Looking for a secondhand estate up to around 9K to replace the SMax, as the van has replaced the family utility vehicle role and I’m doing a lot more motorway miles now the business has moved. It’ll slot in between the van and the wifes golf.

Have a nice list of the usual suspects (passat, 5/3 series in the main looing at my saved list) but a Saab 9-3 Sportwagon has dropped in from a dealer I trust which looks like it might fit the bill. The don’t really exist anymore do they, but is this a barrier to owning it for say the next 4 years?

EDIT: aaaaand once again it’s in the bike forum due to ‘unrememberance’ or ‘disreading’ – please let this one die queitly and with dignity.

The possible lack of spares is worth looking in to. I had a 9000s, really liked it……….

As a Mazda 6 Estate owner I wouldn’t buy a SAAB. Recent SAABs were just re-badged something else, weren’t they? Vectra or Accord?

re-badged something else, weren’t they? Vectra

Yay! Saab thread bingo!

I love my Saab 9-5 turbo aero because its moooooorrrrr AERO and goes like absolute hot sh*t off a shovel.

Cracked bulkhead problems on the 9-3?

Later Saabs (likely to be one you’re looking at) had lots of General Motors DNA, and the key thing with later models is that the petrol turbo engines were no longer lovely Saab made units but GM Ecotec, and the diesels were mainly Fiat units. Saab had shared platforms with GM for ages, but rather than being ‘re-badged’ they had much higher quality parts all round, and I think this was less the case nearer the end.

Not too bad car really and spares won’t be a problem, but there are probably better ways to spend >£9k i’d have thought!

During the GM era Saab used the GM cars as a starting point and heavily re-engineered them. I work with a guy who has one of the last 95s which is loosely based on a vauxhall insignia, it feels more a competitor for a similar age BMW than one of the major brands like ford.

Specifically the diesel twin turbo ‘X’ which I believe is 4 wheel drive? 2010 TTiD X SportWagon.

The main issue at the moment for me is the ‘toys’ seem a bit low rent (it’s actually only A2DP I care about really) and the space (boot and back seats) isn’t quite up there with an equivalent BMW or Passat. It’ll do family duty when the full load (5 people with bikes & boards & tent) isn’t needed.

As a left field option, and living on the crappiest roads in England (TM) it’s quite appealing. But have to weigh that against it being a royal PITA.

Had a 58 plate 93 vector sport TTiD that I took up to 80,000. I wouldn’t buy another. Was reliable enough except the alternator which died every 20,000 or so. Known issue with the under powered gm alternator.
Engine was powerful enough and got good mpg. Interior and especially the seats were lovely. Poor sound proofing, wallowy suspension and a very heavy front end meant it didn’t handle well. Other than that, it was alright.

I have one of these – a 93X on a 10 plate. I picked it up for £8k last November with 58k on the clock. It’s a 93 SportWagon raised by about 35mm and trimmed with arch protectors and skid plate to move it into that quasi-SUV class.

It is a superb motor. Comfy, well equipped cabin, massive boot and the 1.9 twin turbo diesel gives it 180bhp which is nicely delivered through its 6-speed box. Motorway overtaking is an absolute joy. It came with some crappy Landsail tyres which I replaced with Michelin Cross Climates. A MASSIVE improvement in feel.
I love the Saab brand – have done since my teens. I know my 93X is GM platform but it’s still got Saab idiosyncrasies and quirks and the griffin badge. The GM link means spares are not an issue so an upside there.
Go for it brassneck.
And as for residual value – I couldn’t give a hoot. Cars cost in lots of ways. C’est la vie.

Recent SAABs were just re-badged something else, weren’t they? Vectra or Accord?

You are a ware how modern car manufacturing works? Do you think every manufacturer makes their cars from unique parts?

Friend has had saabs for a few years, really likes them. I’m sure parts won’t be an issue for quite some time.

If you care about resale value, there’s a good reason not to buy one.

Saab owners seem to be either solidly rose tinted or very loyal. My late 9-5 is an alright car, but the main reason I bought it was because it was very cheap compared to competitors. A similar 5 series tourer/VW etc would have cost a good couple of grand more. The depreciation isn’t as much of an issue when you’re only spending £2.5k, but when you’re spending double that or more, then it’s something to consider.

Other than that, despite being a Vectra in a dress (it really is, you find this out when replacing all the invariable knackered rubbery/squishy bits on a 9-5) it’s just another car. Buying one to be different would seem a bit daft when there are other cars with more compelling reasons to buy. Spares are easy to come by though.

Something in my mind is saying there’s something to be wary of on the TTiD, but I can’t remember what it was :/

As a Mazda 6 Estate owner I wouldn’t buy a SAAB. Recent SAABs were just re-badged something else, weren’t they? Vectra or Accord?

It’s fascinating when people post advice from (as he admits himself) a position of complete ignorance!

As a Mazda 6 Estate owner I wouldn’t buy a SAAB

er, what has owning a Mazda 6 got to do with anything?

Recent SAABs were just re-badged something else, weren’t they? Vectra or Accord?

Not a re-badge, but they do share parts with the Vectra (not the Honda Accord). Do you think that is a reason not to buy? You know your Mazda 6 (depending on age) shares a lot with a Ford Mondeo?

Thanks derek, perfect. This one has an auto box which is also a bit of an advantage for the start / stop crawl into Reading. May God have mercy on my soul. Think its just gone to the top of the list, as you say the GM parts may actually be an advantage. Not bothered about resale, I’ve never really done well enough in the past to think that’ll change (apart from the Lotus, bought ragged for 4 years and sold for what I paid for it)

Not a re-badge, but they do share parts with the Vectra

That’s a bad thing

You know your Mazda 6 (depending on age) shares a lot with a Ford Mondeo?

Yeah, but that’s a good thing!

That’s a bad thing

Why is it a bad thing? I had a vectra for years, did about 100,000 miles in it, never had an issue, very very reliable car.

SWIRL FLAPS!

That’s it – don’t know what the incidence of failure is like, but I remember reading tales of failure, ingestion and subsequent engine mashing.
Other thing was water pump – reputation for seizing and snapping the cambelt.

Why is it a bad thing? I had a vectra for years, did about 100,000 miles in it, never had an issue, very very reliable car.

Because if you care about the driving experience, they’re not exactly top notch compared to their competitors (for instance, Mondeo, 3 series). Amongst their contemporaries there were far, far better options.

I see your anecdotal evidence and counter it with the fact my neighbour’s one was a basket case 😀

Because if you care about the driving experience, they’re not exactly top notch

Couldn’t care less, I wasn’t paying for it.

Because if you care about the driving experience, they’re not exactly top notch compared to their competitors (for instance, Mondeo, 3 series). Amongst their contemporaries there were far, far better options.

While it’s true the Vectra is/was pretty horrible, this is missing the point somewhat, as the original post did not know which car the Saab was borrowing from!

Love everyone getting in a hissy fit about the re-badging comments.

I’d be made up if my Mazda 6 shares parts with a Mondeo, they are decent cars that drive pretty well too.

Has no one pointed out architects drive them yet?

Don’t see any hissy fits, its just posts informing someone of the facts who is quite clearly clueless 🙂

I’d be made up if my Mazda 6 shares parts with a Mondeo, they are decent cars that drive pretty well too.

You’re easily pleased.

Ah, a smiley face.

Clueless isn’t correct. I’d go for “uninformed about now defunct car brands that I haven’t owned not ever wanted to own”. I’m not that easily pleased as a rule, but in the business of second cars to carry bikes in my 6 or the Mondeo are both pretty decent.

My Vectra lasted 80k before a terminal CPU failure killed it. Before it died it wasn’t a bad car to drive. I’ve owned worse

I think a lot of the Vectra hating is just snobbery.

I’d be made up if my Mazda 6 shares parts with a Mondeo, they are decent cars that drive pretty well too.

And I’d be way happier if the Saab shared with a Vectra than a Mondeo as my Ford has cost me more to keep on the road than any other car I’ve owned. But again, case study of one … but it creates a personal bias that I won’t touch Ford again. Not bothered about driving experience, my pre marriage and children cars spoilt me for life really 😀 – a pipe and slippers holder would be a positive advantage.

Love everyone getting in a hissy fit about the re-badging comments.

I’d be made up if my Mazda 6 shares parts with a Mondeo, they are decent cars that drive pretty well too.

The point being you didn’t know what either car was ‘re-badged’ from! 😆

Serious question (and not a dig)…..why bother posting when you clearly don’t really know what you are talking about (acknowledged by yourself in the post)? Obviously not a question of being ‘allowed’ to post, but rather why you feel the need to when you clearly are not contributing anything useful? Again, this is not a dig, just interested to understand the thinking behind it.

Ah, a smiley face.

Not sure what you mean?

Clueless isn’t correct. I’d go for “uninformed about now defunct car brands that I haven’t owned not ever wanted to own”.

But you own a Mazda 6, not a defunct model, and you don’t know its ‘heritage’ either so clueless is pretty apt (would insert smiley face here normally)

I’d go for “uninformed about now defunct car brands that I haven’t owned not ever wanted to own”

Then why post? Hard to argue that you are not discussing from a position of ignorance (call it uninformed if you like, but it adds up to the same thing).

I’ve always liked them – people talk about “driving experience” like they were thrown together randomly and drive terribly – they don’t, they’re just not German, they are designed first and foremost for driving, on roads, like normal people, going normal places. If you want a car that’s finely balanced for ultimate control ‘at the limit’ for your 23mph average speed commute buy something German, they don’t ride as well, their gearing is more about 0-60 than say 30-70 like, well anything that’s not German might be.

I’d have a look on a SAAB forum, there’s bound to be one, for any specific faults or issues.

They’re not rebranded Vauxhalls, not in the way a Ibiza is a rebranded Polo etc – they used the same basic engines as the Vauxhall range but generally given more thought to longevity and real world drivability, the same goes for the rest of the car really.

Of course SAAB doesn’t exist anymore sadly, so no dealer support – but as the newest ones will be 5 years old now anyway – so it’s unlikely they would have been much use anyway.

Aren’t they all just rebadged Triumph Dolomite’s (sic). With the skew whiff cylinder head bolts and the warping and the cracking.

Driving experience?? LOL! So there are cars that can clear all the other twonks in their cars and lorries off the road are there?? That’s the only thing that could improve this so called ‘driving experience’ for me.

I think a lot of the Vectra hating is just snobbery.

I’ve had two Vectra C), an Elite and a poverty spec one. I wouldn’t say they’re hateful exactly, just uninspiring. Lots of little niggles, like having to retune the DAB radio every ten miles, or the door pockets just big enough to hold a couple of razor blades and a cheese slice. I wouldn’t have another by choice.

Bring back the Cavalier, I say.

little niggles, like having to retune the DAB radio every ten miles, or the door pockets just big enough to hold a couple of razor blades and a cheese slice.

But they’re amongst the bits that definitely aren’t Vectra on a Saab! 😉

Point of possible importance to the OP: The 93X is front wheel drive only.

The petrol version is AWD. And very thirsty.

I think a lot of the Vectra hating is generated by Clarkson era Top Gear just snobbery.

The same team who then did a large segment on Saab and how the GM car was just the start point for a wholesale re-engineering that pissed the GM bean counters off no end.

You’ve got £9k to spend on an estate, you seem to like things Swedish (well, Saab at least) – so what’s your reason for not having considered a V70 ?

For example: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201703243628920

Aren’t they all just rebadged Triumph Dolomite’s (sic). With the skew whiff cylinder head bolts and the warping and the cracking.

I’d go for “uninformed about now defunct car brands that I haven’t owned not ever wanted to own”

Then why post? Hard to argue that you are not discussing from a position of ignorance (call it uninformed if you like, but it adds up to the same thing).

And again! 😉

The whole re-engineered GM-thing is a tad rose-tinted IMO. I’ve owned 11 Saabs ( 3 GM era ) my last was a 9-5 Aero estate. The swedes did do an amazing job with the Vectra chassis and despite it’s issues, the old slant four engine was astounding, but a lot of parts were straight-up GM stamped stuff. Trying to order discs & pads, I found that in one year alone, 3 different types of Vectra / Omega sourced rear caliper’s were used. This was one of several issues I had when it came to replacing GM- sourced parts.
Whilst mine was an earlier model, the boys from Detriot ensured that as time went on, more and more corners were cut. The various forums are littered with comments from loyal 9-5 owners questioning the build quality of the later ones. I can only assume the 9-3 suffered the same fate.
With the exception of one, I have fond memories of the 900’s and 9000’s I’ve owned. Not so with the GM era ones.

Btw, the bulkhead snapping was mentioned by one poster. This was on the old ng900 / 93 from ’93 to ’03 and was a legacy of the Cavalier chassis. I suffered this ‘problem’ with one of my 9-3’s in the snow…
So much for Saab re-engineering.