Thoughts looking at two Saabs

A Saab family and their history. How it all started? At the beginning of the eighties, after just six years, the Audi 100 of my parents began to rust heavily after just a few years. Alternatives were sought. At the Swedish brands. Somehow my father had found Saab with a small merchant in Westphalia.

Thoughts on looking at two Saabs (a Saab family and their story)

And so we were initially given two plastic models for us children - a Saab 900 Aero and a Saab 900 Sedan. We read a lot in the brochures, which were still detailed at the time. And decided against the background of the first catalytic converter discussion for a 900 i with cat.

And a few weeks later, in March 1985, at the end of a severe winter, we received a rose quartz-painted Saab 900 i Combi-Coupe - as it soon turned out to be a US version with a long gear ratio that did not keep up the speed on the mountainous and mountainous Cologne - Dortmund motorway could.

Thanks to goodwill from Saab Germany, the Saab got a new fourth and fifth gear in May and was able to provide us with loyal service over the next sixteen years - initially always looking for a lead-free petrol station, the network was first established at that time, and then over long distances safe at home. Wonderful the trunk, fully loaded plus bike rack, we went on vacation. Later also with a boat trailer. A real leisure companion.

A sense of security without end. And individuality. There were two or three Saabs in the city. Of course there were always a few more in big cities. I was also allowed to drive 1988 with the newly acquired driver's license. Vehicle weight and performance with 110 PS were a reasonable and yet attractive measure for novice drivers.

The study period came - not an own car, but IC and ICE. During the semester break again - freely after Mercedes - welcome home in the Saab. The first car of my own was a VW 1303 for me. A wonderful driving experience, but the safety conceptual oath of disclosure. In 2001 my parents' first Saab was sold after 264.000 kilometers, the repair of the oil pan was uneconomical (from today's perspective, however?).

My father acquired a Saab 9-3 I Sportcombi, much of it was evolutionary from the old 900, the shape, the fittings, the intuitive operation, the engine power with 130 PS. And the decisive arguments against the old 900: ABS and air conditioning. Another real gain in safety. A beautiful car that should accompany the family for another eleven years. But, but: compared to the 900, the trunk was tiny.

In 2002, starting my own family, I exchanged the 1303 for everyday life for one of the last Saab 9-3 old series - steel gray -. With the Turbo a wonderful travel car for the long distances between Berlin and Westphalia and the trips. But after only a year, this Saab had done its job and let my wife survive a bus accident unharmed. So a time of searching began, the 9-3 II was out of the question for us. A test drive showed a hard suspension, not so comfortable on long journeys - and that's what a car should be for.

Back then, the 9-5 was too big for the outside dimensions and too small in the trunk. After three months we still found a 9-3t - I in Anhalt, again in steel gray. This carried three children, two strollers, four bicycles and a lot of joy between Scandinavia and Italy, between the Netherlands and the Oder. We were completely satisfied. The journeys were long but never tiring.

New cars were of no interest - the Saab 9-3 II was too small for us, the Saab 9-5 was not an issue. Newer brochures from 2006 showed a front that was no longer reminiscent of the 900 I. And the Saab ran and ran (freely after VW). Occasionally I thought about buying a convertible, of course 1303-9 I, in grateful memory of the VW 3. This did not happen.

In spring 2012 we got annoyed with an engine failure…. after only 165.000 kilometers. The suggestion to buy only a convertible and rent a van for the holiday was rejected due to lack of solidity. So it was time to search. 9-3 I was only available with high mileage. But I found a 9-5 t Biopower Sportcombi in crystal silver in Audi City. We took care of it well - above all we were happy to be cheap for four years and I also think that it was environmentally friendly to drive with ethanol.

In the beginning, our children seemed to be too much in the back seat, and now they are grateful. And even if the car has evolved significantly from the outside and inside in relation to the Saab 9-3 I, the genes can still be felt. The familiar Saab feeling was quickly there: "Welcome home and on long journeys home". Despite the originally skeptical front. 2013 in the summer then for the first time in Sweden.

Shortly before then, I had been able to acquire a very well-maintained convertible 9-3 II, citing the advantages of a lighter and more economical city car at Saab Kempten. Wonderful. And the similarity in the interior between the two cars. With differences, the Sportcombi with the proven circuit lap and the headlight circuits with different directions of rotation. Otherwise: a lot of similarities between the two Saabs. And getting used to the design. So we have since then unexpectedly twice the facelifted Saabs. Reliably, they render their services to us. And maybe with a smile in the steel as once the VW 1303.

Thanks to the division of labor, I am confident that we will continue to travel by car with the Swedes for a long time. And every time you get in, you are welcomed home. I may be considered a muffle for progress, these two Saab are up to date. You don't really need much more car. Maybe a little less fuel consumption, maybe a little more sophisticated bodies (wheelbase), but WiFi capability and spaceship lighting: no, I don't need that. We hover safely with our Saabs - and I've been amazed for almost 33 years - from the passenger in the back seat to the driver.

I am satisfied with these cars. Very. Every day. Only cycling is more beautiful.


Thanks to Walter for his Saab Story! This is one of our exclusive Saab boarding files on the journey. Do you also have something to tell about Saab?

The story of an unforgettable holiday trip, a restoration or another event in life with the cult brand from Trollhättan?

Then please be patient ... Because the deadline for submitting our Saab board files was the 31.12.2017. Missed appointment? The next action will definitely come. Before that, however, we are going to release some Saab stories from the year 2017!
4 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline feedback
View all comments
Mountain goat
Mountain goat
6 years earlier

Thanks for the wonderful story!
Yes, the virus ... you just can't get rid of it ... and maybe you don't even want to. 😉
Continue good accident-free travel or travel!

Only cycling is nicer. Yes, that's why I have 7 models instead of 7 SÄÄBe ... 😉

Ken-Daniel S.
Ken-Daniel S.
6 years earlier

nice story

Christian Buttkereit
Christian Buttkereit
6 years earlier

That can only happen to a Saab blog that the last sentence of the article is 'only cycling is better'. Many Saab drivers are enthusiasts and not ideologues. The earlier Saab advertising slogan 'move your mind' obviously took hold. Very nice to read. Thanks for the article and the confident ending. By the way, I see it the same way with cycling.

Herbert Hürsch
Herbert Hürsch
6 years earlier

I also really like bicycles ...

In particular, for city traffic, it is also completely meaningless to instead discuss car brands or models. There is none or none faster or better than the one or the other.

In a traffic jam / when stationary, the consumption of every combustion engine per se and by definition is infinite. Unless the definition measures consumption per hour instead of 100 km ...

In addition, the average speed of my then SAAB displayed on the on-board computer regularly dropped to up to 23 km / h. It's different today. Not because the city traffic would be faster, but because the newer SAAB is barely moved in the city.

anyone who is reasonably fit can get around town better (and faster) by bike than by car. And much cheaper too ...