1993 SAAB 900 S
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
The Saab fires up immediately from cold and idles smoothly. It revs easily once up to temperature and gearchanges up and down the ‘box can be performed quickly. The clutch is light and acceleration decent with no hesitation. The power steering requires virtually no effort to turn and feels precise with no excessive play. The brakes operate well with the car stopping quickly and in a straight line. It impresses at higher speeds, feeling solid without any of the rattles often present in classic convertibles. The suspension responds just as it should, too, dealing with rough surfaces and speedbumps in near silence.
BODYWORK CHECK
The Cirrus White paint appears generally very good, although there are some scratches if you look closely, notably around the nearside rear corner ahead of the lights and in the spoiler under the front bumper. Both bumpers have obvious scuffs to varying degrees, mainly on their corners, yet the bumpers are straight and free from cracks or gouges. The panel gaps are great all around the car, the large doors close and latch well and there’s no sign of any drooping through worn hinges. We could find no corrosion, however much of the black plastic trim has discoloured to some extent, notably around the screen, the bumpers and the door mirror bodies. Tyres are Pirelli P4000 on the rear and Avon ZV1s on the front, all with good levels of tread remaining.
HOW’S THE INTERIOR?
There’s heavy wear on the gear knob but overall the interior is in very presentable condition. There are typical scuff marks on the edges of the grey leather seats and the leather bears the typical small cracks that car seats get, but there are no obvious tears, all four seats remain comfortable and supportive and the carpets and mats appear to be in great shape. The electric convertible roof operates perfectly and is in very good condition with no obvious damage, the only slight issue being broken seam edging above the windows on both sides. All four electric windows operate perfectly.
UNDER THE BONNET
The engine bay is exceptionally clean with no obvious leaks or other issues. There are some small tears in the underbonnet sound deadening material, but all visible wiring looks clean and free from damage and the fluids are fresh and to the correct levels. Bills accompanying the car show a full service history at Saab specialists for the first 68,000 miles, including a new clutch 6000 miles ago.
THE CCW VIEW
MoT certificates going back to 1997 confirm this Saab’s mileage - low by 900 standards - is correct. It drives well and everything works just as it should. It’s well worth a look.