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Saab 9-5 Sedan

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Comments

  • ffb13ffb13 Member Posts: 181
    i too was almost screwed by the dealer.

    they tell you it needs new brakes and rotors.bull.have it check out elsewhere.

    at 23,ooo miles i was told the same and i got 45,000 miles from them
    now at 60 they said the same thing .car now has 73,000 and brakes still good.

    wait until they squeal.you have to do front rotors anyhow.

    i have found many of the dealers to be not very honest.
    i was told i needed new muffler,new head gasket ,new windhield cowl ,and other .....when my 2000 9.5 reached 52,000 miles.
    i had asked the dealer to check everything at 48,000 miles to take advantage of warranty and they stated all ok.
    i came back 2 months later for oil change.
    now this,

    i told them that all looked all ok and that i did not see any oil leaks.
    they stated that they have special equipment and that only they can see the oil leak.
    this is bs.

    i have had this approach on me before at a merceds dealer. same bs...oil leak but only we can see it.
    it has been 2 years and 22,000 miles and no oil leak ,no water leaks in the cowl. and the muffler is still going strong and so are the brakes.

    i have seen dealers take work orders,accumulate them on the service desk,and every 1/2 hour or 45 minutes take them to a date machine and stamp work done.....

    a way to inflate the hours worked in your car to charge you more...this latest i observed first hand at a dealer in the d.c. area where my car broke down.

    when i came in the said it was a major repair and that i better get a motel room.
    when they found out i had a warranty , they fixed the cooling fan that had stopped working ,in 25 minutes and sent me on my way.

    the dealers are a major problem.
    and you have to go in there with knowledge ,or suffer the consequences.

    and, this is not unique to saab.
    it is a very common practice,and my experience with most new car dealers is very much the same.
  • accsellaccsell Member Posts: 5
    Can the oil pan gasket be easily
    changed on a 1999 9-5 SE automatic?
    2.3L Turbo

    Thanks, all..........AccSell
  • rob999rob999 Member Posts: 233
    According to the Saab WIS (workshop info system)you need to remove the upper and lower engine covers, oxygen sensors, turbo bypass pipe and the exhaust pipe to get clearance, then remove the oil sump.

    I'd just paste all the steps here, but the 'Copy' operation is disabled in that software.
  • ponytrekkerponytrekker Member Posts: 310
    Car mechanics . . . trying to rip people off? Oh my.
  • skday1skday1 Member Posts: 13
    I have been looking into brake repairs on the Saabnet.com 9-5 boards and 30k for brakes on the 9-5s seems to be normal; according to the posters because of the pads Saab uses.

    It is true that my brakes are not squealing, but I was going to go ahead with the repair when I found a decent shop. Maybe not....

    Thanks for your help.
  • saabgirlsaabgirl Member Posts: 184
    I have a '99 Saab 9-5, 4 cyl, 5-speed, sport exhaust, 102K miles. I've had my share of Saab quirks, but love driving mine and listening to it bark. A relatively new quirk is a miss or hesitation that comes in briefly at 1700 rpm, when in 3rd gear, especially on a slight upgrade. It feels almost like it hits a gust of head wind for an instant. By the time the tach gets above 2000 rpm, the "wind gust" is gone. Passengers don't notice, unless I alert them to it. One answer, of course, is simply to wind it up more in 2nd gear but, in suburban neighborhoods, the exhaust note is a little too attention getting. The direct ignition cassette was recently replaced, and this problem predated that repair. The dealer said he noticed the little miss but, since the engine tests fine, it would probably cost more than it's worth to hunt down the cause of this minor hiccup. Any thoughts?
  • r34r34 Member Posts: 178
    Whenever the morning temperature was 40F - 55F, I needed to start the car twice. Sometimes, the car died but sometimes it wanted to die.

    I took the car to the dealership twice for this problem and it seems to be ok now.

    They told me the car had alrady got the most updated software version so they did the followings:

    1. Decarbonize the engine
    2. Replaced throttle body (2 parts - throttle body & O-RINGTHRTLBDY)

    Hope this helps.
  • saabmoose3saabmoose3 Member Posts: 1
    Hello experts. I am running up to the end of my new car warranty on a 2000 9.5 V-6 SE which has a continuing issue with a very bad, rotten egg-like smell intermittently. I seem to notice this only during stop & go driving and it seems to be more pronounced during spirited driving. Dealer has made one attempt at a correction which included "hotter" spark plugs. No help. Does anyone have any experience with this...or resources for resolution? Thanks
  • bcoolbcool Member Posts: 59
    Are you sure it's the pan gasket? My persistent leak was eventually found and it was a crack in the oil filler down tube. Seems like someone may have twisted it too hard putting the cap on.
  • thelinsterthelinster Member Posts: 10
    Talk about synchronicity -- I just found the board and am looking at "new" used cars to replace my '92 SAAB 900S. One of the cars in consideration is an Infinity, so I looked up recalls, etc., on the model. Turns out one involved a rotten egg smell. Of course, I can't find the exact post, but I do remember that the fix involved the catalytic converter. Something about the sulfur in the gas. So get them to check that.

    And, just to give a perspective on longevity, my car has 164000 miles on it. The problems didn't start until around 150000. And even now, I don't want to part with my SAAB. Reading the posts here have reminded my I love it. Forget the Infinity - I'm finding another SAAB.
  • accsellaccsell Member Posts: 5
    BCool.........thanks for the tip.
  • mtgmanmtgman Member Posts: 18
    I'm considering buying a 2004 9-5 Aero sedan, automatic, xenon lights, touring package for $33,700. Is this a decent deal? MSRP is $42,785.
    What type of lease payments should I expect with excellent credit, 12,000 miles/year, 36 month, zero down?
  • randywrandyw Member Posts: 1
    I'm looking for a used 9-5; 2000-2002. Is there any reason to look for the 4 vs 6? I read somewhere that the 4 was more desirable, if so for what reason?
  • darandalldarandall Member Posts: 57
    Go for the 4 - it's the traditional Saab engine and seems to be the most bulletproof. Get the 2002 - upgraded suspension over the 2001 and prior models. Look for premium sound - much better sound IMHO. Saab has also been decontenting the 9-5 in little ways. No stainless steel exhaust in 2002, for example. Good luck! Donn
  • bcoolbcool Member Posts: 59
    I just bought the 2004 Aero Wagon for about the same price. I don't think that you'll do much better in price. Maybe you can get them to throw in the 8 year/80K warranty. I considered a lease, but a purchase, with less down than the lease required, was just a little more $$ - the 4% interest rate through my credit union helped. Good Luck.
  • bcoolbcool Member Posts: 59
    Does anyone have experience putting traction devices on a 9-5 Aero with 17 inch wheels? The manual says that chains will cause interference problems, however, I'm wondering if cables will work. I considered putting on a set of smaller 16 inch wheels, but the dealer thinks that they would not fit over the larger Aero brake calipers.
  • mtgmanmtgman Member Posts: 18
    I live in central Iowa and the Saab dealers are less than sales/service excellent. Where did you buy yours?
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    As you can see in the Rules of the Road (linked at the top of the page), neither links to dealerships nor names of salesfolks may be posted. I had to remove a couple of posts.

    Thanks for your understanding.
  • 2080mcbf2080mcbf Member Posts: 1
    I drive a 2003 9-5 Aero, and I decided to use 16 inch winter rims and tires. It is true that steel wheels will not fit over the larger brakes. I was able to get relatively inexpensive SAAB alloy wheels directly from my dealership.
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    Pat, you may have a heavy hand here. On the BMW boards people post dealership names (although not individual sales guys names)), dealer locations, pros and cons of deals with dealers, etc. Same thing with the Land Rover boards (take a look at the LR3 board, for example).
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Dealer names are fine, just no contact information. If you didn't already, read the whole story in the Rules of the Road.

     

    I don't make the rules, btw. :)

     

    If you want to pursue this, you should get in touch with Sylvia, our Community Manager - sylvia AT edmundsDOTcom.
  • mtgmanmtgman Member Posts: 18
    I live in central Iowa. Do I need or do you suggest winter tires?
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    Yes, you need winter tires/wheels. Here's why. IMHO what you need is not so much a set of winter tires but rather to replace the dangerous, low profile summer 17" tires you now have. That means you need a set of 16" wheels with different tires. As a practical matter that means a set of cheap/used wheels (check the local swappper newspapers). While I guess you could get by with some all season radials on the extra wheels you just bought, as a practical matter you should get a set of Artic Alpins and keep them as your winter combo. They will last longer than Blizzaks and help immensely in winter traction and braking.
  • bcoolbcool Member Posts: 59
    Southern California. Did ja buy it?
  • bcoolbcool Member Posts: 59
    So SAAB has 16 inch alloy rims which fit on an Aero? Cool. Do you know if there is enough clearance to run snow chains or cables? In case you don't know, some times they make everyone to put chains/cables on in the mountains out here.
  • mtgmanmtgman Member Posts: 18
    I pick it up tomorrow.
  • ffb13ffb13 Member Posts: 181
    my 2000 is now going on to 81,000 miles and still returnning 30 plus mpg in hiway and 22 to 24 overall.on long trips below 65 mph i register 40 to 42 mpg whcih is a great range.

     

    at over 80 mph i register an overall mpg of 29 to 32 .bugt this ,on a 1,500 mile trip,straight.

     

    i could have had over 200,000 miles on the car by now but because i do own many other cars and travel much, the time spent in the sab is reduced.

    but,i will tell you that as a 4 seater ,it is my favorite car over some bmw and mb.

    the 4 cyl. engine is just great. i cannot have enough of this sweet running engine.

    and the tranny is also great but only because is the sane used by lexus.and made in japan. the trick with it is to change the tranny oil every 6,000 miles. not really change it ,but just drain it ,3 pints will come out,and replace it.

    simple to do. remove a nut ,let it drain,and replace the nut.fill it.

     

    well ,now i must knock on wood.

     

    i hope that this answers the question raised by randyw.

     

    and ,i am told that the 9.5 is being redesigned for 2006 and out by late 2005.

    i would avoid year 1.

     

    also ,to get over 60,000 miles out of the aero tires ,keep the pressure at 43.

    i removed my tires at about 56,000 miles and still had another 5 to 7,000 miles left on the thread.

     

    snow tires,

    i got the saab deal .it is the best out there .it includes 4 alloy wheels with snows.

     

    and by the way,the snows will fit in the spare tire area. only minus is that the top will be about 1/2 an inch higher at the rear of the car.

    i took a saab alloy ,16 inch wheel,and after a blow out in vermont,i bought a new dealer deal,and used the old wheel to mount an all weather spare tire which i have now used twice after punctures on the road.

     

    and ,going to knock on wood again as i read consumer reports on the 2000 year ,more black dots are now showing up.
  • mtgmanmtgman Member Posts: 18
    Would someone recommend rubber floor mats? Should I pay extra for "Saab" mats or does anyone have "Rubbertites"?
  • buddhabmanbuddhabman Member Posts: 252
    If you really feel like spending the money go Saab otherwise go get some clear rubber or vinyls from your local parts from. Saab needs the money ;-).
  • chalkpiechalkpie Member Posts: 21
    I have posted this here before - but I bought a *new* '03 loaded 9-5 Aero back in August for $27,500 on Long Island. It was a leftover, which is why I got such a good deal (and some haggling). I am as happy as a person can be with this car - it is just a fantastic machine.
  • jbro4jbro4 Member Posts: 1
    I am thinking of buying this car. Very nice condition, 56k miles. What should I be wary off? I have heard so much about issues with repairs on Saabs, but after driving it, I love it. Please help!
  • j umbergerj umberger Member Posts: 15
    anyone have trouble with the transmission on their 9-5? Never had a single problem with my 9-3, but the 9-5 has been a piece of junk. And saab won't do a thing about it. Car has trouble getting into 2nd and 3rd gear, hesitates and dogs out, engine light keeps coming on...

     

    tried trading it in and found out two years later the car is only worth $12,000.
  • j umbergerj umberger Member Posts: 15
    In the past year, my wife's 9-5 has been in the shop 45 days. The local dealer has never had a loaner available, so those were lost days of use I paid for on my lease from Saab. Contacted Saab customer service today to request a month credit on our base lease payments and the answer was NO. Looks like the 9-7x is out of the question in May when our lease is up..
  • ffb13ffb13 Member Posts: 181
    transmission----when i first bought the car and after 6,000 miles or so ,i did the oil service and found that it was easy to also drain and fill the trnny.

    when i did i found a lot of metal particles stuck on the magnet at the end of the plug.

     

    so, i decided to to be safe i would change the transmission fluid myself every 6,ooo miles.

     

    knock on wood.

     

    but ,i have spoken to friends at the saab dealership---they work there --- and the horror stories about problems are incredible.

    i still like my car as i posted above,but getting a littl worried as i approach 90,000 ,iles.we will see
  • aerodriveraerodriver Member Posts: 12
    I feel compelled to reply to the recent string above. I have driven both a 9000 CS and now a 9-5 Aero (2002 model) for the last 8 years. My problems have been minimal (none with the Aero). Having said that, I had my share of woe with my old 1988 900, but most of those issues were taken care of during the warranty.

     

    The point, to the many online readers thinking of buying a 9-5, is that every car line has its share of lemons and poor dealers. I feel for my brethren above, but know that they are in the minority.

     

    ...And I am NOT a Saab salesperson, just a longtime devotee of Saabs.
  • peterson33peterson33 Member Posts: 24
    I feel for the people with problem vehicles. I had a Chevy Blazer than was a nightmare.

     

    But I leased a 2000, 9.3 that didn't have any problems - i miss that car.

     

    I now have a 2002 9.5 Areo that has had only very minor problems. A headlight fell out while driving and scratched up the paint - the power cables kept it from falling off, so it bounced around until I stopped.

     

    The Aero is FUN to drive but I wouldn't get another with auto trans - because it vibrates at idle. It's bad enough that it makes me put it in neutral at every red light.

     

    Does anyone know?... Can you put modern tire chains on the factory delivered tires? I live in Raleigh and I won't drive in snow but we get a lot of ice. I don't think snow tires would help when it's very icy.
  • j umbergerj umberger Member Posts: 15
    I agree that with any make/model you run the risk of getting a car with problems, but the big difference is how a company responds to them when they do arise. Saab has done nothing but blow us off. You cannot get anywhere past the call center, and the reps there are empowered to do nothing. Most companies are now smart enough to know that the best way to differentiate themselves is to get closer to their customers, not push them further away. The truth is, most complaints come from passionate customers who are the only ones who take the time to speak up. Most of the time, it's the most valuable input a company can receive.

    Perhaps part of my frustration is because I know some automakers are getting it right - we have had the exact opposite experience with Audi. The few problems we have had we hardly remember because Audi calls us after every visit to make sure our needs were addressed and we're 100% satisfied. That's how loyal customers are created.
  • wintercruisrwintercruisr Member Posts: 13
    Hi folks,

     

    I want to get rid of my gas guzzling Landcruiser and get back into a SAAB; last one was a 96 9000CSE, a blast but always breaking down. Hope to get 03 Aero within next few months.

     

    Question is how will it handle snowy winters (Vermont for me) even with winter wheels and snow tires. I am tempted to get a Volvo S60 AWD but have always wanted an aero. If you depend on your aero in the snow belt I'd like to hear your observations. Thanks!
  • bcoolbcool Member Posts: 59
    I just tried a set of SCC Super Z-6 cables on the front tires of my Aero - 225-45/17's. There was some interference (clank clank clank) while making turns. It may be that the Z-6 135's were just a loose fit. I'm going to try the smaller 133's. If that doesn't work, I may have to go to the smaller 16 inch tires.
  • rworrellrworrell Member Posts: 149
    We're on our second 9-5 Aero wagon in Minnesota and, with snow tires, the car is fantastic in the snow (you know it comes with summer tires, not all-seasons, I'm presuming). We run the OEM winter setup, which is alloy wheels with Gislaved snows--I just change them out twice a year--on around Thanksgiving, off around Easter. The first Aero was a stick and no problems. Our current one (my wife's car this time) is an '03 automatic. The year is important because '03 was the last year they offered Winter mode (starts in 2nd and seems to accelerate a little more gently). I went to Aero Academy last year after we bought it (if you get an Aero, definitely go to Aero Academy) and asked the Saab exec why they had discontinued the Winter mode. He admitted it was cost-cutting, but that with the Sensotronic (fake manual), it wasn't necessary. The more I think about it, though, the Winter mode is nice--if you're in stop-and-go traffic in a newer Aero, you'd constantly have to be shifting up to 2nd at starts. With Winter mode, it's taken care of.

     

    Either way, a Saab 9-5 Aero with snows is a joy to drive in winter. We took ours up to northern Minnesota to go skiing a couple of weeks ago and drove it during a heavy snow at night on our way out to dinner. The car felt like it was on tank tracks. Go for it--you'll love it!

     

    Let me know if you have any questions.


     

    Oh, and far as fuel economy goes, we got just over 33 mpg in the snow with snow tires on. We made the same drive last summer and got just shy of 35 mpg. The interior is a little noisy (it's our 4th Saab--they all rattle and creak), but it's a fantastic car.
  • wintercruisrwintercruisr Member Posts: 13
    Thanks for the comments re. aero in snow. My old saabs did ok in snow too but after awd in Landcruiser, you start driving like the snow isn't even there. I used to run studded Hakkas on 900's and 9000's and they ran great in winter. Makes sense aero would be the same.

     

    Did you consider the awd volvo xc70? Just curious as to why or why not compared to aero wagon. Thanks.
  • rworrellrworrell Member Posts: 149
    Two big problems for us with the Volvo:

     

    1) The styling--with all the black cladding, it's just trying too hard to be something other than a wagon. It's kind of like an Audi allroad--if you're going to drive a wagon, drive a wagon. Black plastic doesn't make the car look tough, just like you're hiding something.

     

    2) Reliability--my company gets Ford supplier pricing, my wife's gets GM--not too bad a deal, eh? So, I considered the Volvo, but then started reading complaints (brickboard.com, etc.) from actual owners. I know it's all second-hand (so no flames, please!), but right now, I'd have to say Volkswagen, Audi and Volvo are all on my "too unreliable to consider" list.

     

    Also, I'm really not all that sold on awd. With modern road maintenance (plowing responsiveness, salt/chemical application, etc.) and modern snow tires, awd (even in the snowy northern plains of MN) would only truly be helpful a few times a year. The entire rest of the year, you're paying for those few days with the extra weight of awd. A balanced car with snows and some electronic aids is all we need here (my own car is a BMW 330--RWD, but with a 50/50 balance, DSC and Dunlop winter sport tires).

     

    Probably more than you wanted to know, but there you have it.
  • j umbergerj umberger Member Posts: 15
    surprised to see you think Saab is more reliable than Volvo or Audi

     

    My A4 has been a dream - zero problems

    My wife's 9-5 is a total lemon...

     

    Resale on both Audi and Volvo is among the best out there, Saab is among the worst
  • r34r34 Member Posts: 178
    That's strange too. I heard more Audi/VW problems than other European makes (well, MB seems to have more and more problems now). For VW, it is too famous for reliability problems.

     

    I heard that Saab (BMW too but it depends on the model years) is on the top of the most reliability European brands (I heard that Saab is the most reliability European brand). I heard that Audi has good resale value but I have never heard that Audi, VW, or Volvo are reliable
  • rworrellrworrell Member Posts: 149
    Good point on MB--not only is their reliability decreasing, they are also de-contenting their cars (i.e. no more seat memory, etc. because they can't get the electronics working correctly), but they have also stopped offering free scheduled maintenance.

     

    BMW was the first marque we bought from that offered free scheduled maintenance, and theirs is very generous--even includes consumables like wiper blades and brake pads. Most of the other luxury brands have followed suit. For MB to drop it speaks volumes to me about how expensive it has been for them to maintain their current vehicles--for them to remove features says even more.

     

    I read an interesting comment about MB around two years ago. Not an exact quote, but something like: "Mercedes used to be designed and built by engineers and the cars cost what they cost; now they're designed by marketers and the engineers have to fit within that budget."

     

    J Umbgerger: I can only say that this is our fourth Saab and they have never had a major problem other than a dead battery. There have been some quirks with HVAC or squeaks, but they have been just great cars for us in terms of always being ready to drive when we need them. I don't quibble with you on the A4--I test drove one when I bought my 3er and I loved it...but the reliability complaints just scared me away. I'm glad to hear you've had such good luck with yours--maybe things are getting better over there and I can add them back to our next shopping list. They certainly have the most beautiful and livable interiors in the business.

     

    As far as Saabs go, most of the reliability problems came right after GM bought out the company and introduced the new designs--'94-'96 are very bad years for Saabs and that reputation has followed them.
  • j umbergerj umberger Member Posts: 15
    I agree - both reliability and resale have been hurt by GM
  • aerodriveraerodriver Member Posts: 12
    If you live in a climate like mine (Northern California), the 9-5 Aero poses a problem in the snow. You can't put chains on the OEM wheels/tires, but the occasional ski trip doesn't justify investing in snow tires.

     

    My tire dealer recommended Spider Spikes, which fit over the front wheels and clip on in seconds when you reach the snow or ice (or so they claim). The price is the problem ($500 plus).

     

    I do wish that the Aero could chain up from time to time, since the Sierra Nevadas have chain restrictions in winter.
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    Gentlemen, say what you want about the General's heavy hand on Saab, but Saab reliability has gone up significantly and consistently in the past 5 years according to Consumer Reports and JD Powers surveys. (I realize there are problems with JD Powers but they beat anecdotal evidence.)

     

    For a look at where Saab is going take a gander at the piece in the current issue of the Economist. Looks like they are going to build the next ones in Germany. (In part because GM has excess capacity in Germany and to close a factory there is a "nightmare". Way to go unions: make the work rules rigid enough and maybe you can keep a plant but kill an economy.)
  • accsellaccsell Member Posts: 5
    Just recently developed a gas/exhaust smell in the cabin area after idling only 20-30 seconds. After take-off....the smell goes away in about 20 - 30 seconds. Returns again upon idle at a stop light.

    Share your thots?

     

    ( 1999 9-5 Turbo 2.3, automatic, 144M, Michigan )

     

    Thanks, Accsell
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    Long distance diagnosis is difficult but here goes: this clearly is an exhaust leak that seeps in during idle and goes out and aft while underway. With 144M and six salty winters on some of the worst roads in North America, the exhaust system is shot AND/OR there is a hole in the floor pan area.

     

    Put it up on a lift at a Midas ostensibly to get a "quote" and take a look. Then buy the best OEM exhaust stuff you can (forget Meinece and Midas; their warranty doesn't cover much beyond the muffler itself) and have an Independent garage (lots in Ann Arbor) put it on.

     
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