Saab 9-3 (2002->); any experience?

[Fat_Pirate]

Mrs_Pirate's Saab has chewed up it's differential bearings and once again, my driveway is blocked by a dead car.  I've run out of patience with the bastard thing and I'm sacking it off and getting something else.  She has a very specific requirement (4 seat convertible with autobox), so it looks like the most suitable candidate is another fucking Saab, but the later 2002-onwards model.  How bad are these?  It'll be a petrol with about 100K on the clock.

[Stanky]

Fat_pirate - do you mean the YS3F ones? If so I have an ex-Vantman saloon in petrol 1.8t flavour and its a very pleasant place to be. Has been reliable over 40k miles now (97k - 137k) needing only a new alternator as the bearing went iffy. I got the belt and tensioner done at the same time for good measure.

 

Parts are readily available and a lot of stuff is interchangable with Vectra C's so relatively cheap.

 

Happy to let you have a drive of mine at some stage if you wanted to get a feel for one, albeit a tin-top. Mine is auto and changes smoothly and the ratios are good - 70mph is 2200rpm in 5th.

[Guest Hooli]

Was not BV's an auto? if anyone can still get in contact.

[SiC]

I always say, Saabs are actually unreliable. However they get so under your skin after owning one for a while, that you end up spending out to fix them. So they do big miles and last a while because the owners are prepared to throw money at them.

 

However at least they're not as pricey as their German equivalent to repair mind.

[SiC]

If you go for the 9-3, if you want reliability you need to go for the turbo petrol. 1.8t/2.0t/2.0T, they're all the same apart from the engine map, ancillaries and size turbo they've stuck on. 1.8 n/a, 2.2 diesel and 1.9 diesel are GM/Fiat lumps.

[gadgetgricey]

Having just purchased a 2.0T 2003 , I think I have all the problems going....

 

Engine can make a nasty rattling noise this is normally due to the chain tension arm snapping. Leaving the chain tensioner rubbing directly on the chain. (I think/hope this is what wrong with mine) Spent £40 on Vauxhall parts and going to have a go at fixing next month,

Wiper motors/wash wipe can fail. On investigation looks as though its the earth in the wiper motor itself, and there is a fix to add a new earth on the vectra forum.

Front seatbelts are within the seat themselves and can fail. Replacements not available "new" so repair or second hand replace. Believe there is a guy on ebay who repairs them for about £150.

Seat cables breaking so will not tilt forward, believe it can be an arse to fix.

Fuel gauge can stop reading, tank out job to fix.

 

Having owned an earlier 9-3/900 type previously, its just leaps and bounds better, 

Much nicer place to be and as SIC says, just seems to get under your skin.

 

Mine has a few extra faults in addition to the one's as above, but believe those are quite common.

 

Time for a gratuitous picture of the cheap and cheerful

 

 

 

 

[SiC]

By 2006 most of the common faults had been sorted. 2007 on facelift look much sharper and modern nowadays.

[Guest Hooli]

I always say, Saabs are actually unreliable. However they get so under your skin after owning one for a while, that you end up spending out to fix them. So they do big miles and last a while because the owners are prepared to throw money at them.

 

However at least they're not as pricey as their German equivalent to repair mind.

 

I don't believe you....and my car can't hear you.

[SiC]

Just look through the paperwork that I handed you of your one.

[Vantman]

I have had 3 x 9-3s,all were 1.8t,none have suffered the usual problems of broken coil springs,iffy DI cassettes or cranky headlamp washers. I think it's the usual case of buy one with a decent history and do your best to look after it. A sump drop and uprated PCV kit is always a good investment if it hasn't already had one. Stanky purchased one of mine and it seems to be behaving itself. Parts are not a problem,a company by the name of Orio are a good source,i believe they were set up by Saab before they folded.

[pompei]

Mine is a 2006 2.0 turbo which is fugging brilliant!  (Save from a few computer/ECU check issues which were easily resolved by pulling out a couple of fuses and re-inserting)

[SiC]

I have had 3 x 9-3s,all were 1.8t,none have suffered the usual problems of broken coil springs,iffy DI cassettes or cranky headlamp washers. I think it's the usual case of buy one with a decent history and do your best to look after it. A sump drop and uprated PCV kit is always a good investment if it hasn't already had one. Stanky purchased one of mine and it seems to be behaving itself. Parts are not a problem,a company by the name of Orio are a good source,i believe they were set up by Saab before they folded.

Newer 9-3 (2003 on) don't have DI packs or sludging problems as completely different engine to the previous ones. Which is no bad thing not having either!

[Broadsword]

OG 9-3/900 is an infinitely nicer car to sit in. For some reason the 2002-2006 9-3 feels a little cheaper and nastier (not that it really is as such, just I'm biased and hark back to the older Saabs). Anyway another fault to look out for is dash binnacle problems. If you see the speedo sticking or going to some non-zero reading when parked up, walk away.

[Pillock]

BVs was a Manuel.

 

There are other options. Volvo C70? Passat CC?

 

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[Fat_Pirate]

Thanks for all the feedback folks, sounds like there are no really serious inherent faults.

 

Happy to let you have a drive of mine at some stage if you wanted to get a feel for one, albeit a tin-top. Mine is auto and changes smoothly and the ratios are good - 70mph is 2200rpm in 5th.

 

That's a very kind offer, thanks.  Probably going to be buying one on Saturday though, unfortunately it could be this piss-yellow example

 

[SiC]

Incidentally I can dig a link out to the official Saab workshop manual if you need it. Very detailed in repairs and it's "learning" sections are excellent for understanding how modern car electronics and mechanics work.

[Fat_Pirate]

There are other options. Volvo C70? Passat CC?

 

I have considered other stuff, but at this level it's a minefield of dodgy dealers peddling polished turds.  

[rantingYoof]

I had a 2004 2.0 Aero HOT (High Output Turbo).

 

Likes: Amazing engine, 210hp with power available everywhere but particularly WHEN TURBO, comfy seats, made nice noises and cruised effortlessly, could return 40mpg easily if taking it gently

Dislikes: Really cheap feeling interior, hard scratchy plastics etc, surprisingly few standard gadgets/toys on the Aero model, clutch release bearing began to make nasty noises 8 months after I bought it

 

I imagine a lot of that (or all of it) is subjective and it depends what you're after and how much you want to pay. I'd probably look around for a 180hp 2.3T Saab 9-5 which is a slightly higher quality car will probably the best all-round engine for performance.

 

I think it's hard to justify spending more than £1500 on any mid 2000s Saab now unless it's particularly rare. I paid £2000 for my Aero and within six months I was noting that prices were plummeting like the proverbial.

[gadgetgricey]

Incidentally I can dig a link out to the official Saab workshop manual if you need it. Very detailed in repairs and it's "learning" sections are excellent for understanding how modern car electronics and mechanics work.

 

I'd really appreciate this if you can find it, for the issues I'm having...

[SiC]

I don't think the new shape 9-3 ever came as a HOT. Only 1.8t/2.0t/2.0T.

 

On this age, Aero/Vector/Linear/Arc is merely trim level. What you got on each varied greatly between years and even though Aero was supposed to be top, it could be quite spartan. Leather is a must. This age will be the older sound system that isn't easily replaced. Go for at least the one with the little green screen or sat nav (which is shit as a nav). They're all a bit crap but the no screen version of the pre-facelift was awful and had only 4 speakers. Not easily changed unless you have a Tech 2. Green screen + nav radio added an amp under the front passenger seat that often got wet if owner wasn't careful. This caused the whole audio and feedback (Inc indicators and bongs) to stop working. The bodge fix was to connect the in and out cables of the fibre optic cable to the amp together to bypass it and allow the system to work again. This amp powered the front door speakers. So if they don't work, then the amp is probably at fault.

[SiC]

I'd really appreciate this if you can find it, for the issues I'm having...

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=612946

 

WIS = Workshop Information System (manuals)

EPC = Electronic Parts Catalog.

GlobalTis & TIS2000 = software for reprogramming stuff with a Tech2. If you don't have a Tech2 yet, it's worth squirrelling it away as the Chinese supplied versions can be dodgy.

 

Worth installing these on an old laptop or Virtual Machine with Window XP on for it to work properly.

[Guest Hooli]

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=612946

 

WIS = Workshop Information System (manuals)

EPC = Electronic Parts Catalog.

GlobalTis & TIS2000 = software for reprogramming stuff with a Tech2. If you don't have a Tech2 yet, it's worth squirrelling it away as the Chinese supplied versions can be dodgy.

 

Worth installing these on an old laptop or Virtual Machine with Window XP on for it to work properly.

 

It's good shit that & totally agree on XP, it won't even install on W7.

[TwyRob]

 

 

I don't think the new shape 9-3 ever came as a HOT. Only 1.8t/2.0t/2.0T.

 

On this age, Aero/Vector/Linear/Arc is merely trim level. What you got on each varied greatly between years and even though Aero was supposed to be top, it could be quite spartan. Leather is a must. This age will be the older sound system that isn't easily replaced. Go for at least the one with the little green screen or sat nav (which is shit as a nav). They're all a bit crap but the no screen version of the pre-facelift was awful and had only 4 speakers. Not easily changed unless you have a Tech 2. Green screen + nav radio added an amp under the front passenger seat that often got wet if owner wasn't careful. This caused the whole audio and feedback (Inc indicators and bongs) to stop working. The bodge fix was to connect the in and out cables of the fibre optic cable to the amp together to bypass it and allow the system to work again. This amp powered the front door speakers. So if they don't work, then the amp is probably at fault.

Hi, (sorry, I'm lurking from over on uksaabs.co.uk)

 

There was a 2.8T V6 as well. Also, Aero is not just trim level. It was only on 2.0T (they were ALL Aeros) and the 2.8T V6. It was the sporty trim with sports seats, sports chassis but it could be spartan as you describe excellently above without options added. Vectors or latterly Vector Sports were often best equipped but they wouldn't have come with the 2.0T (which was the High Output Turbo equivalent).

 

The V6 was most powerful but the delivery of the power is quite different so a 2 litre Aero is often about as fast in the real world, apart from the AWD V6 models called Turbo X or Carlsson.

 

I will put my beard away now.

 

Rob

 

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[TwyRob]

 

 

I don't think the new shape 9-3 ever came as a HOT. Only 1.8t/2.0t/2.0T.

 

On this age, Aero/Vector/Linear/Arc is merely trim level. What you got on each varied greatly between years and even though Aero was supposed to be top, it could be quite spartan. Leather is a must. This age will be the older sound system that isn't easily replaced. Go for at least the one with the little green screen or sat nav (which is shit as a nav). They're all a bit crap but the no screen version of the pre-facelift was awful and had only 4 speakers. Not easily changed unless you have a Tech 2. Green screen + nav radio added an amp under the front passenger seat that often got wet if owner wasn't careful. This caused the whole audio and feedback (Inc indicators and bongs) to stop working. The bodge fix was to connect the in and out cables of the fibre optic cable to the amp together to bypass it and allow the system to work again. This amp powered the front door speakers. So if they don't work, then the amp is probably at fault.

Hi, (sorry, I'm lurking from over on uksaabs.co.uk)

 

There was a 2.8T V6 as well. Also, Aero is not just trim level. It was only on 2.0T (they were ALL Aeros) and the 2.8T V6. It was the sporty trim with sports seats, sports chassis but it could be spartan as you describe excellently above without options added. Vectors or latterly Vector Sports were often best equipped but they wouldn't have come with the 2.0T (which was the High Output Turbo equivalent).

 

The V6 was most powerful but the delivery of the power is quite different so a 2 litre Aero is often about as fast in the real world, apart from the AWD V6 models called Turbo X or Carlsson.

 

I will put my beard away now.

 

Rob

 

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[rantingYoof]

Yes, the sound system in my pre-facelift was utterly pants.

 

The 2.8 V6 is the one they use in the VXR Vectras/Signums isn't it?

[paulplom]

Bollox saab off and get a volvo c70 cabby. Love mine.

 

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[Ghosty]

E36?

[DSdriver]

When I checked why there was no noise coming from the door speakers on my 9-3 decap I found it was because there was absolutely nothing behind the grilles and never has been.