Love my SAAB, which in all reality is really a saabaru. 2002 9-3 convertible–but not even working right now. It has the starter “module” malfunctioning, so it’s not even driveable at this point. We’ve back-ordered the part. I hope it will come in soon. It’s just not right to use a key on the steering wheel column or a push-button starter. Want my SAABie back and working!!
Where’d you get that idea? It’s built around the GM Sigma platform and shares most of its running gear with the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra.
The (US-only) 9-2 was based around the Subaru Impreza platform.
I once had a SAAB 900, 1984 I think. Really it was my wife’s. Horrible, horrible car. I couldn’t stand to drive it; compared to it a Ford Explorer felt like a Porsche. A million things went wrong with it. At one point, if you turned on the headlights the windshield wipers stopped working. The cruise control once locked up so that I was going down the highway with my foot hard on the brake to keep the car from going up to 90.
One morning I left home and told my wife that if that car was still there when I got back, I was leaving her (this was hyperbole, BTW). There was a new Corolla wagon in the driveway that evening.
Lord I hated that car.
eh, then keep you Bang and Olafuson stuff away from your office. I was knocking your comparison: Saab ain’t the car equivalent of BO, your buddy’s dad’s Bentley is.
I’ll be a sour data-point. I’ve been struggling for a few years now with our 2002 Saab 95 Arc wagon. It has been a chronic maintenance nightmare, particularly with the electronics and sensors. It is only 50k miles. Among the list of recent problems:
Bad crank sensor (causing a couple of freeway breakdowns and tow-trucks)
Bad air compressor and sensor (causing failed emissions checks, finally got a kind mechanic to approve a waiver)
Buggy dash trip computer, doesn’t save data and crashes during driving.
Bad breakers/regulators to headlights, burning out bulbs every few weeks.
…and already have been through new pump and coolant system, and was recently told the transmission was a ticking major repair. Our specialist mechanic bluntly said that the electronics/computer on this model are know to be garbage. Hopefully we we sell it or trade it in before then. Literally every time it comes back from the dealer or shop (and we’ve been to a few different ones), a week or two later the “engine fault” light comes on as it throws yet another fault code.
I don’t know if this is typical, or if I’ve just been dealt a lemon, but this car has not been fun.
I had a 1994 9000 model, for 11 months. It was pretty much a lead sled, as it was equipped with an automatic and A/C. The car itself was OK, it was the repair/maintainence that was huge-an the parts were very expensive.
Most SAAB owners find independent shops-because the dealers are astronomical.
I have this 2005 9-2X Aero. It is a sweet car and I enjoy the heck out of it. The only money I have to spend on it is for switching summer to winter tires (which isn’t much, because my winter tires are on their own wheels and rims), and regular scheduled maintenance every 8000 km. The windscreen is expensive and when chips are sustained they need to be dealt with immediately, or cracks will grow rapidly. I have replaced one windscreen via insurance and broke even on the amortized cost.
Saab “service centres” can be horrible. Ours has improved gradually over the years in terms of actual service provided (i.e. timely response, length of time to complete work), but I filled out many a service survey negatively.
My car’s ignition is located in the steering column. Perhaps I don’t know what I’m missing in terms of transcendent ignition experience :dubious:, but I’ve always found Saab enthusiasts’ focus on this “feature” well, ridiculous.