2006 SAAB 9-3 2.0T review from North America
"Multi-cultural Swedish performance"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
CD-player quit one cold day at about ~12000 - replaced in two hours.
Pinch-guard on moon-roof malfunctioned ~13000 - two hour fix.
Auto-up on front passenger window malfunctioned ~13000 - two hour fix.
Indicator stalk sporadically worked (would not stay on when moved upward/downward slightly) ~5000 - replaced in two hours.
Rear-speakers quit suddenly ~14000 - loose wire connecting "Infotainment Plus" with amplifier two hour fix.
(note: all this comprised of three "unscheduled" dealer visits)
General comments?
Well, I find this car quite satisfying and despite its minor faults within the first 15K miles, I am still happy with this machine. All the problems were promptly addressed by my dealer (upon notification). And all were covered by its 50K service warranty. I don't pay for oil-changes either.
A few things that are disappointing:
The steering wheel hands-free doesn't work (in N. America), and no-one at Saab USA let alone the dealer can give me a real reason (their response is "I don't know why"). That response is unacceptable from any manufacturer. Just today I got this answer again when enquiring about the 2008 model. Hondas and Hyundais can offer hands-free steering wheel controls via bluetooth. An obvious marketing failure by Saab/GM.
The CD-player does not play MP3 CDs. (not so on new models?)
No satellite radio (although this has been changed on newer models)
A bit of a rattle or noise in the driver door. (really not a problem)
The buzzing noise at initial start-up in wintertime.
I have the "Infotainment Plus" which is 170 watts. But performs like a system that has 50 watts, so poor factory speakers.
Otherwise a fine motor car: very fun to drive, nice seats, fast, great looks, good size/utility, good fuel economy, I really like the waffle air-vents (so does Cadillac as they 'adopted' them), safe, I like all the buttons on the dash - which ended with the 06 edition (it gives the cock-pit feeling, good marketing if you are still trying to connect the Svenska Aeroplan Aktie-Bolaget with cars), good handling and response et al.
The quality issues are that of a European car really and appear only minor assembly issues. Audi, Mercedes and BMW are the same, and Saab addresses them the same way, with their service warranty. I am strongly considering another, as this service warranty negates any quality concerns I have. My opinion and many reviews suggest Saab quality appears improving with the years.
Recommended reviews
| Safe and fun car to drive |
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| 2006 - 9-3 2.0T 2.0 4-cylinder A great car for a young professional looking for a reasonably priced sport-sedan |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2006 |
| Year of manufacture | 2006 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 210hp turbo 4 cylinder Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 100 miles |
| Most recent distance | 18500 miles |
| Previous car | Volvo S60 |
| Date of Entry | 6th March, 2008 |