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Well for the first 18 months or so of ownership, my first 9-5 had few flaws, but the last six months have been a real nightmare. First it was 20 or so days in the shop because of a motor mount problem while the motor mounts were on back order. Whether that was really a problem or not, I'll never know, because fixing the motor mounts didn't solve the problem which was later discovered to be the ECU. Anyway the new motor mounts were supposedly beefier.
Several weeks later the car wouldn't start at all and after three or four days in the shop the dealer managed to put in an ECU that was not the latest version. A month or so later, I lost another day while the upgraded ECU was put in after several weeks of poor performance.
At that point the only thing that wasn't working properly was the windshield washer squirters which wouldn't work in the middle or on the passenger side. I took it in to get that fixed and the dealer got the passenger side working but not the middle washer and had to order a middle washer. Another day wasted without a car.
Before the middle washer came in, the heater on the driver side started blowing cold air. The dealer couldn't get me in for several days and the tech writer suggested I drive the car to build some character. I told him that the car had already built quite a bit. When I did get the car to the dealer at the appointed time on Monday, I had to take a shuttle back to the office and got an hour tour of Memphis in the process. Later I called that day to check on the car and was told it needs a new heater box, as some vent door which was defective has broken, and is stuck in a position which blocks all hot air to the driver's side. I asked about a Saab loaner. I was told they didn't have one on Monday but that I could get one on Tuesday. My car was torn apart and it was suggested I leave it there until the car could be fixed by Friday. Tuesday afternoon comes and there is no loaner. I was told to call back today. No loaner today either but I learn instead that the heater box is on back order. I ask if there is some way to make a temporary repair and am told that it can be done and that I can pick up my car in mid morning.
Unfortunately I am begining to think of the old joke about how many Jaguars you need -- two: one to drive and one to put in the shop.
I like this car better than any I have ever owned in about 30 years of car ownership, but this is just not acceptable performance by the manufacturer or by the dealer. No Cadillac or Oldsmobile ever gave me this kind of trouble and only Nissan service was this poor. As this 9-5, because it was so good initially, convinced me to buy 3 more Saabs since (two new and one used) I am really questioning how smart I have been. I wonder what fate the others will bring. My other 9-5 spent 30+ days in the shop being repaired after a very minor accident (couldn't get parts in a timely manner) and my 9000 spent a month in the shop having a new automatic transmission (only has 70K). Only the 9-3 has escaped long shop stays. Such I'm afraid is the life of a Saabophile.
, Thu, 1 Mar 2001 04:52:39
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