25th Feb 2009, 11:40

I have a 2001 Saab 9-3 Viggen, from new, and it now has 150K miles on it, and I have never ever had any problems with this car. I do all the service myself, and only use Mobil 1 oil (from the first oil change). My wife has a 99 9-3SE that I bought used, I use synthetic in that one as well, and have no issues.

Personally, I love these cars! Treat them well, and they will treat you well back!

9th Mar 2009, 19:45

Re: 1999 Saab 9-3 oil sludge issue. The reason that you have not experienced a sludge issue in your 99 Saab is not because you use synthetic oil, that has absolutely nothing to do with it. The 99 model year, the ones built in the first half of the year use the B204 engine which is the Saab original "H" engine, these engines are not prone to sludge, they are bullet proof. I have almost 200,000 miles on mine and change the oil every 7500 miles with regular not synthetic oil, no sludge, and it's reliable. The sludge issue is in the B230, 225 engines installed in 9-3s and 9-5s from 1999 1/2 till about 2003.

26th Mar 2009, 19:36

I have a 2001 93 SE with 184,000 miles on it. I just had it serviced by a ex dealer Saab mechanic. I have never experienced this sludge that is discussed here. I have had the oil changed fairly religiously over the life of the car, and I was doing a search to see what the lifespan of these cars was. I love the car, though it is now scratched up, black, (someone keyed it recently, boo hoo).

I never get a backache... it was one of the reasons I got the car, the seats, and I did a lot of driving first few years when I put 30-40 miles a year. Mechanic says car still feels good, must of been highway miles, and he was right. I am going to buy another used 93 if I can, because I feel that I have never had any major issues with the car, and besides it is fast and I have a lead foot.

7th Jun 2009, 22:24

I have 1999 Saab 9.3 Convertible, the roof stopped working!!! Can I use it manually?

13th Jun 2009, 21:39

Just buy an old 900i. You won't get any problems with that!

29th Jun 2009, 20:41

Ran out of places to call and search... I purchased a 1999 Saab 9-3 with a blown motor... I have called every where trying to find a B204R motor or a short block and have come across dead ends. Is there any Saab owner that know where I can go to find any Saab Parts besides the dealer???

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

14th Jul 2009, 20:24

I have a Saab 9-3 convertible, and at 65,000 miles the engine just STOPPED. I was told it had no oil, though I had just had oil put in. Now I need a new engine. If there is/was any kind of class action suit, please post details.

11th Aug 2009, 13:31

My 2002 9-3 SE Turbo is getting a huge repair. I'd like to know why the oil pump pickup screen on these cars is so prone to blockage?

Is the mesh ultrafine or is it purely that the poorly located CAT is causing the problem.

I've seen Fords that've run 90,000 without an oil change. Not pretty, but still ticking away!

Shame on you SAAB. Poor R & D IMHO.

4th Oct 2009, 22:00

Buying a used 2001 SAAB 9-3 185 hp turbo.

Should I empty the oil drop the oil pan and inspect for sludge?

Any comments, please respond.

13th Oct 2009, 02:53

We have a 2003 93 that has just started blowing smoke in the the morning, but not every morning, and on occasions when left for 6-8 hours, but again intermittently. It's OK on the run, doesn't blow smoke and has been maintained by Saab dealers up to approx. 60,000Kms, now just over 92,000kms, and has had oil changes every 10,000kms (not miles) using Casrol synthetic oil only.

I'm wondering about all these breather mods, and I'm quite disturbed with these sludge problems. Anybody got some more specific details please?

16th Oct 2009, 12:35

If you need SAAB parts call elite foreign in California. For certain parts it's very good. For things like alt. fuel pump etc. BUY NEW.

15th Nov 2009, 07:06

I am buying a Saab that just had a new motor put in it. It's a 1999 9-5. I think they are nice fast cars, but after reading all the issues on them, I don't know what to do. I am from Newfoundland and I don't see many of these cars. Can someone give me some advice? Thanks.

15th Nov 2009, 16:29

If the car is cheap enough, go for it. Be prepared to spend heaps on maintenance and get it properly serviced, though.

13th Jan 2010, 16:31

I have a 2001 Saab 93 Convertible. The engine just blew after 88,000 miles. I have only owned the car for 2 years and kept up with all the maintenance and oil changes. I just got a quote from the dealership for $9,500 to put a new engine in it. Apparently Saab has known about this slug problem for years. Are there any lawsuits going on about this? I am currently working with GM/Saab customer service to resolve this problem. Should I file a lawsuit if they fail to fix it for me?

29th Jan 2010, 18:55

I have owned 3 SAABs and loved them all until now. I had a 1976, 1985 (taken off the road with over 400k) and a 2001 (huge disappointment). Since purchasing I have replaced the motor (within 8 months), clutch (within 18 months), alternator, thermostat, major brake failure, info panel died 2x, turbo charger died 6 months after extended warranty finished.

Today I learned I need a new transmission, differential and stuff associated with the front end (having already replaced the right wheel joints), driver door handle has broken twice, and driver side window rails fell apart. The current bill is approx $7000, and last year I spent over $4000, totaling $11000+.

I paid $35,000 and only have 200k. The performance is so disappointing. Because GM/SAAB owned and built it, I will not even consider another product unless some form of compensation is considered, or the car is fixed at their cost. No wonder GM is facing problems – the quality is just not there.

1st Feb 2010, 19:29

Just got a call from the shop. My 2001 Saab 9-3 is dead. The fact that the car had 87K really made the mechanic scratch his head. Evidently the car has a bad piston and/or rings ($4500)... funny (ha ha) I think I've seen that post once or twice already. We've also replaced the turbo ($1500), head gasket ($1500), ignition discharge modules ($350), brakes ($250) and a few other visits for check engine light.

This car has done nothing but drain our bank account, and the funny (ha ha) part about that is the loan's been paid off for over 5 years. GM made a smart move when shutting down their Saab line.

2nd Feb 2010, 13:09

19:29

Umm.. Saab has been sold to Spyker - thus Saab is not dead.

I guess you missed that one, huh?

By the way, my experience with Saab has been opposite of yours.

In my opinion Saabs are fantastic vehicles.

3rd Feb 2010, 10:47

I have a 99 Saab Convertible (paid for) and loved it until several weeks ago when it stopped on the expressway enroute to work. Luckily a coworker saw my car and picked me up. I heard a rattling noise before I pulled it over to the shoulder, just avoiding trucks coming down the ramp onto the expressway. Had it towed to a mechanic and called the insurance company. The adjuster claims there's oil leakage and the undercarriage was caked with oil. Never knew about the oil sludge until I read your comments, I've always had an oil change every 3,000 miles.

Also, the handle on the driver's side broke into. Can you imagine that? I've never had a broken door handle in my life.

My convertible top stopped working, and when I took it to the dealer, he lost one of the back panels and had the nerve to tell me it fell between the panels of the car without bothering to retrieve. Since there's only one SAAB dealer in my area, and when calling SAAB's customer service, was refused the CEO number for a complaint.

Can anyone help a damsel in distress, or point me in the right direction. Sometimes I feel as if I'm being jacked because of my being a woman. If there's a class action suit, please sign me up.