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Comments
1.Have you had any problems with your car so far?
None
2.If yes, please indicate what kind.
N/A
3.Howmany miles to the gallon do you get?
About 24 mpg, but includes driving on autobahn at high speeds (mine is a U.S. spec car)
4.How would you rate your car when driving long
highway trips? 1 being quiet and smooth, 10 being rough and noisy.
A 2
5.How comfortable is the seating in your car?
Very good. Just wish it had the side bolstering of sport seats
6.Are their any special features youlike about
your car?
A bunch. Smooth manual gearshift, dual climate control, cargo tracks, great visibility, outstanding stereo, Saab uniqueness, outstanding quality feel
7.How would you rate the roomminess? 1 being big
and roomy and 10 being small and cramped?
A 2
kronprinz
Mpreover. Audi-VW and Volvo are opting for more turbo models. SAAB is the world's leading design firm of turbo technology. As for the costs of repairs, try replacing the transmission in a Jeep cheaply or fixing a the a/c system on a Honda. There is no such thing a cheap car repair? Parts are not commonplace nor is the labor cheap.
Wayne
Wayne
For those of you still walking the fence, here are my thoughts on the models I considered.
Audi A-4 Avant - nice, but smaller interior than my 94 Jetta. Heavy premium for Quattro.
Audi A-6 Avant - too expensive
BMW 5 - ditto
BMW 3 - wagon not out yet. assume it will be A-4 sized when it does appear.
Subaru - wife thinks they're ugly.
Volkwagon Passat Wagon - better deal than A-4, but one Volkswagon is enough for me.
I did all my research, test drives, etc., and then decided I would wait out winter. Then I saw an advertisement for the end of year deals, and it was back to the dealership for a fourth round of test drives. I actually went in to look at the 9-3 SE. My wife and I took turns at the wheel of the 9-3 SE, 9-5 SE, and the wagon. In the end, we thought the wagon had the best sporty/practicality blend. Of course, the $3,500 rebate definitely made the calculus easier to swallow, but I still believe this car beats the competition at normal dealer prices.
By the way, the only advice I went against was in chosing a non-Saab-exclusive dealer. I worked with Central Saab in Norwood, MA. I can recommend salesman Vincent VanNeste. I checked out several other Boston MetroWest dealers, but none were as organized or friendly.
I'll be honest. I have noticed the slightly off-center steering wheel, which has not been overly bothersome and will be a simple fix at the 1000 mile service. Other than that, nothing but satisfaction. I promised the wife I wouldn't engage the sport mode until we passed 1000 miles (almost there!), but I find the acceleration in normal mode with the 4cyl more than adequate. I used to live in Europe and would be interested in any stories re the 4cyl and autobahn speed - I would bet no big complaints.
Hey Drew and others - my Saab didn't come with
a. turbo lag, b. quirky ergonomics (BMW-speak for "hey, wish we'd thought of that"), and c. buyer's remorse. What should I do?
Salz
I would suggest checking around somemore. I don't know how 'hot' the Saab wagons are in Portland, but in the south they are low on the 'must have list.' Given that the dealer is not willing to budge right now, you have the luxury of being able to check out your options.
Three come to mind:
1) carsdirect.com - presently offer the wagon at $1000 off the sticker. Run a topic search in Edmunds to find all the active topics on this issue (I think its in the smart shopper forum)
2) carorder.com - another internet auto buying company. They don't have the saab 9-5's on their site yet. However, they seem to be adding new vehicles frequently. You can also call them or use their 'instant messenger' to check with a customer service rep about pricing a vehicle not listed yet.
3) buysaabonline.com - This is Henry Mearing Saab out of Lancaster, PA. They are offering $1000 over invoice pricing with apparently free shipping within the 48 states OR a package to be flown into Lancaster to pick up your car and drive it home. I haven't heard much feedback on others experience with this dealer though.
You also may want to check with the message boards on saabnet.com. Hope the info helps.
George
As for the "How is it?" Well if you remember I struggled (somewhat) on which to buy (Audi was the other choice)and needless to say I haven't looked back. The car is great (as great as 600 miles will dictate), everything I expected and a whole lot more.
A couple of last things.. someone asked about price? $300 over invoice, and (laughing) I've been able to pry the keys out of my wife's hands a total of three time in 3 weeks (total of 45 miles driven by me). Someday I'll get to drive what I'm paying for, but for now I settle for her smiling every time she goes out or comes home from the enjoyment of driving the car.
I have driven the Saab and the A4, but not the A6. Here are my thoughts
Audi advantages - quattro awd system, available in 5 speed or at least tiptronic. The A4 seemed to have the best pickup, but the leg room in the back seat seemed insufficient. 3 year maintenance included.
SAAB advantages - less expensive than A6, better details (rear cargo shelf, sound system, cargo bolts).
A few questions:
How significant is the power drop off from the A4 to the A6?
Does anyone actually use their tiptronic system?
Do you really need awd in New York?
Anyone notice a performance difference between the Audi and the Saab?
Do those of you who own A4's find yourselves wishing for more room?
If the A4 and the A6 were priced equally, which one would you prefer?
Thanks for all your help, as you can see I can use it.
thanks,
sethborg@aol.com
Just got the following e-mail from Saab this morning. Look what will be available just when we finish our taxes:
Dear David,
Going to the North American International Autoshow this January? If so,you'll be among the first to see the all-new Saab 9-5 Aero Wagon!
The Saab 9-5 Aero Wagon is the latest in a line of sport-inspired variants from Saab - following the 1999 introductions of the aggressive 9-3 Viggen and sport/luxury 9-5 Aero Sedan. In response to consumer requests Saab will begin selling the 9-5 Aero Wagon in the U.S. in April 2000, earlier than originally scheduled.
At the core of the 9-5 Aero Wagon is Saab's 2.3L high-output turbocharged engine. This powerplant develops an impressive 230 horsepower and 258 lb. ft. of torque with the 5 speed manual transmission or 243 lb. ft. of torque with the four speed automatic transmission. The Aero Wagon is further distinguished by it sports tuned suspension, 17 inch composite alloy BBS wheels and flared rocker panels.
Even if you can't make it to the show, you can experience Saab's press conference live on The GM Experience Live web site. Be sure to tune in on Monday, January 10 at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Hope to see you there!
Click here or copy and paste this link into your browser to find out more:
http://www.saabusa-piv.com/naias/
different cars becuase the one I have right now is
falling apart and its a 1989 Volvo 760 GLE with
only 121,000 miles on it. I'm either going with a
Toyota Solara SLE or a Saab 9-3. I love the way
the Saab looks but I'm concerned with the
reliability of the car. Does anyone know the
ranking of this car on reliability?
Thanks.
Pagreene and lieberson1, thanks for the responses. I am about to go to the mat with the dealer today on pricing. Working with International Motors in Northern Virginia.
Lieberson1, sounds like you have the kind of commute I use to have when I leased a Seville for three years and had a 22,000 mile per year lease.