19th Apr 2009, 20:49
I'm looking to buy a Saab with a few miles on it. the cars in excellent condition, and has been garaged its whole life. I just want some input on what you guys think about a 2003 Saab 93 Linear. And is it a safe decision to buy this car with high mileage. I just want a car that stands out and that not a lot of people have. Your feedback will be much appreciated.
28th Apr 2009, 16:22
I own one that I have had for 3 years, and have put 75000 miles on it. So now it has 100k on it. I have had no major problems until now.
I had an accident last fall, and thought everything was fixed properly, but now my radiator is leaking. This was probably due to the crash. I take really good care of my vehicle... so I don't have very many problems.
I own a 2003 9-3 Linear. The problems I have had are normal wear items. I have put brakes and rotors on it once. I had the headlight problem for awhile, and found out that the headlamp housing gets too hot and the bulbs burn out. I do not have the xenon headlamps. If you take your Saab to the dealer, it costs about 100 bucks and you can control them yourself.
Anyway, I love my car, all cars have problems... Hope this helps, good luck.
3rd May 2009, 21:46
I am looking at an '03 9-3 Linear, and it is pretty much my dream car that's affordable and apparently, sometimes reliable. I am trying to keep tight budget, and I am wondering if a dealer's prices reflects the reliability. I am a teenage student with a part-time job, so I can't afford a more prestigious brand, other than Saab. Should I just stay away from cheap Saabs and find something else, or does it depend on the car, seller, history... etc. and a more critical inspection prior to purchasing???
4th May 2009, 18:27
If you are going to motor on a shoestring budget, best advice is to forego the Saab and stick with something that is easier and less costly to fix, should things go wrong.
Abstaining now will make the Saab all that more desirable when you are properly able to afford owning one. And by owning, I am referring to keeping it in peak condition, which requires more effort and cost than ordinary cars.
28th May 2009, 14:43
This site seems to be the complaint department every vehicle ever sold.
I would like to see more positive reviews.
There are plenty of satisfied Saab owners out there - I am one of them.
It is not only Saabs that get slammed here - You see Lexuses. Toyotas, Hondas and every other make called "Lemons" & Junk".
Get real people - there are more bad owners than bad cars.
31st May 2009, 08:13
It is a nightmare when you bought a used car and it need many repair and replacement. Especially money is the constraint, otherwise, would have bought a new car. Frankly, a used Saab is a steal if you compare their price, mileage, year, horsepower, leather seats etc... too many same price range used car from other makers. Just make sure you buy from a reputable seller and have extra cash for part replacement, which you needed. Don't make statement that does not make sense like "never heard before", "buy BMW" without matching specification and price range. Finally, is buyer's fault if things turn bad, don't blame the car maker, or the unscrupulous seller.
7th Jul 2009, 16:30
Ummm... that's not what the 5 star safety rating is for, you know that don't you?
19th Nov 2009, 15:47
Funny, my Saab 9-3 has been a fantastic vehicle in the 3 1/2 years that I have owned it. I would buy another one tomorrow, but I think I'll keep the one I have.
3rd Jan 2012, 22:06
I have a similar 2001 9-3 Convertible. I'm sure when it was new it was a nice car, but after 100k miles, it has fallen apart like a cheap suitcase. Everything... and I mean everything that could break did break, and I kept fixing it like an idiot. I kept being optimistic that the car would last if I just fixed one more thing. TOTAL LEMON. The car is now leaking oil on a regular basis - I buy $50+ per month. I should have never considered buying this car in the first place.
20th Jun 2012, 22:38
I agree with those of you who think SAABS are crap. My 2005 9-3 Linear is falling apart like a cheap suit.
For those of you who are the love/hate relationship people... Seriously... this is 2012... cars should last longer than 100k miles with very few problems.
Some major design and manufacturing flaws... no wonder they went out of business.
It really is a piece of crap. I regret buying it.
21st Jun 2012, 14:06
I owned a 2003 Saab 9-3 SE Convertible for just over 5 years, and the vehicle was extremely reliable. The one thing that I could not tolerate however was the lack of structural integrity, which was felt mostly as "cowl shake" through the steering wheel. From day one, it felt like the wheels were terribly out of balance, as the steering wheel bounced and shook in my hands.
When I went over the same roads in our other cars, there was no such shake.
In fact I sold the Saab and bought two year older Chrysler Sebring LXi Convertible with 60,000 miles more on the odometer, and it is much more structurally sound - no cowl shake at all. IMO Chrysler takes a unwarranted bad rap - the Sebring stickered at under $30,000 new, and the Saab nearly $43,000. Based on my experience, the Chrysler is a more enjoyable vehicle to drive. It is roomier, more comfortable, and even gets better gas mileage - even though the Saab has a turbo-charged 4, and the Chrysler a V-6. The Saab is a bit quicker, but only by a tick - the difference in horsepower is only 5 (200 for the Sebring, 205 for the 9-3) The interior in the Sebring is every bit as nice as the interior in the Saab - in fact with 97,000 miles on it, it shows no more wear than the Saab did at 36,000. I ignore the comments regarding the Sebring as being made to be a rental, because it certainly holds its own with what is considered a "Premium European Convertible.
That being said, the only other negatives in the Saab were the lack of room for back seat passengers, the horrible rear vision with the top up, and a very mediocre stereo system (the Infinity system in the Sebring is a much better stereo system - mine has the AM-FM cassette with in dash 4 CD changer - the sound quality is superb). The factory sound system in my bargain basement Pontiac Sunfire was far superior to the factory system in the Saab. I don't understand why GM scrimped on the sound system in the $43,000 Saab.
I've owned 6 convertibles, and the Saab was the only one that suffered from cowl shake. Unfortunately it really took away from the enjoyment of driving an otherwise very nice vehicle with a few flaws.
Still, I believe Saab deserved a better fate, and am sad to see Saab the marque go.
20th Mar 2013, 09:54
I have a 2004 9-3. I love the car, but too many electrical problems. The stereo doesn't work, my license plate lights don't work, and I have replaced one coil. Now I need to replace it. I took it to the dealer; they said it would probably take at least 3 thousand dollars to fix. It needs a new wiring harness. I love my car, but it's too expensive to maintain :(
6th Apr 2009, 05:46
My experience has been the opposite.
I purchased a 2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible in 2006. It had approximately 30,000 miles on it at the time and was an off-lease vehicle.
Over the past 3 years, my Saab 9-3 has been a very reliable car, and I have had a very positive experience impression of the local Saab dealership.
I am very satisfied with my Saab thus far.