2004 SAAB 9-3 Arc review from North America
"One of the few cars in the GM family that is worth every penny"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Battery leaked at 500km. Dealer was great - neutralized the battery acid that had leaked on the engine panel and rustproofed the panel. Gave me a loaner as well.
Wiper motor was replaced at 65,000km.
Cabin air recirculation motor replaced at 67,000km.
Minor adjustments for window and sunroof pinch protection software.
All the above done at no cost, except my time, as the warranty is 4 years or 80,000km.
General comments?
This car is loaded up with all the options and is as close as possible to the 2004 Aero without the punishing ride, but alas without the very nice Aero seats.
It is the best handling car I have ever owned. With a 5 speed manual and a turbo engine, it does accelerate very quickly and can cruise at 140kph easily. Great fuel economy. Very nimble and can stop real quick.
Makes my previous car - Monte Carlo Z34 - look sooooo outdated and an amateur in the sporty car domain.
Very comfortable seats and ergonomics are very good, although I doubt that it would be a large enough interior for hauling around a family of 4/5 on a regular basis. Trunk is big for the size of the car.
Recommended reviews
| SAAB is a substandard product with substandard support from the company |
|
| Worst car I've ever owned or heard of |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2004 |
| Year of manufacture | 2004 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0T Manual |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 250 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 76780 kilometres |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Monte Carlo |
| Date of Entry | 4th January, 2009 |