1988 Saab 900

BASE Sedan

2.0L 1985CC l4 GAS SOHC Naturally Aspirated

Automatic

YS3AR46J2J3004061

Clear

GAS

I bought this car in 2007 off of Ebay for my daughter's first car, to learn in. These old SAABs are built like tanks, and fairly bulletproof mechanically. I ended up driving it myself a great deal because I like old SAABs. For six years it was reliable transportation . . . until about two weeks ago when it mysteriously stopped running. It won't start. My most knowledgeable SAAB specialists tell me the most likely culprit is a faulty crank sensor. The car only has 60k miles on it so there's nothing wrong with the engine itself, so it has to be a sensor. My kids are headed off to college, and I have too many other projects, so I'm just going to sell this car on to someone who wants to fix it up. Here's the good, the bad and the ugly: The good: low miles, lots of tread on the tires though I don't know how old they are. The paint is excellent and shines right up. The interior is in great shape for a 20 year old car. Headliner (which usually sags on these cars) is almost perfect. The engine ran great right up until two weeks ago, and would start with barely a touch of the key. I put a new AIV in it a couple years ago to cure the usual Bosch "idle hunt" so it's nice and smooth. The steering is great, and pin-sharp. The brakes work great. So basically, a low-miles car that was cared for well mechanically. All of the gauges and lights work. The car passed NC inspection about 2 weeks ago. The car drives straight, has good pick up, and neither the engine nor the transmission makes any funky noises. The bad: I bought the car sight unseen and when I got it delivered it was obvious that the car had been hit in the rear and repaired. It doesn't have any effect on the car, which tracks straight and hands-free right up to 85 mph. But the trunk fit isn't perfect. The car does have 3 rust holes that I'm aware of. One on the driver's floor where the heater leaked, apparently for years. And two in the rear wheel arches where some sand had stored up and held moisture against the metal. None of the rust holes is especially hard to fix, and none of them is structural. But they're there. The car will need brake pads soon. The AC doesn't work, and never has. The heater box leaks, and I live in NC, so I blocked it out. Unblocking it is easy, replacing the heater core is not, which is why I just blocked it out. In NC it doesn't get cold enough in winter for it to matter. The transmission weeps some fluid, which is a hassle only because ATF spreads so quickly. I keep a cardboard box under it and add maybe half a pint of fluid a year. I think fixing that leak requires the transmission to come out so I just live with it. On the interior, there is one C-pillar panel that's lost its material. That panel comes out so if you wanted to you could find one and put it in. The rear deck lid was not mounted correctly when I got the car so I took it out . . . it's in my garage somewhere. Again, if you wanted to you could find one and pop it in. There you have it . . . . I put in as much detail as I could possibly think of, especially on flaws. I'd rather you know what you're bidding on than have surprises. The bottom line is this is a decent little car that doesn't need much. Just an owner who can put a little time and TLC into it. I'd love to keep it but just don't have the time to put into it. But it could be an interesting commuter car for someone, pizza delivery, or who knows, drop a V-8 into it and have the only SAAB hot rod on your block.......but I do need to sell it so please don't bid if you're not serious. I don't have time for the "send pictures of X" game or "would you deliver to Iowa". What you see is what you get . . . bid to win and then come n' get it. :)