saab 9-3 good/bad?

simx

im thinking of getting a new car(a few years upgrade). . . have a 06 tdci focus with 120km on it,saab 9-3 has taken my fancy the 1.9 version,theres 120bhp and 150bhp versions though? is there any difference in reliability? are saabs reliable? the resonably priced for theyre spec,they depriciate quick i think though? ive heard the 150s have the swirl flaps and the 120s dont,is this true? are the expensive to maintain?. . .any way of fixing the swirl flaps once and for all? what would you think the focus is worth?. . i have bad faith in the focus,am i wrong? thanks in advance

biko

Tbh, it can be a love/hate relationship with these. I used to have one and loved it but things tend to break and when they do it's expensive to fix.

Just have a look at carsurvey for this model
http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/saab/9-3/
Some love it, some hate it.

Make sure every oil change has been done religiously. Saabs are known for sludge problems. Google it to find some more info.
It's probably best to have a Saab indy check the car you intend to buy.


Previous mentions on boards
http://www.boards.ie/search/?subforums=1&f=47&q=saab

Saab Ed

http://www.saabscene.com/forum/threads/147475-My-first-Saab!-A-few...

Dont worry about engine sludge. Thats only an issue on petrols arond 99-04.

For what its worth, a good friend of mine has run a 2005 , 9-3 150 BHP diesel for 3 years now and covered close to 80,000 miles in that time. Except for normal seviceable items, the only thing he's replaced is the entire back suspension and some brake dics. That said, I think he's lucky.

simx

Saab Ed wrote: »

http://www.saabscene.com/forum/threads/147475-My-first-Saab!-A-few...

Dont worry about engine sludge. Thats only an issue on petrols arond 99-04.

For what its worth, a good friend of mine has run a 2005 , 9-3 150 BHP diesel for 3 years now and covered close to 80,000 miles in that time. Except for normal seviceable items, the only thing he's replaced is the entire back suspension and some brake dics. That said, I think he's lucky.

are parts expensive? do they have swirl flaps?

anthony4335

They apear to be reliable enough. Since they are a shared platform with the vectra will mean that engine parts and running gear should be cheap and readily available . but check out honestjohn.co.uk for more details .

shawnee

Extremely comfortable and unique car those Saabs. You either like em or hate em.... I think theyre alrite Have made a few attempts to buy one myself but am nervous about reliability of the modern diesels. Need to hear a few guys with 250k and little trouble to win me over

simx

shawnee wrote: »

Extremely comfortable and unique car those Saabs. You either like em or hate em.... I think theyre alrite Have made a few attempts to buy one myself but am nervous about reliability of the modern diesels. Need to hear a few guys with 250k and little trouble to win me over

wouldnt mind hearing a few of those stories myself:D

unkel

The diesel engines are from FIAT. They have a good reputation, but as with all modern diesels, there is a lot of expensive stuff that can go wrong with them

If you're worried about that and don't do a massive mileage, just get a petrol