2003 SAAB 9-3 Vector from UK and Ireland - Comments

Nothing. Sorry, a headlight bulb did go once. Does that count?

The car is typical Saab in as much as it's very comfortable, refined at speed and also extremely well built.

The handling is fantastic, not quite on par with rear drive competitors for example, but still very impressive. However, the ride quality is not compromised at all.

Performance is good, my last car was a high performance model Saab 9-5 so I'm used to outstanding performance. However, the 9-3 is much cheaper to run and feels much more modern.

The service from my local Saab dealer (Alexanders Saab, UK) has been second to none, I cannot fault them at all!

The car is three years old almost, but feels like new and was prepared to the highest standard.

The cabin is a great place to spend time in, it's comfortable, airy and spacious front and rear. The boot, albeit not as big as the 9-5, is still very generous.

The on-board computer is very useful, telling you your average mpg, speed and how many miles of fuel left in your tank, etc. The night panel mode is very useful for long night journeys, as is the cruise control.

My car is finished in black and looks just superb, it's a very smart car. It is great because it is more discreet than equivalent BMW's and is less common.

I'd whole-heartedly recommend anyone buying one.

Bravo! Thanks for a refreshingly accurate & positive review!

Bravo! Thanks for a refreshingly accurate & positive review!

Refreshing maybe... but accurate, I don't think so!!!

Yes it is very accurate. I own a 9-3 & mine has been fantastic. An owner should know. Do You?

As the owner of a 2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible, I take exception to the comment about this review not being accurate.

I find the review very accurate.

My Saab is everything described in the original review.

It is comfortable, well-built, fast, good-looking, and very reliable.

I suspect that most nay-sayers either never owned a Saab, or

had a bad experience (probably due to neglected maintenance or abuse), so they now consider all Saabs "bad cars".

Another possibility is that the negative comments come from jealous owners of competitive makes.

I love my Saab. It's the best imported vehicle I've ever owned, and I've owned over a dozen imports over the last 30 plus years.

As I wrote the above review, it is accurate, in my eyes & in my experience. I am aware some owners may have had issues and other people have their own opinions of Saab's etc. You are entitled to your personal opinion, but it will be never more than that, personal! In the same way my review here is my personal review, of my car, in the time I've owned it. It is a true & exact account of how I have found the car. As a motor trader by profession, I have driven & owned countless cars and feel qualified to comment on my time with the 9-3 Vector.

Oh yes.. I am a Saab owner, well was until recently.

For your information a 2005 Vector Sport 150 TID.. THAT WAS PRIVATELEY owned, so very familiar with thank you very much!!

Definatley NOT jealous either my friends!!, just was so frustrated with such a disapointing car, for the premium (Just read the majority.. yes the majority of reviews over these pages 2006,2005.2004...) WHICH like many others, I shared my opinions, and agree with the overall feedback!

It's no coincidence that many share a negative view..and have taken the time to write is it ? !

Yes, and how many reviews for Lexus, Toyota, Honda & Nissan do you read here where the reviewers call their vehicles "Lemons", "Unreliable" & "Junk"?

There are plenty. It is human nature that those with negative experiences are more likely to pass this information on, than those with positive ones. (Ten times more likely, I've heard).

So you shouldn't discount those of us who have had wonderful experiences with one make or another.

I've read so many bad reviews about Volkswagens on this site,

but have have some very nice ones. I've read countless reviews complaining about transmission problems with Lexus RX300's, but that hasn't been my experience.

I've read plenty of reviews that were anti-Saab and anti-GM, but my Saab 9-3 has been the nicest vehicle I've ever had the pleasure of driving, and the dealer service is the best I've ever experienced.

If you had a bad one, I'm sorry. But that doesn't make them all bad, nor does it make this review inaccurate.

I have worked in the automotive field, and for many dealerships for the better part of the last 32 years. I must say much of what I read here is informative, and unfortunately

much is also not to be taken seriously.

Some manufacturers are fortunate to have earned a good reputation, others have mixed reviews, still others (deserved or not) poor reputations.

I have sold-

Toyotas, which for the most part are excellent vehicles (though some not without problems) The Camry & Corolla are two of the finest vehicles in their respective class - as are the Honda Accord & Civic.

Many GM products-some very good, some not so good.

Chrysler products, including Jeeps - again some good some not so good.

Mazdas, Subarus, Lexuses, Audis, Porsches, Nissans, etc. etc.

What I have found is that most manufacturers have built some very nice vehicles and some with problems. Some manufactureres don't treat their customers as well as they should when a problem arises. Others do.

To say that all of one make is bad, and all of another is good, is not only wrong, it's just ignorant.

I've never worked for or sold Volkswagens, but they reportedly have had reliability problems in recent times, however I have owned many Volkswagens that were wonderful, reliable vehicles.

I've never sold Saabs, but I have owned them, (and currently do) and have found them to be exceptional cars. (I've found exceptional dealer service too.)

Don't fool yourself into thinking that BMWs and Mercedes have it all over Saabs, as many customer satisfaction surveys place Saab well above BMW & Mercedes (GM owned or not).

In fact some of the vehicles that Chrysler has built under Mercedes have been mediocre to say the least. I have sold and currently also own a Jeep, yet I shake my head when I see some of the newer models being introduced. (But that's just my personal opinion)

I also believe that other than the product defects which many vehicles suffer from, many of the issues we read about on sites like this are due to owner neglect and/or abuse.

Let's face it, many people do not service their vehicles as often as they should. Many people have unrealistic expectations about what an older high mileage vehicle should be.

I honestly think that most manufacturers build decent vehicles, some build exceptional vehicles, none are as bad as some as these reviews would lead you to believe.

Where far too many manufacturers drop the ball is on customer service. If a new car breaks - fix it - period! Don't give the customer the run-around. The customer will just buy from another manufacturer the next time.

It all comes down to what you like, and what you prefer to drive.

Don't insult those who have had good experiences with one make or another, by calling their car "junk" because you happened to have had a bad experience. That's not constructive feedback, that's just sour grapes.

Again I find myself writing a comment to my own review because someone cannot seem to understand the concept of personal experience. Some people have had poor experiences of Saab's, others, myself included have had fantastic experiences. I bought a Saab in the first instance due to a close friend having owned 5 without a single hitch. I wanted one for myself & have not been disappointed since. In fact, I am now in search of a 9-3 2.0T Aero. The fact I still have the 9-3 Vector and am now searching to upgrade to the Aero is a testament to what I think of the Saab 9-3.

Me again.. OK people, I appreciate what you are saying, and forgive me for not having a better understanding and consideration of your comments, this was totally wrong of me and was not intended to rubbish a personal view..

Let me start again.. My negativity is not based on a blind "follow the crowd" uninformed stand point, but one of personal experience.. and frustration. My 9-3 cost me a lot ot money and just disappointed me as an overall package in the end, and in my opinion, does not fully justify the premium.

I wanted to love my 9-3, honestly.. after all, I spent time test driving one before a actually parted with a lot of cash!

I had so many things go wrong, electrical problems etc.. too many to list.

To the point.. For the premium, I did not expect to experience many dash rattles, poor internal material quality, very poor audio, questionable build, a terrible jiggly ride, only mediocre handling and a sense of poor overall quality that I could not accept or expect from Saab. I now own an Audi A4... near identical price, but is a massive leap up in all areas and provides all of the quality and driving experience one would expect.. again for the price as a direct comparison and immediate competitor in this " compact executive market"

Many 9-3 owners expressed a similar view on these pages and sadly I agree this is only an average GM epsilon shared effort, which is probably the most stunning, beautiful looking car ever designed, with a Saab badge slapped on the back to justify it's cost!!

I am sorry to have offended, just wanted to love this car, but in the end couldn't!! so maybe I AM JEALOUS you all do... forgiven???

Regards and peace to all..Paul xx.

Don't insult those who offer a different view either!

That is my point exactly. I'm tired of nay-sayers telling me that my 9-3 is "junk" because they had a bad experience with a Saab.

My experience shows me that Saab builds a wonderful & reliable vehicle.

Mine has been completely trouble-free! I can't imagine driving anything else.

" Can't understand the concept of a personal experience"?.. to me, it is pretty obvious the writer did!..from his/her own personal experience!

I can only speak of my 2003 9-3 Convertible, which has been absolutely wonderful. I've spoken to others who have also owned '03's & they have had great experiences with them as well.

Every time I get behind the wheel it is an enjoyable experience. I absolutely love the power, handling & comfort

of this car, not to mention the impressive gas mileage.

I must also state that NOTHING has gone wrong with my car.

I am a stickler for maintenance, synthetic oil changes every 3,000 miles, and I do not beat on my car in any way.

I only use premium gasoline, and get anywhere from 19-27mpg city/highway in return. (Mixed driving yields in the low 20's.

I wash & wax it regularly. The paint & interior are still factory new. Other than the manufacturer's scheduled services, the only other thing I've done to the car is to replace the front brake pads & rotors at 31,000 miles.

I cannot speak intelligently about the build quality & reliability of the newer 9-3's, however they certainly LOOK

nice.

If I ever trade up to a 2004 or newer 9-3 convertible, I will certainly purchase an extended warranty (as I did with my '03) However I plan on enjoying my '03 for many years to come as I only have about 32,000 miles on it now.

The competing convertibles from Audi, BMW & Volvo are also very nice. I ruled out BMW (very nice car!) because living in New England I preferred front wheel drive. I was a little concerned about Audi's recent problems with reliability and dealer reputations around here, (although I've owned numerous VW's over the years), and I preferred the overall driving experience in the Saab over the Volvo. I didn't even consider the Solara (a very nice vehicle) because I wanted something a little more sporty & upscale this time around. The Chrysler Sebring wasn't even on my list as I'm not a fan of the 2.7 liter engine and the body flex issues they have.

So I am very pleased with my choice. My Saab is just as comfortable taking a 400 mile trip as it is running around town. I also like the fact that it's a little different than all of the other vehicles on the road, and I think it's also a very nice looking car (mine is dark blue with a black top).

So to Paul, I'm sorry your experience with Saab was a bad one, however I assure you that there are some very satisfied customers out there.