In the mid 1990's, a need arose for an affordable used car that could cover high monthly mileages with good availability and reliability but without incurring excessive fuel or maintenance costs. After less succesful trials with other vehicles, a SAAB 9000i was acquired. This sparked an interest in the breed that some would say has become an obsession and led to the author becoming known as 'the Mad 9000 Enthusiast'. As our cars were regularly covering 3000 miles a week, shortcomings and weaknesses were exposed quickly and it was unusual for cars to be 'on the team' for more than 3 months.

Product knowledge was amassed quite quickly and when we converted an automatic 9000 turbo to manual transmission, using a 'spares' car, someone else offered another 9000 at a price we couldn't refuse. Now, well over a decade later, we have owned well over 300 9000, NG900, 9-3 and 9-5 models including saloons, estates, convertibles and diesel variants. Quite a few cars have been stripped to bare shells for spares and the author believes this way more than any other provides a good insight into construction and the best way to approach repairs. We feel the knowledge we have amassed deserves a wider audience because what we know may help or be of interest to owners, potential owners and enthusiasts.

The 9000 Buying Guide came about after the author began to receive a steady trickle of enquiries and SAAB 9000 related queries. Whereas true enthusiasts like nothing more than to talk about their hobby, there was an increasing sense of déjà vu. As an occasional contributor to the SOC forums, it became clear that the same old chestnuts kept cropping up and there was a definite need to be addressed. The Buying Guide was the first step but it has taken some time to take the next one in launching this website.

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