2007 Facelift 9-3 2.8T Aero

[bimmer528]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

What are these like?

Insurance wise they seem very good, and the advert i have posted seems a bargain for a late 2007 model with 44k on the clock.

No sat nav unfortunately but what are they like in terms of performance, reliability, gadgets?

Cheers.

[Gorilla Boy]

Not heard many good things about the automatic box.

Same power can be achieved with a 2.0t Aero and stage 1 maptun (£500ish).

Rough MPG is low to mid twenties if taking it easy in comparison to mid twenties to 30mpg for the 2.0t.

Bullet proof engines however

[philmots]

Go like the absolute clappers with a map. My old one was at 300hp/390 lbft

Not good on fuel, front coils snap - this will happen, and on the 2.8 there's a few reports of timing chains stretching! If this happens you're looking at HUGE bills.

Nice car, though.

[bimmer528]

I think for insurance purposes i would want the 2.0t. Are they good?

I want to go back to manual to be honest..

[Gorilla Boy]

bimmer528 said:

I think for insurance purposes i would want the 2.0t. Are they good?

I want to go back to manual to be honest..

I've had one since feb, torquey and decent mid range for buttons

[Nick67]

Have to agree with what has been said re mpg, we had the convertible and fuel was horrendous, with the Hirsch upgrade it improved.

Be prepared for buying tyres on a regular bases

Great fun car

[jcborden]

Good cars and the engine is truly lovely, loads of grunt especially higher up the rev ranges. Don't find the Mpg too bad, averaging 26 in ours and only about 29-30 in our 2,0t aero (auto) - both with a lot of shorter journeys.

One downside is the higher road tax at £460 :-(

[LesKellet]

Bit of a Saab enthusiast here, and have driven, bought and owned many of the range in my time. Considered one of these around 18 months ago. But the extra performance vs. MPG, RFL and insurance over the 2.0T I could not justify, at the time. Then my current 9-3SS 2.0 Aero came along. Chuffed with it, and it was the right decision for me.

[Mark.H]

I have had a 2008 facelift and currently have a last of the line one too. Infact our company have about 250 saab 9-3 2.8t automatics in the car park at the moment and as far as I'm aware none have had mechanical issues other than the airconditioning compressors failing due to them being static for a long time and the coolant inside rotting the gubbins inside. Also have about 5 turbo-x's and they're the most unreliable cars I've ever seen (Alfa Romeo's excepted).

Performance wise it pulls like a freight train to 100 and makes steady progress upto 155(ish) and is almost identical in performance to the older turbo-x. Handling wise the nose is very heavy, (infact it corners like a duck on a frozen pond to be honest) and you'd be stuffed if it didn't have ESP. I've yet to have the brakes give out on me, despite it getting to 50 degrees celcius locally and pressing ona bit.

The gearbox isn't that bad for a non double clutch system, the sport mode is actually pretty good and keeps revs high and in normal mode it is very smooth.