Comments on: There’s got to be an easier way to get a convertible!!

By: Convertible

Convertible — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:46:02 +0000

Whatz up, I am glad I pressed harder enough until I found convertible, because this post on ’s got to be an easier way to get a convertible!! | Trollhattan Saab was extremely helpful. Just last Wednesday I was pondering on this quite a bit.

By: Tompa

Tompa — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:23:13 +0000

changes made to make the OG9-3 can in most technical ways be found on the MY97 900.
Discovered that when I changed brakes on my MY97 900SE 2,3i.

And Mark.. Where are the Astra bits in the NG900? I´m not saying they are not there.. But then… Where?

By: ColorCode252

ColorCode252 — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:11:57 +0000

On my spare time, a visit to the Saab-specific boneyard, in my neck of the woods, on a Saturday, is a must. You just never know what blessing may grace you on that day, like a talladega front lip spoiler with the related hardware! As the saying goes – you snooze you lose.

The GM 900s or 9-3s, I see, have suffered the usual front, side, or rear impact. The cars held up well. About a couple months ago, I saw a 2002 Steel Gray Viggen that rolled-over a few times and ended-up in the dirt. The windshield is intact although cracked while the A and B pillars are firm. The LH driver and RH passenger doors are working. The roof is dented and the sunroof is deeply scratched but not cracked (I even sourced the Viggen towing eye from that car, for my project).

On a personal note, I survived a frontal collision in a ’94 GM 900. I think that these cars can take a good beating; hence, I am still driving a SAAB.

By: Markac

Markac — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:12:56 +0000

The NG900 came at a time when there wasn’t a suitable new platform available at GM so it ended up being an amalgam of Cavalier, Calibra and Astra bits. Saab modified and strengthened all of these parts, but it still ended up as a bit of a “dogs breakfast”. It wasn’t until the 9-3 arrived that they got the mix totally right, but by then it was old and somewhat outclassed.

By: Tompa

Tompa — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:18:11 +0000

Gripen.. You are right.. The floorpan is equal to that of the calibra, but the rest is pure Saab and at the time the NG900 and later to become OG9-3 is as safe as it got. I´ve seen the 900 in a real life accident with a moose.. Extremely good results.. But not for the moose.

By: turbin

turbin — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:03:12 +0000

Drew B, you are a madman. Or were you a Troll in a former life?

BTW: Please let us know via Swade when you’re selling any of your cars.

By: 1985 Gripen

1985 Gripen — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:47:28 +0000

Though the NG900 had “economy car underpinnings” wouldn’t that only relate to the platform itself (an Opel-based platform)? I would think that the pillars would be part of the SAAB-specific portions of the car which were not shared across brands.

I remember reading that the A pillar and windshield crossmember were supposedly reinforced to handle the “moose test”.

By: Drew B

Drew B — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:30:38 +0000

With the c900, roof replacement requires the car to be jigged, because there is a tendency for the car to sag when the roof is removed. Saab’s procedure with the NG900 doesn’t require a jog or bracing, and simply states to drill out the spot welds as is (ie. off the floor). The skin itself is not a structural part.

Drew

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:30:17 +0000

Yeah I was going to say I think it had alot less to do with weight requirements and alot more to do with the NG900′s economy-car underpinnings. Compare their pillars to an 850 shell and you’ll see what I mean.

By: saabyurk

saabyurk — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:56:13 +0000

Alex: Unfortunately, there’s a reason the NG 900 did so awful in the iihs.org crash tests. It’s the one Saab I would never recommend to anyone.