Saab 9000 - quirks in the everyday operation of a young timer

As a “daily driver”, the 9000 Anniversary is not spared. He has to be able to do everything that a modern car has to endure. In plain language: Lantern parker instead of dry garage, car wash instead of hand wash in the car wash. The Saab will (maybe) give up its status as a lantern parker in November. But it will take a few more months before that happens. How does the youngtimer fare in daily use?

Saab 9000 quirk sunroof

As is the case with older cars, the 9000 also has its quirks. He has good days and bad. The body cracks and crunches on the bad, which is already 23 years old. On the good days, it drives like it did in 1998, when it rolled off the production line as a new car in Trollhättan. And the Saab has its oddities and one of them is the sunroof.

It's big, brings sun and air into the interior and when it's open you can hear the turbo hissing. The old Saab feeling arises when turbo-charged engines were still something special. The sunroof has a life of its own right from the start. Sometimes it works without any problems for months, then it refuses to work for days without warning. It is unclear why this could be. Is there no electricity, is the motor having problems, is it the mechanical system? The mechanics can be excluded because the roof normally opens easily and without making any noise.

The electrics might be the problem, but it's impossible to get to the bottom of the story. Because just at the moment when I approach with the measuring device, the roof opens again perfectly.

It's unwieldy, isn't it?

What is noticeable when switching from any modern car to the 9000 is its awkwardness. Everything is going well as long as you are traveling on country roads or highways. The Saab is a pleasant companion there. In the city center it gets uncomfortable in the parking garage at the latest. The turning circle of the 9000 feels huge. No wonder, the technology was created 40 years ago in the design offices in Trollhättan. A large turning circle and little power assistance were state of the art at the time.

In this respect, the exceptional car from Saab is no better than an Audi or Ford of the same age.

No youngtimer status helps

After all - the laundry is textile and gentle

For its 23 years, the 9k is doing very well

Recently, at the car wash

Unfortunately, and you can also see that, it has become lonely in the 9000 case. At the beginning of the project, a good dozen Saab 9000s were still on the road in the immediate vicinity. Vehicles in different maintenance conditions, almost all of the drivers at an advanced age.

Meanwhile there are only two 9000 left next to the Anna project, the drivers much younger than myself. That gives some hope for the future.

The status as a rarity has an impact. The other day, at the car wash, I park the Saab in the queue of waiting vehicles to buy a ticket. When they came back, a crowd of people around 9000 formed. Bad thoughts shoot through my head, from a puddle of oil under the car to a smoldering engine fire.

It was none of that. There was interest in the youngtimer, which manifested itself with numerous fingerprints on various windows. The 9000 is an exotic one that arouses curiosity.

I'm not sure whether to cry or be happy about it.