1992 SAAB 900 S LPT Convertible

This Saab 900 S Convertible is equipped with the low pressure turbo, manual gearbox and has a high specification including a full leather interior and wooden dashboard (we say 'wood', but we do know this was the 1990s...). It has covered an above-average mileage for a 1992 survivor, but do remember this was a Saab and they are famous for being capable of high mileages if properly serviced. And as we will will see, this one has been well serviced.

Before taking this car on, we did the proper thing of checking through a number of buyers guides. And we are happy to report that this example shone out well. Apologies if the following text sounds like a checklist report, but we thought it best to use the buyers guide pointers to describe this cars condition. 

Two final important points: the Saab has a brand-new MOT, and this auction has No Reserve.

The Nocturne Blue bodywork shines up very well. There may have been some respray action in the past, but there is no real evidence as you look over the car. All the panels line up well, there are no signs of filler, or any accident damage that we have found. Remarkably there are absolutely no stone chips on the bonnet, but there are few minor scratches and chips on the drivers side panels. Rust can be found in 900s - so picking on the usual places, this one has a rust free bonnet and petrol cap, but there is a little rust on the inside corner of both door bottoms, the full extent is photographed. That is the end of the bad news - for instance the wheelarches appear perfect. Underneath is also solid, the MOT tester has said that although there is a bit of surface corrosion here and there, there is no rot or holes. The sills are also original and appear strong.  

The convertible roof was replaced in 2008 so is not in the first flush of youth, but appears solid and waterproof. Plus the mechanism goes up and done on demand.

As you can see from the photos, this is one good-looking Swede. There is one rather obvious flaw you may have spotted - when respraying a replacement, rust-free fuel flap, the seller found that Saab appears to have used two different Nocturne Blue colours, guess how he found out....code 234 is the one to order next time!

The interior is in very reasonable condition. The leather is generally in very good condition and soft, but there is some wear to the driver's seat side bolster, with a small inch-diameter hole at its lower edge. 

The rest is all good news. The dashboard is uncracked, the dash lights, electric windows & mirrors, central locking and all gauges work, and the carpets are dry (no problem with the heater matrix leaking into the passenger footwell). The radio and aerial are good. The spare tyre is also good and the boot floor is corrosion free. There are no missing bits or 'boy-racer' mods that have sullied this interior (or exterior for that matter).

The engine starts instantly, cold or hot and runs smoothly - we have driven a 2 hour motorway run in the car without concern. The engine does not rock on startup suggesting the engine mounts are OK. The power steering turns from lock to lock with uniform feel, and is not stiff when cold. There are no undue noises from the engine bay overall. The oil and water look normal suggesting that they are not mixing around a failed head gasket (in fact a replacement head was fitted less than 10,000 miles ago in 2009 by a Saab specialist). 

There is no wobble on braking. The upgrade Saab Aero 15" wheels are all shod in nearly-new, matching tyres. The alternator has just been reconditioned and the springs have been replaced with a set of 4 from Abbott Racing. The Saab does not jump out of any gear, there are no crunches, and the clutch biting-point is normal. The ABS warning light behaves correctly.

This Saab runs well, and looks good, despite the odometer reading nearly 178,000 miles. This sections describes the probable reason. This car has been extraordinarily well looked after. The complete history is here, from the original purchase invoice with complete handbook pack and wallet, to the service book will 11 stamps to 2003 (all Saab dealer or Saab specialist), another 6 invoices for more recent Saab specialist servicing, plus another handful of invoices for additional work as it was required.  And of course there is a run of MOT's from 2002.

This Scandinavian has received more attention than A-ha.

Buying a car of this vintage and price bracket is mostly based on condition rather than the explicit mileage or other simple headlines. At the start of this description, we stated that these Saab's can comfortably take a high mileage if they have been properly serviced. Perhaps this car is living proof of that. From what we have seen, it could possibly just be ready for the next 150,000 miles. It definitely would not be one of the first ultra-high mile Saab 900. Would you like to be the first to start the next chapter of the journey?! You would certainly look stylish along the way.

We'll leave its final value up to you, it is on sale from the first bid, but we expect the winning bid to be somewhere around two thousand pounds.

As always, viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at Patina HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.