Talk to me about 2002 on 9-3's (TiD's and Trim Levels)
Discussion
Hi All,
I need to replace our ageing Audi 80 with a diesel saloon car for around 3-4k. I've been looking at Bora's, but they are fairly Boring and I've had a Saab before and like the different looks and quirkiness of the interior. I had a 2000 Aero 'Coupe' and found it comfy, ok to drive and reasonably well built.
What can I expect from the newer shape? It would bea 1.9 TiD 150 - what is the difference between all the spec levels?
What should I be looking at with the engines if I get this far? Cambelt and clutch/fly? I'm seeing things on ebay for the swirl flaps..
Any input welcome! Thanks.
I need to replace our ageing Audi 80 with a diesel saloon car for around 3-4k. I've been looking at Bora's, but they are fairly Boring and I've had a Saab before and like the different looks and quirkiness of the interior. I had a 2000 Aero 'Coupe' and found it comfy, ok to drive and reasonably well built.
What can I expect from the newer shape? It would bea 1.9 TiD 150 - what is the difference between all the spec levels?
What should I be looking at with the engines if I get this far? Cambelt and clutch/fly? I'm seeing things on ebay for the swirl flaps..
Any input welcome! Thanks.
Good cars those 80's - my Dad had one also with the 1Z mill in there for years & it's still running now - it must be on 300,000+ miles! I've always fancied one, but don't need one (if you know what I mean)!
Anyhow, I digress! For up to £4k you should be looking at a post September 2006 car; that's when the dashboards changed & got a lot more modern. They weren't bad before that, but on basic models you had that horrible integrated radio thing that you can't upgrade without spending megabucks. The better the model, the better the stereo (the one with no display is basic LOL).
Linear is a basic spec, Vector the best, with some others in the middle (Airflow comes to mind); there was sport suffix available with those specs that may or may not have had sports suspension amongst other goodies. There was also an Anniversary that came with snazzy alloys, Sat Nav & other nicities in 2007.
What I'll strongly recommend when buying any Saab is to get the spec you want when you buy it - adding stuff afterwards gets very pricey/complicated - if it can even be done (see stereo comment above).
The engines, they're also in Vectra's, Fiat's, Alfa's... well proven, their weak points are no different to any equivalent Passat/Jetta. Change the cambelts on time, do the water pump & other pulley(s) at the same time, remove the DPF & remap, learn to know your EGR (or consider getting rid of it), and above all, learn to identify a dodgy dual mass flywheel when you view the car - not afterwards when it's too late.
You won't get Audi economy (well maybe you might) but it'll be close. Tax will be less anyhow. Look up insurance groups on Parkers - although you may be of an age where your NCB can't get any higher!!!
Lastly, some Saabs sat in showrooms for a while at the time, so even though they're a 56 or 07 plate, they may not be 2007 models. the dashboard is the dead giveaway.
Cheers - and I hope this helps.
Anyhow, I digress! For up to £4k you should be looking at a post September 2006 car; that's when the dashboards changed & got a lot more modern. They weren't bad before that, but on basic models you had that horrible integrated radio thing that you can't upgrade without spending megabucks. The better the model, the better the stereo (the one with no display is basic LOL).
Linear is a basic spec, Vector the best, with some others in the middle (Airflow comes to mind); there was sport suffix available with those specs that may or may not have had sports suspension amongst other goodies. There was also an Anniversary that came with snazzy alloys, Sat Nav & other nicities in 2007.
What I'll strongly recommend when buying any Saab is to get the spec you want when you buy it - adding stuff afterwards gets very pricey/complicated - if it can even be done (see stereo comment above).
The engines, they're also in Vectra's, Fiat's, Alfa's... well proven, their weak points are no different to any equivalent Passat/Jetta. Change the cambelts on time, do the water pump & other pulley(s) at the same time, remove the DPF & remap, learn to know your EGR (or consider getting rid of it), and above all, learn to identify a dodgy dual mass flywheel when you view the car - not afterwards when it's too late.
You won't get Audi economy (well maybe you might) but it'll be close. Tax will be less anyhow. Look up insurance groups on Parkers - although you may be of an age where your NCB can't get any higher!!!
Lastly, some Saabs sat in showrooms for a while at the time, so even though they're a 56 or 07 plate, they may not be 2007 models. the dashboard is the dead giveaway.
Cheers - and I hope this helps.
Edited by P2BS on Thursday 27th June 14:34
Perfect reply, Thanks
I figured out the dash business a few mins after posting this message, I wouldn't want the older type but I'm not sure if I want to spend as much as I'd need to for one of these. I can get a decent Bora for less than £3500 so I won't want to pay anymore for a 9-3. Even so, I need to drive both to compare.
I'll keep scanning and see what's about!
I read that Airflow's don't have DPF's so I guess you could fit a downpipe from this model to another to remove it?
I figured out the dash business a few mins after posting this message, I wouldn't want the older type but I'm not sure if I want to spend as much as I'd need to for one of these. I can get a decent Bora for less than £3500 so I won't want to pay anymore for a 9-3. Even so, I need to drive both to compare.
I'll keep scanning and see what's about!
I read that Airflow's don't have DPF's so I guess you could fit a downpipe from this model to another to remove it?
I'm a 9-5 person (on my 3rd) - you don't fancy one of them? They got the new dash from September 2005 - at the same time as those chrome headlight surrounds (Dame Edna) and the 1.9 TiD 150 engine. Earlier 9-5's - and 2002-2004 9-3's - had the 2.2TiD engine. Probably slightly faster than your Audi, and as noisy! A good old school solid engine.
The dash of earlier 9-5's wasn't too bad either, but the same rules follow about getting the spec you want.
The dash of earlier 9-5's wasn't too bad either, but the same rules follow about getting the spec you want.
The 9-5 would be too big really, the bigger it is the worse it will be on fuel (slightly) and the Audi is doing a genuine 48-50mpg.
The Vector Sport seems to be the one to have (well apart from the Anniversary which seems to have Nav and nice wheels/spoiler but slightly too pricey)
I didn't reply regarding the 80, its a great car but we are chopping two cars down to one once another project of mine is on the road so we want something a bit newer for everyday use (we've never owned a current '50' plate style car yet, newest was Y-Reg!)
The Vector Sport seems to be the one to have (well apart from the Anniversary which seems to have Nav and nice wheels/spoiler but slightly too pricey)
I didn't reply regarding the 80, its a great car but we are chopping two cars down to one once another project of mine is on the road so we want something a bit newer for everyday use (we've never owned a current '50' plate style car yet, newest was Y-Reg!)
I think you'd be surprised about the size of a 9-5 - my missus is driving mine at the moment, and she manages it fine - having just come from a 2002 Polo! My 'old' 2005 9-5 2.2 TiD gave about 45mpg on average, which I could live with. The boys with auto boxes don't get that mileage though - theirs sit about 30mpg! The 2.2 was straight out of the Vectra/Zafira at the time, so not too tunable (the injector pump runs off its own inbuilt ECU) - but that's not a bad thing. I did a 0-60 on mine & put it on youtube a while back, that was in stock form. They're 120bhp stock, and with a reputable tuning box 9(e.g. Steinbauer) they're 143bhp.
Anyhow, if your heart is set on a 9-3, don't rule out the 1.9 120bhp model - different engine than the 150 (8v instead of 16v) allegedly more reliable, and opens up a lot more choice. 120bhp sounds pants, but again, it depends on what you want to do with the car - tune it, or keep it stock & enjoy the fuel economy.
Anyhow, if your heart is set on a 9-3, don't rule out the 1.9 120bhp model - different engine than the 150 (8v instead of 16v) allegedly more reliable, and opens up a lot more choice. 120bhp sounds pants, but again, it depends on what you want to do with the car - tune it, or keep it stock & enjoy the fuel economy.
Interesting, I could live with the size of the 9-5 but there is no need for the size and I think the 9-3 looks a bit more modern.
I'd dismissed the 120's totally, again I'd have to drive them as both would probably end up being remapped (along with a Bora 130 if that's the route I took) and I should be able to live with either really as our 80 is 100bhp and my Octavia is 105.
I'll have a look at some 120's later. I'm keen to have a reasonably quiet diesel too, all will be better than the 1Z and I kind of like the unique noise of a PD engine. How do the 120 and 150 TiD's compare?
I'd dismissed the 120's totally, again I'd have to drive them as both would probably end up being remapped (along with a Bora 130 if that's the route I took) and I should be able to live with either really as our 80 is 100bhp and my Octavia is 105.
I'll have a look at some 120's later. I'm keen to have a reasonably quiet diesel too, all will be better than the 1Z and I kind of like the unique noise of a PD engine. How do the 120 and 150 TiD's compare?
For what it's worth, my car:
The 0-60 video of my 2.2TiD...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eTnz8F6mlk
The 0-60 video of my 2.2TiD...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eTnz8F6mlk
Nice car though, good colour and wheel combo.Gassing Station | Saab | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff