2000 SAAB 9-3 SE review from North America
"Fun to drive, just not worth the headaches"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Driver's side window regulator broke
Turn signal arm
Plastic covers for front seat controls broke
AC compressor replaced at 58000
Extremely fast front tire wear
Front rims damage easily
Display pixels out
CD player doesn't always read
Front strut replacement
General comments?
I got the car for a great price, and performance wise, I really love to drive the car. The turbo is fun as hell, and I think it handles well. I don't mind the front wheel drive torque steer or the stiff suspension as others sometimes complain about. That said, the braking is a bit weak and it just doesn't feel as solid as my old '87 Saab 900s.
What gets me is I've come to realize it's probably not worth maintaining this thing now. The problems just keep snowballing and I've had about enough. I've never had problems with the main guts of the car (engine, turbo, transmission, or clutch), but all the little things just add up.
Recommended reviews
| Fantastic car until 115,000 miles |
|
| Finicky, but Fabulous |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 2000 |
| Year of manufacture | 2000 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 turbo Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 3 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 40000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 60000 miles |
| Previous car | SAAB 900 |
| Date of Entry | 29th December, 2008 |