So I searched and didnt find any discussions on them other than they are probably going under.
What are your opinions on them, they look like nice cars, honestly they dont look anything like the rest of the GM stuff. I know they have horrible resale value and all and ive heard things here and there about reliability but nothing too in depth.

So can anyone chime in about them for me? particuarly the 9-3 aero and 9-5

 

I've driven a few Saabs, 9-3 Turbo and 9-5 Aero along with some older ones.
In a nutshell, not impressed.

The Turbo models have good power but loads of torque steer. Handling is meh, both models had live rear axle. Non turbo Saabs are slow as balls. A single cam civic will hang and outhandle it.
Interior is very quirky, with a lots of cheap plastic, ergonomics are not that great, seats are uncomfy. Average overall.

Reliability is a mixed bag, my buddy's Saab is constantly broken and it only has 252k Kilometers. Others are better. Everything electrical is Bosch.

If you can get a good deal on a low milage, 2-3 year old, I'd buy it.But don't except a BMW killer for 1/3 the price. Avoid older models.

 

ive noticed that for 06 and up models theyve gotten rid of the wierd dash and put in an easier more aesthetically pleasing dash

 

Saabs are weird.. quirky is a nice word for them.

I've never been impressed by them for the same reasons given above..

A friend of mine is really into them, babbles about their aviation origins blah blah.. they have great visibility.. blah blah..

Want visibility and a great driving experience? Buy a late 80's Honda

 

I never liked them. Odd cars.

 

i've driven 9-3 convertibles a few times and i really liked them!

um....that is a lot of mileage not to expect any problems....

 

I've always thought they were so ugly. Of course, that is subjective, but honestly I don't hear much good about them. I think there are much better cars out there for the money.

 

yah, the new dash i much better. the ignition is still between the seats. :theghey:

it's constantly broken. always something. thats not saying much for reliability, regardless of milage. My buddies GSR integra has more milage and drives like new. Engine is perfect. all the accessories work.

they depriciate pretty quickly, so you can snag a good deal on a few year old saab. as for new purchase, i would never. overpriced.

 

I kinda think the ignition between the seats is neat.

 

Another maker GM bought and didnt do anything with. Small company, low sales = possible parts problems for non GM parts.

Nothing special enough for any potential trouble imho.

 

Just a quick performance writeup...

I've driven an 03 9-3 Linear 5MT (175 HP, 195 lbft). Believe it or not, it was dead even with my 2000 TL-P.
Pre-06 Aeros produce 210 HP, 221 lbft which WILL surprise you.
9-3's (both motors) have TONS of midrange power. Pre-boost and top end power isnt that exciting however (as seen by slow 0-60 times).
The 06+ Aeros have turbo V6's (250 hp and 258 lbft).
The 'other' model in the 06+ lineup has a 210 HP turbo I4 motor.
(Side note: All of these engines can be chipped for a quick boost in hp....the V6's can be chipped by BSR to produce 320 HP and 383 lbft!)

All in all, 9-3's are pretty quirky, but performance wise they WILL surprise you.

 

It has been a long, long time since I've driven one - do they still have the weird thing with the key not being able to come out unless the car is in, shit, was it first or reverse? Something funky like that

 

Saab

Something
An
Asshole
Buys...

I've driven the 9-3, and it's pretty decent if your expectations for a Audi/BMW competitor are nill. They're Ok, and I agree with those that say it will surprise you. One thing that you can say, is not everybody has one, so you should be happy to be different. I guess that's where the quirky part comes in.

 

My last car was a 9-3 convertable. I loved it. I had it for 8 years and 175K miles, the only major problem I had was the fuel pump let go at about 140K miles. That cost a grand to fix which sucked. But there were no other major repairs ever made to that car. There were a few minor repairs, and a lot of rattles, which would bother some people, but it was a TON less stuff than my Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4. That car was a TOTAL POS.

My father had an '89 SAAB 900 which he drove for 250K miles and it never needed any major repairs. His '99 Accord required a lot more work than the SAAB ever did, although it was in better shape at the end of 10 years.

As for performance, with a few hundred $ worth of parts, my SAAB outperformed my current car, a baseTL. The torque steer was brutal however, and the "sport" suspension meant you were talking the risk of biting your tounge off if you hit a bump while talking.

The ONLY reason I didn't consider another was because I moved, and all the dealerships I had to deal with in my new place were assholes, so I took SAAB right off my list, because I wouldn't let the places around here fix my skateboard.

 

I'm not impressed by them. I sat in a 9-5 at a local car show here in Jacksonville, and I was not impressed at all.

 

like the looks of them but wouldn't buy one.

dunno much about their reliability except what i've heard and read. but i just think there are other cars i'd prefer in the price ranges.

 

some of the newer ones look very nice, but i don't know anything about them

 

never understood the fascination with Saab

 

I heard the new interior was nice, but I've never really been a fan...

 

I was going to get a 9-3 before my TSX in 2005. I liked the fact that it was easily chipped for more power.

However, a drive of the 1g TSX changed my mind. With equivalent options, the TSX was much cheaper as well, so the decision made itself.

 

I think if you are buying new, there are far better options. However, you can get some great deals on used 9-3's

 

Saabs are being heavily discounted right now, which would be the only reason I'd look at one. Some dealer franchises are going under, while others seem to just be trying to get rid of their inventory. Anyhow, you can get a 2008 9-3 Aero for about $27k. For those familiar with their pricing, that's like $10k below MSRP. Check out Ebay and compare to your local dealers. With that much of a discount, I'd definitely consider a 9-3 Convertible as a touring car.

 

On a recent trip to Hawaii, I saw a 9-3 2.0T w/5MT for $19,999. I mean, for that little, why not as a daily driver? Just a thought (and that was brand new, from the dealer).

 

LOL...who has ever really been a Saab fan? We owned one in the 70's... terrible car... we called it the SLOB... I have NO idea how or why they lasted this long...some things should be allowed to die... I have know only 3 people ever who owned Saabs... and two of them lived up north... I think they came about as a front wheel drive car for the northern climes and somehow have held on this long... my Dad bought his b/c it was FWD... we sold it to end our troubles b/f we moved south...

 

My buddy is one of those crazy saab fans (family has 5 of them) like Ken was talking about... I personally don't understand it. I will say his 9000 Aero (1993) is fast, and all he did was exhaust and some computer mods.

I drove a base 95 for a week and wasn't impressed.

Mike

 

Its a New England thing I think.. when I was a Masshole some kids I knew converted old Saab bodies into toboggans and take them down hills..

 

Maybe... My theory is that all the Jews in MA are still pissy over the holocaust (So no German cars) but want a nice car, but don't want to fork out the money for a Caddy. That's why my grandfather bought his anyway. My buddy's family who has 5 use the same reasoning. And I guess once you get into them there is sort of a cult following.

Their older turbo power plants do have a lot of potential though.

Mike

 

Come to think of it.. yes those kids were Jewish. Makes sense

 

NEVER heard that one before. Silly.

 

Me either until now

 

You could throw in the safety ("saabs save lives") aspect too... Match it to the stereotype of hypochondria and/or the over protection of Jewish mothers.

Mike

 

you COULD take the jewish part out all together because I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with it.

 

Well in the case of the Saab kids I knew (Jewish or not) they were Eurocar snobs but hated German cars..

Not that any of this matters.

 

Probably not... However most of the Saab owners I know are ethnically Jewish. There is the possibility that the cultural values of Jewish people pushes them towards the Saab brand more than others when looking for entry level luxury cars. Very many Jews still hold a grudge against Germany and it's exports.

Mike

 

I've known one jew like this...my grandfather. And he liberated the camps.

Aside from that...I havent met any jews from the baby boomer gen on down who hold a grudge against bimmer/merc, etc.

Hell, my dad owned one, I owned one, etc etc etc.

The WW2 generation I could potentially understand, though Ive known many of them who owned German cars as well.

Either way, it all sounds silly to me. And I find your statement very much NOT true.

 

Take it a little less seriously. Many of the more observant Jews I know hold a grudge against Germany. I have my own thoughts, but none strong enough to make me hate German brands. I doubt very much that the majority of Saab sales are to Jews, but I live in a very Jewish neighborhood and at one point had 3 Saabs on our street. As I said, my buddy has 5 of them.

Mike

 

Jews aside, Saabs are weird.
You either like them or you don't. Most people don't and the sales and future bankruptcy show that.

 

@jews but yea i see the price on 06's are great but im not convinced enough to keep looking into them

 

There was a Turbo X at an autocross a couple weeks ago. It performed pretty well

 

i wouldn't buy one. Back in the 90's i looked at some mid 80's 900 turbos. awesome cars.

The new ones really aren't desireable.