Driving a Saab

There is a 57 reg Saab estate (9-3 1.9 TiD) for sale that looks beautiful. Low mileage; excellent condition; etc., etc.

What are they like? A friend had a cabriolet, and it seemed lovely, but that’s of hardly an import if one is interested in buying.

If something does go wrong with them, what would it be like to source parts now, considering they have never exactly been ubiquitous?

What’s ‘low mileage’?

Remember to do the MOT online history check, cross reference with the service book date/mileages and condition etc

You MUST price in a cambelt change into the purchase and get it done after sale at a garage of your choice.

As a car? I’ve got a bigger engine petrol one. It’s a crying shame what GM did to Saab whereas Volvo luckily found a decent owner.

I have a 120Bhb 93 saloon.

It’s adequately quick does over 50mpg I like it

It needs a flywheel though it’s rattling it’s tits off.

I’ve put 9k on it in 7 months and I’d buy another which is a glowing recommendation from me.

I have an ’07 1.9 tdi which has no end of engine problems at 80k miles with a new cam belt at 70k. Incredibly comfortable and am going to miss it but it’s gonna have to go. Yours for £1500…

Edit. This isn’t an ad. Not sure I could live with myself selling this pile of problems to a fellow STWer.

We had an 07 9-3 Sportswagen for about 6 years. Lovely car, nice to drive, lots of extras on the model we had. My parents had the car off us and are still driving it, they really like it too.

The missus had an 06 1.9 TDi a few years back. Fair amount of car for the money. ICE was a PITA to use as completely unintuitive. And a lot of things went wrong with it. See one of my posts from about 2 years ago.

ICE was a PITA to use as completely unintuitive.

Alpine, by any chance?

Fairly easy to service, as it is a GM car. I loved my 9-3 Tdi coupe – such a safe place to be too. I was T-boned by a lorry, with no noticeable change inside the car, but a write-off.

Lots of the Saab dealers stayed open to service cars.

Neo brothers sell most parts online.

If you join UKSaabs website you can get all the advice you need plus lots of members around the country have Tech2 diagnostic machines that they’ll happily run on your car for a cuppa and a biscuit.

The last 9-3 was a “£35k car being sold for £25k” so they were pretty decent.

THe 1.9 TiD needed a cambelt at 72k/8yrs up to ’07 or 90k/5yrs onwards. The water pump MUST be changed at the same time (or sooner) as they fail prematurely.

No personal experience of the 1.9 TiD. It’s a Fiat derived unit IIRC – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

SaxonRider – I think you’re in Cardiff?

There’s a good independent specialist somewhere just off Rover way – servicing/maintenance would be no issue.

I had 2 9-3s, and loved them. Mate still has a 9-3 Aero, that he’s trying to justify getting rid of, but it’s lovely, and he can’t bring himself to get shot of a car that’s never let him down in 75000 miles…

I have a 2004 9-5 Aero estate and it goes like shite off a shovel. Love it for overtaking and the seats are so comfortable

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/saab-me-up

The 1.9Fiat unit is in LOTS of commercial and cars. That can’t be a bad thing. However VAG fans will tell you Italian and French etc engines are less reliable than German.

anyone want to buy a Saab 9-5 aero hot estate? Goes like STINK (they really are bonkers quick) but the the heater system is leaking water into the car on some settings. I don’t have time or inclination to fix it.

MOT til November. 2002 car fully loaded, 165k located in Worthing – £400, come take advantage of my lack of time.

James