RE: SOTW: Saab 9-5 Aero HOT

[Apache]

Very under rated cars, I was close to opting for one to replace my 9000 Aero that my ex murdered......but went for another 9000 fpt. Cheaper, simpler, lighter, smaller and a tad more tweakable

[Challo]

How come these have become so cheap? The value for money for a 9-5 or 9-3 against its german counterparts means these must be a no brainer to buy.

These simply not popular? Or people put off now that Saab has gone out of business?

I was looking at a 9-3 2004/05 convertible for the summer and there are some really good buys out there.

[Mr E]

They've been cheap for a while.

[andybu]

Just a point re the seats, if I may. The 9-5 is a "proper" SAAB, whereas the later 9-3's have the baleful imprint of GM upon them.

I'm a bit of a seat obsessive with cars, being 6'ft 4" inches tall and also with a dodgy disc somewhere in the lower spine. The 9-5 seats are wonderful; those in the 9-3's are far, far inferior. It really matters on long-runs work & we got out of a 9-3 ownership early primarily because of that.

[P2BS]

A combination of a lot of things have killed the prices in the UK. A lot of people wouldn't have touched an earlier Saab, so when the 9000 & then the 9-5 came out, the perception was 'they must still be quirky'. The new list prices were big money - as much as a base 5 series, and more than a 3 series/A4. Big discounts were always to be had, but that put them in 3 series money.
The 9-5 was launched in 1997, and bar 2 facelifts, was fundamentally the same car in 2009. Combine that with being a defunct marque (remember MG Rover) then people don't really want to know.

On the continent they still command good money though. A friend in Holland bought a 2004 9-5 Aero Wagon Auto for €11000ish last year. The same car here would be about £3k tops.

[mikeinsheffield]

Great return to form for SOTW....... leather, power, comfort, looks a damn sight more expensive that £1K....... woudl be very tempted with this for my works hack (up and down motorways etc)....

[JREwing]

P2BS said:

The 9-5 came in a 3.0 V6 T petrol for a few years up to 2001, and as you say a 3.0 diesel from Sept.2001 until 2004. You're right in thinking the diesel lump suffered most - although the same engine in the Vectra C wasn't anywhere near as bad. All down to cooling problems in the 9-5 - allegedly. They got the problem sorted in 2003/4, but the reputation had been truly earned at that stage.
The petrol V6 was discontinued when the Aero officially got 250bhp.

Edited by P2BS on Friday 4th January 13:32

Was that not the 9000 Griffin?
I remember liking those a lot at the time. Correct me if my wires are crossed again - my memory is not the strongest.....


Edit: Sorry, ignore me. I've looked it up. I had never seen those before. That's interesting.....

Edited by JREwing on Friday 4th January 14:56

[otolith]

Escort Si-130 said:

I thought turbos were rubbish as many here keep posting. When BMW start using turbo's etc people say its rubbish. hmmmm

I don't like turbocharged engines in anything sporting, but in a big, comfortable family barge they are perfectly appropriate. It's front wheel drive, too, which I also dislike, but for what we bought it for, it's perfect.

[Bonefish Blues]

otolith said:

Escort Si-130 said:

I thought turbos were rubbish as many here keep posting. When BMW start using turbo's etc people say its rubbish. hmmmm

I don't like turbocharged engines in anything sporting, but in a big, comfortable family barge they are perfectly appropriate. It's front wheel drive, too, which I also dislike, but for what we bought it for, it's perfect.

This - we both bought the same vehicle for the same purpose after the same process of deduction, reading your occasional posts on your Aero.

[kambites]

Looks good value.

I don't think I could live with the colour, though, and I know people who've had a lot of reliability problems with Saabs of this era.

[P2BS]

kambites said:

I don't think I could live with the colour

At least the colour isn't silver ;-)

[Apache]

otolith said:

Escort Si-130 said:

I thought turbos were rubbish as many here keep posting. When BMW start using turbo's etc people say its rubbish. hmmmm

I don't like turbocharged engines in anything sporting, but in a big, comfortable family barge they are perfectly appropriate. It's front wheel drive, too, which I also dislike, but for what we bought it for, it's perfect.

torque steer is hilarious on these things but an lsd calms things down considerably

[dickyt]

Great SOTW. I had one of these in estate form, and ran it for 3 years as a company car from new. As discussed, the 250BHP was incredible fun in manual form & my car was a great Wolf in Sheeps clothing beast. Most cars could be left standing at the lights, and the in-gear acceleration was even better - mind you, my poor Flat Coated Retriever spent allot of time squashed up against the rear window.
Funnily enough, the only thing I didn't like were the seats - I know everyone raves about Saab for this, but I found them bad for my back - they always seemed to push my shoulders forward. Or perhaps the bad back came from all the fun with the right foot and the Turbo lag kick back
Mine was 30K new, so cracking value at 1K.

Edited by dickyt on Friday 4th January 15:55

[mrtwisty]

MarJay said:

If that was rear wheel drive (and maybe manual) it would be the best shed ever! Even so, its certainly the best shed in over a year probably.

2013, the year of the awesome shed!

FFS

I can't remember the last time I saw one of your posts that wasn't whining about a car not being RWD.

It's a comfortable luxo-cruiser, not a slidy smoky hooliganmobile. On a car like this it doesn't make a blind bit of difference which pair of wheels is driven (unless it snows of course...)

It's an utterly fantastic buy for a grand.

[otolith]

Apache said:

torque steer is hilarious on these things but an lsd calms things down considerably

I've not found it as bad as I expected, maybe a little worse on the winter tyres, but only a little tug at the steering. Wheelspin, on the other hand... It reminds me not to drive it like a yob, though

[Apache]

otolith said:

Apache said:

torque steer is hilarious on these things but an lsd calms things down considerably

I've not found it as bad as I expected, maybe a little worse on the winter tyres, but only a little tug at the steering. Wheelspin, on the other hand... It reminds me not to drive it like a yob, though

it stops most of that too, hard acceleration out of a bend is a realistic proposition with one fitted

[P2BS]

I currently have winter tyres on mine; the wheelspin all the way through 1st & in mid-revs in 2nd in anything other than bone dry conditions is funny for a while - then you throttle back!

I normally run 235/45-17's on mine; a bit bigger than stock, but they were on it when I got it. Later 9-5 Aero's (2006-2009) had 7.5 x 17's with the 235's. Earlier ones were 225 on a 7 x 17. Useless trivia ;-)

[Cosworth750]

Mother owns one and I love it to bits. 55 reg Saab 9-5 aero estate. Passed every mot in 4 years of ownership and the only issue has been an intermittent starting issue which I believe may be linked to the crankshaft sensor in this article, regardless it never fails to start and it's an absolute pleasure to be driven in and drive. Lovely seats with fantastic support. The boot is huge and the car is perfect for the family man that wants some fun when the mood takes him.

Once it passes 80mph it really starts to pull and overtaking is relaxing and stress free, just touch the pedal in any gear and you are off.

34.5mpg average on a commute (A-roads)

[Mr E]

Apache said:

torque steer is hilarious on these things but an lsd calms things down considerably

I've not had too much of a problem with this (hamfisted full throttle action in the wet excepted).

[Cosworth750]

Mr E said:

I've not had too much of a problem with this (hamfisted full throttle action in the wet excepted).

From my own drive I was surprised how well the 9-5 put it's power down. I found my mums V40 T4 a lot more mad when you gave it the beans!