Saab 9-3 Coupe 2.3i S 3d (1998/S) Owner Review
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Economy
Value
You can pick one up for 4-6k now (Feb 04) - class car for not much dosh.
Costs
Servicing costs can be high - especially if you have to look at the air con. A good specialist (non main-dealer) can help keep costs down.
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On the road
Driving
Lovely cruising car - I do 40k miles per year and it's very comfy. Reasonably sporty round bends and off the lights too - but this is more of an executive saloon than a boy racer.
Performance
2.3 normally aspirated engine is competent, not going to set the world on fire. Not going to put you to sleep either.
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Living with it
Reliability
Starts every time.
Image
The image of Saabs is a bit strange - some people think its a dull, middle-aged white-guys' car, other people see it as a bit more of an urban pimpwagon. Get leather and spots and keep it clean and you'll be sure to get respect wherever you go.
Comfort
Very nice, non-tiring car to drive. In its class - worth a 5.
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Security and Service
Service
A good Saab specialist is great - look on the web for recommendations.
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Problems and Ownership
Problems
Engine
Water pump came loose - had to be replaced at a cost of 150.
Other
Air con knobs came off. This is a design fault - it also costs about 300 quid to get them fixed. If possible, go for climatronic or get one that has already had the upgrade done.
Ownership
Did you buy the car new?
Used
Would you buy the same model again?
Yes
Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?
Yes