black944 turbo

I know this is an old thread, but you would be crazy not to buy the volvo. Saab's are horrible. I worked for a Volvo saab repair place in NC and Saabs=**** poor build quality. Volvo's will run forever especially the old 8 valve 4 bangers.

slang

"I know this is an old thread, but you would be crazy not to buy the volvo. Saab's are horrible. I worked for a Volvo saab repair place in NC and Saabs=**** poor build quality. Volvo's will run forever especially the old 8 valve 4 bangers."

Ditto.

I've owned 3 Volvos and 3 Saabs (as well as the 944). None were as pleasurable as the Porsche, but my choice would be the Volvo. Saabs are more difficult to work on, harder to find parts for, and not made as well.

As for gaining traction with a turbo during the winter - switch to narrow winter tires. The originals on my rear-drive '83 240T had NO grip. Replaced with 70-series tires (I think) and had no problems.

. . . and don't even THINK about a BMW - worst car I've ever had.

Baron009

Volvo! I know a guy who's pushing 400k (kms) on a Volvo. Those cars are amazing.

Swagger93

Do you enjoy driving? I mean, do you like driving anything that handles well in any way? Ok, buy the Saab. Sorry, but saab built (notice the past tense) better cars than volvo---sportier and you wont believe this, but Folksam said the 9000 was safer than a 240 or 7 series in their times. Whats the advantage to a volvo then?

Fishey

Volvo's might look blocky and heavy but there actually made to be both light and aerodynamic. The 940 series drag ranges from .36 to .32 (the .32 is for 95) They also don't weight as much as you would think from 3067 for early to 3267 for the late model 940. In regards to what Swagger93 might belive the Volvo still rated ahead of the nearest Saab by the US Department of transportation (Ranked from 1988-1991 #1 (240) and #2 (760) in safty.

Also on a side note... Isnt it the 9000 series that is known for there explodeing automatic trannys?

lilredpo

Go Volvo.

I also drive a '98 S70 GLT, low pressure Turbo. Excellent ride with 105K miles, low mtce and good on gas.

Good resale value as well.

Good Luck!

PorscheDoc

Saab 900 turbo

bloodraven

wow...this thread is old....and I don't have the money for either anymore (medical emergency at the time...*sighs*) Someday though

Jay Gratton

Go with the Volvo. I think they are both great cars, I just see the Volvo's being safer and have better resale value in a few years. Besides, those old turbos are a kick to drive. Best wishes - Jay

UDPride

I like Volvos but the early Volvos (late 80s early 90s 740/760/940/960) are among the worst cars in the winter you could posibly own. Think of scooting ice cubes on a hockey rink. You get snow sometimes in NC. Depends on how much. I think you get more ice than snow.

My dad had an old 740 Turbo. The car flew and was fun, but it was so insanely scary in snow everybody in the family refused to ride in it. We elected to use our Toyota Supra as our de facto winter car and that saying something.

mick944

I've had both.Had a dark blue(90 or 91,I can't remember) Saab 900S that was a great car(120,000+ when we traded for a conversion van for hockey trips).No problems of any kind,minimal maintenance and was still running and looking like new.The Volvo was different story.Had a black 91 740 turbo that after 100,000 developed an electrical problem that was eventually the end of the car.Had 2 reputable Volvo shops spend countless hrs,their money and mine,and never completely solve its issue.In the end,it was going to cost me 5 times as much to get the car running than it was worth so I told them to sell it to a salvage yard and that was that.Have thought about picking up a Saab for a daily driver several times but you couldn't give me another Volvo(although I work with a couple of guys that swear by them).

KLR

With $2000 cars of this vintage, condition, maintenance, and careful ownership probably matter more than anything else. Having said this, Volvos are far more durable. An N/A 240 will go virtually forever. My 1972 164E went 250K without even a valve job before it was totaled (we were the original owners). It still ran under its own power to the curb after getting rear ended at a dead stop by a Nissan doing over 30mph. My Uncle's got three 240s: one has 275K and is ready for the grave (body rot); another has 222K and looks like new; the last has 150K and looks like new. None of them have ever even had a valve job (he's the original owner of all three). These are silly tough cars.

JoakimJ

My volvo keeps running and running without problems.
My Saabs has not done like that. Allways some problems with central locking, engine or gearbox!

Newer Saabs is ok though, but as i said, their gearboxes has never been their best product installed in the cars..

volv4life

... 7 series was rumored to have been designed to be more american... scary stuff as the backend just loves to break out to the EXTREME, try running around in a 240 in the winter.. fun cars and great fot the winter promise ! they actually have a hot air intake and cold start injectors :-P which u can hack if u need more power ^.^ as for cars that are still running as long as you go 85+ all the 240's have galvanized bodies, my dad has his 240 that he bought NEW in 88.. w/ ohh around 265K on the odometer... and not very well maintained at all.. unless you call filling it with a quart of oil every 3 weeks cause it leeks maintenance..