Price: Sold | Visit the Auction
Mileage: 82,000 Miles
Engine: 2.0-Liter 4-Cylinder B201 Engine
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual Transmission
Exterior color: Admiral Blue Exterior (131)
Interior: Persian Blue Cloth Interior
Additional features:
Factory Stereo
Air Conditioning
Bilstein HD Front and Rear Shocks
Tinted Windows
Mesh Headlight Protectors
Rubber Floor Mats
Original Owners’ Booklet
15” Factory Steel Wheels
Pirelli P400 Tires
100% Stock
Time Capsule Condition
Two-Owner Colorado Car
Clean Carfax
The Saab 900 was the intellectual’s car. Simply put, there is nothing quite like a Saab. The Swedish marque was obsessed with building a better, safer, and different car. Saab took liberal design cues from its (distantly related) aircraft division, deploying an aviation theme in every facet of design and engineering—and marketing. For the Saab 900 this meant a widely curved windscreen providing excellent visibility, driver-focused ergonomic cockpit controls that were well ahead of their time, and an aerodynamic form accentuated by its iconic sloping “lift-back” design. The engine was reversed with the business end facing forward above a transaxle driving the front wheels. This provided excellent traction, while also making servicing much easier than traditional designs. The unibody was so strong that when Saab took the 900 rally racing, no additional roll cage was necessary, although it was still required. Spend some time with the Saab 900 and it inspires you to appreciate every fanatical detail that was fastidiously scrutinized by its creators, something that is completely lost on the modern appliances we call automobiles. This fanaticism ultimately played a roll in Saab’s downfall. Rumor has it that Saab’s cars were so well-engineered that after the company was purchased by GM, and it refused to compromise with GM’s less-fanatic requests, the lead to its eventual abandonment and demise. That is commitment to principles! Saab 900s were so good that many still remain in operation decades later and with at least one example logging a documented million miles on the carefully crafted odometer. Because they were loved and enjoyed by owners as fanatical as their maker, low-mileage Saab 900s are rare, very rare.
This 1985 Saab 900 with only 82,000 miles is one such example—it is in time capsule condition. The original owner purchased it on April 5, 1985. It remained with that owner for the next thirty years, being treated to exceptional stewardship. Then in 2015 my former business partner purchased it as his personal car, after it was featured on Bring a Trailer for sale on Denver Craigslist. It took no less than four hours (and one meal) for my partner to convince the owners that he was a worthy purchaser and would continue to be a good steward of the 900. And a good steward he was, refreshing the to car to top-notch mechanical condition. This included the following items: fuel filter, spark plugs, power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, Bilstein HD front and rear shocks, valve cover gasket, all CV axle boots, replacing the steering rack, front end alignment, front brake caliper service and pads all-around, clutch line, crankshaft seal, and oil pump O-ring. The oil has always been changed regularly and he replaced the antenna mast and stereo with a correct head unit. We had a pre-purchase inspection completed in preparation for sale. Items noted were the battery, wiper blades, and clutch pedal clevis pin, which we replaced. Overall the car is in excellent cosmetic condition. It comes with some dealer service records from the original owner, a clean Carfax, a maintenance log from my partner, two keys, and the original owners’ booklet.
The Admiral Blue paint is overall in excellent condition and all original aside from the hatch, which has been repainted with base and clear. The rest of the car is single stage. Close scrutiny does reveal minor imperfections in the form of nicks, scratches, and small paint chips. On the passenger side there are a few specs of white road paint, but they are mostly on the tires. There is no rust whatsoever, aside from a couple areas of surface browning on the underside, thanks to residing in Colorado its entire life. The body and panel gaps are perfectly straight and there is no evidence it has ever been in an accident. The bumpers are in good shape with only minor fading of the rubber trim. All trim work is present and intact, aside from a missing rain tray guard on the passenger side of the hatch. The windshield is crack-free with moderate pitting and one notable chip, and the side and rear windows are tinted. The headlight lenses are clear and crack-free, as are the turn signals, marker lights, and tail lights. Factory headlight protectors are installed. The factory steel wheels are straight and true with no curb rash, and the center caps are all present. The Pirelli P400 tires are worn evenly with good tread remaining.
The Persian Blue cloth interior is in very good condition. There are no odors and it has never been smoked in. The headliner is in good condition and does not sag. The carpet is also good condition and has been protected by fitted rubber floor mats. The dashboard has some cracks (photos of which are on our website if you reading this elsewhere). The steering wheel is in great shape and all instrument cluster functions work correctly. The factory radio sounds great and all features work, including the power antenna. The heat blows warm, the air conditioning blows cold, and the blower motor is quiet and functions at all speeds. The cloth seats are in very good shape with no excessive wear. From what I can tell the automatic seat heaters are not working. The rear hatch area is very clean and the spare tire is present. The factory owners’ manual book is in excellent shape, and all owners’ manuals are present. The receipts and Carfax are organized in a three-ring binder. Two key sets are included with Saab key rings.
A list of recent maintenance is outlined in the summary paragraph. We addressed the few items that Mile Hi found in the pre-purchase inspection. Compression results were healthy and the leak-down numbers were acceptable. Mile Hi recommended running several cans of 44K fuel treatment through it, which we have done. Overall they gave the car extremely high marks, and were very complimentary of the car—it drew a crowd at the shop. The engine fires on command, idles smoothly and pulls very strongly to redline. It does not leak or spot. The clutch and transmission shift smoothly. The CV axles, and wheel bearings are quiet and free of vibration. The Bilstein HD suspension is compliant and sporting and it rides smoothly over the fifteen-inch wheels. The brakes are firm with lots of life left thanks to their recent pad replacement. In Colorado we pay for and ensure it passes emissions.
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