Saab 9-3

[windy]

Nothing really wrong with a 9-3 it is a very durable car.

Good match of springs and dampers for comfort, good seats, ideal mile eater, but a bit soggy on the handling.

Are you wanting a petrol or diseasel?

Out of the Saab range the best was early 9-5 with the 2.3 HOT engine (red spark plug coil pack & old SAAB engine with their own turbo devt). That would be my choice - ballistic missile when asked. Estate can carry everything you need to.

Bi fuel cars get an extra 30hp when you run them on E85

[Rob Navin]

Thanks for the input guys.

The cars not for me, post redundancy I'm selling rather than buying.

Dad wants to get mum a supprise for her birthday and she has always wanted a saab convertible.

She will be limited millage and is not the fastest any more and not sure she will be bothered about flat cap immage.

I have found a vaery well loaded 9-3 with average millage at what I think is the right price hence the questions.  

If he goes down this road I will make sure we are checking tyres ( rear ) and inside build quality ).

Anything else ?

Thanks again for the help so far

Rob

[SteveD]

Thanks for the input guys.

The cars not for me, post redundancy I'm selling rather than buying.

Dad wants to get mum a supprise for her birthday and she has always wanted a saab convertible.

She will be limited millage and is not the fastest any more and not sure she will be bothered about flat cap immage.

I have found a vaery well loaded 9-3 with average millage at what I think is the right price hence the questions.  

If he goes down this road I will make sure we are checking tyres ( rear ) and inside build quality ).

Anything else ?

Thanks again for the help so far

Rob

bev had a conertible rob for about 8 months ,she loved it ,they suffer scuttle shake though really bad even at low speed ,though im sure 99% of people overlook this when the roofs down , i remember sitting in the back and putting my fingers between the quarter panel trim and door trim and i could feel it sqaushing my fingers when she was driving there is that much movement in the chasis  

[Fat Albert]

Pah, 9.3 is a Vectra in a Gypsy wedding party frock

Has the same relationship to real Saabs as the Jaguar X type had to real Jaguars, only without the quality of the Mundano donor

[windy]

Electric roof check it works through the full operation. Theres a few sensors in the system that each in turn register the next step in the sequence. If they play up the roof usually stops part way. Check also the luggage flap works. When you have the boot full of luggage there is nowhere for the roof to stow so the sensor stops it working.

Scuttle shake is always evident on the 9-3 covertible. The previous 9-3 viggen cars were terribly floppy chassis' I remember if you raised them on a hoist sometimes you couldn't get the doors closed if they were in the air.

New 9-3 convertible very well built. Assembled at steyr - same plant as merc SLK and porsche boxster I recall so quality was very good.

[scott beeland]

Scuttle shake is always evident on the 9-3 covertible. The previous 9-3 viggen cars were terribly floppy chassis' I remember if you raised them on a hoist sometimes you couldn't get the doors closed if they were in the air.

How is that allowed to happen? Isn't it something that should have been spotted at design stage?

[Jumpjet]

Biggest problem with early 9-3s is the front coil springs. They tend to snap after about 50,000 miles. Later models don't seem to be affected.

Wife is on her third Saab, now has a 1.9tdi convertible with a Hirsch power upgrade. The torque is tremedous, gives you a fantastic sense of speed for about two seconds before you have to change gear. Can't say I've noticed any scuttle shake.

Headlights on dipped beam leave a lot to be desired.