2004 SAAB 9-3 Arc review from North America

I have had several issues, all minor.

1. About one month after buying, noticed a groove in one of the front brake discs... turned out to be a defective brake pad. Front pads and discs replaced under warranty.

2. Pinch sensors in the windows are horribly designed and constantly malfunctioning. Dealer says its from dirt in the window track... I think its just a bad design. Front passenger window especially; goes all the way up and then the pinch sensor malfunctions and window automatically goes down about a quarter of the way. Driver's side override works, but terribly inconvenient.

3. Body sheet metal is not rigid at all. Any little bump from adjacently parked cars puts a dimple in the doors.

4. Light bulbs. From fog lights to side marker lights to driving lights, have gone through a lot more bulbs than I care to think about for a 3-4 year old car.

5. Black coating on all the buttons falls off. They coated all the buttons on the console with a black material that frustratingly comes off if accidentally scratched with a fingernail or even just pressure from a finger.

Great fuel efficiency and a general joy to drive. Great sound system and the high-pressure turbo is fantastic. All in all, a great performing car with a finicky electrical system. Handles like a dream and likes to be driven. Saab service is somewhat frustrating sometimes.