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looking at 1st Saab 2006 9-3 Sportcombi aero

5K views 62 replies 19 participants last post by  SMHarman 
#1 ·
Hello all, my first post and Ill admit, i am digging for reliability and cost of ownership info. I looked all over the web from edmunds,KBB and other places and found all sorts of info.

I am looking at a CPO 2006 Sportbcombi aero that I can get for $19,000, it has just under 28k miles. super clean and the 6 yr/100k warranty is a big turn on.

I am in need of a wagon, but not in the need of a big car payment. Also, i have owned nothing but domestic cars all my life and tend to do most of my work myself as best i can.

I really like the Saab "born fron jets" look and the style of the car. I am a big "buy american" guy, but GM simply does not offer what I need ( Wife works for GM so we usually buy GM) and I cannot put a Japanese brand in my driveway, not saying those cars are bad, I just would never own one.

I was wondering what are the known issues for longevity with the newer Saabs? I would like this to last 100k or more, I take great care of our cars, As a aircraft mechanic I tend to overdue the preventative maintenance thing, but it makes me feel better and hopefully makes my cars last longer. My daily driver to and from work, a 1988 Monte Carlo SS has 117,987 miles right now and every day I hit the key, she starts.

Are they really that much more for dealership repairs?... iI called just to get a "idea" for cost and was quoted $600 for a front brake job, which about floored me. I can do new brakes on all four corners of any other Chevy in my family for less than that!

Thank you in advance!

Jim
 
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#30 ·
DanS said:
So the engine is made in Australia and shipped to europe where it is installed in the car? Or is the engine a Holden design?

The ecotec is an Opel (German) engine made in Germany and shipped to Trollhattan. GM uses the same design to build "ecotec" engines in the US, but they aren't Opel and are US made.

It would be interesting to hear that they are assembled in Australia and shipped all the way to europe.
If I recall correctly the main block is cast in Mexico and shipped to Australia where it is put together with the rest of the engine which is then shipped to Trollhatten where it is put in the car which is then shipped to America to be sold. The engine pretty much does a round the world tour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_High_Feature_engine

Maybe not - it is the LP9 variant
 
#31 ·
74stingray said:
Since it is snowing here today, it begs the question,

How are they in the snow?
I have the same exact car, except without the roof rails (which I wish I had) and I have parchment interior. I bought it in November with 21k on it for $17500, but that did not include CPO. It still has factory warranty until June 2010, so I felt comfortable going without CPO. At the time, it was the least expensive car around by far. Of course, only two months later I am finding similar deals that include CPO. I was absolutely bent on getting an Aero, having been used to owning an '03 9-5 Aero sedan. Now I'm not convinced that going Aero was the way to go. Everyone seems to think the power in the 2.0 is adequate and with significantly better fuel economy. This car is smaller and lighter than my 9-5, with the same HP and torque, but with worse mileage. - Go figure!

Anyway, to answer your question, with snow tires the car is pretty awesome in the snow. I wouldn't trust the Conti all seasons though.

Good luck and go for it!
 
#32 ·
SMHarman said:
If I recall correctly the main block is cast in Mexico and shipped to Australia where it is put together with the rest of the engine which is then shipped to Trollhatten where it is put in the car which is then shipped to America to be sold. The engine pretty much does a round the world tour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_High_Feature_engine

Maybe not - it is the LP9 variant
I think you're correct here SMH.

And Wulf you are nowhere near a dealer are you in NW MI?:p
 
#33 ·
I am looking at a black one here, same as yours in every way, even the same mileage. With all you have going for you (CPO, low miles, DIY) I say go for it. The 9-3 SC is very unique, and even more so in Aero trim.

Let me ask this question to all of you, would anyone consider a 9-3 SC 2.8T OUT of warranty and WITHOUT being CPO'd? (say between 50K & 60K) How have these held up over the past couple of years as a whole? Not trying to steal this thread........just considering all options. Thanks in advance.
 
G
#35 ·
Mr. Borth said:
I am looking at a black one here, same as yours in every way, even the same mileage. With all you have going for you (CPO, low miles, DIY) I say go for it. The 9-3 SC is very unique, and even more so in Aero trim.

Let me ask this question to all of you, would anyone consider a 9-3 SC 2.8T OUT of warranty and WITHOUT being CPO'd? (say between 50K & 60K) How have these held up over the past couple of years as a whole? Not trying to steal this thread........just considering all options. Thanks in advance.
Your post in another thread mentioned $2000 difference. I would gladly pay that amount to get a car with 25K miles and 100K CPO warranty instead of 51K and out of warranty.
 
#36 ·
74stingray said:
Since it is snowing here today, it begs the question,


How are they in the snow?
I don't have an aero so I can't exactly say how well they are, but I did drive a combi in rain and they handle just fine. Pretty much same thing as the sedan just with a roof over the trunk.

You sound pretty experienced with cars so I'm sure you know these tricks but anyhoo... (Whether you get auto or manual you still have the ability to change your starting gear) if you start in 2nd or 3rd to pull out and have a nice set of winter tires (i have kumho all season and they do just fine actually) these cars don't slip at all. FWD is definitely the way to go in snow... (lucky XWD people get it better... grrr) I have to gun it to make my car slide around. And even when I do the traction control and abs almost always snap you back in shape after maybe 1 swurve. Stopping distance only increases by about 1/2 or so. Not too bad. Combi's have a lil more weight behind them, so it maybe a lil further but not much.

Even with our little electrical gremlins, these cars do make you feel safe in them when you drive.
 
#37 · (Edited)
Again all, thanks for the input. Ill make a call and offer them a lower number!

to be honest, its a toss up between a 2009 Pontiac G6 and this SC

I can get a new car for less, but it is a lesser car and a lesser warranty..... hard to believe that the saabs USED CPO warranty is better than the Pontiac new warranty.
 
#38 ·
74stingray said:
Again all, thanks for the input. Ill make a call and offer them a lower number!

to be honest, its a toss up between a 2009 Pontiac G6 and this SC

I can get a new car for less, but it is a lesser car and a lesser warranty..... hard to believe that the saabs USED CPO warranty is better than the Pontiac new warranty.
please dont get a G6, try to get a used G8 gt or even a used 9-5.
 
#39 ·
74stingray said:
Since it is snowing here today, it begs the question,


How are they in the snow?
Very good. The Electronic Stability / Traction Control is the best ever.

It makes the car handle like an AWD. It doesn't slow you down, it kicks the tail out automatically to help you achieve the turn. It's all smooth as glass.

I love AWD vehicles, they are great. But a 9-3 with decent OK tires _feels_ just about the same as a AWD, due to how they programmed the chassis.

In Minneapolis it's all about bombing around snow covered city streets. Control matters a lot.
 
#41 ·
Agreed, I just noticed this winter, since we have had a long period of snow covered streets, that the stability control enhances the fun instead of clamping down on it. You can do a mild drift with assistance from the Stability Control. You can go into a corner hot, dial in some steering will a high slip angle and the rear end will be guided to mild oversteer. Not too much oversteer though. It is pretty cool.
If you go in way too hot stability control will be more invasive and slow you down.
I think it is a superior system to most available systems. It allows some fun while keeping you safe.

AWD with no stability is still more fun for drifting and it will get you going better in deep snow. That said, I am just as confident at speed on the highway or while cornering with the Saab compared to my former Subaru Legacy.
 
#46 ·
74stingray said:
Long story short, Wife decided against the Saab as she was annoyed that they would not lower the price.
CPO Saab's sell well and the dealer will find a new customer. They may have had one on the line already and that is why they wouldn't come down. Watch the lot and if it doesn't sell, call the salesman. Some car dealers will wait a few days to come back with a better price. Other won't.

Our CPO Saab was a pretty good car. The Saab dealer really took care of us.
 
#47 ·
Wulf said:
I thought it was going to be your car, no? :confused: Just get it if you want it..
No, this is going to be her car. She has a 2000 Blazer ZR2 that has 100k miles on it.... so this is her car and since shes making the payments, basically her choice... i am only trying to be a good husband and offer good car choices, but in the end , its up to her as she'll be driving it every day, not me.


Not to say I dont have it tucked in the back of my head if the need ever arose for me to get a commuter car if i get a job that requires a longer drive than the 6 miles to work i have now.

I hope you guys wont mind, but I'd like to stick around and take in more information and to offer up my opinions on car and non car related items.
 
#48 ·
For 19k I doubt you find another vehicle that carries that type of warranty, covers all your weather, storage, safety needs and puts a smile on your face when you drive it.

To stay in the American family you'd have to jump to a cross over suv type and that's an entirely different class of vehicle. I have never driven a Blazer ZR2 but did have an S-10 back in the day. I would imagine going from that to a SportCombi would be quite a change.

Ultimately, a joint decision with your spouse is the best way to go.

Did your wife drive it?
 
#49 · (Edited)
She drove it and I think the turbo power kinda scared her away.... she would not admit it... but i think thats what it may be.

I also think for my wife ( and me a little bit) the potential "out of warranty" costs as well as "premium fuel", might be the deciding factor as well.

With her job at GM up in the air and my job at the base to end soon due to base closures, economical situations had to rear its head for total cost of ownership.

For me driving a car should be as much fun as it is practical.... for her, its all about practical.
 
#50 ·
Good luck with whatever you end up with ... If she is paying, then there is no way you can win so why start an argumement. I will say that if my wife had to pay for her car it would have to have pedal power.

I think you will find this group to be gennerally open and most will welcome your input. You do not need to have a 9-3, you just need to lust after one.
 
#51 · (Edited)
GWC said:
Good luck with whatever you end up with ... If she is paying, then there is no way you can win so why start an argumement. I will say that if my wife had to pay for her car it would have to have pedal power.

I think you will find this group to be gennerally open and most will welcome your input. You do not need to have a 9-3, you just need to lust after one.

thanks and well put!

I'll get a 9-3 Combi..... when the time is right and Ill taxi my little "Swedish Jet" right in the Taxiway here at the house.
 
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