Saab - Why do you like them?
Discussion
otolith said:
IroningMan said:
otolith said:
The "quicker than a Ferrari/911/etc" figure is misleading, though, it's always the Saab in the right gear versus something quicker in the wrong gear.
IIRC it was 9000 Aero vs contemporary cooking 911, like-for-like in-gear times.The SAAB beats the 911 on torque-to-weight - I forget the torque figures, but both stood at around the 1,400kg mark.
6506234 said:
ike I said, the newer Saabs aren't much like the older ones. Tuning limit for a 9-5 is about 300hp before metal parts start bending in the engine. The 9000 can make more like 500hp before that starts to happen. I've also put my 9000 up against a friend driving a brand new Saab 9-5 aero and the old 9000 aero was much quicker. 9-5 never felt very quick. A lot of people have successfully tuned 9-5s but the king of the Saabs was really the 9000, closly followed by the 99 and the 900.
As always, tuned cars are a whole other ball game. Our 9-5 is perfect for what we wanted - it's plenty quick enough, very comfortable, well equipped, not too thirsty, safe, swallows dogs/bikes/fishing gear/luggage/people with ease, cost peanuts to buy and has so far been fairly cheap and reliable to own. Front wheel drive doesn't bother me in a barge - if I wanted a sporting car I'd rather have rear drive, but then I don't see the point in ruining a nice comfortable luxury car by making it 'sporty'.otolith said:
6506234 said:
ike I said, the newer Saabs aren't much like the older ones. Tuning limit for a 9-5 is about 300hp before metal parts start bending in the engine. The 9000 can make more like 500hp before that starts to happen. I've also put my 9000 up against a friend driving a brand new Saab 9-5 aero and the old 9000 aero was much quicker. 9-5 never felt very quick. A lot of people have successfully tuned 9-5s but the king of the Saabs was really the 9000, closly followed by the 99 and the 900.
As always, tuned cars are a whole other ball game. Our 9-5 is perfect for what we wanted - it's plenty quick enough, very comfortable, well equipped, not too thirsty, safe, swallows dogs/bikes/fishing gear/luggage/people with ease, cost peanuts to buy and has so far been fairly cheap and reliable to own. Front wheel drive doesn't bother me in a barge - if I wanted a sporting car I'd rather have rear drive, but then I don't see the point in ruining a nice comfortable luxury car by making it 'sporty'.Found another pretty good video, all I've been doing this afternoon, watching car videos on youtube. Look at the way the speedo moves during the better 'pulls' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwW0C3OiNCc
No offence OP but if you have to ask you aren't likely to get it 
Someone summed it up perfectly - it just gets better and better the longer you have it. It's like your favourite ratchet or a particular screwdriver you find yourself reaching for over others in the tool box. It just feels right in a way that is hard to explain but also in a way that you don't feel you need to justify.
Waved goodbye to mr impatient who was flashing his lights and tailgating me in a brand new Octavia VRS today which sits in a similar vein in a lot of ways... Didn't even have to floor it. Just made me smile to myself.
Someone summed it up perfectly - it just gets better and better the longer you have it. It's like your favourite ratchet or a particular screwdriver you find yourself reaching for over others in the tool box. It just feels right in a way that is hard to explain but also in a way that you don't feel you need to justify.
Waved goodbye to mr impatient who was flashing his lights and tailgating me in a brand new Octavia VRS today which sits in a similar vein in a lot of ways... Didn't even have to floor it. Just made me smile to myself.
Edited by Meldonte on Friday 23 August 17:59
Bought my '89 9000 turbo with 150'000 miles on it for £300. Never put a foot wrong in 2.5 yrs, sailed through MOT and cost nothing more than tyres, petrol and 1 headlamp bulb. Lovely to drive and was my first car with any sort of performance. Still miss it - showed me for the first time that cars could be a source of enjoyment not just a mode of transport.
Meldonte said:
No offence OP but if you have to ask you aren't likely to get it
Someone summed it up perfectly - it just gets better and better the longer you have it. It's like your favourite ratchet or a particular screwdriver you find yourself reaching for over others in the tool box. It just feels right in a way that is hard to explain but also in a way that you don't feel you need to justify.
Waved goodbye to mr impatient who was flashing his lights and tailgating me in a brand new Octavia VRS today which sits in a similar vein in a lot of ways... Didn't even have to floor it. Just made me smile to myself.
Bang on. Mine is only an SS Aero 9-3 so GM influenced and I still love it. Still think it kept some of the character of the older Saabs, the SS is the most sorted in the bends with the stiffer chassis (howevever, it isn't a twisties car by any stretch) and still has that Saaby turbo pull and mid range clout.Someone summed it up perfectly - it just gets better and better the longer you have it. It's like your favourite ratchet or a particular screwdriver you find yourself reaching for over others in the tool box. It just feels right in a way that is hard to explain but also in a way that you don't feel you need to justify.
Waved goodbye to mr impatient who was flashing his lights and tailgating me in a brand new Octavia VRS today which sits in a similar vein in a lot of ways... Didn't even have to floor it. Just made me smile to myself.
Edited by Meldonte on Friday 23 August 17:59
I've had mine for 4 years and I keep trawling the classified thinking about my next daily and all I can come up with is another Saab. Can't find anything in the price range, with the performance, the comfort and the practicality as I have now. Gives me 35mpg back on a motorway run, can get into the 40s too on a long enough run going at a decent pace, superbly comfortable and still has a good turn of pace when I want it to move. Plus I think the SS shape has aged very well (not the Dame Edna ones, pre facelift).
Even had a couple guys in much faster cars (Cayman S and 997 Turbo) come and ask me what mods I had done as they felt they couldn't shake me off when out on a run with the Scotland PH section. The roads were a bit greasy which does level the playing field but the chap in the 911 turbo was genuinely shocked that the engine wasn't modded (shame on me too, stage 1 getting done in the next few months
). Shows the mid range punch the Saab has because on Scottish back roads, all you're doing is 50 - 90 - 50 - 90. Don't really have much space to get more speed up between bends usually. However, when the road opened up, he was gone... 
Edited by DottyMR2 on Friday 27th February 10:20
The more modern ones still had something about them, though they still weren't a patch on the old ones.
I remember running a late Vectra for a week of driving 1000 miles or so, and later a late 9-3. I bought a Cadillac BLS after a while (please don't lynch me, Saab fans!) which was built in Trollhatten.
The later 9-3 was never a 3 series but it was more than its GM Vectra base. You could cover 800 miles in a day and still step out fresh as a daisy. Handbrake that would pinch your thumb notwithstanding,
it was well laid out. The suspension was a good balance of compliance and poise; it was never a sportscar but it was a decent tool to cover a few thousand miles of rough roads in the Republic Of Ireland.
Interesting that a poster above highlighted an Octavia vRS, which I currently run and which replaced that BLS. Since I don't do as much long distance driving as I used to, the Skoda's a better fit for me these days- it's more fun and pointier if still limited by its relative weight and setup compared to other cars. (I enjoy it but I'm under no illusions that my vRS would rival an M3.) But it's not as well damped over rough surfaces and not as nice an environment to do really long trips in. I wouldn't swap back because I get more out the Skoda these days but it's horses for courses- if I had a journey of 150 miles, the Skoda's a little more fun and can still carry people and lots of stuff if I want to. If I were doing a 1000 mile trip and had the choice between my Skoda and a 9-3 though, I'd take the 9-3.
I remember running a late Vectra for a week of driving 1000 miles or so, and later a late 9-3. I bought a Cadillac BLS after a while (please don't lynch me, Saab fans!) which was built in Trollhatten.
The later 9-3 was never a 3 series but it was more than its GM Vectra base. You could cover 800 miles in a day and still step out fresh as a daisy. Handbrake that would pinch your thumb notwithstanding,
it was well laid out. The suspension was a good balance of compliance and poise; it was never a sportscar but it was a decent tool to cover a few thousand miles of rough roads in the Republic Of Ireland.Interesting that a poster above highlighted an Octavia vRS, which I currently run and which replaced that BLS. Since I don't do as much long distance driving as I used to, the Skoda's a better fit for me these days- it's more fun and pointier if still limited by its relative weight and setup compared to other cars. (I enjoy it but I'm under no illusions that my vRS would rival an M3.)
But it's not as well damped over rough surfaces and not as nice an environment to do really long trips in. I wouldn't swap back because I get more out the Skoda these days but it's horses for courses- if I had a journey of 150 miles, the Skoda's a little more fun and can still carry people and lots of stuff if I want to. If I were doing a 1000 mile trip and had the choice between my Skoda and a 9-3 though, I'd take the 9-3.Forget the 900s and later models, you haven't experienced the best of Saab until you have driven a 96. I have owned two V4 models, one as a DD, the other as a weekend toy when I also had a classic 900. The 96 had a better ride and handling than the 900, more comfortable seats and was indecently fast from A to B for a solidly built car with only 65 BHP. The only thing that stops me from having another is a need to scratch the 'traditional British sports car' itch.
I've got a 2001 9-3 Aero HOT. It's surprisingly rapid, especially third gear. However, it torque steers like mad in damp/wet weather and the handling is pretty woeful generally. I'm getting new shocks/springs fitted soon and steering rack clamp. Then a remap. Will be interesting to see what it performs and handles like after that but I still don't expect to handle anywhere near as good as our mk5 GTI.
I had a 900 T16 s, what a car luxury, power, and looks.
Amazingly strong, had an artic rip through the front end , repaired and returned by the insurance firm, only to be rear ended by a drunk driver. After that it was written off.
They really don't make them like that anymore, much like old classic Mercs, built to last,wonderfully put together,and worth every penny,
RIP SAAB
Amazingly strong, had an artic rip through the front end , repaired and returned by the insurance firm, only to be rear ended by a drunk driver. After that it was written off.
They really don't make them like that anymore, much like old classic Mercs, built to last,wonderfully put together,and worth every penny,
RIP SAAB
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
I love my 2003 SAAB '93 because...
(pics stolen from Google images)
It has the best dashboard illumination ever...
It's got a Turbo boost gauge...
It smells nice inside.
It's quick when you want it to be, but also good MPG.
It's built like a brick outhouse.
It looks good.
It's loaded with electronic goodies.
SAABs are driven by well educated, sensible, nice people.
And best of all, they aren't German.
I ended up hating my 93 vector tid after the autobox developed problems and wouldnt let me engage gear for at least 5 to 10 mins on a cold morning. However, the dash at night was one of the few things I did like.(pics stolen from Google images)
It has the best dashboard illumination ever...
It's got a Turbo boost gauge...
It smells nice inside.
It's quick when you want it to be, but also good MPG.
It's built like a brick outhouse.
It looks good.
It's loaded with electronic goodies.
SAABs are driven by well educated, sensible, nice people.
And best of all, they aren't German.
St John Smythe said:
I've got a 2001 9-3 Aero HOT. It's surprisingly rapid, especially third gear. However, it torque steers like mad in damp/wet weather and the handling is pretty woeful generally. I'm getting new shocks/springs fitted soon and steering rack clamp. Then a remap. Will be interesting to see what it performs and handles like after that but I still don't expect to handle anywhere near as good as our mk5 GTI.
Our 9-5 torque steers on winters, but not on Goodyear Eagle F1A summers.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff