2000 SAAB 9-5 2.3t review from North America
"A fun sports car with luxury trappings"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The trip control module went bad and was replaced under warranty (at about 5000 miles).
Some of the paint on the SAAB badge on the hood peeled off. (The dealer replaced it for free without even mentioning it.)
The fog lights are vulnerable to stones and the like. I've had to replace both sides at least once. A guard in front would help, but the brackets broke on one the last time (the lens is still OK).
General comments?
Drawn in by the reputation of safety, sold by the comfort and performance!
This car is very sporty. It's not quite as good as a rear wheel drive for top performance, but it is fun to drive!
The stiff suspension and performance tires allow more road noise and road feel than some of its direct competitors, but that's no problem for me.
The seats are very comfortable and offer good support (though they don't match after-market seats such as Recaros).
This and the previous SAABs we've owned have all proved very reliable. The clutch on this one has even survived teaching a couple of teens how to drive a standard transmission.
This model has the vented front seats which make a huge difference when it's hot. The seat fans are a bit noisy though.
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| I feel like I've made a BIG mistake.. |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2000 |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.3L turbo 4 cylinder Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 2000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 66000 miles |
| Previous car | SAAB 900 |
| Date of Entry | 19th July, 2005 |