2003-2011 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
I owned 2 of the original 9-3 verts, a '99 and 2001 and now Ihave an '04 Arc vert. All of them I got new.
The '01 was far better car than the '99, much fewer issues but both cars had mulitiple issues during time of ownership. The older ones had more classic SAAB styling the '04 version.
OG 9-3 -
+'s more classic styling, better interior materials and layout of dash, some nice features (fold down seat, weather radio, DTR's easy to turn off), easy to do oil change (never even had to put it on ramps), nice power top.
-'s flex-i-frame chassis, reliability issues with DI cassette and other systems, manual (3 knob) AC controls unreliable and eventuall break.
04' 9-3
+'s good handling, good power, looks good (but not classic SAAB look), front seat room seem bigger to me, reliability is very high, mp3 input for stero, engine hold 6 quarts of oil - longer interval service requirements. fast and neat top mechanism
-'s cheap interior materials, center consol layout is kind of cheap feeling and looking, more "bling" fake brushed aluminum pieces, weak stereo sound, strange no fuction buttons on the dash/radio/steering wheel, no rear seat pass through, oil filter change a little more complicated than older car,
The '04 is a better ownership experience and driving experience, less time getting fixed in my experience. Biggest downside is that it doesn't feel as classic or expensive as it should. To put it in perspective, If I were going to have just a weekend car to admire and have fun with I'd prefer to have a very low mileage older 9-3 vert (SE or Viggen) to keep in the garage. If I have to use the car everyday, putting miles on it and then plan to trade it in a couple years or so down the road then I think the '04+ is better choice to live with.
posted by 72.186.13...
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