Newbie...fancy my first Saab - 9-3 or 9-5 ?

[sjtgeray]

Looking for something (probably 2006 ish as gather road tax changes in 2007 - based on the £555 i saw for a 2007 Aero)
- Not sure whether to look at 9-3 or 9-5
- Don't like diesel so will have to be petrol or LPG (that would be perfect !)
- Don't want a poverty spec engine or interior, but do want as good a MPG as practical
- Saloon, not an estate/wagen/sportback
- Ideally under 80K miles

I am coming out of an old Audi A8, but i dont need that much space anymore, though will miss the 300+ bhp. I definitely want to downsize but still need room for the oldies (parents etc) in the back occasionally (9-3 looks a bit squeezy)

Whats the general view on 9-3 v 9-5 as a 2nd hand proposition please from those in the know ? I have watched a number of Youtube vids which all seem positive but no real 9-3 v 9-5 comment....my friendly mechanic who has looked after the A8 for 10 years was aghast at the idea of a Saab (on grounds its GM), but am sure he would come around !!
thanks all

[pigeyman]

-If you're used to an A8 then I'd say 9-5 as they are bigger than the 9-3's. Having said that, I've had my grandparents in the back of my 9-3 saloon and they were plenty comfy. They're not small people either.
-Get an Aero!!
-Okay then, don't get an Aero.
-In either Black or Blue I would imagine?
-Harder to find a nice 9-5 with lower mileage and decent spec but they will be out there somewhere!

[2gins]

I've had both back to back. Both aeros, both well into 100k territory.

The 9-3 looks better than the 9-5 in saloon trim and has an awesome boot. The handling is pretty sharp but nose heavy and understeery. Nothing much went wrong in 40k except both rear calipers, but they all do that. The 9-3 has a plasticky interior that will rattle at this sort of age, and is basically a Vectra in a well cut dress rather than some primark deal.

The 9-5 is mapped to stage 1 and is a hoot in a straight line but it weighs in at 1.7 tons so is not a sporty drive. It's pleasant enough on b roads but you do need to make allowances for the extra weight transfer. It struggles to do more than 30mpg in any situation but is supremely comfortable and being the last of the true Saabs a cut above the 9-3 in terms of rattles and build quality. I should really have bought the 9-5 first but I didn't want or need the space 5 years ago.

Both have firm suspension, both have very lovely seats, parts plentiful and relatively cheap, insurance about the same, tax about £300 pa.

Do it!

[anonymous-user]

I owned a 93 for a few years
Even when new they were nowhere near as good as the German opposition
Horrible rattles & creaky interior
Terrible sound system
I’d avoid TBH

[DavidY]

I went Audi A8 (D2) -> Saab 9-5 -> Saab 9-3 so I have some experience of all 3 vehicles!!

The Audi I had for about 30K miles, when it worked I loved it (apart from size in multi storey car parks!), but it spent too long being unreliable, so I sold it and took over my then wife's 9-5 2.3LPT. This while not having the cabin space of the Audi was a very comfortable place to sit, and eat the miles up easily (cruising effortlessly), and at no point did I think that I had a much worse car, I did over 200K in that Saab, with major items (turbo/head gasket) being changed at 185K miles, that said the Aero turbocharger is much more reliable. For such a large car it did lack rear legroom though. I only changed it as a aircon flap had got stuck behind the dash making the passenger side permanently hot, its was a dashboard out job to change and at 230K miles not economical to repair.

I then bought a 9-3 1.9TiD, again this ate the miles, it wasn't such a great place to sit, but the car still effortless cruised, was comfortable, and handled way better than the wafty 9-5 (non-aero), again I had very few issues, did 40K miles taking it to 120K when it was written off whilst being parked!!! I would have bought another but it was shortly after the demise of Saab, and at that time parts were is short supply, as the pattern parts suppliers hadn't got into gear, so I bought the next best thing, a Volvo, (Still with me on 211K miles....)

If you want somewhere comfortable to sit then a Saab/Volvo are good choices (and I wouldn't rule out the S80 when shopping either). My experience is that Saab/Volvo don't necessarily impress on a test drive but after 20K miles nothing pi**es you off, and thats got to be a good thing.

[sjtgeray]

Thanks all for the info. As it turns out i think i am going to hang onto the old A8. Yes its economy is a bit rubbish (tho not that much worse than an Aero) but its a car i know and (touch wood) has nothing particularly wrong with it. Spending £1K+ more on something else that may then need maintenance isn't really gonna make up with fuel cost differences.
Famous last words of course, as something fundamental will break now !!

[DailyHack]

Jimboka said:

I owned a 93 for a few years
Even when new they were nowhere near as good as the German opposition
Horrible rattles & creaky interior
Terrible sound system
I’d avoid TBH

You must of had a bad one, having owned purely German cars (BMW) and still do, my recent 2011 9-3 is great, not rattly or creaky only creaks are the leather when you move about - radio is brilliant aswell.

I know the later facelift ones were tighter built.