Looking to upgrade to a 9-5

Mr. Borth · #1 22-01-09

Greetings all,

After a brief stint in my 900 SE (it's to blame for my new addiction), I bought a 2005 9-3 Aero. I adore it, it's beautiful, but I've kicked myself for not buying the 2005 9-5 Aero instead. EVERYONE has a 9-3, the 9-5 semms a little more "elite" if you will.

Anyway....... we know have a 2 week old baby girl and the 9-3 just isn't big enough for the car seat, stroller, diaper bag, etc. I really want the 9-5 wagon, but a sedan would still suffice for the right price. Is the room inside the 9-5 substantailly larger than that of the 9-3? Has anyone else made the "upgrade" to the 9-5 for the same reason?

Let's compare the 9-3 sedan to the 9-5 sedan and the 9-3 SC to the 9-5 wagon....................I don't think I was clear on that.

Thanks for any and all input...

Wrightsfd · #2 22-01-09

I like my 9-5 wagon very much, it is comfortable, stylish, and like you said I'm about the only person around who has one.

I recently drove a new 9-3 while my 2000 9-5 was at the dealer and I would rather have the 9-3 combi. I love the room in the 9-5, and it fits a LOT of stuff and has about 15% more space than the 9-3. What I have found in my life is that the more space you have the more space you fill. The additional space in the 9-5 will seem great at first but you will find more crap to fill it with. I actually like smaller cars more, they are more nimble, get better fuel economy, are easier to park, etc...

The 9-3 is actually a newer and better chassis than the 9-5 also (the new 9-5 is expected in late 2010 if GM doesn't kill Saab first) and it is supposed to be a completely different type of car. More like a Chevy Impala according to the Saab dealer. And no wagon version.

I would not tell you NOT to get a 9-5 as I think it is a great car, but you problems will not be instantly solved by upgrading. Call your local Saab dealer and ask if they have a 9-5 and 9-3 sportcombi in stock and compare them yourself.

JeeperJay · #3 22-01-09

Congrats on the birth of your daughter! My son will be 6 months old in a couple weeks.

My 2005 9-5 Aero sedan is big enough to fit the car seat (depending on how tall the driver and passenger are!) in the proper rear-facing position, and the trunk is very spacious. We can fit everything we need into it.

I drove a 2008 9-3 while my car was being serviced, and I can tell you that I felt cramped in that car with the car seat in the back.

Do yourself a favor and go test-drive a 9-5 sedan and 'Combi. I think you'll be hooked when you see how the size difference!

#4 22-01-09

I'v had my son in the regular car seat for 3 years. No problem with the seat or room. The trunk is huge and can handle anything I throw at it. He loves the car, espically in Sport Mode

blinktude · #5 22-01-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeeperJay

Congrats on the birth of your daughter! My son will be 6 months old in a couple weeks.

My 2005 9-5 Aero sedan is big enough to fit the car seat (depending on how tall the driver and passenger are!) in the proper rear-facing position, and the trunk is very spacious. We can fit everything we need into it.

I drove a 2008 9-3 while my car was being serviced, and I can tell you that I felt cramped in that car with the car seat in the back.

Do yourself a favor and go test-drive a 9-5 sedan and 'Combi. I think you'll be hooked when you see how the size difference!

I agree. I test drove both 9-3 and 9-5 sedans before the purchase and 9-3 just felt tight inside, including the backseat. 9-5 has a big trunk and 5 golf bags will fit!

Jssaab · #6 22-01-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Borth

Greetings all,

After a brief stint in my 900 SE (it's to blame for my new addiction), I bought a 2005 9-3 Aero. I adore it, it's beautiful, but I've kicked myself for not buying the 2005 9-5 Aero instead. EVERYONE has a 9-3, the 9-5 semms a little more "elite" if you will.

Anyway....... we know have a 2 week old baby girl and the 9-3 just isn't big enough for the car seat, stroller, diaper bag, etc. I really want the 9-5 wagon, but a sedan would still suffice for the right price. Is the room inside the 9-5 substantailly larger than that of the 9-3? Has anyone else made the "upgrade" to the 9-5 for the same reason?

Let's compare the 9-3 sedan to the 9-5 sedan and the 9-3 SC to the 9-5 wagon....................I don't think I was clear on that.

Thanks for any and all input...

Hi, I upgraded from the NG900 (97) to the 2000 9-5 when the Kids got bigger of course the hatch was awesome, held two carraiges and a pak and play easily) the room IN the car was fine for an infant sean and a kid seat. ( and we ahd teh integrated booster seas which were cool.

WHen we went from kids seat to booster for both it got a bit tight... and the 9-5 is a great car for all four of us and all the Associatee " stuff"

Good luck and buy it very practical ( when you have kids you don;t really worry about having an old chassis, there are more important things like will it hold all thier stuff and be comfortable all the way to grandma's house.)

Route 17 · #7 22-01-09

Wulf has owned both the 9-3 and 9-5 both sport combi. I was going to purchase a new 9-3SS in 2007 but I saw the 9-5 and decided to purchase a 1 year old used 9-5 with a CPO.

The 9-5 has adequate room in the back seat but nothing I would call spacious. The 9-3SS rear seat is cramped. Click on the link below to watch at 1:45 in to the video where James May complains of not having enough leg room while sitting behind Hammond.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRhdU94lXas

Wulf could give lessons on how to find a 9-5 wagon. On his latest acquition he traveled from Michigan to California to get a 9-5 wagon

Wulf · #8 22-01-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 17

Wulf could give lessons on how to find a 9-5 wagon. On his latest acquition he traveled from Michigan to California to get a 9-5 wagon

Buying a car from your local dealer is not very exciting. There is nothing better than going on a road trip the minute you drive away from the dealer in your new car. Picking up the '05 9-5 in Boston and 9-3 in Trollhattan was equally fun.

There is a lot more room in the 9-5. In front, you have more room for your legs and the seats are wider. In the 9-3, I always looked at the B-pillar when looking to my side and I had a hard time seeing what was in the other lane. The dash also seemed higher in the 9-3 and I think visibility is much better in the 9-5. There is also more leg room in the back seat in the 9-5.

The 9-5 also feels like a bigger car which you may or may not like.

Of the 4 Saabs that I owned so far, only 1 was a sedan. I really like the extra space in the back in the wagons and the space is also more accesible because of the bigger opening. I don't have any kids but I imagine all that big stuff would be much easier to load into the wagon.

The 9-3 is more modern and a bit more fun for spirited driving, especially with the V6. HP is the same but the 9-3 is lighter and smaller. But if you want maximum space, the 9-5 Wagon is the way to go.

Wulf · #9 22-01-09

However... you can fit a lot of stuff in the 9-3 SC as well.

Mr. Borth · #10 23-01-09

Fantastic info everyone - thank you very much. There is a local used lot here in Columbus where I bought my 9-3 who specializes in Euros and has a particular "fancy" for Saabs. On the lot currently there's an '06 9-3 SC, '06 9-5 wagon, and a couple newer chassis 9-5 sedans so I can make all of my comparisons in the same day if needed. They're good guys and they move these cars quickly due to their aggressive pricing.

The 9-5 Wagon is $2000 less than the 9-3 SC simply due to market demand - obviously - that also appeals to me. And yes, I truly am looking for the space factor as this will be the "Grizwald Family Truckster." My company car is a Ford Exploder, which obviously has the space, but can't be used for long, personal trips and such. It will really come down to what the wife likes and wants to drive and she leans more towards the 9-3......."sigh."

There's a gorgeous, black, 2007 9-5 Sedan on the lot that I would take in a heartbeat if the price works out; and thanks to all of you, I'm now certain the space issue isn't really an issue at all.

Thanks for the congrats Jeeper, sounds like you've got your hands full as well!

And it appears that I'm looking at the exact same wagon as you, Wulf - same color combo and everything. Whose 9-3 SC is pictured here - it's BEAUTIFUL!

Is the 2.3 turbo big enough to handle the 9-5 SC at full capacity? Does the 9-5 SC come in Aero trim as well? Is there a significant mileage difference between the 2.3T and the 9-3's 2.8T? Thanks again for the help and advice.

Wulf · #11 23-01-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Borth

And it appears that I'm looking at the exact same wagon as you, Wulf - same color combo and everything. Whose 9-3 SC is pictured here - it's BEAUTIFUL!

Is the 2.3 turbo big enough to handle the 9-5 SC at full capacity? Does the 9-5 SC come in Aero trim as well? Is there a significant mileage difference between the 2.3T and the 9-3's 2.8T? Thanks again for the help and advice.

That's my 9-3 SC I had when I was living in California a few years ago. That was a beautiful car and I still miss it at times.

The 2.3T engine in the +06 9-5 has 260hp, bumped up 10hp from the 2004-05 Aero. It has more than enough power to handle any load. The torque in these engines is amazing and it feels like a much bigger engine.

All 9-5 SC are available in Aero trim. However, some marketing genius decided to call it the Sport package for the 2006 model year. You won't see any 2006 with the Aero badge but you can recognize them by the silver dash, lower suspension and Aero seats.

There is not much mileage difference between the 2.8T 6-cyl and 2.3T 4-cyl. The 4-cylinder will probably be a little bit better but I usually got about 23 - 25 mpg on average.

You're doing the right thing in trying them al out. In the end, it all comes down to which one feels best and there really is no clear winner between the 9-3 and 9-5 in my opinion. But most important is that the wife should be happy.

This is an amusing Top Gear video showing the power of the Aero.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrAjcWxKtnI

Mr. Borth · #12 23-01-09

HA - that video was great. He pretty much confirms that although we may not be able to pinpoint exactly what makes us love these cars - they have that certain, undeniable, "something."

Thanks for all of the help and answering all of my specific questions, Wulf. I will go in armed and will be able to give my wife all of the highs and lows as well. That way, I'll be able to manipulate.....uh.....persuade my wife to see some other viewpoints. But you're right, in the end, what makes her happy ultimately makes us ALL happy! I've driven them all and still want the 9-5.....it's just a matter of SC or Sedan for me......hmmm.......

wrestrepo · #13 23-01-09

I didn't read all the post, but I have to complaint about leg room in the back seat of Aeros....due to the front seats being super awesome, they eat part of the leg room of the rear passengers....Since I always drive, I don't suffer, but I know that my friends and family do....

croadan · #14 23-01-09

I own a 2005 9-5 wagon and a 2004 9-3SS. Both linear. I love them both. The 9-5 is definately waay more spacious "feeling" and cushier to drive, less squeaks and a softer ride. The seats seem marginally better to me in the 9-5, and the sound system sounds better to me. My family consists of myself, my wife, my eight month old son, and my 12.5lb westy (dog). When taking a family trip (which we do on most weekends to see the grandparents) we have to pack: two small bags (22" carry-ons), the stroller (2-large parts, Bugaboo Chameleon), diaper bag, medium size dog crate, usually one laptop, and on the way home generally another bag of stuff picked up at Grandma's (food, snacks, stuff the mother-in-law is trying to purge). In addition to the four of us and a car seat and a small dog bed (the dog hangs out in the rear area on top of the compartment shelf in the combi where the dog bed lives). It all fits perfectly in the wagon. Now the surprise.... One weekend we decided to take the 9-3SS and guess what..... it all fit! The passenger compartment felt snug but not uncomfortably so, and the dog hung out in the rear dash area (with a towel to prevent sliding around) and ALL of our stuff fit in the trunk and the passenger seat (my wife likes to ride around directly behind me). I was totally impressed by how much the little SS could accomodate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Borth

Fantastic info everyone - thank you very much. There is a local used lot here in Columbus where I bought my 9-3 who specializes in Euros and has a particular "fancy" for Saabs. On the lot currently there's an '06 9-3 SC, '06 9-5 wagon, and a couple newer chassis 9-5 sedans so I can make all of my comparisons in the same day if needed. They're good guys and they move these cars quickly due to their aggressive pricing.

The 9-5 Wagon is $2000 less than the 9-3 SC simply due to market demand - obviously - that also appeals to me. And yes, I truly am looking for the space factor as this will be the "Grizwald Family Truckster." My company car is a Ford Exploder, which obviously has the space, but can't be used for long, personal trips and such. It will really come down to what the wife likes and wants to drive and she leans more towards the 9-3......."sigh."

There's a gorgeous, black, 2007 9-5 Sedan on the lot that I would take in a heartbeat if the price works out; and thanks to all of you, I'm now certain the space issue isn't really an issue at all.

Thanks for the congrats Jeeper, sounds like you've got your hands full as well!

And it appears that I'm looking at the exact same wagon as you, Wulf - same color combo and everything. Whose 9-3 SC is pictured here - it's BEAUTIFUL!

Is the 2.3 turbo big enough to handle the 9-5 SC at full capacity? Does the 9-5 SC come in Aero trim as well? Is there a significant mileage difference between the 2.3T and the 9-3's 2.8T? Thanks again for the help and advice.

croadan · #15 23-01-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 17

Wulf has owned both the 9-3 and 9-5 both sport combi. I was going to purchase a new 9-3SS in 2007 but I saw the 9-5 and decided to purchase a 1 year old used 9-5 with a CPO.

The 9-5 has adequate room in the back seat but nothing I would call spacious. The 9-3SS rear seat is cramped. Click on the link below to watch at 1:45 in to the video where James May complains of not having enough leg room while sitting behind Hammond.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRhdU94lXas

Wulf could give lessons on how to find a 9-5 wagon. On his latest acquition he traveled from Michigan to California to get a 9-5 wagon

Ummmm, that video was of a caddy.