RE: Saab 9-3 Carlsson | Spotted

[Maxus]

Nice looking car. I had a few normal 9-3 V6's new around 2008-2010. I quite enjoyed them at the time although even back then they did feel old inside. They went quite well with a nice grumble but always felt a bit strangled power wise. Would be intrigued to try this or the Turbo X model (which I guess is very similar).

[cookie1600]

Calza said:

Do you mean the 2.3?

The 9-3SS in Aero format was a 217 bhp 2.0 litre. They never fitted a 2.3 petrol engine to this body shape 9-3

[Zetec-S]

richinlondon said:

just bored one day I used WBAC to value my M3 EVO with low miles - fifty quid!

Wots ur lowest price bruv

[philmots]

Really nice.

I had an 06 2.8T Aero manual (fwd) black with the cream leather.

It was lowered on genuine Hirsch springs and had it remapped properly and made 300hp/390lbft, other than that just looked after properly.

Was a proper sleeper, surprised so many people but never upset them!

[jagnet]

David87 said:

Is this basically the same the the Turbo X?

Very similar mechanically, but the Turbo X did have a manual option. Most of the differences are trim levels, exterior styling (with what were some Hirsch parts, I think) and more paint options for the Carlsson.

[ballans]

Calza said:

ballans said:

Also I tried the V6 engine and it felt very dull and generic compared to the 2.0 high output turbo.

Do you mean the 2.3?

No, the old 2.3 turbo is a cracking engine. I meant the 2.8 v6 they put in the modern 93.
Thanks for pulling me up on that as there is a big distinction.

[Welshbeef]

NicoG said:

Welshbeef said:

How is this car worth thousands more than the vastly higher new cost of a 535d F10 same age m sport fully loaded similar ish miles (maybe 25-30k more).

£8k for the 535d F10 and yet this is more...... really? No chance

Please could you send me a link to the £8K fully-loaded F10 535D M-Sport with similar mileage (maybe 25-30K more)?
I'd buy it in a heartbeat

Mine 111k miles but that’s the part x quotes I’ve been getting (well 2) which surprisingly mirror Autotrader rough guide.

[Welshbeef]

ruprechtmonkeyboy said:

Because it's rare and interesting unlike a run of the mill diesel BMW.

Is it though?
Engine is VX same output as the vectra of that era

AWD all Aeros have that.

Specifically what is the change that Carlsson made as was it purely a badging exercise / trim changes?

[BFleming]

A friend had a 2010 Saab 9-3 2.8T Aero X (manual) - so not quite the auto-only Carlsson here, but close. We shared the driving to Spa Classic a couple of years ago, and I had the following observations:

• Quick
• Suspension was fine (it sat on 19's)
• Rear legroom was woeful
• Erratic check engine light related to the Camshaft Position Sensor; this turned out to be the achilles heel of this engine, a stretched timing chain that threw the engine timing out (funny that).

Would he buy another 9-3? Yes. A 2.8? No. He bought a 2.0 Aero as it goes.

I find the comparison above to a 535d bizarre (and I drive a F11 525d btw) but I appreciate why you did it - you own one! Wrong size car, wrong fuel, wrong number of driven wheels, just different in nearly every sense. If you really have to compare to to something, I'd probably go for a 159 Q4. I wouldn't describe the 159 as a mainstream choice, particularly in the asthmatic 3.2 Q4 guise, so many parallels to the (dare I say better) 9-3. But the Saab is definitely rarer and more special - to a beholder at least.

[sledge68]

Have you bought it yet?

Welshbeef said:

Is it though?
Engine is VX same output as the vectra of that era

AWD all Aeros have that.

Specifically what is the change that Carlsson made as was it purely a badging exercise / trim changes?

[BFleming]

Welshbeef said:

AWD all Aeros have that.

No they don't. The 2.0 and 2.8 Aero's were FWD or AWD at various points during this body shape. Philmot's 2.8T pictured above is FWD.

[Skornogr4phy]

The horsepower argument is a bit like saying a 535d has the same horsepower as a 1950's Ferrari Race car so they should be worth a similar amount.

[Turbobanana]

cookie1600 said:

Would it make much difference to peoples comments and observations here if you could buy this exact car for say £7,950.00?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2010-60-SAAB-9-3-2-8-V6...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Edited by cookie1600 on Thursday 20th June 09:11

How long has the ad been live on PH? I reckon he's reduced the price on eBay / Autotrader and forgotten about it here!

[Welshbeef]

Skornogr4phy said:

The horsepower argument is a bit like saying a 535d has the same horsepower as a 1950's Ferrari Race car so they should be worth a similar amount.

No that was in reaponse to another stating his Saab beat a 1 series diesel recently but it’s like comparing apples with pears

[twizellb]

BFleming said:

Welshbeef said:

AWD all Aeros have that.

No they don't. The 2.0 and 2.8 Aero's were FWD or AWD at various points during this body shape. Philmot's 2.8T pictured above is FWD.

News to me

[pSyCoSiS]

I do like older Saabs, not the 9-3 though.

Had a few 9-5s both saloon and estate. Picking up a 2004 2.3 Aero HOT estate manual in a few weeks time which I paid £375 for on eBay. Just to use as a load lugger to clear the garage out, tip runs etc.

9-5 always felt better built to me than the 9-3, which had cheap feeling interiors.

Edited by pSyCoSiS on Thursday 20th June 15:33

[Gameface]

sledge68 said:

Have you bought it yet?

[Gameface]

Saabs, especially this one, are cool, rare and have a deserved cult following.

Diesel 5 series are a means to get from A to B and little else. Blandness personified.

[BFleming]

pSyCoSiS said:

I do like older Saabs, not the 9-3 though.

Had a few 9-5s both saloon and estate. Picking up a 2004 2.3 HOT estate manual in a few weeks time which I paid £375 for on eBay. Just to use as a load lugger to clear the garage out, tip runs etc.

9-5 always felt better built to me than the 9-3, which had cheap feeling interiors.

I'd go with that; I had three 9-5's over the years, all of which served me well. My last one was the one I shouldn't have sold, it was well sorted and sold for peanuts :-(

[anonymous-user]

I guarantee that the interior will rattle like a skeleton in a biscuit tin.. Cheap & nasty interiors, a shame really..