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Re: 1987 SAAB 900 16v Turbo 5 Speed 120k - Going Rate/Failure Points Posted by Cmyles [Email] (#1126) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Cmyles) on Fri, 4 Jun 2021 07:41:33 In Reply to: Re: 1987 SAAB 900 16v Turbo 5 Speed 120k - Going Rate/Failure Points, PD Shepard, Fri, 4 Jun 2021 05:02:18 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
The brakes are not a "failure point" nor a major issue on pre-'88 C900's. Like any braking system they require periodic maintenance. Up to 1988 Saab used a front caliper that incorporated the handbrake. After 1988 the handbrake is on the rear calipers. Most of the many C900's I've owned (as my daily drivers) were/are pre-1988 and their brakes were/are excellent. The repair kits for the calipers are becoming scarce now but that's true of many of the parts for all C900's. If you are considering buying one your primary concern (once you find a well maintained candidate) should not be "failure points" but your willingness to hunt for increasingly rare parts and do repair work yourself. Repair shops generally are unwilling to work on 30+ year old cars regardless of their mileage or condition and most of the mechanics versed in the specific procedures and idiosyncrasies of the C900 are retired.
Regarding the car in question: Get in, apply the handbrake, see if the car will roll. Release the handbrake and see if the car will roll. If the handbrake fails to apply or release then you know that you'll be dealing with that. If it works fine there's no reason to suspect that it will fail if maintained along with everything else. They can become stiff and refuse to release if not exercised regularly but the usual solution is to lever the bell crank (where the cable attaches) outward with any handy tool and then lube and exercise the moving parts. The same issue can develop with any cable actuated handbrake, front or rear.
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