09 Saab 9-3 or 09 Honda Accord?

zweton

Hi,

Like both looks wise, which one wins over and why. Am i right in saying the accord would be more reliable.

Thanks:)

corkgsxr

Saabs have some lovely attention to detail but I love the look of the accords too and they are reliable

bazz26

Accord is more refined motor than the 9-3. By 2009 that model 9-3 was a 7 year old design where as that model Accord was only a year old. The Accord is also a bit larger, has more room and better screwed together. I presume both are diesel.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

My next door neighbour has a 9-3 sitting beside my Accord outside. Looking out at them now, I can see.................well, nothing. Its dark.

I really like my Accord but the 9-3 really is a thing of beauty. I think the Accord feels slightly more spacious on the inside, but lookswise, there really is very little to choose.

ba_barabus

bazz26 wrote: »

By 2009 that model 9-3 was a 7 year old design l.

It's a lot older than that.

The Saab interior plastics are terrible compared to any car from 2009 in it's class. I love Saabs but it couldn't compare to an Accord of that vintage.

bazz26

ba_barabus wrote: »

It's a lot older than that.

The Saab interior plastics are terrible compared to any car from 2009 in it's class. I love Saabs but it couldn't compare to an Accord of that vintage.

The 9-3 was launched in 2002 and used the Opel Vectra platform that was launched around the same time.

You might be thinking of the 9-5 which was around since 1995 and used the chassis from the previous generation Vectra alright.

ba_barabus

bazz26 wrote: »

The 9-3 was launched in 2002 and used the Opel Vectra platform that was launched around the same time.

You might be thinking of the 9-5 which was around since 1995 and used the chassis from the previous generation Vectra alright.

You're correct. I was thinking of the earlier 93 which used the Vectra B platform. The 95 as you point out was the car that just kept soldiering on......

Even still, I think the interior and general feel of the 93 by 2009 was that it was very dated compared to almost everything.

bazz26

ba_barabus wrote: »

You're correct. I was thinking of the earlier 93 which used the Vectra B platform. The 95 as you point out was the car that just kept soldiering on......

Even still, I think the interior and general feel of the 93 by 2009 was that it was very dated compared to almost everything.

Indeed, the 9-3 got a much improved interior in 2007 but still nowhere near as good as the rest of the class. Aircraft inspired interiors were always one of their charms but fit and finish was poor in that generation..

ba_barabus

bazz26 wrote: »

Indeed, the 9-3 got a much improved interior in 2007 but still nowhere near as good as the rest of the class. Aircraft inspired interiors were always one of their charms but fit and finish was poor in that generation..

It was the plastics supplied by cheap'nNastyPlastics INC. that annoyed me. I love the design in them but I hate touching anything. The seats are amazing too. I've looked at them since I put my back out but I've decided to hold out for a little while.

Not a bad car, dated yes, but I really don't feel it would hold a candle to a 2009 Accord.

colm_mcm

Accord for me anyway.

Poll added.

Chriscl1

Petrol turbo saab for me please

zweton

Chriscl1 wrote: »

Petrol turbo saab for me please

anyone have both? :-)

recyclebin

Thinking of buying an 09/10 Accord very shortly myself. I've test driven 5 or 6 now at this stage. All the low mileage clean ones from main dealers seem to be UK imports at around €20,000 which seems a lot for a 5 year old car. How much do you reckon I could haggle off the 20k price tag? or should I risk going for higher mileage (100k) from private or small dealers and save 6-8k?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

recyclebin wrote: »

Thinking of buying an 09/10 Accord very shortly myself. I've test driven 5 or 6 now at this stage. All the low mileage clean ones from main dealers seem to be UK imports at around €20,000 which seems a lot for a 5 year old car. How much do you reckon I could haggle off the 20k price tag? or should I risk going for higher mileage (100k) from private or small dealers and save 6-8k?

Would you think about going to the UK yourself for it, or would it be too much bother? I did it recently and got it home and cleared for just under €17k (2010 EX spec w/ 64k miles). It was straightforward enough.

zweton

bar price dec what extras did you get with the uk one? does it come with more bells and whistles?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

zweton wrote: »

bar price dec what extras did you get with the uk one? does it come with more bells and whistles?

Heated leather seats, all electrics, air con, sunroof, sat nav, parking sensors, reverse camera, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, pretty much anything else you care to mention! I didn't see one with the same spec here when I was looking, they are around but are rare enough.

zweton

wow, ya thats worth travelling for. actually any chance you could link to a similar one that you bought?

Harcrid

I was looking at bringing an Accord in from the UK last week and from my research would have been expecting to get an EX or EX GT which are both high spec cleared after VRT and expenses around the 16-17k Euro Mark. Decided to get a Passat cc in the end but was very close to getting an Accord.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

zweton wrote: »

wow, ya thats worth travelling for. actually any chance you could link to a similar one that you bought?

http://www.cargiant.co.uk/Honda/Accord/details-621715-Honda-Accord.asp?viewtype=0

This is the exact same car as I bought except mine is grey.

recyclebin

deccurley wrote: »

Heated leather seats, all electrics, air con, sunroof, sat nav, parking sensors, reverse camera, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, pretty much anything else you care to mention! I didn't see one with the same spec here when I was looking, they are around but are rare enough.

There are a few of them with that spec knocking around in Ireland. I don't know if it is worth all the extra work to go to the UK to get one myself as I'd have to take days of work and then the pressure is on to buy if you do travel over. You wouldn't have the warranty either for peace of mind.

There is a decent spec one near me that has just come up on carzone in the last day or two so I think i will go look at it on Saturday.

zweton

deccurley wrote: »

http://www.cargiant.co.uk/Honda/Accord/details-621715-Honda-Accord.asp?viewtype=0

This is the exact same car as I bought except mine is grey.

lovely car, while mileage was on yours?

unkel

What a strange comparison. The cars might be similar in size, class, power, performance, spec etc., but the Accord will cost thousands and thousands more to buy.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

recyclebin wrote: »

There are a few of them with that spec knocking around in Ireland. I don't know if it is worth all the extra work to go to the UK to get one myself as I'd have to take days of work and then the pressure is on to buy if you do travel over. You wouldn't have the warranty either for peace of mind.

There is a decent spec one near me that has just come up on carzone in the last day or two so I think i will go look at it on Saturday.

Hey, if you can get the same spec here for near the same price, go for it! I'd rather have left my money with an Irish dealer, having to bring it back from London was a bit of a pain logistically too and then silly little things like having to get number plates and put them on myself. But I saved around 3 grand on anything I could see in Ireland.

zweton wrote: »

lovely car, while mileage was on yours?

64,000 miles.

Here it is, forgot I had put up a couple of (bad) pics

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=86735175#post86735175

bazz26

The Accord EX sold here was pretty much the same spec as the UK Accord EX except a lot of the early UK ones didn't have the sunroof as standard.

GreeBo

How do you find the boot in the Accord?
Its looks pretty cramped with the wheel arches & suspension poking in...

road_high

The Saab would want to be vastly cheaper wouldn't it?
Such a shame they're gone, really hope their "revival" comes to something and not stupid EV's.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

GreeBo wrote: »

How do you find the boot in the Accord?
Its looks pretty cramped with the wheel arches & suspension poking in...

Yeah it is cramped, my missus drives a Passat and it has a way bigger boot than the Accord. Its not really an issue for me as I dont need a lot of boot space, the most that ever goes into it is a couple of suitcases, but yeah its got to be one of the smaller boot sizes in it's class.

SpannerMonkey

if it was a 9-5 i would have voted for that but the honda gets my vote against the 9-3.

the accord is a good looking car with great mpg and a nice drive

deckycoop

Hi just read your thread because the last 2 cars i have owned have bein a accord and a 9-3. i changed from the accord to the 9-3. i love both cars and there is nothing to split them apart really.. expect price. the accord you have put up is nice but i would go for this.

http://www.cargiant.co.uk/Saab/93/details-610181-Saab-93.asp?viewtype=0

its the twin turbo model and it is an amazing car with a savage fuel economy. you will get a better car for less money.. i changed my car and came up 2 years and saved 1500 from selling my accord.

every1 will say accord will be better and saab will be hard to get parts for but i will buy a saab again before an accord purely because the car you get for the money you spend will be a better car.

this is just an opinion of mine from owning both cars in the last few years and ive owned a skoda vrs and a 520 bmw.

my saab will be changed next year and ill stay with a saab for the next few years.

deckycoop

also all the cars ive bought are uk imports. the best way to haggle is to go over to the uk to the car dealer yourself. dont tell them your irish and the car is coming to ireland and ask for as many extras with the car as possible. depending on the car and the garage you could be someting like.
i asked for a extended warrenty, tax for the year, full mot, full service, new tyres even another valet.. they will offer you extras to get a car off the yard and cash in there pocket.
then the fun starts and if your not cheeky and dont ask you def wont get any money off. i bought a 520 and the listed price was 12500. i got a year long warrenty, new mot, tax and the dealer agreed to a full service. i told him i didnt need any of that stuff as in 9hours the car wud be in ireland and it will never come back to his yard again and now how much does he want for the car. i got 3500 knocked of the price after a hours work,;)

debabyjesus

SpannerMonkey wrote: »

if it was a 9-5 i would have voted for that but the honda gets my vote against the 9-3.

the accord is a good looking car with great mpg and a nice drive

We have an 09 es gt in the family, really a struggle to get 45mpg, low 40's is the norm, not a very refined car either, very loud and grumbly engine with a noisy cabin. Very quick though and more extras and buttons than you could ever use. Had a fuel pump replaced under warranty but no other bother since that, honda are very reasonable to deal with too.

Not sure about the saab but their reputation would be a solid cruiser built like a tank so probably a nicer place to cruise in.

deckycoop

[QUOTE=

Not sure about the saab but their reputation would be a solid cruiser built like a tank so probably a nicer place to cruise in.[/QUOTE]

yea i tink that too. saab are a very very solid car.

GreeBo

deccurley wrote: »

Yeah it is cramped, my missus drives a Passat and it has a way bigger boot than the Accord. Its not really an issue for me as I dont need a lot of boot space, the most that ever goes into it is a couple of suitcases, but yeah its got to be one of the smaller boot sizes in it's class.

Cheers, would be an issue for me, golf clubs are a requirement!
anyone comment on how an A4 compares?

George Dalton

debabyjesus wrote: »

We have an 09 es gt in the family, really a struggle to get 45mpg, low 40's is the norm, not a very refined car either, very loud and grumbly engine with a noisy cabin.

I couldn't agree more on both counts. The Accord is a lovely looking car with a great spec on the EX versions but the refinement and economy don't compare too favourably with the German competition. They are probably more reliable though to be fair.

I drove two different 2009 Accords on my commute in the last few months and they only manage the same economy as my 3.0 diesel automatic E280 CDI at around 6.9l/100km. My brother's 2009 A4 2.0TDI manages 5.4l/100km on the same commute and a 2009 Passat 2.0TDI 110bhp Bluemotion did a barely believable 4.4l/100km with me recently.