This wasn't just *any* carmag. This was the official periodical of the UK auto club and the data was based on owner experience. The piece covering study results was widespread in the UK media including secondary articles I spotted in The Scotsman and the BBC. No doubt there was other coverage I missed. The Brits take their autoclub reliability results very seriously as the club has great integrity.

The 1999 Saab 9-3 finished 1st, tied with 2 Nissans and a Honda (or a Toyota) with zero faults found after two (2) years' driving. The sample size was more than acceptable for statistical purposes.

Various posters here tried to argue that the British Saab 9-3 was essentially different from the North American Saab 9-3. This is bunk.

The only things that are different in the UK are better, more reliably thorough, dealer prep and right hand drive.

In a similar test conducted by the very large Lex Auto Leasing on their fleet (money spent on repairs per 100km), the 1998 Saab 9-3 finished 6th in reliability and most improved for the second year in a row. Of those 1998 Saab 9-3s causing problems, by far and away the biggest chunk was concentrated on some cog in the standard tranny fixed during that model year. (The Saab automatic tranny is a Lexus/Toyota-used bulletproof award-winner.)

Although I admit a subsequent model year for any marque may present problems not encountered in previous model years, the unmistakable trend for Saab has been toward more reliability.

We're at 70k km. We are replacing, under warranty, the antenna assembly and have replaced the heater box and fixed the cable to the heater's directional control once, both with newly-engineered, improved parts. Eveything else has been normal maintenance, including brakes (pads and rotors) which we wore out at about 55k km through 95% city driving in a hilly area. There is a put-put from the exhaust now and the middle muffler may need to be replaced under warranty. We just don't know yet.

The muffler put-put materialized after a rare road trip and could very well be the result (again) of introducing a long road trip to a muffler system with a lot of city-driving condensation built up over the years.

As I recall, the Saab 9-5 finished 3rd in that same UK auto club study. Not bad for a brand new car.

posted by 142.173.17...

• Folks, sounds like Saab has a reliability problem., Shwan, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 00:28:53
  • Re: Folks, sounds like Saab has a reliability problem., anthony, Mon, 7 Jan 2002 17:57:01
  • Shwan... I also own a Jeep and, Dave W, Mon, 7 Jan 2002 17:45:07
  • II'm suspicious too, DT, Mon, 7 Jan 2002 16:30:35
    • Have Saab AND Integra, Ray, Tue, 8 Jan 2002 13:29:49
    • My Viggen does the same thing..., brian@saabcenter.com, Tue, 8 Jan 2002 13:07:46
    • Re: II'm suspicious too, Steve B., Mon, 7 Jan 2002 19:32:56
      • Re: II'm suspicious too, DT, Mon, 7 Jan 2002 20:25:18
  • Re: Folks, sounds like Saab has a reliability problem., Ray, Mon, 7 Jan 2002 14:22:49
  • Au contraire, mon frere..., Max Viger, Mon, 7 Jan 2002 13:05:51
  • This is a problem solving board..., brian@saabcenter.com, Mon, 7 Jan 2002 12:34:53
  • No real problems on our 99 9-3SE. n/m, Schu, Mon, 7 Jan 2002 08:07:54
  • Have had no probs yet on two 2001 Saabs . . ., Mike D, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 22:26:57
  • After 12 Saabs my 2001 is the best yet, DonG, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 20:43:35
  • Proof to the contrary, Polaris, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 18:39:15
    • Proof to the contrary + a testimonial, John A., Mon, 7 Jan 2002 13:11:10 <-- Viewing This Message
  • I would argue..., Philip, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 16:39:05
  • Understand how this site works..., Scott Paterson , Sun, 6 Jan 2002 14:44:40
  • Mostly people with problem cars goes through the>>, Anders, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 13:47:11
  • Re: Folks, sounds like Saab has a reliability problem., Dean, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 13:43:17
  • Re: Folks, sounds like Saab has a reliability problem., jc, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 11:28:53
  • Re: Folks, sounds like Saab has a reliability problem., TJ, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 02:41:14
    • Re: Folks, sounds like Saab has a reliability problem., MCSAAB, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 07:59:59
      • Re: Folks, sounds like Saab has a reliability problem., Ray, Sun, 6 Jan 2002 11:36:48

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