By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
PS to the last poster, I serviced my car every 3-4k miles at jiffy lube because I did not want to give my car up for the entire day without a loaner. It was just on a day when I could give up my car that I thought that I would go to the dealer to claim my 20k dealer voucher. I learned my lesson for the future to go to jiffy lube for a 30 minute $25 job rather than use a dealer who charges $160 for "free service."
FTR, I owned Volvos (never owned a Saab, though almost bought one last year) for 19 yrs and never had a problem getting an oil change (though a tad more expensive...lol) from them while I waited. I wouldn't leave my car all day either for that....
Anyway, enjoy your Saab and keep it maintained..... -)
Instead of randomly dissing car dealers and other Town Hall members, maybe you should spend a little time getting to know a few regulars around here. If you had two clues to rub together you would know who here has ties to Saab and who doesn't. For the record, I have no ties whatsoever to anything Saab except for my lease payment to SFSC. Then again, you would not have made your ignorant assumptions if you knew me.
BTW, if you don't like it here, you certainly won't like it over at Saabnet. They are much more serious.
Yours in 9-5 love, I remain.
I am surprised that the Saab dealer did not do something for you when you finally brought your car in Winston. In a service industry, when you get a client, you want to keep them. Everyone has different experiences so I will share mine.
When I got my car, it had 17k on it, a 00 9-5. I was lucky enough to ask if I should get the 20k at 20k or at 27k since, I thought they would thoroughly overhaul the car thus lengthening out the time before the next service. I was told to bring it in at 20k for the maintenance. When I asked if I had brought it in at 27k for the next service they said they would have honored the 20k at that time.
In addition, I have received a loaner when in for service but had to ask for it.
If it is a lesser car, I believe most of the honus belongs on the buyer. In the class of Saabs, I believe it is a symbiotic relationship and both sides need to resolve with a desire of what is fair and reasonable. If it was a top BMW or Mercedes, they better hold my hand, call me to remind me of service and have a loaner without question.
One thing I learned while owning a 900 back in 1993 is that buying a Saab is not that expensive but the service will make up for it. A friend of mine once said that if you need to ask how much getting your Saab serviced will cost, you should not own one!
Have a good day all and let's give each other the benefit of the doubt please?
I am considering a 9.5 since I find the 9.3 narrow. Not small but too cozy.
Are 1999-2000 9.5s realiable?
At the risk of being run off of this post I have to say that my last lube job on the 9.3 at 20,000 miles was $175. Please don't tell me that is reasonable. I only went to the dealer so that they don't kill me with fees if I trade it in.
I'm with you rwinston2. Free or not, $175 for an oil change is NOT resonable. And my dealer never has a loaner available.
I have a 2000 9-5 wagon. We love the car and it has bee reliable. Our biggest problem is an intermittent radio, which is being replaced for free.
I don't go to the dealer for oil changes.
Drive Safe,
Joe
I don't own a saab but am interested in buying or leasing one in the next year or so. I like the 9-5 sedan arc w/v-6. I've noticed several posts here where people have leased there car instead of buying it...what is the main reason for this? Just doing my DD.
The costs for oil changes published on this board puzzle me. I just had mine done at the dealer for about $80 cdn (<$50 US). Why so expensive elsewhere?
Fascinating...ours has been cheap to own, Saab was doing 0% financing w/40% down, at 137K the motorized throttle body has just croaked, in time to find a used one listed on eBay, $158, hope it's as good as claimed.
What's all this complaining about NOT getting a loaner car automatically? You have to be realistic in your expectations. I always get a loaner if I'm going to need it but I KNOW that I have to schedule it. Dealers can't keep an unlimited supply of loaner cars for our Every conveinence. If I failed to plan ahead on a scheduled service for a loaner.. I can't realistically expect they will have one available. If they Do.. Great.
Plan ahead more! and if you wait until 26K for a 20K service.. accept some responsibility. We've all made similar mistakes but we don't all pass on the blame and responsibilty to someone else. As to why the service wasn't part of the "Free" package.. I can't really speak to that. If I were the dealer, I probably would have tried harder to find a middle ground if the program was not followed. But... you still have to accept some level of responsibility.
If I were unhappy with the Dealer servic, I'd probably have an independant shop perform these services. I don't see the need to always pay for some of these service intervals that include charges for lubricating the Ash Tray and Glove Box hinges.
So... I do have mixed emotions on the subject.
drew
dski - concur wholeheartedly! Personal responsibility is what it is called....
All I would ask of my dealer is to have the same level of service (regarding loaners) that comparable premium brands offer (ie Volvo, Lexus, BMW). Having owned a BMW before and a Volvo and Saab now, Saab service in my area is not comparable.
I agree - if you're forking out that kind of money on a luxury car, a loaner SHOULD be a given...problem is Saab delaers are few and far between so if your local one doesn't have loaners , you're kind out of luck....
Loaner Cars: Dealer never has them unless you book in advance. My dealer in Florida ALWAYS put me in the rental, even for an oil change. Just moved to Atlanta, they are a little tighter on giving out the loaner car. My service guy in Florida(Francis @ Lehman SAAB in Miami) told me Saab gave them up to $40 a day for rental on Warranty work. Does an oil change qualify? I don't know. Also in Miami, I only paid $30 for an oil change on a '98 9-3 and that included putting me in a loaner/rental. That was convient.
I am taking in my wife's 2000 9-5 for the "free" oil change this week here in Atlanta, well see what happens on the loaner/rental. I'll be sure to ask for one and check their "policy"
Leasing vs. Buying: Noticed that the Atlanta dealer here was advertising some 2001's for almost 8-9k off MSRP. Made me interested in Buying at that price, but I am in the middle of two leases. Leases are the best way to go in my opinion, they are heavily "subsidized" by Saab.
My thought was to possibly use swaplease.com to get out of lease to buy one at that much of a discount. Has anyone used swaplease.com?
Has anyone bought at the end of their lease? Does Saab Financial negotiate much. When I ended the lease on the '98 chase credit was negotiating hard to have me buy the car much undered the contracted lease end value.
Random though: Love my Saab, but drove a 2002 maxima the other day, as I hit the gas pedal to dart in and out of Atlanta traffic I found my self leaning forward anticipating the kick in I was used to on my turbo. No such situitation on the v-6 Maxima, very smooth exceleration.
My 3-year lease is about to end and I am planning to simply go with the 9-5 Aero Wagon.
Although I have yet to test drive it, I drove a 94 Aero years ago and was very impressed (I had at the time a '92 9000 SPG).
Did any of you get the chance yet to upgrade from a 99-00 model to a '02?
I'm sure you've found out that both Saab stores in town are owned by Jim Ellis. I bought mine at the Marietta store and had it serviced there a few times but am now using the Chamblee store since its so much closer to me.
Both service depts have done a good job and both had loaners, but not huge fleets. Make sure you tell them you need a loaner when you make the appt, just in case. Chamblee had a good number of new 9-3 cabrio's to use which are a great change of pace from a 9-5 sedan. Ask for one.
Oil Changes: After being charged $45 for a dealer oil change I've decided to do them myself. I'm using Mobil One 10W-30 and Purolater Pure One oil filters. Cost to me was under $20. Easy to do with the V6 since the filter is front and center. The V6 uses *exactly* 4.6 quarts. Only PITA was where to recycle the used oil (Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone).
Ok, I looked closer - the 20,000 mile service is much more than an oil change. They "check" and "inspect" about a dozen different things. The only thing of any real value is that they rotate the tires.
$172.82 for oil, air filter, rotate the tires. You guys are right that's a deal. Oh yeah, I get a cool stamp in my service booklet. What a treasure.
I would welcome a shuttle versus a loaner. Be like using Enterprise car rental.
jros - Saabs are better than the early 90's and 80's but the service costs do kill you if you do not know what you are getting into. You need to really look into that prior to buying versus complaining afterwards.
Like someone else said, Saabnet is a great place to get help. The people there are usually helpful and while you will have the snob respond it is usually followed by a helpful reply.
Pete33 - I have several friends with many miles on their 9-5's from 99 and 00 with no problems at all. This is why I bought one. But lemons come in all shapes and sizes so there is no sure thing. Plus the service costs are higher than for a Geo Metro and have been that way since I can remember.
I'm confused. I was responding to the person who brought their car in several thousand miles PAST 20K for the 20K service and was upset that it wasn't free under the Free Service program.. Perhapse i read it wrong.
As far as the loaner situation goes. My point was that if your dealer has loaners, you still have to expect to schedule the service at a time when there are cars available. The fact that they offer a Shuttle is an additional benefit. If I need a service quickly, it's nice to know they will provide transportation if there are no cars available. FWIW.. my dealer seems to be out about 2-3 weeks on loaner cars. It seems to me the time used to be shorter on average so I'm sure they've had to cut back on the Loaner Fleet.
Drew
Hope to hear from you before Feb 22 via the Talk to the Press discussion or at jfallon@edmunds.com with your thoughts and contact information.
Thanks as always,
Jeannine Fallon
PR Director, Edmunds.com
Other than that it's a trouble free car for most people. Be sure to do a carfax - ALSO - go to your local saab dealer and ask them to do a lookup on the vin to check the car's service/warranty history.
for what its worth - i have a 2001 9-5 4cyl w/10K miles. Runs flawlessly. Comfortable and great on long road trips - 32mpg at an average speed of 70mph.
Love the choice to switch to recirculating air at low speeds, wife is very sensitive to smog/odors. She felt that suspension was too tight when hitting speed bumps, etc. and wants to look at Arc but I can't stand that new light wood color on the dash. Anyone with concerns/problems out there on 9-5's I should look into? What about Aero's in snow areas with standard tires, do they perform or do I need to plan on switching to snow tires in winter time?
Any advice on pricing I should expect at dealer with the visibility package? I've heard that depreciation is real concern with Saab's and have experienced it real life with a Volvo V70 XC unless going back to the manufacturer for next vehicle.
I was all ready to make final choice between '02 ES300 or 3.2TL-type S when I parked next to an 9-5 at the mall and decided to look closer. BTW, dealer just got an Aero with both heated and ventilated seats with the vented leather. Looks like a mid-year change in equipment.
Anyway, I think that I just created a decision tree that added one stronger choice to the mix so advice and counsel is welcome.
Good luck......
With Saab you need to buy into their different design philosophies like the ones you have mentioned, but there are many more. An example is some like the key in the middle some detest it. Will it prevent you from going with Saab, who knows. There are certainly some things I don't like but overall am very happy with my car. Yes the suspension is tight as is the steering. Some think the steering is heavy. The fact that this car is designed around the driver sold me on it.
The Saab will definately depreciate faster than the Acura and Lexus. The Acura and Lexus would be the more conservative choice but for out and out driving the car every day the Aero will keep the smile on your face longer.
When I returned Aero yesterday the dealer had a couple new Arc's on lot with darker panel wood that the original one I saw which may be livable afterall. Interesting note, I found that Arc is rated much worse, "Worse than Average", by Intellichoice than Aero, "Average", on their Intellichoice Value Rating. I definitely am using this in my campaign with spouse. Unfortunately, ES300 is shown as "Excellent" in same rating.
Re: Loaners - I inspected service area yesterday and discussed with service mgr, in Austin they use Saabs in demo service exclusively and with appointment will provide loaner or shuttle.
Drove Arc but unfortunately was in the middle of heavy traffic most of the time. Would like to hear someone's experiences with the 3.0t versus the 2.4t on the Areo. Really like the look of Aero with the ventilated seats in it but ride definitely softer in Arc.
Still would like to hear from anyone using Aero's in snowbelt with delivered tires - any issues getting around or did you replace with winter tires?
Went over to drive ES300 right after - no comparison and boy were spouse and I disappointed. Even our '98 GS was only equal to them, not better. Would do another GS but $5-6k difference for equalizing equipment is too steep.
Steve
- Inventory & selection yielded a better overall negotiation & price. (ie, the Depreciation is 'already in' the price I paid).
- V6 performance "at speed" -- this engine is extremely versaitile and "strong enough", and can go from 40 to 100mph in one strong, fast push. It's also 0-60 in under 8 secs, which is no slouch. The new 5sp automatic, in Sport mode, really improves response vs the 01 models.
- Suspension on the 2002 Arc is greatly improved over the 01 9-5, much more taut and firm, but still very nice overall ride. Aero is firmer still.
- Tires -- the all-season Michelins are rated at 400 treadwear, seemed to be a little quieter and better ride quality for my tastes. The hi-perf Aero tires, new for 2002 are still very good, are rated at 275 and are much more costly to replace, and will likely require more $$ for snow if winter traction is a high requirement. So you have an upcoming $600-1000 expense here.
- I suppose you get this back with improved mileage, but that difference is pretty slight. It's hard to lay off the wonderful Aero throttle, so I probably would not count on much of a mpg difference, happily spending it on driving satisfaction!
- Seats -- I loved the ventilated seats and was sorry to see them disappear from the Aero. Not sure whether they are optional now, they may in fact be. If they were an option, I might've gone with an Aero despite the above.
- Dash -- I prefer a wood dash to the aluminum look. Just my personal taste.
I can't speak to Aeroking's panning (actually, strong preference for the 4cyl, which is OK by me)of the V6. Many on Saabnet.com are happy with the V6 performance and quality, and I have no reason to dispute it at this point.
Aero is the top of the food chain, Arc is for a different mission, but still very strong performance, and is probably $2-4k less at acquisition. Both are excellent choices. Good luck.
Also, like you, I was not a "light wood" fan, and opted for darker wood, adding a wood wheel and shifter.
If Saab is now shipping Aeros with vented seats and Arcs with darker wood, that's very good -- shows they're being very responsive to customer feedback.
Bottom line -- get EXACTLY what you want. You can afford it and you won't regret it.
As for resale, get you car via a Smart Buy. There are extra incentives to be had if you purchase this way, not to mention if you do fall in love with the car and want to keep it you can negotiate with Chase on the buyout and get a lower interest rate!
Glenn
If I trusted the dealer, I would be inclined to look at the new A6. the upgraded engine and that Continuously Variable Transmission would be a strong combination, and I think they can price out in the mid $30's.
Of course, Audi at its best means Quattro, but that would forego the new CVT which, in my estimation, is the Tranny of everybody's future -- better mpg, quieter, and faster than the Tiptronic and the manual, I believe. I think the CVT, while new in the US, has some in-market experience in Germany, so it might not suffer from "First year intro blues".
And A6 was one of the first luxury vehicles to begin to build "coach quality" interiors, in 1998, at mid-lux prices.
However, Saab does exist, and I have had outstanding value, service and performance from vehicle and dealer, so my decision is easy. Aero vs A6 3.0 FWD, to me is a no brainer -- Aero, irrespective of price. Arc vs A6, I would definitely leverage the A6 in the negotiation to ensure you get your price for the Arc, as I think you should be $2-3k less (or greater difference, depending on how many expensive Audi options you select).
Saab also includes maintenance, like Audi, and OnStar (which, i believe audi is working to offer). Finally, in TX, Saabs are unique and distinctive, and there is something to be said for originality, too.
So the stars shine bright in TX, and you have good choices ahead.
Please respond by March 9 to lordusky@aol.com
Any questions? Contact Edmunds.com PR at jfallon@edmunds.com
Thanks!
kirstie_h
Roving Host
Edmunds.com
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
I'm going to take Arc for extended drive today and will verify the seats again and see if I can get more info on why the Aero's came in that way.
I am sold on Aero even with what is supposedly rougher ride, engine is wonderfully quick and responsive vs. the Arc. Both cars have the same ventilated seats in them. Dealer said they are now ordering all their Aero's with the vented seats unless a customer requests the spec seats due to summer heat in Texas. Being a big guy I like the unbolstered seats and the vents will be handy so I am pleased.
Anybody know any special deal or lease deal for this
car. I am currently driving a 99 Maxima ES model, how
will it compair?
Im a dealer and sell a lot of used SAABs so Im always in and out of their parts dept (Sick what the get for a remote...sigh..) etc.
Maybe its a regional thing.. Even in Central FL temps in the 80s are typical even in January.
Bill
So final three some is down to A6, GS300 and Aero.