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Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 00:03:59 GMT
From: "Paul" <norsoftnopsamoblue.net.au>
Subject: Re: Ok 9-5 owners, time for a review of your experience


'99 Saab 9-5 2.3T (S model). 56,000 Km's Car is ok. Like the sport mode and prefer premium unleaded (when it's affordable) as it seems to go better. Car fills many roles between being sporty and very practical as I often have 4 or 5 adults in it. Took me a while to appreciate the leather seats as they seemed too big at first but I use a back roll (about the size of a small rolled up towel) obtained from a physiotherapist and seats are now great, especially on a long trip. Purchased with the wood-look dash and wood/leather steering wheel and alloy wheels which were optional. Makes the car a lot more pleasing to the eye. Controls layout is exceptional and the cup-holder still impresses people <G>. Had a lot of little problems, mostly fixed under warranty. Problems : Battery failed in first six months Cruise control would not switch on - replaced switch on brake pedal (after 2nd attempt). Vanishing digits on computer Vanishing digits on a/c. Service indicator came on too early (10K instead of 15K). Ash Tray wouldn't stay in. All above fixed/replaced by dealer under warranty. Rear brake light globe blew wiper blade rubber split - had to replace both wipers about $A99 One windscreen washer stopped working - $A16 for consumable part. some rubber part under the front air dam came off - about $A120 to replace as dealer said it was caused by hitting something (probably was, as I ran over a kerb on a roundabout while on holiday :-( ). Michelin Tyre sidewall split. (was near end of life anyway). Front Discs and Rotors replaced (or machined - can't remember) at 45,000 kms. Current problems : Drivers door fails to unlock intermittently - makes it harder to exit the vehicle at times <G> but I can fix it by locking/unlocking while holding outside door handle in open position. - Warranty item waiting on spare part. Car shudders intermittently, usually after starting in the morning, warming engine for a few minutes then driving off. Hit the highway after a kilometre of driving and accelerate to 80 Km/h and shuddering starts. Then stops when I back off the accelerator and is ok after that, Really worried about this one. Dealer de-carbonised the cylinder heads but this did not fix the problem. Taking it back again next week. If anyone has an idea what is causing this please let me know. Not as problem free as many Japanese cars I have owned but similar to experience with locally built 'Australian' cars. Fortunately a 3-year warranty is standard nowadays so hopefully all the 'running-in' problems are fixed. Long term is a concern though as warranty runs out in 5 months and too many little things have gone wrong with it so are the 'big' things next ? Safety, comfort, power and handling are fine for me and it is a class apart from the Japanese/local cars. I wonder how it would take a hit in the side by a chunky 4WD (SUV?), hope I never find out.

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