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Asbestos is still used today, but has been greatly reuced. No major car manufacturer uses asbestos pads anymore.
Ironically, the material works very well and cars stop better because of it.
Finally, do you think I should step up to the 95 and 6 cyl, 4wd? I would like to get a car that has better mileage than my RL (18/25) and thought the 4 cyl 93 would beat that.
remove the plastic cover at the very bottom of the windshile at right, lift up the plastic piece and you'll see it.
The 9-5 is based on an older design than the 9-3, so in my humble opinion, the 9-3 technology is more up to date. However, the 9-5 design is probably the last before the complete GM take over, so it is more of a pure Saab design. You need to weigh which means more to you.
Good luck!
thanks in advance.
From my perspective, here are the pros and cons on the 9-5:
Pros: 4 cylinder engine = better gas mileage. I like the cooled seats, and it seems to have a bit more room.
Cons: Is it too old of a design? Is the 9-3 better engineered because it is a newer platform? Which is more reliable? Which is better in snow? The 9-5 seems to have a really dated navigation, and no XM radio due to navigation.
Also, I seem to have an option between Saab Certified through a dealer and GM Protection Plan from a non-Saab GM dealer. Do folks have thoughts on either/both?
Appreciate any input from the Saab experts in this forum. Thanks in advance!
I am 6' 3" and i found that I fit into the 9-3 better than the 9-5 when i was test driving them, due to the better seat adjustments on the 9-3 Aero. Either one is going to be solid in the snow. I live in Vermont and I am an avid skier. Chances are my winters are more brutal than yours. Saabs stick to the roads well, do not rust, and have traction control. Be sure to buy winter tires for the car, and not all seasons. You won't get anywhere with all seasons in a freak snow storm.
In terms of navigation, the 2006 was the first model to include navigation and it isn't that impressive. It's the only feature i don't have in my ride, thankfully. There's no sense in paying a premium for a feature that doesn't work well, and has been bashed in all the reviews. You'd be better off buying a Garmin or a TomTom. Navigation is overrated, and the Saab's is a DVD based navigation which is already becoming an outdated platform.
I bought the car with its 50,000 bumper to bumper GM warranty intact, but for the added peace of mind, I had the salesman throw in the Saab Certified Pre Owned (CPO) Factory warranty that covers it until 100,000 miles at no extra cost. This means that Saab mechanics will work on the car and replace any and all parts with Saab factory parts at no cost to the owner. Including labor. I would definitely reccomend going with the Saab certified warranty. Saabs are great cars, but they have their quirks. The newer models seem to have minor electrical and premature rear brake wear, but nothing serious. Electrical issues (for instance, my headlamps needed to be adjusted twice; free of charge) are covered by the warranty. Saabs have rock solid engines, chassis, safety features, and transmissions.
Remember this: the economy has slowed, credit standards are tightening up and lenders are being more skimpy. This indirectly means that people are going to be buying less cars, and dealers are scared so they're cutting prices. They have much less leverage than they did 3 years ago when the economy was hot. It's a buyers' market in non-hybrid vehicles. Dealers are desperate. Buy the 9-3 Aero and get it with the extended Saab Certified Pre Owned FACTORY warranty. It should cost around $1500, so get the salesman to throw it in for free, or no deal. I wouldn't have it any other way. I also got an extra set of Saab wheels with Gislavad studded snow tires thrown in too. Saab has a promotion deal with Gislavad tires. See if they keep those around the shop and get a set of four with Saab wheels.
Hope that helps, let me know how it goes.
I have a 2007 Saab 9-3. Before that I had a 1998 Saab 93. I had an issue later in the car life of my 98 and brought it to saab to get serviced. The Dealership made a big mistake and after months of dealing with General motors I was given $7500.00 off a Gm car, along with other discounts.. I was planing on purchasing a Saturn, but was told I could only buy a new Saab with the discounts.. So reluctantly I did. I thought with a 100,000 mile warranty it would be a good buy. It was not. So far I have purchased three new tires (perelli's). I was told the tires were under warranty, but because the (nail) hole was in the side of the tire it was not.. Not real sure, but because I had three issues with different tires I thought the problem was with the treads pulling the nail to the side.,(expensive). Also at about 25,000 miles my back brakes went out (I drive most highway, and never ride my breaks). Saab said this was "normal". When the breaks go out in the car, you also will need rotors as they go out simultaneously. It was over $500.00. (breaks are not under warranty). I know GM is having great sales right now on the Saab, but it is not worth it.. My father only drives hondas , his last one had over 100,000 miles.. Never had a problem..
Hope this helps..
Also had to take it in to get new speaker (went out) and my passenger side window came off the track (still a bit off when it rains).. If you do decide to go ahead and purchase, do not get the Grey interior, the interior doors are impossible to clean.. even a water drip shows...
I have been driving for over 25 years, (new cars). Never had problems like this. I also have many friends who drive SAABS, and everyone of them has complaints. Personally, I would buy a Honda before I ever bought a SAAB again..
Just giving my opinion... Thats all it is.
Was asked for advice and gave it.
Try not to take it personally...relax
It's not like you built it..cranky.
Saabs also have another annoyances. Compared to other "luxury sport sedans," the Saab I've owned has a lot of rattles and hums from cheap plastic parts. It also has a lot of road noise because it is not as well insulated as other luxury cars (try a Lexus, for example).
That said - Saabs are fun to drive, and from a cost standpoint, are cheaper than other cars in their class - AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. So - if you want to drive a very fun car that costs less, UP FRONT, than an Audi or BMW, this is a great choice. But if you do so, be prepared for outrageous repair costs on routine items - items that seem to wear a lot more quickly than in other cars - especially the damn brakes. The 3 year maintenance plan is supposed to deal with many of these issues, but in reality - does little to mitigate your costs. So be prepared.
I love driving the SAAB. No question. Great heated seats, powerful turbo, no turbo lag. Very tight stiff ride on the aero trim with those wheels and low profile. I feel every seem in the road and some of them feel painful to me but my wife simply thinks that's 'European'. Fuel economy with the turbo 6 cylinder is pretty poor, at least the way I drive it. The computer says we get around 18 mpg with mostly city driving.
Reliability. I know people hate to hear this but lots of little issues in 2 years. 3-5 months in a sensor failed (Or so they said) and the AC would not turn on. Then the Traction Control kept disengaging. This happened twice. It seems to be fixed now. The passenger front side window motor failed leaving the window half open at 20 months and had to be replaced. The hinge with a star shaped screw was loose on the passenger front door and made this load popping sound when opened and close. We could see it was loose. They fixed that. 2 months later it is not happening on the driver side front door.
I think the 9-5 has better visibility which is more important the older I get. Not sure I would buy one new as it has not been redesigned in many years and I think it is about to be refreshed.
Would I buy the SAAB again? I am not sure. I can not say definitely yes. I just read CR latest reviews a few weeks ago and I thought they had recommended the 9-3 at this time, either the 08 or 09 model. The CR review and predicted result on my 2006 was spot on. Maybe SAAB has resolved the issues I have had. Also I have had no major failures and everything has been under warranty. I guess I am not looking forward to being out of warranty on this car.
That's strange that those rear brake issues have already happened on a 2007...when I joined these forums before puchasing a used 2006 9-3 Aero (with only 2,000 miles on it) in February, 2008, everyone was bitching about the rear brakes going out to quickly. It didn't deter me from taking the Swedish plunge though. I now only have 14,500 miles on my Aero, which is a little heavier than the four cylinder 9-3 and my brakes still have never had one issue. (Knock on wood). Most of my driving is stop and go driving around town too. I only hop on the interstate to get to the ski mountain...have you truly considered the way you drive?? I know you said it's mainly highway miles, but do slam on your brakes a lot? Do you have an auto or manual? Do you live or work in a congested area? If you have a stick, are you diligent about downshifting as much as possible? No offense, but with brake issues, the driver is often as much to blame as the manufacturer...all things considered, minor brake work isn't that bad for what the Saab offers overall. That car will last you 10-12 years if it's properly driven and cared for, no sweat. Even after all that GM has tried to infuse in the egineering...try owning an Audi or a Volvo and see what your cost of ownership is...there's a chance that Saab is going to go under because GM is dumping them by the end of this year, and the Swedish government just announced they do not intend to rescue the company. If you try to sell your car now, or trade it in, you'll get hosed in the market. You might as well pay for the repairs once a year, and continue to drive it in an optimal manner like I'm sure you already do. Saab uses very powerful brakes, on a relatively heavy car (because of its safety features), so the trade off for quick stops is fast brake wear. You can't have both. Yeah, it's a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] cleaning off all the brake dust constantly, but that's the price to pay for riding your brakes and stopping quickly.
If you claim your driving is all highway miles, than there's no reason why this vehicle won't last you a decade, and save your [non-permissible content removed] once or twice while you're distracted by your Blackberry. Suck it up, or take it up with GM-Saab itself if it continues to persist, and leverage the lemon law clause. Otherwise, your bitching provides no value to these discussions.
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Here's what's gone wrong over the years:
1. 2003: TCS module went bad, replaced under warranty.
2. 2004 or 2005: many burned out headlight bulbs, followed by damage to the lamp wiring harness in front (charred and melted wires). Replaced under warranty.
3. 2004-2006: balky sunroof. Repaired several times. Still takes several attempts to close. I've basically stopped using it.
4. 2008-09: Leak behind drivers seat soaked Amplifier1, which first made popping noises then finally died. Dealer estimated $1,200 to replace. I'm dealing with a SAAB radio guy to have it fixed more cheaply.
5. 2005-2009: plastic delaminating from dashboard in several areas.
6. Last week: Fuel gauge died.
I'm pretty sure I've left something out here, but that's the gist of it. Until recently I felt that these issues were minor enough (as irritating as they were at the time) to not change how I feel about the car overall. After the last few months, though, I'm beginning to have serious doubts and am actively thinking about selling the car. What will be next?
Admittedly, the dealer has been very good at taking care of anything and everything that was needed at no cost. I too love this car, particularly the design of the dashboard. I'm afraid I am going to have to trade it in for a different brand, however. Recently, my rear brake pads/rotors needed to be replaced after only 17,000 miles. The first time, I had gone 45,000 before needing them replaced. I was told that Saab changed the composition of the pads. They did replace the pads only for me this time at no charge, but I cannot afford $500 to replace pads and rotors every 17,000 miles. This coupled with my extended warranty being up next January tells me it's time to trade it in.
GM may still service them, or not.
Unfortunately, this is the first time I was able to pay cash for a new car--haven't had real problems, and now this.
I think we all need to be prepared to practically "give" them away.
I'm also interested in what everyone thinks or knows. Thanks
The dealer is offering bumper to bumper extended warranty:
$1,680 for 2 year or 24,000 miles, plus $200 deductible each visit, or
$2,125 for 3 years or 36000 miles, +$200 deductible each visit.
I have owned this car for less than 1 year and have been to dealership 4-5 times for little mechanical or electronic problems here and there, including window won't come up, check engine light was on, lights burn out, door rattling noise, radio problem, AC vent broken, taillight losening, antanna crack, taillight falling, etc.
I like the driving experience this SAAB has brought to me. But the little problems are annoying. Has anybody experienced any more severe/expensive problems for a 7-8 years old 9-3? Should I buy the extended warranty? Or should I just sell this car and get a more reliable car?
Any thought will be welcomed! Thanks.