Looking for a new car, not wanting to go much over £3k. It needs to be and strong, enough to pull a caravan and sit 3 in the back comfortably. Would normally be looking at an estate (replacing a V40) but have now been thinking about the Saabs, prob 2 litre, due to everyday fuel costs. They are hatchbacks aren't they? albeit big ones. Any opinions / ideas?
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SAABs
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Posted 1 year ago #
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you can get a 9-5 estate.
lovely, generally reliable, motors but parts when you need them are at the higher end of the market.
(still miss my 'classic' 900 turbo)
Posted 1 year ago # -
Does the estate work the same as the coupe? If i was going to estates, it would open a wider range. But i hadn't considered saab estates, yest the 900 turbo was lovely, had one for a few months, but my 96 was the real classic
Posted 1 year ago # -
Bulkhead cracks increasingly common on the types you are considering (hatch)
Posted 1 year ago # -
the one thing I would say is fuel economy isn't all that!!
I've got a 9-5 estate, On a motorway run I can get 35-38mpg but round town it never gets any better than 24mpg, and thats the 2.0 petrol.
the 9-3 is a hatch (at the price/age you're looking at) and they are big. Servicing is fine if you find a good indi.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I've had a 56 plate 93 saloon for about 6 months, and I love it.
In 1.9 diesel (150 bhp) guise its plenty powerful and I average around 45 mpg.
Re parts/servicing, I've found these very reasonable from a good indie specialist (simply SAAB in bristol, others are available!). I am, however, comparing it with a massively expensive previous car.
Hth
Posted 1 year ago # -
the 93 hatch is looking better then? What is the difference between the 93 and the 95?
Posted 1 year ago # -
From memory quite abit. The 93 hatch (your taking the old hatch? as the later 9-3's are saloon or estate) are heavily Vectra-based.
Whereas the later versions have heavily revised/SAAB-own redesigned GM floorpans.
Posted 1 year ago # -
the 93 hatch wasn't based on the vectra thats the saloon version, They are an updated 900 just as the older 95 are an updated 9000.
Posted 1 year ago # -
This one? http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/saab/9-3-1998/?
Says the 900 was Cavalier-based(!) and the 9-3 hatch is Vectra-derived. Im sure of it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Love my 93 Aero HOT, getting a bit old now but in no hurry to change, huge boot and fast, probably a bit too fast for a front wheel drive.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I got rid of my '99 9-3 about a year ago (got a 9-3 estate now). I miss that car, it was great. Handling was a bit rubbish, but the turbo was fab.
Loads of room in the back, really comfortable, quiet, solid feeling, a right mile muncher on the motorway. Quite juicy - about 30mpg iirc.
Quite expensive when things went wrong, but they hardly did.
Ignition rail was the pricey one. Went at about 80K miles.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I had a black one like DezBs. Turbo started smoking at 90k so I got rid. Had just changed the brakes to get it through MOT which was £900 from an independant. Heater controls can be a problem, non-elec dials can seize. Super car though, Id have another.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I have a '98 9-3 hatch, 2 litre turbo
+'s:
cheap
nice seats
good overtaking pace (full pressure turbo)
looks nice IMO
easy to work on (basic!)
massive hatch boot
good in the snow-'s:
poor economy (27mpg country & city - 32ish motorway)
handling is "interesting" - better since I beefed up the rear anti roll bar but still not a patch on anything decent
ropey stereooverall I think they are nice cars, but then I only need to commute by car once a week, if economy is required - look elsewhere!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm not fixed on the SAABs but, the big hatchy boot was a winner. Who else does this? I was trying to avoid getting another estate, which is basically what i need, just the SAAB hatches seemed to give mea best of both worlds. Economy is an issue, i do about 50-60 miles mainly motorway / A-road each day. But it also needs to be big enough to pull the caravan and seat kids and stuff
Posted 1 year ago # -
Let's face it, anything Vectra based isn't going to be too impressive in the handling department, is it?
Posted 1 year ago # -
if i'd had a bit more money i would have gone with a skoda octavia - hatch, fast (1.8t), better economy & decent handing (apparently)
Posted 1 year ago # -
Hora is right. The 900 was cavalier based. None the less, I really liked mine. Very comfy, quiet and huge boot with the seats down (much bigger than a v40). Around town fuel consumption and parts were the down side. Check it's had a clutch if you're buying one.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I had a 52 plate, 93 Aero HOT, 2 door.
Acceleration was fantastic, but fuel consumption was terrible, usually averaging about 24mpg. Torque steer was....erm....exciting.
Nice car but far too expensive to run.
Now I have an Alfa 156 1.9JTD estate. Almost as quick, much nicer in the corners and 50-55mpg average.
Posted 1 year ago #
Topic Closed
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