Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 10:11:19 -0400 From: Chris Ault <aultnopsamelnetworks.com> Subject: Re: Saab 9-5 wagon vs. V70 Volvo
William Rector wrote: I don't know much > about the Saabs and am curious what kind of reliability they have. I > know several people who have gotten 150K + miles out of them, but I > don't know if they are always fixing them?? How do they compare with > the Volvos? Saab reliability is likely comparable in all areas to Volvo since there are a lot of parts made by the same manufacturers (other suppliers like Bosch and Girling...). I recently retired my 21-year old Saab due to rust, not reliability or mechanical failure. It was a sad day. A Saab attaining 150k miles is trivial, just broken in. Perhaps the same for Volvo. Throughout this period you will need to perform regular maintenance. You'll probably go through an exhaust system, brake pads & rotors, perhaps some shocks. Ditto all this for Volvo. Likely any other car, too. There are two noted differences between the cars (that perhaps a Volvo owner may debate): A Saab will not likely leave you stranded. Very seldom is there a malfunction or failure which will prevent you from limping home. The other difference begs the question "Do you like to drive". Saabs are much more FUN, and designed with the driver in mind. Look at the cockpit. Look at the acceleration. Check the horsepower they achieve with such little engine displacement. Saabs are (in my opinion) designed for safety, reliability, performance, and utility. Volvos have many of these characteristics, but fall short in areas that are important to me. Just my opinion... -chris