Faults:

Valve cover gasket leak - slow weep.

Thermostat housing gasket, heater core hoses and radiator hoses replaced.

Needed upgraded linkage to cure shifting problem (would pop out of reverse, hard shifting)

Upper idler pulley replaced as PM.

Serpentine belt replaced.

General Comments:

This has been my first foray into owning a Saab and I have to say that I'm impressed. I'm a DIYer and have done all of the upgrades and maintenance myself on this car - otherwise, I probably wouldn't be able to afford it. Funny thing is - most people think I spent about 4 times more on this car than I actually did - it has that prestige look to it (which I have to admit was a factor in my purchase)

Parts are slightly more expensive then domestic US, but the build quality is so much better. I've been impressed by how well the car is built - almost on par with my roommate's BMW 325is (he ends up working on it far more than I work on my Saab).

Handles great - with great road feel - almost too sensitive actually. Great thing about these cars is that you can find a decent example for very little money relative to comparable makes and models.

If you end up looking at one of these cars - make sure you check out the suspension for steering drift or vibration at higher speeds (60-70mph), noticeably stiff shifting and occasionally popping out of reverse, head gasket and/or valve cover leaks.

I also like the simplicity of the design - the turbo models have a direct ignition cassette that often goes out and cost about $300 to replace, while my car, being naturally aspirated, doesn't have that problem. Also, stay away from the V6 models of this car - in my opinion every one of them is a complete design failure (you must replace the timing belt every 30k miles otherwise you'll fubar the engine). Not so with the 2.3L inline four - it has a nice little timing chain that should last the life of the car with diligent maintenance.

Faults:

Nothing. No really!

General Comments:

I have owned only Mercedes, and the I bought an A-class. Oops. (see review of mine elsewhere). Wife always wanted a SAAB convertible so I thought 'why not?'

It has been fantastic. Sure it doesn't handle on rails, but the trade-off is a very smooth ride. The performance is a bit Jeykll & Hyde, but overall this car is FUN.

If I were on a sensible car diet this would be a cream bun.

A wolf in sheep's clothing. Looks like old man's sensible convertible, but has 185bhp 145mph 0-60 in 7.5secs performance, which is enough without being a liability.

Best rear seat and boot space in class. Great build quality.

Faults:

Brake light and cruise control switches near accelerator pedal failed. $70 Australian to replace.

Some LED's in dash display work intermittently.

General Comments:

Fantastic Car!!! Best value car I have owned.

Smooth, comfortable, luxurious, reliable and efficient!

The 2.5 V6 engine runs like a dream. At 150000 km, it is still running superbly and loves the highway. Traveling 150km to work and back each day is nothing, but enjoyable on the highway with cruise control and a great factory sound system.

As a second hand purchase in Australia, this car is extremely good value for money.

Fuel economy is excellent for the V6 at about and average of 10 L/100km and better on the highway.

SAAB servicing, whilst not the cheapest, has been excellent and given the price I payed for the car, a little extra for servicing is negligible.

Interior and exterior are coping well for nearly 10 years on the road.

As commented by other readers, the virtually instant heated seats are a real bonus even in a country like Australia.

I am impressed and this definitely won't be my last SAAB purchase.