Considering a Saab 9-5 Aero Estate - Any views?
Discussion
Having just taken a deposit on my Subaru I will be needing a cheap (ish) (upto say 3 or 4 grand) second car to travel 13 miles a day and be safe for kid duties when needed.
The Saab seems to offer great VFM, for 3 grand I seem to be able to get a really nice 2004/2005 mdl with all the bells and whistles.
I need something to last a couple of years and then it could be a 'chuck away' car, I'm not worried about re-sale.
I thought I really fancied a Volvo V70 but I have to say that next to a Saab they seem expensive!
Any real world views out there?
PS if possible I would like an Auto
The Saab seems to offer great VFM, for 3 grand I seem to be able to get a really nice 2004/2005 mdl with all the bells and whistles.
I need something to last a couple of years and then it could be a 'chuck away' car, I'm not worried about re-sale.
I thought I really fancied a Volvo V70 but I have to say that next to a Saab they seem expensive!
Any real world views out there?
PS if possible I would like an Auto
I bought a 2002 95 Aero in January for under £3k and she's been fantastic. It's a manual so can't help with experience there.
It's perfect for this weather too, the Swedes know how to do heaters and heated seats.
Coming from an Alfa V6 wagon, I wasn't expecting it to be on par, but I hate to admit I might actually prefer it - it's the boost junky rearing its ugly head again I think.
Do it, you won't be disappointed, try getting leather as the cloth we found second rate.
It's perfect for this weather too, the Swedes know how to do heaters and heated seats.
Coming from an Alfa V6 wagon, I wasn't expecting it to be on par, but I hate to admit I might actually prefer it - it's the boost junky rearing its ugly head again I think.
Do it, you won't be disappointed, try getting leather as the cloth we found second rate.
Bint - Thanks for your comments, I just want a estate car that I'm not to worried about with the kids (4 in total - Should have bought the Tele earlier!) but still has something about it, which for me Saab's have - for Ford/Vauxhall money.
My Subaru is being picked up on Sunday and then I have my wifes CLK that can be used whilst I mooch for my next car
My Subaru is being picked up on Sunday and then I have my wifes CLK that can be used whilst I mooch for my next car
Mum owns a 2005 Saab 9-5 Aero estate manual
Absolutely excellent in everyway.
Performance
Excellent. Floor it in 2nd gear and when the turbo kicks in, it leaps forwards towards the horizon. Very understated and once into 4th it pulls like a train.
Comfort
Terrific. I find the seats are much comfier than my Volvo S40s.
Practicality
Big boot that will swallow large loads and lots of cabin space with plenty of legroom
Reliability.
Mums had hers for 4 years and not a blip! Nothing but tyres has been needed in that time. Faultless and it drives like new.
Excellent cars and now second hand bargains. Get one with the FSH and you can't go wrong.
Auto is fine as well but it lacks the overboost feature found in the Manual gearboxes and the 0-60 time in the auto is 8.2 next to 6.9 in the Man car. Not that you will be drag racing but it's considerably slower off the mark.
Absolutely excellent in everyway.
Performance
Excellent. Floor it in 2nd gear and when the turbo kicks in, it leaps forwards towards the horizon. Very understated and once into 4th it pulls like a train.
Comfort
Terrific. I find the seats are much comfier than my Volvo S40s.
Practicality
Big boot that will swallow large loads and lots of cabin space with plenty of legroom
Reliability.
Mums had hers for 4 years and not a blip! Nothing but tyres has been needed in that time. Faultless and it drives like new.
Excellent cars and now second hand bargains. Get one with the FSH and you can't go wrong.
Auto is fine as well but it lacks the overboost feature found in the Manual gearboxes and the 0-60 time in the auto is 8.2 next to 6.9 in the Man car. Not that you will be drag racing but it's considerably slower off the mark.
Edited by Cosworth750 on Thursday 6th December 20:43
Roger, that's exactly why we bought it. Initially the Alfa was bought for throwing mountin bikes in the back of (with both of us doing a combined 6K a year we can afford a guzzler), but then when the little man came onto the scene we wanted a proper estate, not a sport wagon.
I can throw the pushchair, (along with 168 choc selection boxes today, don't ask...) in the back, with space spare, and since the safety features on the car (ISOfix, moose strikes etc) are so good, it really is quite a sensible and a comfortable, fast ish, place to be.
MOH reckons around 25mpg for our 2.3.
I can throw the pushchair, (along with 168 choc selection boxes today, don't ask...) in the back, with space spare, and since the safety features on the car (ISOfix, moose strikes etc) are so good, it really is quite a sensible and a comfortable, fast ish, place to be.
MOH reckons around 25mpg for our 2.3.
Having a real mooch around last night after the wee ones had gone to sleep and as with most cars it seems its all about history and being serviced on the dot, I found what looks like a really nice one on e bay and have written to the garage asking for a few more details, mostly about the service history, I will let you know what I find out.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170894525166?_trksid=p51...
I used the Boss's CLK this morning, I dont drive it much but boy it was slipery on the back roads coming to work!
PS I understand about the choc boxes - My wife is running the nippers school santa grotto at tomorrows fair and theres way upward of 200 pressies waiting to be delivered upstairs at home!!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170894525166?_trksid=p51...
I used the Boss's CLK this morning, I dont drive it much but boy it was slipery on the back roads coming to work!
PS I understand about the choc boxes - My wife is running the nippers school santa grotto at tomorrows fair and theres way upward of 200 pressies waiting to be delivered upstairs at home!!
Edited by Roger Woods on Friday 7th December 08:12
Saddly the dealer has come back and said it has all the MOT's but only the odd maintenace stamp, I will keep looking, I have found a full history (main dealer) 98000 05 model that looks a good one BUT its black and I have had a couple of black cars before and they appear to get dirty as you clean them!
I'm sure there is a Aero Auto out there around 3 grand with my name on it!
I'm sure there is a Aero Auto out there around 3 grand with my name on it!
An Aero *should* have always had fully synth; semi-synth can cause sludging in the sump and kill the engine.
Ensure she hot starts (there's a starter cartridge that can give some trouble)
From personal experience, ensure the xenon lights (if it has them) turn off correctly.
SID display will probably be missing pixels, can be fixed for not a lot of money.
Apart from that, all the usual stuff you look at when looking at a car.
Ensure she hot starts (there's a starter cartridge that can give some trouble)
From personal experience, ensure the xenon lights (if it has them) turn off correctly.
SID display will probably be missing pixels, can be fixed for not a lot of money.
Apart from that, all the usual stuff you look at when looking at a car.
Mr E said:
An Aero *should* have always had fully synth; semi-synth can cause sludging in the sump and kill the engine.
Ensure she hot starts (there's a starter cartridge that can give some trouble)
From personal experience, ensure the xenon lights (if it has them) turn off correctly.
SID display will probably be missing pixels, can be fixed for not a lot of money.
Apart from that, all the usual stuff you look at when looking at a car.
Indeed. Although I would like history of a sump drop, even if it has had fully synthetic. If not, I'd get one done for piece of mind.Ensure she hot starts (there's a starter cartridge that can give some trouble)
From personal experience, ensure the xenon lights (if it has them) turn off correctly.
SID display will probably be missing pixels, can be fixed for not a lot of money.
Apart from that, all the usual stuff you look at when looking at a car.
I know its not an Aero but whats the view on this 09 Diesel for £5995, Christ its just 3 years old!
http://www.northovercars.co.uk/
Saab 9-5 1.9 TiD Edition Estate Auto 09 82000 miles
After all I do only need it as a safe Kiddi Cab for a few years....
Views?
http://www.northovercars.co.uk/
Saab 9-5 1.9 TiD Edition Estate Auto 09 82000 miles
After all I do only need it as a safe Kiddi Cab for a few years....
Views?
Wow, Saab prices have really dropped since I bought mine! If that's as good as it looks/sounds - buy it.
It's the last of the decent rear lights (not those things that go up each side - just my personal preference), and with the colour the chrome on the headlights is not too Dame Edna.
It's the last of the decent rear lights (not those things that go up each side - just my personal preference), and with the colour the chrome on the headlights is not too Dame Edna.
Honest Bint, I thought almost to good to be true but when you look round the patch its not far off the mark.
That said a mate of my wife asked me about a 100,000 mile 2006 Subaru Impreza 2000 R Wagon last night and what its worth, its not the quick one and when I started looking around it seems 3 grand is about right WBAC offered £1710!
She is not happy as she thought it was 6 grands worth - not a chance!
I'm thinking I will be going to have a look at the 09 Saab ......
Insurance quote comes back at £254.52 - a bit different to the Subaru at £600 it would replace!
That said a mate of my wife asked me about a 100,000 mile 2006 Subaru Impreza 2000 R Wagon last night and what its worth, its not the quick one and when I started looking around it seems 3 grand is about right WBAC offered £1710!
She is not happy as she thought it was 6 grands worth - not a chance!
I'm thinking I will be going to have a look at the 09 Saab ......
Insurance quote comes back at £254.52 - a bit different to the Subaru at £600 it would replace!
Edited by Roger Woods on Friday 7th December 14:36
We've had ours a year now - it's a manual 2002 9-5 Aero estate. It was sub-2k from a sheepskin and bunting sort of place. I had the sump dropped and a service done immediately we got it. I've also had the water pump replaced to fix a minor coolant leak and the rear bushes done and I've bought a secondhand set of lightly used winter tyres on steel wheels.
It's not my idea of a driver's car, I don't like the turbocharging or the weight or the front wheel drive, but I'm very fond of the thing all the same. It is a superb mile-muncher. I can't think of anything I've sat in with more comfortable seats. It's undemanding to drive, decently quiet and refined, well equipped (and everything still works), has plenty of acceleration, decent stereo, massive luggage space, pleasant, logical interior and it's even acceptably economical. We've just got back from a trip up North and established that on the motorway it does 36-38mpg with me driving and 33-36 with the wife's lead boots pushing the pedals.
It's not my idea of a driver's car, I don't like the turbocharging or the weight or the front wheel drive, but I'm very fond of the thing all the same. It is a superb mile-muncher. I can't think of anything I've sat in with more comfortable seats. It's undemanding to drive, decently quiet and refined, well equipped (and everything still works), has plenty of acceleration, decent stereo, massive luggage space, pleasant, logical interior and it's even acceptably economical. We've just got back from a trip up North and established that on the motorway it does 36-38mpg with me driving and 33-36 with the wife's lead boots pushing the pedals.
Like you at this point the next car needs to cover a purpose - A to B in safty for the kids and not rape me in the process!, thats it really. I will have a drive of a couple of 9-5's and decide whats needed over the next couple of weeks.
If anyone knows of any decent Estates up for sale or coming up for sale close to Crawley please let me know!
If anyone knows of any decent Estates up for sale or coming up for sale close to Crawley please let me know!
otolith said:
It's not my idea of a driver's car, I don't like the turbocharging or the weight or the front wheel drive, but I'm very fond of the thing all the same. It is a superb mile-muncher. I can't think of anything I've sat in with more comfortable seats. It's undemanding to drive, decently quiet and refined, well equipped (and everything still works), has plenty of acceleration, decent stereo, massive luggage space, pleasant, logical interior and it's even acceptably economical. We've just got back from a trip up North and established that on the motorway it does 36-38mpg with me driving and 33-36 with the wife's lead boots pushing the pedals.
I agree with all of that apart from the stereo. I think it's woeful.
Gassing Station | Saab | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff