Used car guide · 1979–1998

Saab 900 common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Saab 900, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 5,661 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

The 1987 Saab 900

Our MOT figures start with cars first registered in 1990. There are no known faults on record for this year in the UK buying guides we use, so the rest of this page covers the Saab 900 as a whole.

206on the UK register at the end of 2025
Petrolfuel type
What to check on a 1987 car
  • MOT history

    Check the reg below: its MOT history shows what has been failed or advised, and whether the mileage adds up.

  • Service history

    Look for regular servicing and receipts for big jobs like a cambelt or clutch.

  • Finance and write-offs

    MOT records don’t show outstanding finance or insurance write-offs. A history check does.

  • Test drive

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check every warning light goes out, and make sure the gears and brakes feel right.

Other years

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

19981997199619951994199319921991199019891988198719861985198419831982198119801979

What usually goes wrong with a Saab 900?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Saab 900 in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Saab 900 MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Flexible brake hoses

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1997.

    Rough price £50–£200 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look for cracked or bulging rubber hoses behind the wheels and in the engine bay.

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings

    up to 2.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1990 and 1991.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

Saab 900 MOT pass rate by year

Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
199857%65% -8262 (small sample)
199762%65% -3810
199662%66% -4446 (small sample)
199556%67% -11240 (small sample)
199465%67% -2138 (small sample)
199362%68% -61,195
199263%69% -61,022
199167%71% -4732
199065%72% -7816

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Saab 900

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the flexible brake hoses? (Flagged at MOT 2.6× as often on the Saab 900 as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the rust around suspension or steering mountings? (Flagged at MOT 2.1× as often on the Saab 900 as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Saab 900?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score