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Classic Saab 900 - Press Reviews

'Top Gears' guide to the 900 convertible August 1994 - The Buys of Summer

You don't have to be a rich kid, a Sloane Ranger or fat cat to be able to afford wind in the hair motoring this summer. If you can't afford to lash out on a brand new al fresco dream machine, Quentin Willson has an idea for a good second-hand convertible.

Introduction

He looked a prat. Sitting under an angry grey sky, hood down in his Rover 214 Cabrio. By his side at the lights was a grimy old Transit, from the open passenger window of which emerged the head of a tradesman. I sensed what was going to happen next. Rover man was looking acutely embarrassed. He'd misjudged the weather, put his top down when he shouldn't and felt a fool, the reluctant centre of attention in an incredulous queue of rush-hour traffic. The grubby-faced occupant of the Transit knew this - he looked at the sky, then at the Rover and, as the lights changed to green, spat a ball of phlegm in a perfect arc onto the Rover's rear seat.

Strange things convertibles. Since it feels like it's been raining continuously since 1974, you wouldn't think they'd be much use. There's only a handful of days in the British calendar when they look or feel remotely appropriate. The rest of the time they're draughty, cold, damp and, if you choose to brave the elements and unfurl your hood, you'll just look sad. Add to that the fact that open motors are heavier and don't have the same structural rigidity to go round corners as well as their tin top sisters, and you'd expect the cabrio - in this country at least - to be on the endangered species list. Far from it. The drop-top not only survives, but flourishes.

As I write, rain is coursing down my office window. Yet there are over 60 convertibles on the new market and seventy-odd second-hand variants listed in the used guides - from Minis to Maseratis and BMWs to Bentleys. Al fresco motoring, it would seem, is in. And the market likes them. Traditionally, the convertible is not only highly prized second-hand, it also fetches considerably more than its closed counterpart. Open top cars depreciate slowly and sell fast, proof that the genre is held in fierce esteem. Used drop-tops are an aspirational heartland for the image-conscious buyer, and, despite their seasonal inappropriateness, make plenty of financial sense. As long as you buy in winter and sell in summer, you're likely to lose far less than you would if you bought a saloon. Throw in the fact that they're individual and make you feel good, and suddenly they present new and urgent possibilities. So here is a sensible second-hand convertible in which to polish up your self-esteem.

Eternally solid and comparatively rare, the 900 Convertible looks and feels really expensive. It may not be the prettiest drop-top around, but it's one of the most exclusive. Horrendously expensive when new - as much as twenty grand back five years ago - they aren't on the market in huge numbers. The 900i 16v, launched in 1990, is quick and well specced with a power hood, PAS, ABS and even suede-look door panels. The Turbos are even quicker and, at seven grand for one of the earliest D-platers, look astonishing value. They boast a power roof, alloys, hide and cruise as standard kit. They did an S version from '88, but that only had a bit of walnut in the interior, fancy alloys and a dubious bodykit. Don't be told they're worth much extra, because they're not. The Monte Carlo special edition, launched in June '91, was the same as the Turbo 16v S, except for its mandatory, and rather sudden, yellow paint job. The 900 S came out in April '92, but is fairly basic, sharing the spec of the saloon model, and hardly quick off the mark, either.

Bought mainly by suburban professionals, 900 Convertibles tend to be treated kindly and serviced often. They're no hell-raisers - even in Turbo form - being a mature boulevard machine. Insurance rates don't reflect this, though, with the Turbo at a mighty Group 18 and the 16v not far behind at 14. Parts and service are notoriously pricey and the turbos can get very expensive to fix. Again, main agent history is paramount. Their image may be elegant, but they're a weeny bit middle-aged and don't hold their value as well as, for instance, the BMW Convertible. If you'd bought a Turbo for £27,000 a couple of years ago, you would have lost twelve grand by now- a hefty price to pay for two years and thirty thousand miles.

Only the early price-range Turbos start to level off, simply because there's a lot of demand for cars priced at under ten grand. The newer the car, the more you'll lose when you come to sell and, given their amazing ability to cover intergalactic mileage's - I had one with 180,000 miles on the clock - an older, high mileage but well maintained car can make a clever buy.

What Goes Wrong

The non-turbo variants aren't too troublesome and easily capable of 200,000 miles. Check for noisy crankshafts and rattling timing chains -both very costly jobs. And walk away from anything that either smokes or makes too much noise, as a proper main agent engine rebuild won't leave much change from £5k.

On the Turbos, check the cam-belt has been replaced. If it rattles, beware - it won't be long till the whole plot blows up. Because the turbo needs to be cooled down after a run - and most owners can't be bothered - it can fail at low mileage's. Check it by letting the engine idle and then booting the throttle hard. If there's a puff of white smoke, the turbo's shot.

Exhausts don't last as long as you'd think. It's not unusual to have to replace a whole system at 30,000. Turbos consume brakes and, on APC engine cars built after 1987, check that the engine idles cleanly, otherwise the engine management system could he up the spout. All versions have a quaint ignition key lock on reverse gear, which can be fiddly. But if the car's really hard to get out of reverse, it means you've got a worn gear lever collar.

They're not a prime candidate for accident or vandal damage, but do get clocked quite a bit. Buy from a respectable first or second owner or a reputable main agent and you should be fine, But watch out for the occasional trader's car buried in the classifieds. It might look cheap, but you'd do better to pay a touch more and know exactly where the thing's come from.

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