USED Saab 9-3 Sport Wagon (02 - 12)

My car

Like another review I had the awful experience of it going into limp home mode on the drive home from dealership. Also got a cracked windshield from a stone. Bad omen, for sure yes as over the next 4 months the electrical system malfunctioned almost daily from minor issues like mirror not folding to major ones - not recognising the spare key when the main key was 300 miles away in my wife's bag.

However Reading SAAB tried to fix it manfully and after 5 months agreed readily with me that it was a dog and gave me a brand new one -in a nicer colour too.

Since the only good experiences , spacious , nice looking , good fuel economy . very comfortable. Bit sluggish off the lights but great on M ways and foreign roads rather than our pathetic apology for a road network in UK.

One noticable problem -apprently common on the car is a dirty EGR valve which insiduously lowers performance but this was cured by a one hour while you wait free service appointment

I like it and wold recommend it-SAABs are still pretty neat understated behicles and when I owned a 2l aero it was great to easily outgun BMW3 and boy racers and the marque doesnt have the me me me chav overtones of Beemers or the its just a Frankfurt Taxi appeal of a Merc.

And they do have the best seats bar none, all done through science not padding

My car

I test drove a 6 speed twin turbo BMW 335i sedan. Great performance but sterile linear power. Then tested a SAAB AERO Sport Combi. I had fun! Main reason? Big turbo sling shot effect that becomes addictive especially in high gear roll-ons. Like your horse, it took off almost without you as you hang on with only the sound of the wind in your ears. I KNOW how to drive a manual SAAB. SAAB knows that with their unique turbo motor, even with only a hint of turbo lag, a power shifting device a la Ferrari is not the preferred manual changer. It is, by design, rubbery AND magnetic in the way it slips into the slots. That allows for a lazy nonchalant wrist action as it seems to jump into the slots by itself while all I do is point and release in between swooshy turbo lunges: extreme hedonism without sinning, and there is enough real performance to catch even the raciest mounts off guard. Yes it does thrash about, expecially with my aftermarket 19 inch wheels, but the body still impresses me with anvil-like solidity. Brakes need breaking in about 3000-5000 miles before you feel their strength. Torque in all gears means if I forget what gear I came out of, I just put it in 5th or 6th and I can still scoot while dragging home at 3AM with one eye open . Slipping the clutch at slow speeds and speed bump crawls produces an addictive smooth 12 cylinderesque murmurs and burbles, while stomping on it from still on a green light sounds like a low base range frantic devouring thunder clap.

My car

1.9TiD Vector Auto Hirsch, purchased @ £16K all up with 7K on the clock from a Saab Dealer. Now done 15K. This car sounds like a diesel when cold at slow pace, but becomes much smoother when warm and over 40mph. My friend's BMW is smoother, as are diesel Audis, but that because their engine is longitudinal, and it's more difficuilt to NVH the sideways Saab.

Ride/ handling- sufficiently quick and grippy without being too hard- you can have fun and only real perfomance cars outsmart me. Seats best in the business and equipment levels great for the price, however I put speakers in the empty spaces in the doors as the Vector hasn't got the full speaker kit compared to the Sport and you can tell the difference.

As an Auto it gives 36MPG in town driving, but can get 44 on a run. No faults yet. I can drive this car all day and still come away fresh. As my friend spent £27K on a Beemer (for something only slightly better), I'm felling pretty good! Get one!

My car

This Saab was a replacement for my 1.9 diesel Renault Grand Scenic. I have had it for 6 months and covered almost 5000 miles. As mine is the family car, a large boot and quality interior were essential - and I didn't want another Mummymobile, so only the 150 Sport would do.

I have to say the engine isn't as powerful as I'd have expected - I also drive an Alfa GT 1.9 diesel which is noticeably quicker, especially from a standing start - and despite the 'Sport' moniker the Saab still handles like an estate, which can be challenging on bendy or slippery roads.

I'm averaging about 38mpg for urban/extra urban driving which is acceptable. The stereo (spec upgrade) is very loud and clear. Despite other comments re interior plastics everything is wearing well so far, although my son has chewed one of the leather door trims(!)

My only bug bear is the pricing; on a £25k car I don't expect to pay extra for colour coded door handles or cargo nets, and the sunroof and roofbars were expensive compared with the much larger ones added to my Renault.

To sum up, this is a beautiful looking family estate - despite the rear lamp cluster - and GM motors didn't ruin it with excessive chrome trim (see current 9-5 Estate) before I got to own one. It drives well, is very comfortable, has plenty of space and is good value for money - although as ever owners will lose out on resale values.