Saab 9-3 Convertible (2003 - 2011) 1.9 TiD Vector 2d Owner Review

Bought 2023 for £2250 at 110k miles with full history and recent cambelt, water pump, flywheel and clutch. Despite the full history (Saab, then Vauxhall, then a local garage) it appears that oil changes were done but the filter not changed for some time before our ownership. This had lead to wear in the turbine shaft, annoying as the rest of the car was good.

I replaced the turbo myself, £245 exchange and 4 hours of work, and as the turbo was off I pulled the DPF and EGR, cleaning both before doing the proper oil and filter change. This has transformed the car which pulls like a train and is a really comfy long distance cruiser.

As with all the GM derived marques parts are cheap and these are easy for the DIY mechanic. You don't need Tech 2, just a code reader and app is all you need for simple diagnostics, switching off warnings, deleting error codes and checking the DPF regeneration and fill level.

There is a Haynes manual available and the only specialist tools you might need are a cam belt locking kit and a decent set of female Star Torx sockets. Everything else is pretty standard GM fodder.

In terms of driving this ain't no sports car but that's what I like about it, relaxed cruising is what the car is all about and I've got four other cars for dashing around in so this convertible does everything I need it to do. The biggest single strong point on the Saab over every other car I've owned (75 in total over 43 years) is the ergonomics. Everything falls to hand and is easy to read, mode, press etc. and that is in direct contrast to my 2011 Alfa Giulietta - pretty much the exact opposite, but a much more engaging drive.

Pick wisely and a diesel Saab convertible can be a cracking car with lots of tuning options. Look out for noisy DMF, uneven tyre wear at the rear and blocked DPF, EGR valve, third injector wiring problems and leaky hood struts (they are not cheap to fix). I prefer Brembo discs and pads with Goodyear Efficient grip tyres which also seem to work well on my Alfa and my 2010 9-3 Sportwagon Tid.