I think the 9-3 is a really nice looking car. I'm thinking about having my fiance get it in about 6 months. She doesn't need a fast car, and the 170 hp model would probably do (unless I will be driving it around much ) .

But I don't know much about Saab build quality, resale, etc. I've always wondered if the Saab is a decent alternative to a 3 series, but perhaps I'm way off. Oh, and I'm talking about the non-vert version FWIW.

 

turbo_pwr's wife used to have a 9-3 (i think). I know it hauls wheels okay..... maybe he can hop in here and let you know.... they leased it for 3 years.

by the way.......

WTF is "Oh My God! Trampompoline!"

 

Isn't it pretty much a GM now? Anyways, my buddy has one. I really like it. Especialy the interior. You should check out the cupholder. Yeah, its a gimmick, but a really cool one.

 

i love saabs. they are a great bargain. my 900 lasted me forever.

 

'Anyone with thoughts on Saab 9-3?'

Well, I think he is a terribly handsome fellow, very smart, and funny as well. All in all, a great guy.

 

Check the resale value, unless you plan on keeping it 'til it dies. They take a big hit around here (NJ), and you can get good deals on a used one.
As far as I remember, the reviews in the car mags were generally favorable, but they did say the car was overpriced compared to its competitors.

 

Well, I was at a loss for a sig, so it's from a simpsons episode. Homer sees an add for a used trampoline and gets exicted and screams that out.

Diamond Dave, what are the cars that are considered it's closest competition? Is there a decent website you can input a car and then see the closest competitor's models?

 

When the current 93 first came out I did a ride and drive thing. The cars included were the 93, Volvo V60, BMW 325, Audi A4, MB C class (can't remember which engine). All were 4 door automatics. SAAB had both sport and non sport suspensioned models.

Personally, I liked the 93 and BMW the best. The MB had the richest interior but it wasn't really any fun to drive. The BMW and 93 interiors were close with a slight lean to BMW. The SAAB and BMW had the best motors (of the cars I could drive). I thought both Sabs were better driver's cars than all but the BMW. The SAAB was easier to get comfy in when compared to the BMW.

They are good cars but I can also see why they have trouble against the competition. The I4's just aren't 6 pots. The interior is good but so is the competition. When you compare the entry level cars it looks good. When you move up to the loaded models, well the Audi, BMW and MB cars just reach up higher. Given the discounts you can get on new or used SAABs I'd say they are a better value than the other Euros.

 

my wife and i test drove one last year. at the time we were in the market for something new and i am eligible for a GM supplier discount, so we took a look at it. we drove the loaded 9-3 Aero and the car was a nice drive. it was quick and responsive enough, the seating was nice and we really liked the exterior, but i could not stand the interior layout (the dash more specifically). we tested it against the TSX and liked the TSX a little more. if we could get the Saab exterior with the TSX interior, it would be a winner.

from my research i found that there were issues with the Saab, more specifically electronic gremlins. the Edmunds discussion board was a good source of info. overall i did not think the Saab was too bad, especially at the GM supplier discount plus rebate. at MSRP, they find themselves looking average among really stiff competition.

i think they are getting a bad deal from GM, and it is unfortunate to see a company with a history of innovation go the way of hawking rebadged goods. there is a show on the Fine Living Channel every Friday night called Carography which went thru the history of Saab. it was very interesting. i think under GM the brand has completely lost it's identity and direction.

if you can get a slightly used one, it would be a good deal, especially with their depreciation. just make sure you know about any issues associated with the model year you are getting.

in the end we got neither car, we bought a new house instead...

 

See this review: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/saab_9_3/

And some more: http://www.caranddriver.com/default.asp?se...AAB&agModel=9-3