Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 10:03:19 -0500 From: Gavin Haslett <thumper_svxnopsamo.com> Subject: Re: Saab 9-5 wagon vs. V70 Volvo
Well... reliability-wise it will definitely compare favorably with the Volvo... I've seen (and driven) Saabs that are over 200K miles and they still feel as good as my sub-100K 96 900. Maintenance-wise there'll be no big surprises for you. Routine maintenance... the occasional broken part that needs to be replaced... but that's true of ANY car including Volvo's. Most of my problems with my 900 to date have been due to the previous owner (I purchased used... more fool me) who ran it hard and didn't really keep up with maintenance. Since I've been keeping up with the maintenance I've had very few problems with the car... and in fact the occurrence of shop visits is actually getting less and less frequent as I drive the car... and I've put about 30k miles on it since I bought it. I do a lot of long-distance driving in my Saab... often up to Peoria area (where my head office is) from St. Louis... and I have to say that it's a pleasure to drive that far in the car. The seats are firm but extremely supportive on my back (I've had back problems for years due to a bad car wreck in my teens). I can also comfortably climb into the car in St. Louis (where I live), start driving and drive all the way to Peoria without stopping and still get out of the car and work when I get to my destination. All in all a wonderful vehicle. And as for safety... well the car's designed so that in a wreck you're given a really good chance to get out alive. A Saab physically will probably take more damage than a Volvo, but will still cost about the same to repair afterwards. It's designed that way so that you walk away with minimal problems. I've seen a friend of mine in his 86 (?) 900T in a head-on with a semi where both were exceeding 40mph... given a total impact speed of about 80mph. Okay, so he didn't exactly walk away but honestly I think the fact that he got out of it with bumps, scratches and a fractured arm says a lot about the safety of the cars. He went right out and bought a '99 9-3 after that one and tells me he'd never drive anything but a Saab again. From a driving perspective I have to say that I prefer the Saab to a Volvo. A Volvo is very much a passenger car; it's designed for families and people who frequently carry others around with them. A Saab is a drivers car... the entire cockpit is designed around the driver. In a 900 as a prime example, the passenger-side footwell is a mere fraction of the size of the drivers side... noticeably so... giving the impression to the driver that you're in a bigger car than you actually are. The passenger side is still comfortable... but instruments, the stereo etc. are all angled toward the driver. Everything's in easy reach and I just LOVE the Saab patented design for the air-vents... it's VERY intuitive. Hope this rather long missive helps! -- Gavin Haslett thumper_svxnopsamo.com http://home.earthlink.net/~hackrat "Ahhhh... Mountain Dew... nectar of the geeks!"
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