holder.
I'm surprised that Mrs. Wizard didn't mention the seats: so well designed and sporty/comfy that Saab enthusiasts have been known to mount them on a swivel base to use as a desk chair (google Turning an Old Saab Seat into a Desk Chair)!
5:45 Putting the key on the floor was both a safety feature for the driver (so the lock mechanism is out of the driver's way in case of an accident) and also a security feature (locks the gearbox instead of the steering column like most cars) to prevent theft.
7:40 Note the sweet integrated design, and tactile feel for the cup holder, as well as the smooth calibration of the tension spring. Still functions perfectly.
Many small, thoughtful touches like these in Saabs.
A couple other notes in general on Saab innovation (not this specific car):
Saab introduced seat belts as standard equipment in 1958. First automaker to do so. In Sweden, Saabs were known as the safest cars, not their domestic rival.
Saab made their bones on the 4 cylinder turbo to optimize fuel efficiency, power, low end torque, and driver fun. Fast forward to today, and the rest of the industry now is following suit. The gear ratios and turbo make this thing a blast to drive: Saab ads at the time had insane comparisons to super cars for how fast this car can accelerate from 50 to 80 etc.
All in all, Saabs were so well designed they are a delight. We are all much worse off that Saab is no longer a part of the auto industry. :(
900 Turbo, stil *the* SAAB to get! Those things where nuts :)
Seat belts were invented by Volvo - and specifically Volvo's Swedish engineer, Nils Bohlin in 1959 - ie. it was not SAAB.
@@georgebettiol8338 he was an ex saab engineer, SAAB where first to standardise for free seatbelts
ABSOLUTELY Saab lover here just got my 6th. Back when I was told no more Saab, I'm not going to lie I actually cried. 😂
@@adamrudling1339 I believe 'we are in the weeds here', however it makes no difference on whether Nils Bohlin had worked for SAAB, Ford, GM, VAZ or Rolls Royce - as at the time of the seat-belts invention he was being employed (and paid) as a Volvo engineer so Volvo owns the design. However, on a very positive note, Volvo elected to allow any automotive builder to use the design without having to pay a licensing fee for their use - which was a magnanimous gesture - something that would not happen in today's world that's dominated by very greedy, aggresive marketers and bean-counters that place maximum - and often extortionate - profit ahead of social responsibility and thus the betterment of humanity.
Im a Brit, but I did escape for 3 years on a project in the US (H1B Visa). I needed a car and wanted a manual transmission which I failed miserably to find. So jumped at an 02 SAAB 9-3 convertible in a gorgeous metallic blue, the only thing I didnt like was the autobox! That cost $8k in 2009 (had the purchase invoice at $42k in 2002). I loved that car and traveled all round the Mid West reliably, repair shops wouldnt touch it as it was "European" so had to fix things myself. The worst being replacing the waterpump (a GM part!) which involved removing the inlet manifold and turbo whilst in Chicago in February which was an experience. The display pixels failed, that was a repair kit off Ebay from the UK. I sold it for about $5k so am staggered that you could get more than that now.
On behalf of America I apologise for the amount of autoboxes we have
@@bren.nan_ funny thing was that on the purchase invoice having an auto box was an extra couple of grand!
@@simonroyle2806 same for my Volvo, the automatic was a $1300 option when I found the window sticker. It was crazy to me!
Saaaaab! As a '99 9-3 cv owner myself, I couldn't hit this video fast enough. In my case, I'm very happy w/my daily driver bought in '02 in CA, now here in MA, but still rust-free. Sure, it requires attention, but there are parts available and plenty specialist mechanics, also a strong community. Personally, I like the simplicity of these cars, and the quirks make perfect sense to me now. Mine is also a 5spd MT w/similar mileage, but the b204 is tuned (~240hp?) to be quick enough. No idea what it's worth, but I don't care. Thanks, Wizard, for showing off this one. Once sorted, it will be a great car. Yay for Bill!🙂
Before you replace the axle seal, check axle for freeplay. Known issue is the bushing in the diff wears out. They can be replaced in the car, but are a pain.
My dad had a 900 turbo when I was about 10 , coolest dad in any car park , god bless him 😊❤❤
I drove a 2000 9-3 for a long time, but was never brave enough to stick a drink in that front cupholder. Always figured I would spill it on the radio somehow. Impressed to see that both exterior badges are intact on this one (the paint flaked off mine) and the info display doesn't have any dead rows! I had to repair that ribbon cable twice since some of the contacts would flake out from the temp changes over winter. Really fun and interesting car for its time though. I miss it.
Bill knows whats good, perfect choice! Owning just 1 saab is not possible.. gotta own more than 1! 96 would be another great choice
My dad owned 11 and so far I have only owned 4.
Saab's slogan from this time period was "Born from Jets."
Yup. Alas, Saab AB (Aerospace) has nixed ever bringing back a Saab automobile. How? Saab AB has full ownership of the moniker and will not ever let it be used on a car (most likely it would be Chinese) again.
I bought a 2007 SAAB 9 3 from a Copart back east. After I received the vehicle the title was changed to "Salvage". The original owner hit her front bumper three times in her own garage! So far, a perfect convertible! 83,000 miles and runs like new. My 2006 9 5 from Hawaii has 48,000 miles and is waiting for new oil cooler lines.
Check the engine for black sludge. To do that, you’ll have to take the oil pan off, clean oil pan and sif, AND put a modified crank case ventilation (aka ‘MOD6’) in. A bit of history: Saab already made airplanes in the ‘30s and decided to make cars as well. The first Saab looked like the hull of an airplane ;-)
I had a 1977 99ems... Amazing car.
In snow it was incredible never stuck.
I am a mechanic so I worked on Volvo and Saabs.
When it got old to use we drove it around our Motocross track jumped it could not kill that car..
Amazingly strong .
Reverse mechanism key switch jamming up and water pump shaft snapped and sadly junked it.
I always wanted another one.
Really nice to see a saab. My son has driven a 9-3 2001 for five years. It is what i would call is a $500 car and his first. The only thing besides tires and service in five years and 40 000 miles is a lower control arm same as this one.
Those repairs are totally worth it. It looks like a really nice car rust free with a good engine. We still se them a lot here in Sweden. .
Saab made good cars with comfortable and form fitting seats. Too bad that GM destroyed it! I'm glad Wizard fixed this daily drivern!
So relieved that Wizard said the repairs are worth it on this little Saab. They are such fun cars when taken care of. Project Farm just dropped a video where he fixed an $800 Honda with 1k in parts. Add in the cost of his labor, and he was probably in for 3-4k total. But, compared to the cost if used cars now, Project Farm came out way ahead.
I'd never be caught dead without a SAAB in my garage, best all around car on the planet!
Sporty, luxurious, efficient, stylish, reliable, they have everything
Saab was a neat company that made neat cars.
I remember Saab ads on TV with the tagline "Only one aircraft manufacturer also builds cars." One of the local regional airlines (Pacific Coastal) has a fleet of Saab 340 turboprops. Nice planes.
Australia's major regional airline Rex Airlines has 61 340s in their fleet of 123 aircraft.
My first car was a 1986 Saab 9000 Turbo with a 5 speed manual. It would consistently 33 mpg in normal driving and it could do 130 mph. From 1986 till now there has been little to no improvements in economy ICEs.
I’m so happy you finally got another Saab in the shop! My first car was a Saab as a matter of fact! It was a 1996 900 S, unfortunately it was an automatic but it was definitely one of my favorite cars. One thing I will say about the reverse lockouts on the Saab is that it should also be noted that you shouldn’t try to force the key out of the ignition when it stops, assuming you don’t have the car in reverse because that will damage the ignition lock cylinder, and if you do it too many times, you will have to replace it and that can get very expensive, and based on the current estimate and what you guys have found this far I don’t suppose that Bill is going to want to deal with something like that. Seen it happen many times before on Saabs that are equipped with a manual transmission. Also, another fun fact is that you can view the mileage without turning on the key all you have to do is press the odometer reset button on the gauge cluster. You can also turn on the radio when the car is off on Saabs, and the same is true for Mercedes-Benz as well.
On the bright side, Bill's new Saab didn't affected his man area.... yet ! 🤣
Congratulations, this one is beautiful !
The night panel button on the head unit has a neat feature. At night, you can turn off all the dash lights except the speedometer. Kinda cool, even though I did not like the feature on my Saab. Sadly, my daughter totaled that one.
I have three Saabs with over 200,000 miles all with their original engines, transmissions and turbos.
Lucky you ! I have 3 Volvo S80's only 1 of which has over 200k. (so far) Trying to talk my Dad out of his '93 900 Turbo convertible !
SAAB make fighter jets and numerous engineers working on car design used to work in the aviation wing. I loved my 95... that had a damped folding cup holder but the mechanism was even better
I drove a 9-5 once when I worked for a detail shop a long time ago. I loved it. That car was so smooth and quick, it left a lasting impression. One of my favorite cars I've ever driven.
Worth every cent that Bill wants to put into it. The value of the car is what someone is prepared to pay for it, not what dealers say. SAAB are Swedish Military Aircraft Engineers.
This generation SAAB is a GM product. SAAB have been out of business for a long time.
Well, yes and no.
There are two different Saab companies, like there are two different Rolls-Royce companies.
Saab and Rolls-Royce are around as aerospace and defense contractors.
Saab Automobile is out of business while Rolls-Royce Motorcars is a division of BMW.
The automobile divisions were spun off from their parent companies.
Died in 2016. Last autos off the assembly line: April 5, 2011.
I thought that Saab’s were well engineered until I had to remove a dead heater blower motor from a vintage Saab. I removed the center dash speaker, unbolted the motor and found that the speaker opening was about 1/4 inch too small to remove the blower motor. The 30 minute fix became hours of difficult labor. Unique car. The 900 Turbo in the 80’s took the company to new heights and was a Saab Black Series was featured on Seinfeld.
that classic Saab hatchback profile is timeless, from the 99EMS i had in the 80s to the 9-3 Viggen i just drove to work today. Its the right size too, not too big like most modern cars. This Saab was definitely worth fixing; cant find anything else new today as cool and quirky.
You put it in revers to lock the gearbox and release the key. It's for theft protection.
Yep, all the F35 transmissions do that. The F40 doesn't.
That explains why all the stolen SAABs were driving backwards
Who's gonna wanna steal this Swedish turd
I have a Saab like that here in Sweden. Yes, Saab started building cars after World War II when the demand for fighter planes fell (naturally). In the beginning you could only get your Saab in "army green"... Saab still builds fighter planes today, but sadly no cars. The fact that there are such large buttons on the dashboard, I have heard, is because the Saab people thought that you should be able to handle the car with winter gloves on! To sum up, I have found it to be a very practical car, which has been relatively cheap to maintain and durable.
Im a swedish saab lover!!! Best cars ever, whatever you say!!
Worked on many Saabs and you would be surprised by how well the bolts will come out of it. With that mileage I’d also recommend taking the valve cover off and retorque the head bolts. I almost bought a 96 900s back in 2009 that had the old goofy bar/rod/triangle shift linkage that would pop out under aggressive driving conditions. I didn’t buy due to the collision damage suffered in the right rear quarter panel. I’ve also driven a Saab 2.0L that had a 2.3L from a 9-5 installed in it and after an ecu swap and reprogram for the difference in reluctor wheel tooth variations had more power than it should have ever had and grenaded the transmission on a test drive. Great cars but with that comes expertise knowledge and the utmost care of ownership.
My granddad lived in New Hampshire, and he always drove a Saab!
3:31 That Saab H engine is a redesign of the Saab B engine, which in turn was based on the Triumph Slant-4 engine.
It's a credti to SAAB with the improvements carried out over what was a very 'ordinary' engine design. Sadly SAAB did not have the funds to design an engine from a clean sheet.
The ONStar badge on the dash would seem to indicate this was a product of the GM control period at Saab. They weren't bad, just not that appealing to the U.S. market. My high school math teacher drove the 2-stroke 3 cylinder one to school each day. The "big chainsaw" was smoky and you mixed the gas and oil. Unscrew the gas filler cap and invert it and that's how much oil you add to a tank of fuel. Front wheel drive and a four speed on the column. Very unusual for the late sixties in a small new england town.
A friend had one with a hirsch tuned engine and nice wheels. It was such a sweet car. Went like jet. Confortable, reliable and fast.
I am always a sucker for a SAAB story. Why? I own a snow silver metallic 2010 9-3 Aero. With still only about 47,000 miles. Never seen snow or salt. Every option except factory GPS. Even the fancy limited edition and now rarely seen wheels. All not so unusual fourteen years ago. But a very unique and near-perfect survivor now. And yes, the SAAB story is a tear-jerker. They never should have gone away. But they did.
PS Those last years of 9-3 and 9-5 colors.....all computed to mimic colors on the Swedish landscape. Moss, trees, glaciers, fresh snow.....and night sky.
Finally!!!! Saab deserves your help 😃
4:19 this model is limited to 140mph, but the viggen model is limited to 155. They share the same instrument cluster, so the speedometer needs to cover the higher range
Also the reverse lock is anti-theft. The steering wheel doesn't lock because the key isn't on the steerimg column, so instead they made the entire transmission lock
Also on this model and others I love the front reverse side lights. When putting in R the front side lights go on so you can see either side of the car. Cadillac had that also but GM is crap compared to Saab.
@@johngaudet6316 those also come on with the turn signals! That’s probably the feature I miss the most from my 1999 9-3 on my 2008 9-3
It was legitimately SO USEFUL
Hi Wizard , I have a 1999 9-3 which I’ve owned 6 years + . The 3 engine motor mounts can be moved from underneath by supporting the engine whilst work in progress . The RH side ( passenger side in USA , I’m messaging from uk ) can be accessed by removing wheel then arch protector trim piece , again supporting the engine . You may have to lower it ever so slightly to access the Allen key fixing .
My parents had a Saab 900 turbo. I wish I got that car.
My dad had 11 different SAAB's. I wish I had them all.
I had a 2006 Saab 9-3 which ran very well for 195,000 miles. Then avoiding a tree falling on me, I went off road, damaged the sub frame, cracked the bumper, and gashed the oil pan. I stopped the car immediately and had it towed, saving the engine and everything else. For $4000 I could have fixed the car, but instead I sold it for $500 to my Saab mechanic. He fixed it up, costing him $4000 in parts, and resold that car for $4500 making no money on it at all. But he is still servicing that car today, now with 260,000 on the original powertrain as I took care of it and apparently the next owner is at least doing a decent job maintaining the rebuilt car. They can and do last a long time with the Toyota (Aisin) transmission and GM engine.
Try replacing that antenna with an aftermarket unit, the top is a nightmare to emulate plus that injector cartridge, always fails. Having said that I love the V6 (rare in the UK) and the 9-5. The last of which were Buick Regal bodies with SAAB innards.
My mum just totalled her 2001 93 SE Turbo, 87,000 miles from new, broke my heart. Wife and I still have our 04 95 aero, which I bought for $800 5 years ago. 80,000 miles later it’s never missed a beat. At a cross roads though, clunks and bangs and rust to deal with, needs all new rubber! Totally uneconomical to repair but it’s part of the family.
Worked on Saabs and Volvos for 25years. Owned many of them. I was told that Saab stands for “Something Almost Always Broken.”
Perfect candidate to partner with GM.
I never understood this lol
My SAABs have been incredibly reliable, never leaving me stranded, meanwhile all my friends Hondas and Subarus are constantly dying and exploding
@@iSchmidty13I came here to say this same thing. My Saabs have been the most dependable cars I've ever had.
@@iSchmidty13 It's just too exotic for americans. I've owned 2 saabs and they've been the most reliable cars i've ever had.
@@iSchmidty13 LMFAO
Just an advice replace the battery and make sure that much the specification as in the Saab manual.
What will happen with a no so good battery: the ecu will switch off randomly everything that is not essential.
Let say you AC on, light on, and so on.
The ecu will swich off the AC, then vipers and so on when the battery cannot handle the load.
Speaking for experience....
When you ran down the sides saying ding ding ding, you reminded me of our brand new 1971 Lincoln Continental. When they redesign the car for 1970, it had beautiful styling and they decided to run the rub strip down one of the contours. Unfortunately, that's not where all the doors hit the car....!
Love Saabs. I’ve had 6. They are worth spending money on. Probably going to pick up another one again.
I loved my Saab..I’m looking for a manual convertible
I got one, but you can't have it.😂
FAQ: in addition to the ignition key only being removable when the shifter is in reverse, there’s a trick to changing the clutch. To replace the clutch, the transmission must be placed in 4th gear or else the transmission won’t separate from the engine block.
Ive had a few Saabs and they have all been great my wifes current 9-3 b207L has been an absolute tank. We bought it for 900 bucks and shes gotten like 80k miles out of it so far and it still runs great.
I LOVE SAAB ❤
Something’s Almost Always Broken!
Loves Saabs. Have owned 5, still have 2. Very happy to see this on the channel!
My parents had a '99 900SE and they were just off a 93 like this one, slightly different but basically the same car. It was sooo cool! And then they got a 95 Aero SW. The feature I always loved was the night panel. It was the best feature if you drove at night on the highway. Perfect specially is you were in an unlit highway, your eyes would get used to the dark quite quickly
I have that same engine in my 2004 95 wagon. Most of these are re-programmed to produce more power and that's the case with mine. Stage1 in my 2.0t is 225 hp and 250 lb.-ft. instead of stock 150hp. Important thing is to have receipt that shows quality program being used. Cheap ones can cause a lot of problems.
Still dailying my 230k+ Viggen.. it’s getting tired but I’m having a hard time figuring out what to replace it with. The buttons are all unique shapes to allow you to find them by touch. Night panel is a cool feature to reduce eye strain, turning off the unnecessary gauges unless certain thresholds are exceeded. The Speedo is only lit up to 85 mph unless you go faster than that. Good AC and enough power to express myself. No shortage of Saab stories though…
Saab started as a maker of airplanes and their early cars were painted with the same paint used for airplanes… not sure if they used some airplane parts as well…
They probably experimented and just "winged it"!
I never really gave Saab a second thought until my buddy bought a 9000 aero. I was impressed. Ended up finding a 95 900se 5 speed with the 2.0t. I loved it. Only major work I did was a Viggen clutch and that was only because I added a 3" turbo back exhaust and tuned ecu from Jack Stoll performance. Stock clutch just couldn't handle the extra torque. Other than that, all it needed were cheap/easy fixes and regular maintenance. My first turbo car and I learned a lot during ownership. I wouldn't mind having another one.
The cup holder is designed to destroy the stack with every bump in the road. That's a beautiful car! Someone really did take care of her. Worth every penny!
Back in the day I had this same car a few years older it was a 900 Turbo. I used a sneaker on the floor as a cup holder because I wanted to preserve the dash holder for future blessed owners. I'm now 55 years old on my 6th Saab.
Key removal/insertion & starting is a unique SAAB quirk. Same as the 1973 SAAB 99 is drove for while (the key lock was in the centre between the front seats too). Quite quirky, but not as quirky as a Citroen. Can’t wait to see the Car Wizard encounter a Citroen 2CV, aka The Tin Snail.
my dad had an orange '99 with a stick. 7 year old me thought it was soo cool i spent the night in it in the garage the first night he brought it home - under-rated cars for sure. Also, CW - SAAB makes some of the best military aircraft in the world and has done so for years (Drakken, Grippen - check em out!)
I love my saab 96!
Mechanics would probably pay to work on it, everything is easy and out in the open. Not like the newer ones
Loved my 1972 96, Dad bought it for me (while he drove the 900 Turbo). Freewheeling - what a blast !
my grandparents had saabs 900,93,95 throughout my childhood, friends and family and my mum had one too. UK, we always said they were just a rebadged vectra, but theres something about them that is comforting.
The later model year 9-3s with the 2.0T are great as a used car purchase. Easy to work on, over 30 mpg on the highway, plush and soft real leather seats, great A/C, fun to drive/fast, they go 250K miles reliably and cheap to buy/insure.
I do love my 9³ Aero with the F40. Glad to see a C9³ on here!
How do you do that superscript 9-3?
@@laurat1129 I just hold the 3 for .2 seconds & kaboom I have it. Can’t do it on iOS.
@@Nathan_Jay Ah, thanks for that. I'm on iOS. Oh, well!
It’s too bad GM destroyed SAAB. I used to do dealer trades for a Saturn/SAAB dealer in the 90’s. They were fun cars. The 9000 Turbo really ripped.
SAAB was a dying old man when GM bought it. GM tried to get SAAB to make simpler cars which would make a profit, but that didn’t happen.
The fact Mrs. Wizard opens the cup holder correctly is a great sight. Thank you!
I've had 2 of them this exact generation my first was automatic my last was manual with a td04 turbo upgraded injectors and downpipe made just over 400 to the wheels she was green with a roof rack, will be buying my third one soon and really going nuts with it
An 80s Saab is like a Porsche 911 of Hatchbacks, in the way it drives, and they have a lot of the same qualities in how they feel, plus their own unique traits. They're definitely different than the next generation. The steering was a little light, but other than that, the driving experience is sublime.
Saab is an interesting company, and their desire to build great cars was also their achiles. Jason Camissa has a great video explaining their history.
I borrowed my mothers SAAB 93 1998 while moving, it is a 2.3 liter, manual in quite nice cosmetic condition, 124 000 miles with no rust. The SID1 and ACC displays are shot so I have ordered new ones and there is a slow leak of servo fluid. In Sweden this car is worth 500 US$ (if I fix the servo leak)...
I freaking love the cup holder in every SAAB. They all have a different transformer cup holder. Was hurry to look at every new Saab in car show when i was younger too look for their Cup holder. + They are soo much comfy.
I have been a happy Saab owner since 1985. Runs in the family since 1960. Nice video.
I’ve driven Saabs for 40 years. Currently, a 9-3 Viggen and 1991 Saab 900 SPG. Love them!
❤❤❤
I grew up with Saabs. Step father had a 900 turbo 16, my mother had an 86 900s 16. Both were very comfortable and extremely fun to drive.
9-3 Viggen was an awesome car. 20 psi of boost from factory. Loads of low end torque and turbo shove is crazy. Amazing highway car. Very comfortable and practical 5 door. 😅
I really like Bill’s car collection - it’s quirky and fun. Kudos to Bill for a well curated odd ball bunch of near great cars.
I had the 1997 900 with that body style....Loved it, so much fun. I now have a 1993 900 convertible. LOVE IT.
When I was young, i asked a neightbor about the "night-panel"button...
Such a simple solution, to a comfortable nightride. 😃
Only the speedometer was light up, when all things worked as it should. -And it did for many years...
The Mercedes compressor has that kind of cup holder! Careful condensation off of drinks can go into the radio and fry the electrical! it happened in my aunts Mercedes compressor with the same cupholder condensation off of soda, followed the cupholder right into the radio shorted out the electrical system
I worked for Saab in the 99 years, loved those things, they started going down hill when the 900 came out. The reason they chose reverse for the gear selection was due to research where they found that the first gear selected on start-up was REVERSE. 🙂
Love a nice Saab, I have had a 900 turbo, 93 TiD, 95 V6 and 95 HOT Aero wagon…and that licence plate is epic 👌🏼
My dad was a SAAB guy, and only owned a Mercedes and a WV in between the 11 Saab's he owned.
Do the fact that he (and I) was a Sweden explain anything?
Saab 92 (1952)
Saab 93 (1957)
Saab 93 (1959)
VW 1500 Variant (1961)
Saab 93 (2:nd car 1967)
Saab 95 (1967)
Saab 99 (1971)
Mercedes 200 (1977)
Saab 900 (1981) (because I crashed his Mercedes)
Saab 900 50 years anniversary (1987)
Saab 9000 (1990)
Saab 9000 (2001)
Saab 9-5 (2011)
Which was your favorite and why
@@AndrewTrain-m3i Two are favourites, the 99 of 1971 because it was so inventive for the time, at least according to my teenage opinion, and the 9-5 of 2008 (I owned it before him 2008-2011) and it extremely good in slippery weather while being fun to drive because of the power and road stability.
Wizard, as others have may have mentioned, Saab started life as an aircraft manufacturer (and still is, as Saab AB) shortly before WWII; before and right after WWII, most of Sweden's automobile sales were imports, so they started their auto manufacturing division in the late 40s. GM ownership of Saab Automobile came first with them purchasing a majority stake in 1990, then purchasing the rest outright from Saab AB in 2000.
One of the taglines Saab used in their ads in the early-mid Aughts was "Born from Jets", but Saab had traded on their aerospace lineage in ads going back to at least the 80s.
Would be a good idea to take off the crank pulley and check the torx screws, they tend to come loose and dig into the oil pump cover.
Thanks Wizard! I think Bill did and has done well with this particular car (cost-wise). I'm not a SAAB fan, but it seems to be a nice example. Re: the license plate, I immediately "got it" as SAAB has a very prominent aircraft division (fighter jets etc). I have no idea what the long-term outlook/forecast would be for such a vehicle. Are they known to be high mileage vehicles. ? Thanks again.
I've bout 6 and still own 2 of latter ones, from 1986 to 2011. Loved the manual, 9000s, love Aeros. Best seats, best overall road handling.
Shame on GM for not keeping it going.