zeroday

OK I'll start this comparison by saying there is no comparison. The BMW is superior in almost every way except possibly in the snow...unless you have snow tires or X drive of course. Just figured more people would click on this wanting to wail on me for even thinking of directly comparing these two cars.

If you didn't already know, I recently sent my leased 07' manual 335i coupe back to BMW with 45k miles on the clock. I replaced it with a significantly less expensive, CPO 2007 Saab 9-3 V6 Aero automatic with 24k miles (got married and plan on buying a much nicer house so my car payments had to be cut in half ). It's most certainly a downgrade, but I actually really do like this car.

The good:

The car has some balls. Like many turbocharged cars, it has more torque than HP. Not as much torque as the BMW, but much closer than I would have expected, according to my butt dyno anyway. Passing other cars on the highway is a breeze. Quiet, effortless acceleration. It's not as fast as the BMW but it's FAR from slow. There's actually a chip for this car that ups the power immensely, but I'm not sure I will bother modding it. Time will tell. The 6 speed automatic transmission is great too. It doesn't 'gear hunt' like some Auto's I've driven. Very smooth gear changes. At speed the car feels very planted. Like the BMW, 80mph feels like 60 does in most cars. Handling wise, it's very good for a front driver. Not much torque steer. The heated sport seats are very comfortable too.

The car actually has some stuff my BMW didn't. Park distance control for example. Useless IMO but YMMV. It also has built in Satellite radio which I do like. This wasn't offered at the time I bought my BMW. The glove box is HUGE! It's like having a mini trunk in the dash. Seems almost like it extends into the engine bay. Overall the interior looks nice. I really like the driver centric cockpit style dashboard better than the 3 series dash layout.


The bad:

Interior build quality is poor for a vehicle that costs this much new. Too many hard plastics are used in places where they should not be. The door pulls for example are encased in a 2 piece hard plastic shroud which creak and have a little give to them when you pull the door shut. Not very confidence inspiring. I had several dash rattles which were promptly fixed by the dealer but you just kind of feel like you're waiting for the next one to pop up. The seat bottoms make that rubber on rubber farting noise when you get in or shift around. I'm still trying to figure out how to fix that one. The cup holder is just stupid, as is the whole key in the floor thing, and the adjustable center console arm rest doesn't stick in one position very well. Keeps sliding back and forth on me. I checked out a brand new one and it did the same thing. Annoying. Koennigsegg should fire all of Saab's interior engineers.

The ride is a bit harsh in this car too. I think they could have tuned the suspension better. You feel just about every bump in the road. This combined with a creak/rattle prone interior isn't a good combo.

Conclusion:

I like the car a lot, especially considering it only cost me 18.5k. I knew going into it that it wasn't going to be a BMW but it's a compromise that I have no trouble living with. I wanted a sporty front wheel or all wheel drive car with low miles and a low price tag and that's what I got. I also kind of like the fact that they aren't very common. That's all I got.

charliemike

I'm really happy you found a good car you liked after turning in the BMW.

Sometimes coming out of a car like that can be a bit of a culture shock if you don't get something as good.

Did you consider a Mazdaspeed6 or did you need an auto?

zeroday

Me too! Was worried about that. I did consider the MS6 but I needed an auto (wife).

Moog-Type-S

<< Not a Saab guy...but
glad you got something you like

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

Interesting that it doesn't seem that much slower than the 335i, but then again I've heard that the 335i doesn't feel as fast as it really is, so yeah, whatever that equates to, glad you're happy with it and seems like a fair price for a uniquely fun car.

Question. What don't you like about the key on the floor? I know it's a Saab thing. I always thought it would be neat to have. Just a bad idea or annoying?

alexSU

iTrader: (3)

I love the key on the floor! It's a Saab thing, how can you not like it?

zeroday

Ha..for the first week or so it was 'nifty'. When starting the car though, I still,occasionally, like a robot, put the key up to the dash..then realize there's no key hole. Maybe it will just take some getting used to. Also, the keys on my keychain have to lay on the center console instead of danglig in air, and they slide around and make noise during cornering or hard braking. Apparently it's a safety thing so the key doesn't impale your knee during an accident, but I think it's more about brand identity at this point.

Sclass88

Not a Saab guy, either but the Aero's are nice looking cars. Good luck with it.

mrmako

Something
An
Asshole
Buys



I shopped for one while I was in Europe a few years ago. They are good looking, and pretty nice on the Autobahn. But I just didn't want the payments (already had Volvo payments). They can be good cars, as long as it remains reliable, I think you'll be OK.

ThermonMermon

if your capable of cross shopping a Saab with a BMW, 9 out of 10 your going with Saab. the pricing in the used market couldnt be more polarized between the two. so much more value in a used Saab over a used BMW.

oh, and so many people have a secret affinity towards the 9-3 aero. glad you manned up and pulled the trigger. just dont become so infactuated with the thing that you cant get rid of it before you start running into costly problems.

GIBSON6594

I think they look great. My concern would be reliability. I've heard they are one of the worst in that dept.

Costco

I just get some of those separating collar-thingies for my key, that way the only thing inside the ignition is the key itself - no dangling keys or doohickeys on the side.

Shift_Acura

I've always loved the 9-3 Aero's...i think its one of the most affordable truly European feeling sedans available in US/CAN

neuronbob

The newer Saabs are great-looking cars. Congrats on making a fiscally sound decision while saving for a house. No matter how much you love a car, having an appreciating asset like a house to put your depreciating asset in is always FTW

zeroday

I used to think the same thing until I did quite a bit of research on this car. I relied mostly on Saab forum message boards for my info. The 03' 9-3 (first model year) was riddled with problems. Reliability ratings for the later models have all been great. Saab had some real quality problems dating back to their 1999-2003 models, but the company has since turned that around. Just goes to show you how hard it is for the past to be erased. Hyundai for example is still trying to escape its problematic past and that dates back to the 80's.

And just for some CYA, I bought the government backed CPO warranty that covers the car for 6 yrs/100k miles.

zeroday

Thanks! Agree completely.

zeroday

hmm good idea..

F23A4

fixed

JD23

Unfortunately, it is possible for a house to be a rapidly depreciating asset, as many people have learned over the past few years.

zeroday

I think his point was with a car, it's almost an absolute guarantee that it's going to lose value. Unless you buy something rare and store it a garage for 30 years and cross your fingers of course...but given any 30 year time frame, houses have almost always appreciated.

Lxcord

iTrader: (1)

any pics dayzero ?

GIBSON6594

Sounds good, good luck with her. Maybe I'll test one out after I'm done with my 335.

turkeybaster115

iTrader: (1)

Good Luck Zeroday! your 350Z was tits! too bad you didn't hold on to it, and get the greddy TT Kit!(not sure if yours was actually blown). I would have looked at the hyundai genesis coupe, if I were in your position. Take care!

Sarlacc

Honestly, its great a lot of you consider your wives in this decision....Personally, and my wife knows it...I aint driving an auto and she cant drive stick.

Hasnt been an issue.

Crazy Bimmer

Yea the saab aero is really hard to beat in terms of price. I LOVE the way it looks.

Glad you enjoying it so far man!

Fishy

Nah, its one of the great myths that real estate is an appreciating asset. On average, it merely keeps up with inflation. When I was a kid, chocolate bars used to cost 10 cents and now they cost $1.00. The homes in the area I grew up haven't appreaciated 10 times.

Like anything to do with investing, doing well in real estate is pure luck, or is 90% luck and 10% skill, or is against the law. The only guaranteed investment stragegy is: earn interest and don't pay it.

As far as cars are concerned, they are 100% expense and should be a minor draw on your disposable income.

turkeybaster115

iTrader: (1)

I think most people learned the hard way, that Gold and Silver are great investments!

zeroday

An average of a 6.4% increase per year over 34 years is just keeping up with inflation?
http://www.realestateabc.com/graphs/natlmedian.htm

Anyway this is a car thread, take it to money and investing please .

zeroday

Thanks Jesal, yeah I like the looks of the car too. One of the reasons I kept coming back to it during my car search. I'm just glad I didn't buy one new. They depreciate like mad!