Hey Paul,
I was just thinking along similar lines. My wife's 2000 9-3se(HOT) went in for some work on Monday and they gave her a 2004 9-5 ARC as loaner. Initially she really liked it. We both drove the car and came to basically the same conclusions. The suspension is quite soft and the steering quite light for a car with performance roots. Her 9-3 has the 30% stiffer spring rates and aftermarket wheels. The steering has a nice stiff feel and quick turn-in. I suppose that you could ante up the extra dough for the Aero in order to stiffen up the handling and quicken the steering. However, the 9-5 ARC was really great if you weren't pushing it past 7/10th's.

We also have driven the new 9-3ss. It was a low pressure model with a manual. It was ok, but again, felt a little soft. What struck us both simultaneously was that it appears that the bean-counters have been at work within the interior of the new 9-3 and the quality of materials used does not seem to match past Saab models. This was an early model however, so maybe some changes were made...I don't know.

We appreciated the 2-day test drive and returned the car last night. My wife's initial impression upon driving the 9-5 was that we "talk" to the salespeople when we return the loaner. But, the longer she drove the car, the more anxious she became to get her car back. Aside from what the actual interior dimensions are of the new 9-3ss, the old 9-3 just "seems" roomier. However, the 9-5 is definitely a really roomy and well laid-out car on the inside.

Is the 9-5 worth the extra dough? It's only money. Don't take that wrong. I'm just a working stiff, but the one thing that my wife and myself never shorted ourselves on was the kind of car we wanted to drive. I'm not talking, "Should we buy the Saab or the BMW 745?". We just figured spending a little extra for what we really wanted wasn't going to downgrade our lifestyle. Good luck.
Steve

posted by 24.12.7...

• Is the 9-5 worth the price difference vs 9-3?, paul de k, Thu, 18 Mar 2004 15:41:13
  • Re: Is the 9-5 worth the price difference vs 9-3?, Tom, Mon, 22 Mar 2004 18:18:59
  • 9-5 vs 9-3?: my $0.02, Bart, Sun, 21 Mar 2004 10:30:10
  • Well, if you don't mind buying slightly used, I would.., TKC, Fri, 19 Mar 2004 06:28:35
  • Price very close after incentives......, Mike Lynch , Thu, 18 Mar 2004 18:38:09
  • We have both..., chris74, Thu, 18 Mar 2004 18:20:04
  • Size Matters, Stephen Goldberger, Thu, 18 Mar 2004 17:51:35
    • Especially when performance matters too!, Scott Paterson , Thu, 18 Mar 2004 18:11:34
    • a few notes...., chris74, Thu, 18 Mar 2004 18:11:28
  • Re: Is the 9-5 worth the price difference vs 9-3?, Steve in Chicago, Thu, 18 Mar 2004 17:13:28 <-- Viewing This Message

No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.

• Prev by Date: if combined on all boards over 600!, steveC, Thu, 18 Mar 2004 17:08:43
• Next by Date: how many were replies to your own messages?, FrozenSaab, Thu, 18 Mar 2004 17:15:37
• Main General Bulletin Board

StateOfNine.com

SaabClub.com

Jak Stoll Performance

M Car Covers

Ad Available

The content on this site may not be republished without permission. Copyright © 1988-2024 - The Saab Network - saabnet.com.
For usage guidelines, see the Mission & Privacy Notice.
[Contact | Site Map | Saabnet.com on Facebook | Saabnet.com on Twitter | Shop Amazon via TSN | Site Donations]

Random Saabnet.com Member Gallery Photos (Click Image)