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Saab 9-3 Sedan

1394042444566

Comments

  • wassalljwassallj Member Posts: 14
    My 9-3ss Linear purchased in March 03 now has 11k miles and not a single problem. No buzzing, no error codes, no stalls, nothing. It has been an outstanding car so far.
  • logic1logic1 Member Posts: 2,433
    '03 9-3 sales are up 81.6% for 11/03 over 11/02 and 26% on the year.
  • needashaveneedashave Member Posts: 91
    For what its worth, my 2003 9-3 ARC is trouble free after nearly 10,000 mile...this coming from a guy that's quite anal when it comes to cars. Would buy again if I had to do it over. Giddy up Saab.
  • jerseysaabjerseysaab Member Posts: 7
    I haven't been here in awhile but I feel like there's now something else wrong with the car that I want to ask you guys about......('03 9-3 Arc)

    I brought the car in for stalling...they fixed that without a problem, which is good. They also told me... b/c I have the 9-3 sport sedan... and my VIN # has an 'F' in it (I think...) that I have scheduled maintenance at 15K and NOT 10K...that they can't even do it UNTIL my car computer TELLS me I needs a checkup..and to change my oil every 7500 miles b/c of the all synthetic oil. Anyone else hear this 15K thing? I knew about the oil...not the 15K...

    Oh...I've seen people post a LOT on here about the DTE not resetting or giving the wrong mileage... I thought the same thing... actually READ the manual...and it clearly says in there that sometimes you have to manually reset the trip computer by holding down the clear button for about 5 seconds...works miracles... =)

    Well, in the past few weeks I've noticed that when I'm coming out of a toll booth (LOVE Jersey tolls...lol), and I try accelerating hard... it'll be all fine and then all of a sudden it feels like the trans either slips down a gear for a second and it'll rev hard with no extra pick up and then pop back in the right gear and keep going... it's hard to explain...does anyone else have this problem? It's happening more and more and I'm just waiting for my appointment with my dealer..

    someone help! =) thanks!
  • hungshyhungshy Member Posts: 74
    I have my Saab since last November. I did oil change at firt 5k, they charged me. I did it again at 10k, it's free. They did question me for do the oil chnage at 10k but since SAABUSA give us free maintenance at every 10k for three years, so I insist them to do the maintance. Last month the computer finially show "time to service" so I called thier service and they said , yes, this should be the first schedule at 15k which confused me but I still sent it for maintenance. And surprised me it's free service too. Now I am still one happy Saab 9-3 owner.
  • dafohosmendafohosmen Member Posts: 21
    Does anyone know when Saab plans to bring back the 0% financing for the 2004 vehicles. I am looking at a 2004 Saab 93 Aero manual. If anyone has any experiences with acquiring this type of vehicle I would appreciate their input.
  • luba1luba1 Member Posts: 13
    Hey Joysee,

    See my messages; 2078 and 2100. My 2003 9-3 ARC, w/auto might be doing the same thing. When I shift from 2nd to 3rd it seems to miss a shift, for a second or 2, usually under hard acceleration in auto or manual mode, and it revs freely until it finds 3rd. I had the dealer look at it. They found no codes and could not duplicate it. I just got my car back on Monday 11/3 and it has'nt happened yet. Keep me posted as to what your dealer comes up with. Thanks and good luck.
  • tgp1810tgp1810 Member Posts: 112
    Anyone know the current incentives (if any) for leasing?
  • dafohosmendafohosmen Member Posts: 21
    They are on the website, go look
  • oehrleinoehrlein Member Posts: 30
    The dealer had my 9-3 for two weeks. I got my 9-3 back this past Tues, 4 Nov. No more leak, it runs great. You can't even tell they worked on it even though the head was pulled. The dealer also cleaned the car nicely. Hopefully this is the end to this story.
    Semper Fi
  • spookysaabspookysaab Member Posts: 1
    I have a 9-3 Linear with ~8500 miles on it. Recently, I've noticed about a second pause between when I turn the key and the car starting. Yesterday, this pause was more than a few seconds, which has prompted me to bring the car in. Is this the stalling problem that other people have?

    Also having difficulties with the battery. I'm currently on the third battery since the car purchase, due to the light switch being kept on (my fault). However, with all the ignition problems recently, the clock keeps on being reset. Any insights?
  • hungshyhungshy Member Posts: 74
    As my understand, even we run out of battery. We only need to yake it to recharge and then it working after. Doesnt need to replace it with new one. Hope someone to correct me if I am wrong. Thanks.
  • mumbhaimumbhai Member Posts: 11
    Hi All,

    I got my car fixed last weeks and I love it again. All I wanted was a quite car and it took only 3 trips to the dealer for him to fix everything :)

    The Onstar system also seems fine now though I don't care about it and don't plan on using it.

    I apologize of this issue has been discussed before but with winter almost here I think it is worth going over again.

    My car has the 16" Pirelli all season tires. I live in Michigan and am looking for input from people who live in similar snowy areas about snow tires. Does my 9-3 arc need them? There was a slippery patch on the road today and the brakes and traction control handled it beautifuly.
    So does anyone else plan on getting snow tires? Also do you usually get just the tires or do you buy 4 tires with wheels and just swap?(My dealer has a set of 16" wheels with snow tires for $996).

    Thanks and happy motoring :)

    BC
  • csabicsabi Member Posts: 3
    Hi everyone. First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who contributes to this list for all the useful suggestions and tips. This is a great forum. So I am coming out of lurking and will share my experiences as a new Saab 9-3 Arc owner, with 500 miles on the car. I got a metallic cosmic blue 9-3 arc, with all the goodies, sunroof, heated seats, Bi-Xe lights, 300W system, 16” Michelin tires, etc etc. I did not like the cheapo wooden (?) trim, so I had it replaced to the alu trim. With an extra rear spoiler, looks cool now (kind of a cross between an Arc and an Aero).

    COLOR: First of all, the color of the car. I had to get the cosmic blue ordered from another deaership, so I did not actually see the car before buying it. I saw lots of pictures of it on the web, though. I was kind of expecting to get the Viggen color (I think that one was called electric or lightning blue), but I think the cosmic blue is a bit darker. If you check the following pages:

    http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/417089
    http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/417089

    you will see a 9-3, which is supposedly cosmic blue, but on the pictures its color looks different: a bit lighter than mine. Maybe it’s just the flash? Any ideas?? Well, anyway. My cosmic blue is still beautiful!!

    HANDLING, DRIVE: It’s a 6-speed manual, 2003 model. Excellent, amazing handling, acceleration. It has no match in any category as far as I can tell. My favorite gear is: gear 3. The way it accelerates from 40 to 70 in about a second or so is simply amazing. FANTASTIC. I am so happy. I had Acura Integra (top of the line), BMW 323 and Volkswagen Golf before. No match for the acceleration and the way it drives and corners.

    RATTLES: well, I had my share of rattles. Door rattles on the front door, plus the center stoplight in the back. I printed Astrodave’s fix page (http://www.geocities.com/astrodave245/saab_93_buzz_fix.html), and I told the manager everything to be fixed on his list. To which he asked me if I was reading up on the internet, and whether I could actually hear the rattles or just imagining them. Unfortunately I could hear all of them except the liner issue in front of the rear wheel (but that one certainly makes a rattle if you go there and push on it). So they said they fixed everything and most of the rattles went away. They ordered new door trims to be fully replaced (and padded), so it should take care of the remaining mild rattles (they say). Anyway, the rattles are only audible on REALLY BAD roads, and they are MUCH better now. By the way, I never heard any rattle on any highway or reasonably good streets, or normal type bumps. It only happens with REALLY rough surfaces. And I never had a buzz problem with the stereo.

    AUDIO SYSTEM: I agree with most postings: when I bought the car, the back speakers sounded like a broken alarm radio (imagine an AM signal with bad reception coming from under water while your ears are plugged in with glue). So they downloaded some new program into it at the shop, and WOW the sound improved a lot. I still have to crank up BOTH treble and bass, and this causes a loss of the mid-range, but it is acceptable. Not as good as the Bose in our other car (the Mercedes M320 which is basically used now to transport our kids), but than again, what good is that sound system if in that car all you have to listen to is children’s music :(

    So the Saab drives and handles beautifully, and looks great. I am VERY happy.

    (I am wondering why Saab lets customers to figure out the audio problems and the rattle issues, rather than have somebody fix all the cars on the dealers lot before selling them.)
  • logic1logic1 Member Posts: 2,433
    Nice looking car and a good post. Thanks for sharing!
  • gjl3gjl3 Member Posts: 9
    Mumbhai,
    I have a 2003 9-3SS Linear. I took delivery on 12-31-2002, and bought snow tires and wheels right away. I live in upstate NY, and we get a lot of lake effect snow here. I have always purchased a separate set of wheels and tires for my cars. If you plan on keeping the car a while, it extends the life (miles) on your all seasons so that you can delay purchasing new ones for a year or two. Having the wheels allows you to change them when you wish instead of having to try and get an appointment somewhere. I have also seen wheels that are damaged by all of the salt they use around here. I would also check out some of the mail order houses who will deliver a set of mounted and balanced tires to your door (I have Bridgestone Blizzaks). It looks like I will probably have to put them on this weekend! Doing my own tires switches also lets me keep track of proper tire rotation.
  • code7700code7700 Member Posts: 65
    I just moved to a new state and figured maybe a different dealer could have a look at my (minor) problems. I've had my car at 3 different dealers and each has told me 3 different things. Go figure.

    Anyhow, each one does something different to fix the rattles (and I’ll admit, they are slowly getting quieter and quieter), but there seems to be no logic other than "street smarts". The bigger the dealer (and the more cars they work on), the smarter they are.

    One thing that still drives me nuts is the noise I hear when the sunroof cover (but not sunroof) is open. The dealer yesterday said it was the plastic "accordion" seal (you can see it on the sides). He said there was nothing they could do. I don’t like that answer.

    The audio still sucks, but that is more of a design issue. Not much the repair guys can do. I still wish Saab would give us a discount (actual cost or less) to have a new audio system put it. It is a joke. On a recent business trip I had a Pontiac Grand Am with a better audio system.

    Anyhow, the loaner car they gave me was a 2004. The pop-up headlights cleaners are gone... replaced by some non-pop-up "always there" spray nozzles. I like the 2003 pop-ups better. The new design isn't nearly as elegant. I guess they wanted less moving parts.

    Button for the sunroof is different. As is the way the sunroof works (allows more finite control of tilt-up and opening). Additionally, there are some thick foam pads on the front end of the sunroof (sliding) cover door that must be there to prevent some noise when the sliding door is fully closed (not an issue on my 2003 however).

    I did (like others reported) hear some noise similar to mine from the sunroof and doors. Tisk tisk.

    I really wish Saab would just fess up and fix these things. I'll admit that unless you drive a specific car all the time, some are very subtle, but enough of us on this site alone have complained that there is a pattern. Plus, don’t forget about the thousands of others who don't hang out here.

    I am not saying http://www.geocities.com/astrodave245/saab_93_buzz_fix.html is the bible -- but I do wish that Saab would take it more seriously. Each person I show it to said, “this is just some stuff off the Internet” as if it weren’t a big deal. My reply is usually, “So are you saying this -- http://memory.loc.gov/const/const.html -- is just ‘some stuff off the Internet? I didn’t think so.”
     
    Oh, back to the 2004: Everything else looked the same. The biggest change to me was the pop-up headlight washers. I didn’t notice anything radically different. So that is good.

    I’m still a bit shocked by the oil change interval. The techs don’t even seem 100% keen on letting the computer decide when the oil is dirty enough, but I guess in the end, shooting a light (or laser) thought oil to see how dirty it is isn’t rocket science. It is either dirty or not.
  • code7700code7700 Member Posts: 65
    My 2003 came with the sports package (but 17” wheels swapped for 16” wheels) and as much as I like the feel of the road, I’ve come to the conclusion that the firm ride of the sports package is more “harsh” than other similar vehicles with sports packages. Is there anything I can do about this that won’t cost me a fortune?
  • logic1logic1 Member Posts: 2,433
    Presumably the sports suspension option includes slightly lower and tighter springs and stiffer shocks in the rear and struts up front.

    Changing the springs would probably cost in the area of $600 to $800.

    Changing the shocks and struts alone would cost less.
  • csabicsabi Member Posts: 3
    Wow. Check engine light came on after 520 miles. I guess I was too early to say all those good things in my posting. Well, let's see what happens when I take it to the shop. (If I can get it there. So far it drives as before.) My VW before produced a lot of Check Engine lights, but only after 3-4 years!! (and usually it was some kind of oxygen sensor issue). NOT SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW :(
  • lcp1lcp1 Member Posts: 14
    Anyone have any info or experience with after-
    market install of Delphi XM,1st generation or the
    new Roadie?Have it at home and am TOTALLY sold
    on the service.
  • glutz1glutz1 Member Posts: 20
    My Linear goes in the shop next wk for to allow the service dept to replace trim that they broke while fixing the noises in my sunroof and I'm trying to decide whether to have them address my frnt speakers. While I can't tell if it's the center speaker or the ones on the ends of the dash, one or all of them buzz with certain bass frequencies, which is annoying. I almost hate to have them work on the issue, as it seems that when they touch one thing to 'fix' it, something else gets screwed up. Has anyone else had their dealer successfully address this in their car ?

    BTW, this is my 1st Saab and my Linear is loaded (Launch, Touring and Sport Packages) and I do like the car.
  • hightide199hightide199 Member Posts: 4
    I would suggest telling them now that your speakers are possibly blown. They typically don't have them in stock and will have to be ordered which usually take about 1 week. My speakers were buzzing also and they replaced them without asking any questions.
  • sloanesqsloanesq Member Posts: 60
    I've brought my 2003 Arc to the dealer twice so far. The first time they did the software upload which diminished the door buzzing but didn't remove it and was supposed to fix the stalling.

    After two more stalls, I brought my car in again (I was willing to tolerate the buzzing for a while but not the stalling). This time, to (hopefully) end the stalls, they replaced the spark plugs because they were "worn." Happily, a week later, there have been no stalls.

    However, the dealer claimed they could not hear the buzz (to be fair, neither could I when I test drove it with the dealer) and, unless they hear it themselves, they say there is nothing they can do to fix it. Of course, the buzz came back the next day. I think I'll call the dealer from the car and introduce the service department to "Mr. Buzz" the next time I hear it.

    I have a few more gripes. After I got the car back from the dealer, the three Onstar buttons were backlit. The mystery here is that they were always dark before. Originally, I just thought it was a design flaw and that they weren't meant to be lit up. Strangely enough, they are now dark once again. Also, the seat memory definitely has a mind of its own. Occasionally, and for no apparent reason, the memory positions are lost. More frequently, sometimes when I start the car, even when the seat stayed in the same position, I find that the side view mirrors have to be readjusted. Has anyone else noticed any problems with the memory settings?

    The car is packed full of technology but I think there are some bugs that still need to be worked out.
  • nojalopynojalopy Member Posts: 13
    When my Arc was new (April-ish), the mirrors seemed to reset themselves to some "home" location. I never could figure out why. I even included it on my JD Power survey.

    But now, I swear, the thing has healed itself! It no longer does it, and I never had it to the dealer for investigation.

    And another thing -- for a while my driver's side rear door lock wouldn't work. Stupid thing has healed itself and worked flawlessly for months.

    Go figure...
  • needashaveneedashave Member Posts: 91
    After reading this board, it would seem that no one has anything good to say about the 9-3... bunch of whiners. For those individuals, I suggest they consider owning something a bit more practical...like a Honda. What ever happened to the car enthusiasts who thrived on the minor issues, got them solved, only to get back on the road to enjoy the ride? If I have to hear one more person complain about the stereo in the 9-3 I think I'm going to have a fit. Just needed to vent. Better yet, I'm going for a ride.
  • sloanesqsloanesq Member Posts: 60
    I just wish I could like it unequivocally. I did figure out what's up with the Onstar buttons. Apparently, they only light up when the headlights are set to on. Why this should be, when every other button on the dashboard lights up when the headlights turn themselves on automatically, is beyond me.

    Obviously, this is a really minor quibble and it doesn't affect the drivability or my enjoyment of the car. For the life of me, though, I can't figure out why Saab's engineers would deliberately treat the Onstar buttons differently. Thus, I can only conclude that it was an oversight.

    What bothers me is that, although the 9-3 is by far the most fun to drive car I have ever owned, I never experienced anywhere near as many problems, both minor and major, in any of my previous cars.

    Nojalopy, I hope you're right. I do believe that if you ignore them long enough, most problems, like creditors, telemarketers and demanding children, will go away. :) Maybe Saabs are like that....
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    http://www2.saabusa.com/press/

    We're pleased to announce that the 9-3 Sport Sedan was recently named "Best Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

    Saab’s “Real-Life Safety” philosophy helped earn the 2003 Saab 9 3 Sport Sedan a “Best Pick” designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In the most recent series of 40-mph frontal offset crash tests, IIHS tested seven new or redesigned vehicles, including the 2003 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan. The Saab was one of five vehicles that earned the Institute’s “Best Pick” honor in this round of testing. The crashworthiness test evaluates vehicles on three primary elements:

    I didn't realize the 9-3 has side seat bags and head curtains...WOW....
  • wmquanwmquan Member Posts: 1,817
    Yes, IIHS posted the results a while ago, and the 9-3 did very well. Hardly surprising because the 9-3 earned five stars in the EuroNCAP crash tests last year (they have a slightly tougher offset crash test than IIHS does, but overall the frontal tests are similar).

    EuroNCAP also gave the 9-3 full marks in their side-impact test.

    www.euroncap.com
  • wmquanwmquan Member Posts: 1,817
    Well, it's easier to bring up negative issues than positive ones, especially on the Internet.

    However, I wouldn't characterize stalling as a minor problem.

    Fortunately, in the 9 months I've had my Linear, I've never had a stalling issue (knock on wood). The only negatives I have are:

    - Occasional rattle, comes and goes. Minor problem, not worth going out of my way to fix and just waiting for the service appointment.

    - Brakes are pretty touchy and probably need adjustment. Will also get that taken care of at the service appointment. Minor problem again.

    - The ride comfort is jittery, especially on repaired road surfaces. Before anyone jumps on me and says that I should expect that in a sports sedan, I'll mention that a 3-series and a C-class have similar sporty handling (if not better) but (minus the sport suspension) have far better composed rides.

    I will say that because I lease the vehicle, I'm probably a bit more forgiving about small glitches. I'd probably be a bit more concerned and motivated to fix things quickly if I owned it for the long haul.

    As far as rolling along with the punches, sure I think I've done that. I got the OnStar upgrade a few months ago, and my dealership still hasn't figured out how to program all the features that I think are there. I do get the sense that Saab got the vehicle out a bit too early and needed some more time to get the kinks out or to refine it.

    Now, for the positives I've found in nine months of ownership:

    + The vehicle is as fun now as when I first drove it. Very tossable, light on its feet, and quick (low-end torque seems to be a key here). It's an enjoyable vehicle. Around town, it prowls the streets with a low growl of its turbo, and gets up and going quickly and stops quickly. On the highway, it moves quite smoothly.

    + I still appreciate the little touches that some shoppers don't notice. Park the car after driving in the rain, turn off the ignition, and the wipers fully retract instead of sticking up at a right angle and requiring you to turn on the power again. Or how the Night Panel mode not only darkens about everything but the speedo, it also darkens the highest speeds of the speedo.

    + I like the trunk space, true mid-sized volume.

    + Seat comfort is very good. A lot of vehicles bug my back, but Saabs and Volvos seem to fit very nicely.

    + I love the look of the vehicle. Plus the fact that it's distinctly Saab and it's not a vehicle you see all the time.

    + Love the bi-xenon lights. I'll never go back. Even had a chance to use the xenon high-beams after daylight savings time ended and really appreciated the difference (the turn-off into my neighborhood is pretty dark at night, without many cars, so the high beams help for driving through and avoid joggers and dog walkers).
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,254
    have a 9-5 it's 29% german, 22% swedish.
    how about a new 9-3?
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • 3and143and14 Member Posts: 36
    It would seem you are the one who is whining. People simply wish to share their experiences, and if they happen to be primarily negative then so be it.
  • hungshyhungshy Member Posts: 74
    Saab 9-5 only 22% swedish? that's suprised. As i recalled, Saab 9-3 should have over 95% Swedish with German engine and Japanese transmission. So it looks like has Swedish safty+German power+Japanese reliability.
  • wmquanwmquan Member Posts: 1,817
    I don't have my 9-3 window sticker with me, but I can tell you that it's not that far from the 9-5. Largest percentage from Germany, significant percentage from Japan, and a percentage from Sweden.

    German power? Well, IIRC, not in the sense of MB/BMW German power. Think General Motors in Germany (Opel). The engine is based on the GM Ecotec 2.2 block, reduced in size and very heavily modified with Saab technology (e.g. turbo, intake/exhaust, valvetrain pretty much all the internals). But this happens at a GM/Opel plant in Germany, I think. The modifications are Saab design.
  • logic1logic1 Member Posts: 2,433
    Opel/Vauxhall Vectra platform as well.
  • wmquanwmquan Member Posts: 1,817
    Yup ... the 9-3 platform is the GM Epsilon platform, used most recently in the new Chevy Malibu. Of course, just the platform being shared as the base doesn't make the 9-3. The Malibu obviously has vastly different handling characteristics than the 9-3!
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,254
    there is more to a car than where all the parts came from, it just suprised me how low the swedish content was. for all i know all the screws come from germany.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • luba1luba1 Member Posts: 13
    Just when I start to love this ride again, something else goes wrong. I am still having auto tranny problems. Yesterday morning my auto, in the manual mode, slipped 5 different times while shifting from 2nd to 3rd. This morning the car stalled taking off from a stop. Later, leaving from an appointment in downtown L.A., it barely started (idling at about 300-400 rpm). I gave it some gas and it finally picked up to about 800 rpm. But then the engine light came on while driving home 20 miles. My car (2003 Saab 9-3 ARC w/auto and 17")only has 3,700 miles on it. My dealer has no clue and is waiting for Saab to respond. I love the way this car handles, but this is my 6th time to the dealer, 3rd for the tranny and 2nd for the stalling.

    If any one else has had these problems and has a solution, please let me know. I really want to enjoy this car!!!
  • sloanesqsloanesq Member Posts: 60
    My 9-3 Arc stalled again recently, this time when my wife was driving it and as she was about to make a left turn through a busy intersection. NOT a good place to stall! She took it directly to the dealer and they gave her a Trailblazer (b/c they were out of Saabs) as a loaner. BTW, the Trailblazer is a pathetic vehicle; it's handling and steering are the pits.

    Anyhow, two days later, I have my 9-3 back. The dealer claims that the software upgrade (which I had done at the thirty-day check up after my first two stalls) had "deteriorated." I'm not a computer guy, but that sounds like something out of "The Matrix" to me. Dealer's solution....they reinstalled the software upgrade.

    Of course, they still didn't detect the buzzing from the doors and had never heard of there being any problems with the seat memory.

    Despite all of the above, I actually kind of like the dealership. Their employees are friendly and courteous (although maybe not too knowledgeable) and they are service oriented. Nevertheless, this had better fix the stalling problem for good or I will go the lemon law route.
  • needashaveneedashave Member Posts: 91
    This gives a good idea on where the parts are sourced. Peace.

    http://europe.autonews.com/files/saab931001.pdf
  • atlguyatlguy Member Posts: 2
    For months now I have been eager/excited about purchasing a new 9-3 Arc...practically just drooling and waiting for lease end on my current car! But, this discussion board now has me very leery...I've actually begun to consider other cars (Acura, Infiniti, BMW). There are so many posts here where people are complaining/commenting about all the problems they've had with their new 9-3's that I can't even imagine why anyone would go through all the hassle! I was hoping there would be some people out there who could provide more objective feedback regarding their experiences. Additionally, most of the negative comments are from people with '03 9-3's. I would love to hear more comments from people who are in '04 9-3's...hoping that many of the problems identified in previous posts have now been corrected with one model year under their belt. I guess I'm just hoping that maybe you guys can help turn me back into a pure Saab enthusiast again......
  • gbriankgbriank Member Posts: 220
    Are you leasing a 9-3 right now? There are bugs in the current 9-3. From reading posts on other boards and speaking to folks at the dealership, some of the issues (stall, rattles, On-Star not working) still exsist in the '04. Have you considered a 9-5 Aero? Not as sporty or refined, but it is a SAAB.

    I too am worried about the new 9-3 and am not enthusiastic about the materials used. The closest competitors I have liked are the Acura TL and BMW 330iA.
  • needashaveneedashave Member Posts: 91
    I own a 9-3 ARC and have had no problems whatsoever in 12K miles. I mentioned this in an earlier post, that if I had to do it over again, I would buy another 9-3. I was shopping for a unique, European sports sedan, and wanted to keep the price under $30K. Having owned BMW, Mercedes and Audi in the past, my 9-3 provides a comparable ownership experience. What you are seeing on this board is a group that wants to share some of their problems with the car. What you are not seeing is all the satisfied owners that chose not to post. Just my 2 cents.
  • ewahlinewahlin Member Posts: 2
    Hi
    I am a very happy owner of a fully optioned '03 9-3 linear at 11k miles. So far the only problem I have had is a jammed cd changer fixed under warranty from Saab. My only complaint is the under powered small rear speakers. Anybody have a cost effective way of upgrading the standard liner 150 W system? I'd like to add some 6 x 9 speakers in the back, perhaps a cd changer and higher wattage amplifier. The saab upgrade is over $1k (including disc changer in back and Arc/Aero sound system).
    I am also wondering about the system re-set after you change the oil.
    Anybody have any experience here? After you change the oil, does the system reset function become available?
  • wassalljwassallj Member Posts: 14
    I have a 2003 Linear with 12k miles and have not had a single problem. So far it has probably been the most trouble-free car I have owned. It does no stall, it has no rattles, it shifts smoothly, and all the electronics have worked the way they are supposed to. I bought it in 3/02 and it was built in 1/03.
  • lcp1lcp1 Member Posts: 14
    I have 9,000 miles in 8 mos.on my 9-3 Vector
    with sentronic trans.-----no slipping,stalling
    at creep speed while in stop and go traffic-
    fixed at dealer in 30 minutes never to appear
    again.Onstar"went to sleep"once,fixed it myself
    following service dept.instructions to remove
    and reinstall a specific fuse.These kind of issues
    in a car which is essentialy the classic clean sheet of paper redesign are to be expected and
    could never sour my overall opinion of the car.
    Let's keep these negative posts in perspective---
    the last time I checked Saab 9-3 sales for calendar year 2003 were approaching 21,000 units!
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    04 9-3 brochure reports that Arc and Aero models will have input jack for hooking mp3 players into the car's audio system located in the center console area..........

    EXCELLENT (except why not on the Linear also?)

    good job Saab
  • jeff193jeff193 Member Posts: 29
    i am looking at a saab 9-3 arc.

    What are the lease numbers like, i know there is a special, but how much have you guys walked out the door with.

    Thank you
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    some dude here in Mpls area traded has black 03 Auto Vector in to a dealer here with like 3k miles on it. Black/gray int. Sweet car.

    Myself I would like the stick but it was a nice new car sitting on the lot here.
  • letsgetmikeyletsgetmikey Member Posts: 82
    My wife recently bought a 99 Saab SE Convertible.

    Seems like a neat car. I know absolutely nothing about Saabs though. I had to read the owners manual just to find the oil dipstick (like I was supposed to know it's attached to the oil filler cap?)

    One minor problem: on the message screen, "Fill Coolant Reservoir" keeps popping up, then going off. I've checked the reservoir and it's full.

    I can't seem to locate any traditional radiator cap to check the radiator level itself.

    Ideas, anyone? There is what looks to be a level sensor in the side of the reservoir, and that may be what's causing this. The sensor is below the level of the coolant.

    Mikey.
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