Saab 900: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Saab 900 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 7.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 2,293 individual Saab 900 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 69.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 31 in every 100 Saab 900s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Saab 900 tested had covered 131,494 miles and was built around 1992.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Saab 900 sits 7.4 points below the national average, ranked 1,778 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Saab 900 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Saab 900s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Saab 900

1. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 2.3% of tests (16.76x the national rate for this defect)
2. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 9.4% of tests (9.97x the national rate for this defect)
3. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 3.1% of tests (8.62x the national rate for this defect)
4. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 3.2% of tests (7.7x the national rate for this defect)
5. Parking brake inoperative on one side, 3.1% of tests (5.27x the national rate for this defect)
6. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.9% of tests (4.4x the national rate for this defect)
7. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 5.4% of tests (4.12x the national rate for this defect)
8. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.7% of tests (3.63x the national rate for this defect)
9. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 3.4% of tests (3.36x the national rate for this defect)
10. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.9% of tests (2.77x the national rate for this defect)

From 2,294 DVSA-tracked Saab 900 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 2.94% of these flagged Saab 900 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Saab 900

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Saab 900 before it actually fails on it.

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 5.8% of tests (12.25x the national rate for this advisory)
2. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 8.1% of tests (6.37x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 9.4% of tests (6.17x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 5.7% of tests (4.59x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 24.9% of tests (4.48x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 10.3% of tests (3.62x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 11% of tests (2.33x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 4.7% of tests (2.33x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 5% of tests (1.87x the national rate for this advisory)
10. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 8.8% of tests (1.71x the national rate for this advisory)

From 2,294 DVSA-tracked Saab 900 tests, 2024.

Saab 900 pass rate by model year

From its 1992 to its 1993 model year, the Saab 900's first-time pass rate has fallen 4.2 points, from 70.9% to 66.7%, an unusual pattern where even its newest years fail more than its oldest. First-time pass rate for each Saab 900 year:

• 1990 Saab 900 - 69.8% first-time pass, 275 tests
• 1991 Saab 900 - 73.9% first-time pass, 241 tests
• 1992 Saab 900 - 70.9% first-time pass, 330 tests
• 1993 Saab 900 - 66.7% first-time pass, 405 tests
• 1997 Saab 900 - 71% first-time pass, 259 tests

Other Saab models

• Saab 9-3 - 68.1%
• Saab 9-5 - 70.2%

Models with a similar pass rate

• MG Zr - 69.5%
• Renault Zoe - 69.4%
• Fiat Panda - 69.3%
• Renault Master - 69.2%
• Ssangyong Rexton - 69.2%
• Rover 25 - 69.2%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate