2019-06-01 Classic Cars

(Jacob Rumans) #1

49


‘Surprisinglyflexiblepower


delivery for a car with


Turbo in its title, and keen


to carry speed into corners’


Owning a Saab 900 Turbo 16S Convertible
‘My wife and I wanted a four-seater
convertible that was practical and had a bit
of character,’ says Stewart Trotter. ‘We had
a new hood put on it just after we got it,
because the original was ripped. But it’s never
been sprayed or welded. We’ve had it 13 years
and used it quite a lot, and it’s never gone wrong. We’ve
been all over France in it. The first time I took it to Griffin
Autotechniks they made up a package of spare parts that we
might need, without being asked.’
Stewart likes the quirky nature of the Saab, and its
reliability – he also has a three-door Turbo and previously
owned one of the Light Pressure Turbo cars. ‘We do 3000
miles a year in it. Its biggest disadvantage for touring is that
it’s quite low-geared in top. But you can rely on it,’ he says.
‘It’s a car I won’t be selling willingly.’

1990 Saab 900 Turbo 16S Convertible
Engine Iron block/alloy head 1985cc in-line four-cylinder, dohc,
16-valve, Bosch LH fuel injection, Garrett T3 turbo Power and
torque 173bhp @ 5300rpm, 201lb ft @ 3000rpm Transmission
Five-speed manual, three-speed automatic optional, front-wheel
drive Suspension Front: independent, wishbones, coil springs,
anti-roll bar. Rear: dead axle, trailing links, coil springs, Panhard rod,
anti-rollbar.SteeringRackandpinion,power-assistedBrakesDiscs
front andrear,servo-assistedWeight1350kgapproxPerformance
Topspeed:128mphapprox;0-60mph:8.0secapproxCostnew
£13,490CCPrice Guide£2k-£8k(standardTurboConvertible)

Toughness has always been a Saab virtue. The engines are
strong, easily reaching 250,000 miles or more without major work.
The Garrett turbos are reliable, too, and if rebuilds are needed they
are usually simple. But the 900’s transmissions can give trouble



  • manuals become noisy and jump out of gear, while automatics
    can have difficulty engaging ratios. Rust is rarely a major problem
    because Saab built the bodies from thick, high quality steel, but
    look out for signs of corrosion on the bottoms of the doors, the
    front wings and the front chassis rails. Heated seats were standard
    and are useful in a convertible, so check that they operate
    correctly. New hoods can cost £750 but fitting is not difficult.
    A good Turbo 16S starts at around £6k, going up to £10k for the
    best. Because they’re so durable, higher-mileage cars rarely fetch
    much less, meaning you can afford to enjoy one without worrying
    about the effect on its value. Add their appealing, individual
    character and it’s a wonder they’re not worth twice as much.


Substantial stiffening means
the Convertible feels almost as
robust as its coupé counterpart

Top Cabrios [The Big Test]

Light, vague steering
does the Saab’s deft
handling a disservice

The four-pot had some
pioneering technology,
yet is reassuringly tough
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