FIVE QUESTIONS WITH A 900 OWNER

Chris Redmond tells us about his love affair with Saab

1 You’re something of a Saab addict aren’t you, Chris?

‘You could say that! I reckon I must have owned around 23 Saabs in total and still own ten. My love of aircraft is partly to blame, but when the house music scene exploded in the late Eighties and Nineties I was a DJ at a club in Cardiff and, while others on the scene had BMWS and Golf Gtis,

I chose a Saab 900 due to its bigger boot and… well, it just looked so cool.’

2 And the Saab addiction got bigger?

‘I traded the first 900 in for a convertible in 2001, which used as my wedding car. The car pictured above is a very rare 1985 T16 S

– a pre-facelift ‘flat front’ model with bodykit and an unusual red dashboard and red leather cabin. I bought it in 2007 as a project and restored it – as featured in the November 2013 issue of PC! It’s my ultimate 900.

I had to let the convertible go in that year. Its new owner lived in Stockholm – he drove the car back there in a day!’

3 Which I suppose is part of the Saab’s appeal?

‘Absolutely. They’re great on a long distance. It might be an old car now but you really do forget you’re driving a classic. They’re so good in the bends too, whichever model you’ve got. The steering, the handling, the responsiveness… a tidy 900 is really satisfying. Comfy and practical too, with great visibility! And that styling!’

4 What’s it like to live with?

‘Provided your car isn’t rotten, ownership is 100 percent viable in 2024. They’re not that expensive to run, although some panels are pricey. The gearbox is also expensive to put right and that’s a known trouble spot. There’s a good supply of secondhand parts and recently, the clubs in Sweden have begun remanufacturing some parts, with more in the pipeline.’

5 Good club and specialist support?

‘Very much so.

The Saab Owner’s Club is brilliant, although I would say that as I’m chairman! We have great events every year – the aim of Saabfest is to attract all ages at exciting venues with music and food… and great cars obviously!’