View Full Version : Picked up my 9-7x
matt221
24-05-05, 02:20 AM
I just picked up my 9-7x Linear today. I haven’t had a lot of time to drive it yet. Here’s some pictures
Raven18940
24-05-05, 02:51 AM
Yay, someone finally owns one. *thumbs up* The video screen looks neat, does it swing down from the celling or sort of drop down. :confused:
apzer09
24-05-05, 02:53 AM
A BIG congrats to you! One of the (if not the) first owners of the 9-7x on SaabCentral! Hope you do get a lot of time to drive it and enjoy it! :D
matt221
24-05-05, 03:12 AM
You manually swing down the DVD from the ceiling. Saab also provides 2 wireless headphones and a remote. There’s also an air compressor in the trunk with an air hose and attachments for blowing up a tire or pool raft.
My vehicle has been at the dealer for about a week. There was some type of invoicing problem at GM and they couldn’t release the invoices to the dealers.
SaabScott
24-05-05, 03:19 AM
That's great news Matt ... please provide as much info on your reviews as you can stand!;)
Melovesha
24-05-05, 03:42 AM
I am actually in MI on biz and am driving an '05 Trailblazer...
from the looks of all the photos, the Saab is a VAST improvement on the interior... and as another 2 cents, the Trailblazer kicks the Explorer's butt! what a POS the Explorer is... no wonder it's $220 a month!!!
just my opinion.
:L
wolverinewizard
24-05-05, 05:17 AM
Congrats! I personally think it's a great vehicle. Let us know how the owner's experience is! :cheesy:
Congrats and welcome. I hoped you like it. I think GM did an amazing job injecting Saab DNA in it. It looked mean.
SaabKen
24-05-05, 05:17 PM
Woohoo, congrats Matt. Are you the first on SaabCentral ?
Vector6
24-05-05, 05:43 PM
Congrats on getting the 9-7X. Dealers in Denver still don't have them...odd. Anyway, this is my first post. Wife has an 01 9-5, I have an 03 9-3 Vector 6-sp (now Aero). It replaced my old 94 900SE and blew away everything else I test drove (Audi, BMW, etc). So the reason for my post...we need a bigger car, with one toddler and another on the way. We've been looking at wagons and SUVs and I am intrigued by the 9-7, despite some of the things Iwish they had done differently. I'm curious if you bought or leased and what kind of pricing you received. Also, has anyone heard anything about safety tests for this "new" vehicle? I'm hoping SAAB was able to bolster the scores of the Trailblazer.
Thanks for any and all feedback.
boomerbman
24-05-05, 06:26 PM
Nice... The 3 Saab dealers near me (IL - 25 miles west of Chicago) all report heavy call volumes and the 9-7s they get leave quickly and at sticker. The one by me sold 2 on 5/14 and are trying to get more. I took my 9-5 in for a wash 5/21 (looking for a 9-7) and there was a guy and 2 married couples asking about 9-7s also. I was a big skeptic, but after seeing it in person, it grew on me and I hope it does well for Saab's sake. Matt221 - is the handling as buttoned-down as claimed? Does it look/feel lower? More pics please.
Regards,
Boomer
Cojoroh
24-05-05, 07:03 PM
i've never had a thing for trailblazers, but my friend bought one about a year ago and i have to say, it's pretty nice. the interior is subpar in my opinion...huge panel gaps, ugly grain pattern on dash, color is poorly matched between dash and door panels. to me, it doesn't matter whether it's a hyndai or a saab, the color should match reasonably. but the trailblazer's inlike 6 is a gem. quite powerful and buttery smooth. my '04 SS shakes at idle, almost feels like it's missing, but it's not. the '03 i had as well as the loaners i've gotten have done it. to me, that's unacceptable for any make, let alone a $30k saab.
ibut the trailblazer's inlike 6 is a gem. quite powerful and buttery smooth.
Ya, the I-6 and I-5 are supposedly very nice. Now, hook up a turbo to that thing, and you could be eating overweight V8s for lunch.
ApolloBoy
24-05-05, 07:19 PM
Gee, I guess the 9-7x appears to be better than I thought it would be! Let's hope that Saab does something about the interior, it's still very TrailBlazer-ish.
Mattlach
24-05-05, 08:18 PM
I'm hoping SAAB was able to bolster the scores of the Trailblazer.
Thanks for any and all feedback.
They probably improved the rollover safety rating somewhat by lowering it and widening its stance a little.
I think I remember reading that it had more airbags in it than the standard trailblazer as well, but I could be wrong.
Apart from that I don't think there is much they can do.
Since it is based off of a rigid truck frame, its impossible to implement crumple zones which are essential to vehicle safety.
No offense to the poster of this thread, or anyone else, but quite simply, any SUV is an unwise choice, despite what your family size is...
From an ethics standpoint of how much more damage they do to other vehicles in the case of an accident, it's - in my opinion - almost morally indefensible to drive one.
Besides, who needs an SUV for only two kids? I'm one of 4 siblings, and as kids we had a Volvo 740 station wagon (the kind with the folding rearward facing seats in the back.) We travelled all across Europe in it :p
edit:
If any of you want to read more about my feelings on SUV's (why would you?)here's a little editorial (http://members.cox.net/forgreatjustice/saabcentral/SUV.html) I wrote on the subject a while back...
Vector6
24-05-05, 10:06 PM
I don't disagree with you about SUVs. it's a bit of a pi**ing war, really. We had one in LA strictly to defend ourselves against the mass all around us on the freeway. You cannot argue with mass vs mass. Is it a sad trend? You bet. But I'm not gonna be the pioneer in the Mini who gets squashed by a Ford Explosion or Lincoln Nauseator. Since leaving Hell-A, two Saab sedans. Efficient and safe. I would've replaced the 9-5 sedan with a 9-5 wagon in a heartbeat if not for the very oudated design (yes, a facelift is coming. But it won't add curtain airbags, which are important - and so readily available it seems stupid to buy a new car without them). We've driven the XC70 wagon and may head in that direction - the AWD is nice for skiing, though with good winter tires a SAAB really pulls. Really, clearance matters more. My Vector sits so low I cannot drive in deep snow - no problem with traction after putting on 17" all seasons, but the snow pile in the middle of the street plows up all over the front of the car, blurring visibility and wreaking havoc on the body skirt.
Now I'll read your manifesto.
apzer09
25-05-05, 12:17 AM
The way I see it, Saab did everything it could to make the 9-7x safer. There are standard curtain airbags, and they probably forced GM to stick a rollover sensor in there because it is necessary and so they can compete with Volvo. True, there probably aren't any changes to the structure, but with its lower center of gravity, wider tires, and sharper steering and suspension, the chances of you avoiding a serious accident improve greatly.
Of course there's that stupid old myth that if you buy a faster car you can avoid an accident. That's what sold my grandmother a 9000 turbo, and later a 900 turbo. :roll:
SaabKen
25-05-05, 12:27 AM
Now you got a cool grandma !
Mattlach
25-05-05, 12:40 AM
Of course there's that stupid old myth that if you buy a faster car you can avoid an accident. That's what sold my grandmother a 9000 turbo, and later a 900 turbo. :roll:
Meh.. I wouldn't say that it necessarily is a complete myth...
Truth is most faster cars are also equipped to be better handling, and thus more able to avoid accidents.
I've avoided at least one accident in my 9-5 Aero I know for certain I never would have been able to in my old car, a Mercury Sable. (big cardboard box containing dishwasher on highway)
Krg05-9-3
25-05-05, 12:45 AM
Nice! I like it. I may have my mom look into one of these soon, she's been half-heartedly car shopping for about a year and hasn't found her match. Maybe this will work.
apzer09
25-05-05, 02:26 AM
Nice! I like it. I may have my mom look into one of these soon, she's been half-heartedly car shopping for about a year and hasn't found her match. Maybe this will work.
From experience, moms (and grandmas) love Saabs
:cheesy:
I was also doing some informal research and it appears that there still isn't a 9-7x in the state of California. Four of them said "any day now" and two of them weren't expecting any until July :o Man, are they slow to get out of the factory!
matt221
25-05-05, 07:40 PM
Here are a few more pictures
Here are a few more pictures
Cool. Not to criticize, but the seats don't look like they have a ton of side-bolster -- presumably calibrated for American girth :D -- do you find that to be the case?
Mattlach
25-05-05, 09:18 PM
Cool. Not to criticize, but the seats don't look like they have a ton of side-bolster -- presumably calibrated for American girth :D -- do you find that to be the case?
The way big SUV's corner, do you really think you need side bolster? :p
The way big SUV's corner, do you really think you need side bolster? :p
LOL. Well..I'm a certifiable maniac. But then again, a good reason I shouldn't be behind the wheel of an SUV. :) I do throw my OB XT around with abandon, and am happy that the seats keep me nice and snug, even if the suspension lets me down from time to time.
They probably improved the rollover safety rating somewhat by lowering it and widening its stance a little.
I think I remember reading that it had more airbags in it than the standard trailblazer as well, but I could be wrong.
Apart from that I don't think there is much they can do.
Since it is based off of a rigid truck frame, its impossible to implement crumple zones which are essential to vehicle safety.
No offense to the poster of this thread, or anyone else, but quite simply, any SUV is an unwise choice, despite what your family size is...
From an ethics standpoint of how much more damage they do to other vehicles in the case of an accident, it's - in my opinion - almost morally indefensible to drive one.
Besides, who needs an SUV for only two kids? I'm one of 4 siblings, and as kids we had a Volvo 740 station wagon (the kind with the folding rearward facing seats in the back.) We travelled all across Europe in it :p
edit:
If any of you want to read more about my feelings on SUV's (why would you?)here's a little editorial (http://members.cox.net/forgreatjustice/saabcentral/SUV.html) I wrote on the subject a while back...
A body-on-frame design doesn't mean you can't have crumple zones. Crumple zones were pioneered by Mercedes-Benz in the 1950's... on body on frame cars no less :lol:
Mattlach
25-05-05, 10:38 PM
A body-on-frame design doesn't mean you can't have crumple zones. Crumple zones were pioneered by Mercedes-Benz in the 1950's... on body on frame cars no less :lol:
Well, its safe to say you have a hell of a lot smaller area that can crumple if the bottom is stiff because of the rigid frame... :p
Maybe impossible was the wrong word, but as far as crumple zone sizes go, it would be like comparing a cotton ball to a king sized mattress :p
Well you can just make the frame crumple... it's "rigid" torsionally but much less rigid when something hits it in the front or back... not to the point the frame will bend when you tap something with the bumper, but in an accident it crumples.
Well you can just make the frame crumple... it's "rigid" torsionally but much less rigid when something hits it in the front or back... not to the point the frame will bend when you tap something with the bumper, but in an accident it crumples.
Right, I think. AOTBE, it is more difficult to engineer into a body-on-frame but still quite doable. IIRC I've seen some movies of the previous generation MB ML, a body-on-frame 'truck' in crash tests. Impossible to believe that MB would build a vehicle w/o crumple zones.
novacoke
26-05-05, 01:09 AM
Nice 9-7!!
As an owner of a TrailBlazer I can really see lots of small but important distinguishing changes they have made. Hopefully the 9-7 proves to be an effective vehicle sales wise and GM will invest more into Saab so they can develop more of their own cars. But no profits = no room for experimentation so I could see why the 9-2 and 9-7's are what they are (based on other vehicles, altho the 9-7 is much more saab-like than the 9-2).
Melovesha
26-05-05, 03:22 AM
But the real question is now...
nice photos, but how is the drive?
matt221
26-05-05, 04:05 AM
So far I’m happy with the vehicle. The Linear offers more then enough horsepower. Unless your towing something I can’t see getting a Aero.
One thing that took me a few days to get used to is the rear air suspension. When you start the vehicle especially when you have passengers in the rear you can hear the air compressor balancing itself out. Just within the first 20-30 seconds.
The XM radio is great integrated into the radio system. It switches channels very quickly. The rear arm rest controls allows the rear passengers to turn off the rear speakers while leaving the front speakers on radio while watching a DVD. Passengers in the back can also adjust air circulation from the console.
The only think I miss is the heads-up console display on the dashboard like on the 93's. When you want to look at the clock you have to look down at the radio.
novacoke
26-05-05, 11:26 AM
Personally I think the TrailBlazer handles very well compared to other SUV's on the market. The fact that GM made improvements to the platform when it was ported to Saab must mean it handles even better.
I haven't driven any of GM's newer V8's with Displacement on Demand, so I'm not sure how it affects the driving experience (if at all) or what improvement you see fuel economy wise in real-life. But, I do love their In-Line V6. The engine is much smoother than other V6 engines, with more power. Of course that comes with a cost fuel wise (and the need for an obscene amount of oil when changing), but I am liking what GM is producing under the hood lately.
I might have to stop by my dealer and take one of these for a ride when they come in ;)
candiazoo
28-05-05, 03:27 AM
Sweet wheels!!! Congrats! :D
The inline 6 is a very nice engine. Even more pictures, please. :)
matt221
29-05-05, 05:46 AM
A few more things I’ve noticed:
The seat memory also remembers Lumbar settings. So based on who’s in the vehicle the memory will inflate/deflate the lumbar in the drivers seat.
You can set the outside mirrors to tilt down when you put the car in reverse and then they tilt back up when you put it into drive.
The DVD player has an external RCA input so you can plug in a IPOD or camcorder and watch and hear it. The only downside is you would see the cable hanging down from the dvd player.
A few more things I’ve noticed:
The seat memory also remembers Lumbar settings...The only downside is you would see the cable hanging down from the dvd player.
Cool...but the important question...*how does she drive*???
dlflyboi
30-05-05, 06:13 AM
I don't understand why people keep comparing this SUV to the Trailblazer. I had a 2002 Olds Bravada. And the 9-7 shares more with it than the Chevy version. I know their built on the same platform. But, the 9-7 has the same dash (minor saab looks of course) and the same fenders as the Bravada (not the Trailblazer). I traded my Bravada (which was a GREAT SUV) for a 2003 9-5 Aero (wanted a sporty sedan) and I love it!
novacoke
30-05-05, 07:29 AM
I don't understand why people keep comparing this SUV to the Trailblazer. I had a 2002 Olds Bravada. And the 9-7 shares more with it than the Chevy version. I know their built on the same platform. But, the 9-7 has the same dash (minor saab looks of course) and the same fenders as the Bravada (not the Trailblazer). I traded my Bravada (which was a GREAT SUV) for a 2003 9-5 Aero (wanted a sporty sedan) and I love it!
I have to disagree with you there... the Bravada is much more like a Chevy Blazer than it is the Saab 9-7 (At least this was the case with the older Bravada's I have been in, and looking at the pictures online it looks to still be true, besides the fact that it also shares the same Radio/HVAC/Steering-Wheel as the Trailblazer). The Radio/HVAC is the exact same as the one in newer Trailblazers, and besides the wood trim the dash is almost identical. I'm not saying this is a bad thing... I happen to like the Trailblazer interior, and even more in its improved Saab version...
novacoke
30-05-05, 07:35 AM
Nevermind I need to quit posting when I've ahd a few too many to drink
""Bravada has a pair of nearly identical siblings in the form of the 2002 Chevy Trailblazer and GMC Envoy.
Unlike Trailblazer and Envoy, however, the Bravada comes only one way – loaded.
dlflyboi
31-05-05, 02:41 AM
I have to disagree with you there... the Bravada is much more like a Chevy Blazer than it is the Saab 9-7 (At least this was the case with the older Bravada's I have been in, and looking at the pictures online it looks to still be true, besides the fact that it also shares the same Radio/HVAC/Steering-Wheel as the Trailblazer). The Radio/HVAC is the exact same as the one in newer Trailblazers, and besides the wood trim the dash is almost identical. I'm not saying this is a bad thing... I happen to like the Trailblazer interior, and even more in its improved Saab version...
The last model Bravada and the current Buick Ranier and 9-7x share the same fenders and the dash is overall the same shape. Of course the 9-7x has improved materials on the dash and vents and some "Sabbish" buttons, but he overall "design" is the same. If you sat in a Trailblazer then in one of the others mentioned you would see the difference. BTW...I did test drive a 9-7x today. My dealer finally got one. I did not like the key. I did like the improved materials used inside the cabin. It was lower and handled a little better. But, I still wouldn't buy it (even though I get GMS). I am eagerly awaiting the new 9-3 with the V-6 turbo. :)
apzer09
31-05-05, 05:23 AM
I really don't see how the 9-7x can share any of the front body panels with any other SUV since it has its own fascia. Besides, it only looks that way if you look at the front fenders for hours at a time.:roll: It looks good, and I know many prospective buyers will say that it looks very different from the Rainier or Envoy Denali that they could have bought for roughly the same money (or a little more), but they knew with the Saab, it wouldn't get lost in the crowd.