Date: Sat, 24 Aug 2002 21:29:31 GMT From: "James Eckles" <dcjayhawknopsamhlink.net> Subject: Sat in it
Part of buying a Viggen is that you get to participate in the Viggen Flight Academy at Road Atlanta about 50 miles north of Atlanta. It's 20% classroom and 80% driving exercises. SAAB has a dinner on Saturday night at the Chateau Elan for the participants and beforehand they have a reception at the Chateau's winery outside and always have a few classic or new model SAAB's parked there- this month they had the new 9-3 (one of only 2 in N. America) and the NG900 Taladega among a couple other 9-5s. I've never heard of a $400 tire! Maybe you mean wheel? They can be in the $300 range. JKE "Four Weis" <mweinopsamcom> wrote in message news:3D67B6C9.80782363nopsamcom... > How did you get the invite to meet the Saab executives? I would like to do meet > with them and have my opinion heard by more than this group and the person > reading e-mails at Saab. > > You said you had the chance to "sit" in the new 9-3, no test drives :-( > > The unfortunate thing about the Saab 9-3 has been the long term experience by > people at the office where I work. My manager had nothing but bad things to say > about his 9-3, which he replaced with a Jetta when the Saab lease was up. The > tires were expensive, $400 each, so much for any comments about "cheap" tires > being put on by Saab at the factory. He also had the turbo replaced 3 times in > under 30,000 miles - granted it was replace at no cost under the warranty, free > except for his time. This left the big question of quality and how expensive > the Saab would be to maintain after the warranty, with turbos lasting only 7,500 > miles and tires costing $400 each. You may say he had a lemon, but 3 turbo > replacements?? Perhaps he should have tried a new shop. > > I told him my Saabs, 1986 900 and 1990 900S were far more reliable and less > costly to maintain than his 9-3, but then mine are Classics :-) > > James Eckles wrote: > > > Not to sound too negative, but I find it ironic that you're complaining > > about the build quality of the 9-3 and 9-5 while your car's in the shop all > > the time. > > > > Look at the latest edition of Consumer Reports and notice SAAB's reliability > > ratings for the past 8 years or so - they've done nothing but get better and > > better each year, and that means POST 9000 and 900. > > > > I sat in the new 9-3 on August 10th while at the Viggen Flight Academy in GA > > and I must say I'm impressed. The fact that it shares a platform with other > > cars has absolutely no impact on its build quality. The new 9-3 is 100% > > Swedish engineered and manufactured. GM writes the checks and leaves the > > rest to the Swedes (while still demanding sales and quality-related results > > mind you - it's not just a bank!). This is what I was told by the SAAB > > execs at dinner that same night. > > > > The interior's materials on the new 9-3 appeared solid, classy and well put > > together. While the Vector's HP will only be 210, there WILL be higher HP, > > all-wheel drive versions coming out in the next couple of years. > > > > I've been completely happy with my '01 Viggen convertible's build quality > > and reliability, although I've only done 10k in it. Fit and finish is > > superb in my opinion. > > > > Thoughts? > > > > J. Kent > > > > "Lee Marshall" <leenopsamvespamenigma-it.com> wrote in message > > news:umc284sdje5pe0nopsam.supernews.com... > > > As some of you may be aware from reading my posts elsewhere in this group, > > I > > > am the (mostly) proud owner of a '97 9000 Aero. Due to some ongoing > > problems > > > with my car, I have been fortunate to have been able to test most of the > > > current Saab range as courtesy cars. Although to be honest, I have not > > been > > > too impressed. > > > > > > I have found that the build quality across the whole range has been > > totally > > > sub-standard for the market in which Saabs compete, especially compared to > > > my 9k. > > > > > > The current 9-3 has typically great engines, apart from the awful 2.2 > > Turbo > > > Diesel. This is without doubt the worst diesel car I have ever driven > > (maybe > > > excluding a Peugeot 106 1.5D), although the engine was quite powerful the > > > noise and vibration (particulary through the clutch pedal) was > > unacceptable. > > > The 2.0 LPT is the best engine in the range, the full blown turbo being > > too > > > powerful for the chassis. The sound system on the coupe was exceptional > > > though. > > > > > > My current courtesy car is a brand new 9-5 Linear 2.0 LPT, but this too > > has > > > many faults. Again the build quality is poor (particularly the lid on the > > > cubby hole between the front seats). There is also a general lack of > > storage > > > space, the door pockets are far too small and there is only one cupholder, > > > albeit a very nice one. However the main problem with the 9-5 is again the > > > chassis. Even with the base 150bhp engine, you can lose traction pulling > > out > > > of junctions and going around roundabouts. I admit my 9000 doesn't have > > > wonderful traction but it is better than 9-5, even with 75bhp more. I have > > > also found the 9-5 to be "loose" and prone to lift-off oversteer, not nice > > > in a car this big. > > > > > > I have high hopes for the 9-3, although being based on the new Vectra > > > (Epsilon) platform isn't going to help (if past experience is anything to > > go > > > by). If Saab can improve the build quality and find a way of taming > > 200+bhp > > > I sure it will sell well. My other immediate concern for the new 9-3 is a > > > lack of what Saabs usually have, excess power. The new 9-3 is going to be > > a > > > heavy car and I think the new Aero will not have the power to compete with > > > it's main competitor, the BMW 330. It seems to me that Volvo is taking the > > > lead in the Swedish power stakes, and that can only be bad for Saab. > > > > > > Sorry if I have droned on too much about this, but this has been burning > > > away inside for some time. > > > > > > I welcome your counter-comments! > > > > > > Lee > > > > > > > > > --- > > > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > > > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > > > Version: 6.0.384 / Virus Database: 216 - Release Date: 21/08/2002 > > > > > > > > > > >
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