Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 00:25:21 -0400 (EDT) From: koffedrnkrnopsamv.net (david r.) Subject: Re: 9-5 or Passat
i love my 92 900, as i loved my 84 900S before that. i never intended to ever look at a volkswagen..then i saw (and drove) the passat. i was amazed at how refined and substantial the car was. a silky smooth transmission, no rattles or squeaks, good handling, surprising room and acceleration (i drove the turbo 4) with solid breaking, and no apparent vices. it was also quiet, thanks to an aerodynamic body and lots of sound-deadening material. the Cd of .27 is lower than that of the 9-5 which is .29. my friend also gets around 28mpg combined...33 on the highway. it does, however, take premium fuel. my only gripe was that the back seats were VERY firm...they could have used softer padding, and a bit more of it. as for the 9-5, i truly enjoyed driving one. the pickup was phenomenal, and you got the sense they really crafted the car right this time. however, after the horrors of the '87 9000 and the '94 900, i would be very wary of a first year saab, regardless of how nice it was. the passat has been a best selling car in europe for over a year and since it shares parts with the audi A4, the components are a known quantity. some other considerations...right now VW is the 4th largest automaker in the world (behind GM, ford, and toyota). saab is the smallest car manufacturer in the world. when it comes to parts availability, repair costs, and dealership options, i would think VW would get the nod. also, while saabs are known by their owners to be incredibly safe cars, insurance companies like to target us because the cars (by design) crumple easily and cost a lot to repair. the passat recently won best in category for a variety of crash tests....this should translate into a lower insurance rate. i have no idea how the passat would fare in saabs "real world" crash scenarios, but there was minimal cabin intrusion in the simulated tests, and VW actually revised some of it's safety material and retested because they weren't satisfied the first time through and wanted a better score...something to admire, surely. finally, there is the issue of price. the difference between the two cars in terms of cost is significant. if you opt for the turbo 4 cylinder, the difference is astounding. i have always loved the personality of my saabs. i have always thought i would be driving them for life...but the cost of being a saab owner keeps climbing, and the VW passat is proof that attractive, high quality alternatives exists. if i had to choose today, i'm not sure which car i would buy...but i think it might be the passat. david
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