2005 SAAB 9-3 Vector Sport from UK and Ireland - Comments

Audio speakers have given up.

Support in Drivers Seat.

Rattles and noise from dash.

Various Faults with electronic display.

I was very excited about getting this car, only to be extremely disapointed overall 3 Months on.

This car is just not worthy of it's price tag and market description.

Apart from great looks and a "reasonable" driving experience the rest of this car can only be described as average.

The seats are terrible.

There is no adjustment on drivers seat (on this model) for leg support... none at all on front passanger seat!

You can actually feel the metal sub frame through your backside after driving for over 30 minutes.

The interior is made up of poor quality plastics, shiny cheap leather and has a dull, bland and cheap feel about it overall (and already rattles and squeaks like a 10 year old taxi)!

I like the lay out and ergonomics of the dash, but turn on the so called stereo system (the 7 speaker upgrade in this model) and all you get at even a modest volume is vibration from the door bins coupled with a weak distorted muffled mess.

The gear change is not smooth either, especially from 2 through 3,road and wind noise is intrusive, ride quality is not comfortable or reasuring at speed.. I appreciate this car has lowered suspension and low profile tyers so would expect a little more road noise and firm ride.. but the overall experience here is not what I was expecting from Saab.

The frustrating thing about this car is all to evident. saving money, cutting corners on quality and attempting to boost GM'S Bottom line by trying to fool customers into buying a reported "executive sports saloon".. it just isn't!!

It fails in all the basic areas you would expect, considering the price!!

Along side a Mondeo, Vectra or similar it would compare fauvorably as a total package, but only just.

It's not a bad car.. just not what it says on the tin!

My previous car war a VX Signum... this car suffered from, in my opinion, a great driving experience- something I was told I would find in a 9-3, but the cabin quality, build, levels of equipment etc makes my much more expensive Saab, well,..poor.

I hope my 9-3 is just a Friday afternoon job, and someone could restore my faith!!

I can explain the problem with your car in two words-

General Motors.

GENERAL MOTORS also make the Vectra, Astra etc..

Both of these are more than acceptable, for the price range and the target audience, for what they purport to be.. so why do GM offer poor quality with the 9-3?..

If the 9-3, like some say, is only a "tarted" up Vectra, then why can't they a least offer the same shared quality of interior, seats, audio system.etc.. you get a higher spec and quality on a mid range vectra costing £7k less.. and even the indicator stalks are better, and don't look and feel rubbish!

The company I work for has a fleet of 9-3's, resulting from a deal with GM.

It's a sad fact that many of my colleagues share the majority of the opinions and criticisms you read here and are quietly disapointed with the 9-3.

Our American friends may love this car, compared to some of the offering they have, but this car in the Uk is priced and targeted against the Audi A4,BMW 3 series etc and in my opinion does not deserve to be!!

Having the same car (Vector Sport) as the top article, I am somewhat relieved that I am not the only 9-3 driver who thinks Saab's "class leading" seats are bad.

They are truly dreadful!! not in appearance, but the lack of support you get on your rear!

After my daily commute, which is about 30 minutes, there is a certain numbness to the top of my legs and bottom!! and it's also true that you can feel the frame of the seat through the thin padding.

Not very good at all, in-fact, it spoils everything that is great about this car if you cannot get comfortable.

I agree about the Sound System and lack of overall quality of cabin environment too.

Sort it out Saab!!.. (or GM), please, because it seems very obvious that your customers are all shouting about a very common theme- Great looks, performance and handling- finished off with a lack luster interior, poor seating and

cheapness of overall quality.

I have a 9-3 Vector Sport and think that many of the comments made are out of line:

The seats are great - I drove from Paris to the NE of England (550 miles) in 1 day arriving ache free.

The leather doesn't look 'cheap and shiny' - well not the grey option on my car.

True it doesn't compare in finish and quality to a BMW or Audi, but it is much cheaper to lease especially taking into account standard features such as parking assist and sports seats.

If it was such an obviously bad car why would anyone buy/lease one? Saab give potential owners ample opportunity to test them out - I had a demonstrator on loan for 48 hours.

In response to the October comments, I think the writer is extremely lucky if his Saab has not developed the irritating rattles, sagging seats, etc. Lease cost is irrelevant. I have a £26K Aero that feels like an old taxi, but should compare with a new Audi A4 2.0T (similar price and performance) but I assure you it does not. It is very rare to find all faults on a 48 hour test drive in a brand new car. I would be interseted in hearing how his car is in another 12 months - not that I wish bad luck or anything!

I agree - my 93 handles nicely, but I can't how believe the interior noises and the cheap plastic (the plastic above the stereo controls is actually peeling off) conspire to diminish the overall experience. It's frustrating because I want to love my Saab, but it just feels "cheap" for the price I paid.

Very surprised by this review. Spending at least four hours every day in the seat of my 9-3 Vector, I never leave the car feeling anything other than refreshed and relaxed.

With regard to the road noise, I had the sense to buy the turbo petrol. If I wanted a tractor I'd buy a Massey Furguson.

... Excuse me, how does having a petrol engine affect the ROAD noise ?.. The comments were NOT about engine noise !!.. and if they were.. I think you will find a diesel at speed considerably quieter anyway..

Reply to 12May. Ferguson is the correct spelling.

I have a 2003 9-3. A Saab is not an Audi. Interior quality seems to have become an obsession in the UK motoring press. Why? Because while all makes have major failure stories, all cars are basically good and reliable. There is little else to really compare them on other than interior quality. The Saab certainly is not as well put together as an Audi or Beemer, or Merc. If that's what's important to you, buy one of those! Saab offers a choice. It does things slightly differently and its cars spec for spec are cheaper. Why be surprised that it's leather upholstery is not as high quality as a Merc's? It's not as expensive! The cars come with a three year warranty and main dealers try to sort out all these annoying little quality problems.

My 9-3 Vector Sport lists circa 23k. For that money I don't expect to visit my dealer for any " annoying problems".. like dash rattles, faulty electronics.. decent audio speakers etc etc.. You can have an Audi or similar for this money. I hate this car with a passion, and for what it costs, and what it is marketed as.. is simply does not cut it.. end of story.

Totaly agree.. I just swapped my Vector Sport 150 tid after 6 Months as the quality issues were simply awful!.. and replaced it with an Audi A4 2.0 TDI S LINE.. an Audi you can have for the same money from new, and justifies the premium fully, The 9-3 is NOT cheaper!.. just cheap!

I is really disappointing to read the same issues are affecting 06 93s as affected my 03 93. That car sent me to MB and after two faultless years with the similar priced MB it will take a hugh incentive to get back to another saab.

I have a 9-3 1.9 TiD. It is without doubt the worse car I have ever owned. Frequent trips to the dealership have also led me to the conclusion that dealerships are struggling to cope with the number of cars coming in for warranty work. I sit here now with the alarm having to be turned off, as it now goes off every ten minutes or so. I grew up with Saabs and had always wanted one. I can't wait until it goes back. Never again.

13 June 2007. My wife and I both have Saabs. Mine is a 2001 93 hatch it has 47000klms and has been a pleasure to own and drive. My wife has a 2006 93 aero she is also very pleased with it in every respect. I drove about 500klms in it last weekend, it has great power and great handling and I find the seats very comfortable. The only complaint that I have is the firm ride, but then it is a sports car so I guess you cannot have everything.