Saab 9-3 Sedan

renee_etoile

haven't been keeping up but to your pages and pages ago comment: my rear/left lock has also been giving me problems. like yourself, i've had to replace the whole lock. The service people couldn't really give me an explanation- it -is- frustrating. I'll need to go back to get my compass readjusted, readings are completely off.

other than that, i'm still completely in love with my car thinking about going in and test driving a vector just for the heck of it.

mrblonde49

On my Steel Gray Arc. I went with this without getting a good look at it (my car was on the way over from Sweden when I ordered it). I'm very happy that I did. I love the look af the interior, contracted by the darker exterior and dashboard. And I also wasn't crazy that the charcoal interior had the parchment roof and rear shelf.

Yeah, it takes a little extra cleaning, but I LIKE to clean my car now. In a month, I've hand cleaned my car more than I did with my previous car (Olds Intrigue) in the previous 3 years - where I just basically went to car wash every one in awhile.

The only real issue with this interior is the driver’s side floormat. If I have to spend 50 bucks a year for new mats, in an interior that I really love, it’s no big deal

pathtomax

Hello,

I am new to the Saab posting. I own a 2000 Nissan Maxima and am now in the market to replace it. I have always purchased Japanese cars in the past and decided, on a whim, to test drive the 9-3. I have fallen in love with it. The ride is amazing and the 6-speed shifts like butter!

I live in NH and drive about 24,000 miles per year and in a LOT of snow. My questions:

- I know it is new, but how does reliability (fit and finish) seem
- Anyone out there driving them in snow? I have heard mixed opinions from previous Saab owners that they are bad in snow.

Any help would be much appreciated!
Thank you!

a98gibson

I too have the Steel Gray w/Parchment combination. You can purchase a very nice set of rubber mats from Saab for winter use and they match the interior well. I think I paid $50 at the dealership.

wassallj

Saab also has a nice set of all weather floor mats for about $100. They are a grey fiber type material that is easy to clean and does not show dirt. I have them in my parchment interior and they look nice.

mrblonde49

I have seen the other mats, and plan on getting some for the winter. I wouldn't want the rubber mats to use all year round, I think the carpet looks much nicer. But maybe the all weather mats would be OK for year round…Anyone have pictures of these with the parchment interior?

hungshy

I have problem to clean my saab's wheel. It got dirty from break dust so often. Just can't keep up the speed to clean it up. Don't know if anyone has good idea for cleaning up the wheel. It does bother me a lots on that dirty look when I enter the car.

tanger

As far as reliability goes, as you've noted, it's a first year model, so I would be (pleasantly) surprised if it were flawless. From what I've been gathering from most of the posts, it seems that most of the problems appear to be electrical in nature, or involve difficulties with the massive number of programming options available in the 9-3. I personally have not had any problems with my 9-3 Vector, and though we seem to be dealing with a small sample size, it doesn't look or sound like the 9-3 is riddled with problems.

I think it's a solidly built car, it doesn't exactly have the vault-like build of a BMW, Audi or Benz, but it feels substantial. Stalks are a little flimsy, and the steering wheel looks very, very similar to the CTS's (parts sharing?) but that's not a bad thing. I'm pretty obsessive about these sorts of things, but there were slight imperfections on the paint job on my Vector (one or two small "bubbles" on my left front bumper and in the spoiler). Nothing a little buffing can't fix. Other then that, no complaints build quality wise.

Also, when you buy a Saab, you get a 30 day inspection free, so if there are any minor issues, you can have it checked up asap. Saab's (I think) have a reputation for long-term reliability, and I would be surprised if the same wasn't true for this 9-3.

As far as snow driving is concerned, if you get a Vector or an Arc with the sports package, you probably want to change the tires for winter, they're high-performance tires (at least, where I'm from) which probably stink in the snow.

2saab

I bought a 9-3 Linear a month ago and have been very pleased with the car. I am rather particular about fit and finish and have not been able to find any problems so far. The alignment of doors and other sheet metal is very good. The laser red paint is flawless. Reliability is always a question on the first year of any new model. I agree with tanger that most of the complaints seem to be electrical in nature. I ask my dealer's service department what their experience has been and they indicated that there have been just a few issues and those that have come up were mostly electrical related. They mentioned Xenon headlamp adjusters and an electrical connector issue. Production for this model year is more than half way complete so I expect that early problems have been solved. There is a lot of electronic integration in this car. Its impressive and gives the owner many customizing options. The down side is that it can be confusing for some, can provide strange error messages and provides more things to go wrong. With about 900 miles driven I have had no problems. The audio system is so-so, especially on the base 150 watt system but I believe the 300 watt system is standard on the Arc. Regarding snow - I would avoid the 18" performance wheels/tires and the low front air dam on the Vector.

I have a '86 Saab 900 with 210k miles and it has given me almost no troubles throughout its life. Still has the original clutch! This car also is good in the snow we get where I live near Lake Michigan. The 900 is a completely different car from the 9-3 but I expect some of its virtues to carry over.

mrblonde49

I have an Arc with auto. I've had an issue with the car stalling, but it's a computer control issue with the idle and they have a fix for it (It only happens if you are stopped, tap the gas and then the brake, like creeping out froma stop sign). Now that I know why it happens, I don't do it and it hasn't happened since. I'm getting it fixed tomorrow when I get my spoiler put on. Not a big deal. Othe than that, the fit and finish is great. The car has 1400 miles on it (one month) and the engine is really coming to life after the break in. I love the car and feel it's a great value with the current incentives

As far as the snow, I've hear that Saabs are great in the snow. Being built in snowy Sweden with a great emphasis on safety (just like Volvo) - I can't see it any other way. Plus, the new 9-3's have stability control standard, which is very helpful in the snow - as you can see in these articles:

http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/safety/articles/45992/article.ht- ml

http://www.edmunds.com/news/innovations/articles/43028/article.ht- ml

http://www.edmunds.com/news/innovations/articles/43043/article.ht- ml

shades80

How much are they charging you for the parts and labor for the spoiler?

mrblonde49

$449 painted and installed (Spoiler itself is $199). Probably could have saved a little if I ordered it myself and went to a body shop, but the extra $$ is worth it to have the piece of mind that it’s installed by Saab and covered by Saab. Plus, I had to take it in for service anyway, and getting it all done in one trip is worth something to me as well.

Here's the spoiler:
http://www.saabcatalog.com/retail/category.asp?catalog_name=Saab+Catalog&category_name=Drive9395:9-3+Sport+Sedan+Rear+Spoiler&Page=1

stratixman

I am evaluating a possible purchase/lease of a Saab 9-3. Saab includes 3 years of scheduled maintenance. Can anyone specifically define for me Saab's definition of scheduled maintenance? That is to say, what specific services are provided? What are the scheduled service intervals? Is car loaner guaranteed as part of this? Also, can anyone provide a realistic assessment of the monetary value of the scheduled service? Seems to me that included scheduled maintenance carry's an economic value that should be factored into the costs of ownership.

r34

I have a 01 9-3. It is a good car but it has numerous minor problems. I have a "love & hate" relationship with the car. I like driving it, especially on freeway. The car always ask me to go faster because it's so smooth and stable at high speed. You know you are in control of the car. Get to know a Saab independent shop is a good idea. It is not as reliable as some Japanese cars but probably more reliabel than a Volvo, Audi, and VW.

chrisboth

How much for a 4 cylinder with a grand am frame under it?

vcjumper

No

tgp1810

I thought the frame was more inline with the Malibu.

vcjumper

future Malibu, future G6 (Grand Am is no more after this gen). Current Vectra and 9-3.

vcjumper

About the same as the volkswagen passat with a golf engine and leather.

kpfleger

Tried Saabnet but no wisdom there for this question.
Are there published fuel economy numbers for the arc/vector engine (w/ stick) to compare to the linear? Several sites (Edmunds, Autosite) report no EPA numbers published yet. CR and Carpoint report numbers for the automatic, but not the stick.

-Karl

tgp1810

I posted this in message #1364. Here are the numbers, kpfleger:

"Should be:

Automatic
22/31/25 (city/highway/combined)
est. annual fuel cost: $930

Manual:
23/31/26 (city/highway/combined)
est. annual fuel cost: $895"

The 9-3 can track this for you so you know what you are getting in the real world. I believe it's in the profiler. But before/after you get off the expressway, make sure you RESET/CLEAR the MPG. If you don't it'll take the car a while to equal it out with the city/expressway driving.

gbriank

Yes, GM is sharing the platform between multiple vehicles. Everyone is making this out to be some big scandal. Automakers have been doing this for a LONG time now. Heck, VW and Audi have one platform for their entire line! They just stretch the body for the larger vehicles.

GM shared the W-body with the Intrigue, Century, Grand Prix, Regal, etc....

GM has invested a lot of $$$ into building a state-of-the-art body. Sure it's gonna be shared. Just means that European standards for safety and such are finally making it to the states! Grand Am, Malibu, 9-3, Vectra and a few others will be on the same platform.

Volvo is going to do the same thing. S-80 will be on the same platform as the Ford Taurus replacement. S-40 will be on the Focus platform, finally dropping the Mitsubishi Carisma body.

tgp1810

I think it's a good thing that GM is sharing the platforms. It keeps the cost down. Also, Saab's fininacial situation isn't the greatest and it would be foolish for them to develop their own platforms with the numerous ones at their disposal.

kpfleger

tgp1810,

Where did you get those numbers from post 1711?
They are the exact numbers for the Linear. The Arc/Vector engine is exactly the same except for the turbo, so it is possible they gas mileage is exactly the same, but it's not at all clear that this is definitely the case. Are you sure you aren't looking at numbers for the Linear?

fueleconomy.gov gives the same numbers you gave, including the average yearly cost, without clearly saying which trim level it is talking about, but if you look carefully you'll notice it says 5-speed for the manual transmission, which implies Linear rather than Arc or Vector.

-Karl

saabstory93

I am planning on buying a used Saab SE convertible (what does 'SE' really mean?) and have been test driving 1999-2001 9-3 convertibles at several area Saab dealers. One thing I've noticed is that there appears to be a fair amount of vibration and shake that can be felt in the steering wheel when driving over all but smooth roads. One dealer told me it was probably due to bad wheels and replacing the wheels would eliminate the problem . I am a little skeptical about this explanation. All the cars I've driven have had less than 30k miles and relatively good tread on the tires. All were said to have been brought up to Saab-certified standards when I drove them. What experience have any other 9-3 convertible owners had like this? Is it something that can be easily remedied or is it more likely to be an ongoing problem?

tgp1810

That is where I got the numbers. I would assume they are around the same for all the models. I've read people getting around there on their Vectors.

kpfleger

tgp1810, thanks for clarifying.

I don't know why I didn't think of checking Consumer Reports before, but they report that the EPA mileage for the automatic Vector they tested is 21/30. For what it's worth.

-Karl

sloanesq

I (and the wife) just went to the GM auto show in motion yeterday and test drove the 9-3 Linear. (there were no Vectors or Arcs available). I was very impressed. The engine was smooth and powerful, braking was controlled and very quick and the steering was precise. The car handled the slalom on a rain slick course with aplomb. The interior was a little stark but well put together and the materials used appeared to be of high quality (just as I remembered from my first time in the car). And more importantly, I got the blessing from my wife to buy one. In fact, she preferred the Saab to the Corvette she test drove (I think the apex turns scared her).
I also drove the Caddy CTS and, while it was a nice car, found that the Saab had it beat hands down in just about every area.

Sorry for the long post, still a little pumped from the test drive.

mrblonde49

I would advise you to drive the Arc or Vector. I originally didn't even test drive one, but changed my Linear order because I felt the Arc was a better value (what you get for a few thousand more is well worth it, in my book).

Only about $2300 in out the door cost more than the Linear I was looking at (which had auto, heated seats, sunroof, 16" wheels & drivers package - but no touring package.)

For that $2300, I got:
stronger engine
auto climate control
Upgraded stereo - which to me sounds great and seems very important considering the multitude of complaints about the base stereo
dual power seats w/ drivers memory
body colored skirts
leather door inserts & armrest
wood accents
chrome bezels on the gauges
auto dim mirror w/ garage door opener
auto up/down windows

Good luck. Let us know what happens

nojalopy

I've reviewed past posts on adding after market XM Radio to 2003 9-3s. One past post quotes a Service Mgr as saying "it was an absolute mess", i.e. adding XM really screwed up the audio system.

Today I asked someone at my dealership's service dept., who said "if it has a radio, it can be done". Indicated they had done a few, but I didn't probe for details (I will in a follow up call).

I'm ready to go ahead, but don't want to waste my money and definitely don't want to screw up the car audio system. My existing XM unit requires the cassette deck -- SOL for the 9-3.

Has anyone out there had first hand experience with adding XM to their 2003 9-3? If not, would you be willing to call your dealer and ask if they have done any installations and report findings here? Thanks.

code7700

Just so you know, if you want DLRs shut off (which you may want as a convenience factor, or may need, should you you plan to go on a military base [they don't want you ruining people's <pilot's> night vision]), you'll lose access to your fog lights as well.

This is due to a programming "error" in the that Saab doesn't have a way to ensure that you won't use use the fog-lights on their own. This is because most states forbid the use of fog-lights on their own: Most state laws specify that the fog-lights only be used with the low-beams.

However, as other posts have shown, their is a way to program the car (via the dealer's computer) so that the driver has manual control over the fog lights. Many dealers will tell you that they "will not" configure fog lights in a manner that gives you the ability to manually control them because of the previously mentioned state laws.

However, I checked with my local police department, sheriff's office, and highway patrol... all of them told me, "it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure the fog lamps are used within the confines of the law, not the car manufacturer".

Saab has no legal ability to prevent you from having your fog lights configured the way you want. Or as one officer put it, "Next thing you know, they'll try to install a system that prevents you from making illegal left turns."

pablo_l

I own a '02 9-3 SE with the sport package etc, which includes sports suspension setting and 17 inch wheels. Indeed, you can feel some vibration courtesy of this harsher setup, but I feel it entertaining rather than annoying. You'll feel some of if with almost every convertible in the price range, anyway. The Saab's chassis rigidity is its one Achilles heel. Overall, I think it adds to the character of the Saab, and its appeal.

pfgenius

Is Saab still offering $3,500 off on the Vector. I believe the incentive ended June 2nd.

Thanks

regfootball

I found the Linear Saab to be a very good test drive as well.

trencher7

My Vector has been getting 16 mpg with nothing but city driving. Not great. Anyone else?

mcdermott2

First time on this board but have been reading for awhile now. I am looking to lease a Linear or the Arc and have not seen any costs for some time now. I would like to see what the best deals are out there right now and what options you got with them.

2saab

My Linear with just over 1000 miles has averaged 30.5 per the cars SID computed MPG. This has been over about 400 miles with 70% highway and 30% city driving. My Linear has a manual transmission.

artstein

Anyone out there have any luck installing an air intake system to replace the airbox? I heard it's an easy way to get an extra 8 - 10 H.P.

Art S.
'01 9-3SE

mrblonde49

I'm getting about 24-25 MPG combined (mostly freeway, with some congestion). I got about 32 on pure highway driving yesterday. So I would think I'd be getting around 17-18 on pure city driving

maybesaab

decisions, decisions...after looking forever, I am closing in on purchasing used and need help....any opinions on getting a used 9-3 versus used 9-5...and whether 2000 year is superior to 1999 model year for either...I like look and smaller feel of 9-3 but have heard some people comment on how 9-5 is THE Saab to get....all opinions would be helpful, thanks...

mjwills

I posted a while back about an engine failure - this was fixed with a software update FYI. Are any of you experiencing rattles with the overhead console with the moon roof? Dealer said they fixed it, but it is still doing it. It is in the section where the roof switch is. The car seems to be full of minor interior rattles, any fixes for the most common that you have come up with?, especially the buzzing in the door - which is not the radio, it still does it with the power off.

cman321

i looked at the most recent GM incentives and it appeared that the were no Saab incentives....

could this be true....i would be suprised if they would go from 3k incentives to zero in one month....

kyfdx

I just pulled up the gmsupplierdiscount website.. It still shows the same incentives listed. And it shows the website was updated yesterday.

kyfdx

mrblonde49

They haven't been listed before on this site, I presume because they are factory to dealer. For the subsequent post, it looks like they are still out there. When I bought mine about 2 mnonths ago, I called 1-800-SAABUSA & they told me the amounts of the rebates (since I didn't see them listed online)

richn2

I am almost ready to go forward in buying a 9-3 ARC. DOes anybody have any suggestions in how I should go about getting the best price possible.

mrblonde49

I'd target a minimum of $4000 off of sticker, maybe as much as $4300 - depending on options. Includes the $3000 factory to dealer rebate.

There's only about $1700 between the invoice & sticker price

I got my Arc for $1100 off sticker, plus the incentives ($3000 Saab & $1000 Oldsmobile owner)

I probably could have pushed a little harder, but the dealership experience was great and I didn't haggle over every last penny.

Good luck! Let us know what happens

ncgnito

Know exactly what you're talking about regarding the rattle. Stops when you press on the console. The dealer placed some felt tape inside to cushion the surfaces. Still hear rattle occasionally though. Also hear buzzing in the door you described. It's definitely not the speakers because it happensn with the radio off. The sound is dampened a little when you press against the door with your elbow. I haven't pinpointed where exactly the sound is coming from. Didn't report this yet to the dealer. All in all the car is pretty solid though. I hear rattles in my other car too. Idosyncrasies I guess of each model. Oh well, if the dealer can fix it great. Let us know if you have any success.

lockie

I had my first engine failure yesterday on my Arc with 1500 miles. The engine died 3 times putting the car in reverse. I finally got out of the parking spot and was able to move forward. The tranny then was slipping into 4 or 5th gear. How did the dealer fix your Vector. I reported the door noise to my dealer. They claimed they weren't able to reproduce. I assume they never listened. Has anyone heard more about the comfort open/close feature. Saab says they are not going to put it is the car. I am furious I paid for something that is not there and they won't install it either.

mrblonde49

Is your car an auto?

IT maybe the problem with the idle that causes stalling. If you hit the brake right after you start to go, it could stall. Happened to mine & they fixed it - hasn't happened since.

As far as the comfort close, I don't recall it ever being advertised as a feature on US cars, so I'm not sure that we paid for it.

lockie

Yes, My car is an auto. I didn't hit the brake. It happened again today. I have to take the car in again anyway for some reason the memory seats don't always work. The comfort feature was advertised on the web and on their literature.