RE: Saab 9-3 HOT | Shed of the Week
Discussion
Great Shed, good car for the money. I'd happily drive that.
If it is the HOT model, a simple tune and it would upset some newer, and more expensive cars.
I really do like the styling and I feel they have aged well. SAABs were quite aspirational cars in their day, especially this era and before. An alternative to the usual Germans offerings.
If it is the HOT model, a simple tune and it would upset some newer, and more expensive cars.
I really do like the styling and I feel they have aged well. SAABs were quite aspirational cars in their day, especially this era and before. An alternative to the usual Germans offerings.
Ouroboros said:
pSyCoSiS said:
If it is the HOT model, a simple tune and it would upset some newer, and more expensive cars.
Nostalgia time. Black 9-3 Aero Hot Coupe was my first ever new car in 2001. Looked stunning in solid black. Had an electric sunroof and lovely Bridge of Weir leather upholstery. Lovely seats and instruments. When the turbo kicked in it was quick. Ultimate handling poor and after a year it got traded in for an Alfa 166 3.0 lusso as I got Saab out of my system. At the time Arnold Clark were importing these SAABs at £19k which made them good value. Local SAAB dealer matched that. Local Indy, Burgoynes, had a yellow one for sale recently that was like new/nominal mileage.
With hindsight? Not a great car but a practical, comfortable and different one.
With hindsight? Not a great car but a practical, comfortable and different one.
gregalfa said:
Nostalgia time. Black 9-3 Aero Hot Coupe was my first ever new car in 2001. Looked stunning in solid black. Had an electric sunroof and lovely Bridge of Weir leather upholstery. Lovely seats and instruments. When the turbo kicked in it was quick. Ultimate handling poor and after a year it got traded in for an Alfa 166 3.0 lusso as I got Saab out of my system. At the time Arnold Clark were importing these SAABs at £19k which made them good value. Local SAAB dealer matched that. Local Indy, Burgoynes, had a yellow one for sale recently that was like new/nominal mileage.
With hindsight? Not a great car but a practical, comfortable and different one.
Fortunately I never had Saab in my system. As you say it wasn’t a great car (no surprises there) and you must have been hit badly by depreciation. At least you saw sense very quickly, cut your losses and bought a great Alfa. With hindsight? Not a great car but a practical, comfortable and different one.
stickleback123 said:
Well when “more expensive” and “newer” cars include everything costing more than £1,500 and everything manufactured in the 21st century there are a lot of scalps to claim in your Saab - every Dacia, a brand new Qashqai, a particularly poorly driven 2006 Jazz
Yes forgot about the Jazz.But we had spend 1.5k get 850 bhp
Tweak it will destroy fast cars.
Why not just say, it is a solid car to enjoy, with a bit of pace to keep up with modern cars, but will feel very old skool, which to some is a massive selling point. Bit realistically will feel ancient.
MrB. said:
It isn't an Aero. The Aero model didn't come out until later, so this will just be a Turbo SE with the B204 HOT engine. Aeros had a bodykit, and came out after this car as the range topper. This was mine.
Snap, I had one from new on a Y plate in Silver. Imported UK spec from Sweden to save a few quid (I did this a lot back then when currency / differential vat and import duties allowed). Drove it into the ground and made a very nice shed for someone when I finally let it go. Very quick, torque steer was ‘entertaining’, massive boot, great for motorway cruising and still had some feeling of being exotic compared to the boring BMW and Audi alternatives. Saabs were great cars and having owned a few, this was the last model before they became boring unoriginal rep-mobiles and slowly died a death.
If you could find one today this would be the shed to go for.
RolyRetro said:
MrB. said:
It isn't an Aero. The Aero model didn't come out until later, so this will just be a Turbo SE with the B204 HOT engine. Aeros had a bodykit, and came out after this car as the range topper. This was mine.
Snap, I had one from new on a Y plate in Silver. Imported UK spec from Sweden to save a few quid (I did this a lot back then when currency / differential vat and import duties allowed). Drove it into the ground and made a very nice shed for someone when I finally let it go. Very quick, torque steer was ‘entertaining’, massive boot, great for motorway cruising and still had some feeling of being exotic compared to the boring BMW and Audi alternatives. Saabs were great cars and having owned a few, this was the last model before they became boring unoriginal rep-mobiles and slowly died a death.
If you could find one today this would be the shed to go for.
I only had my Aero for 1yr but it was so comfortable, the best seats I've sat in to date.
We went to South of France in ours and it felt happier at 100mph than it did at 70.
Mine was blue as above, really liked it.
I had exactly this model, except mine was low output turbo. But then, fortunately, it broke so a high output was bolted straight in. Awesome repair. Loved the build quality of that car. Back in 2004 I averaged well over 60mph on a 120 mile dark, wet, A road journey with wife, kid and mother in law in the car.
Can you imagine the amount of nagging you'd get for that normally? Not one of them even once noticed how quickly we were going. Exceptional.
Can you imagine the amount of nagging you'd get for that normally? Not one of them even once noticed how quickly we were going. Exceptional.
As much as I like a Saab 9-3 (I'm currently on my 4th, a 2007 Aero Cabriolet, and previously owned a Mk1 9-3 non-turbo, 2005 Sports Sedan Aero and a 2008 Turbo X - all remapped except for the Mk1 and all have been fun in their own way except for the Mk1) from what's on offer in the PH Classifieds this week I'd probably go for...
Under £1500:
MG TF
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12746111
Under £1000:
Fiat Stilo 5cyl 20v
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12722981
Under £1500:
MG TF
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12746111
Under £1000:
Fiat Stilo 5cyl 20v
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12722981
Mine is a late mk1 9-3 Aero convertible, thus adding a total lack of chassis rigidity to its already comprehensive list of dynamic failures.
It cost me less than SOTW money and is so terrible that I've owned it over five and a half years now - it has taken us on holidays all over the UK and deep into Europe, the worst issue being a broken handbrake cable.
It will do nearly 40mpg on a run, is quick enough when needed (despite not being remapped to 850bhp!!
), has supremely comfortable seats and a decent ride compared to a lot of stuff. It goes around corners when I turn the wheel and in all honesty handles neatly enough. I'm not going to be pushing the limits of adhesion with the missus onboard and a car full of luggage and holiday paraphernalia.
Assuming it is mostly functional, the SOTW would make a good cheap runner with enough poke to allow for a warm feeling of Scandi smugness when the mid-range torque kicks in. Ideal station car etc.
It cost me less than SOTW money and is so terrible that I've owned it over five and a half years now - it has taken us on holidays all over the UK and deep into Europe, the worst issue being a broken handbrake cable.
It will do nearly 40mpg on a run, is quick enough when needed (despite not being remapped to 850bhp!!
), has supremely comfortable seats and a decent ride compared to a lot of stuff. It goes around corners when I turn the wheel and in all honesty handles neatly enough. I'm not going to be pushing the limits of adhesion with the missus onboard and a car full of luggage and holiday paraphernalia.Assuming it is mostly functional, the SOTW would make a good cheap runner with enough poke to allow for a warm feeling of Scandi smugness when the mid-range torque kicks in. Ideal station car etc.
I miss my Saabs and was pretty gutted when the company went under.
In order of appearance, I had:
Saab 900 5-door manual (old shape);
Saab 900 convertible (old shape) 16valve Turbo auto I really regretted selling that one, but kids' school clobber required it, so I changed to a:
Saab 9000 2-litre manual (not the most exciting of my Saabs);
Saab 9-3 5-door diesel manual; and finally:
Saab 9-5 Wagon, 2.3 Aero manual. I really liked this one, but sold it because I was going through a phase where I didn't need a car.
In order of appearance, I had:
Saab 900 5-door manual (old shape);
Saab 900 convertible (old shape) 16valve Turbo auto I really regretted selling that one, but kids' school clobber required it, so I changed to a:
Saab 9000 2-litre manual (not the most exciting of my Saabs);
Saab 9-3 5-door diesel manual; and finally:
Saab 9-5 Wagon, 2.3 Aero manual. I really liked this one, but sold it because I was going through a phase where I didn't need a car.
99t said:
Mine is a late mk1 9-3 Aero convertible, thus adding a total lack of chassis rigidity to its already comprehensive list of dynamic failures.
It cost me less than SOTW money and is so terrible that I've owned it over five and a half years now - it has taken us on holidays all over the UK and deep into Europe, the worst issue being a broken handbrake cable.
It will do nearly 40mpg on a run, is quick enough when needed (despite not being remapped to 850bhp!!), has supremely comfortable seats and a decent ride compared to a lot of stuff. It goes around corners when I turn the wheel and in all honesty handles neatly enough. I'm not going to be pushing the limits of adhesion with the missus onboard and a car full of luggage and holiday paraphernalia.
Assuming it is mostly functional, the SOTW would make a good cheap runner with enough poke to allow for a warm feeling of Scandi smugness when the mid-range torque kicks in. Ideal station car etc.
i had one same color as this just like this was a solid car nice cruiser/interior had the later 93 which was so cheap in comparisonIt cost me less than SOTW money and is so terrible that I've owned it over five and a half years now - it has taken us on holidays all over the UK and deep into Europe, the worst issue being a broken handbrake cable.
It will do nearly 40mpg on a run, is quick enough when needed (despite not being remapped to 850bhp!!
), has supremely comfortable seats and a decent ride compared to a lot of stuff. It goes around corners when I turn the wheel and in all honesty handles neatly enough. I'm not going to be pushing the limits of adhesion with the missus onboard and a car full of luggage and holiday paraphernalia.Assuming it is mostly functional, the SOTW would make a good cheap runner with enough poke to allow for a warm feeling of Scandi smugness when the mid-range torque kicks in. Ideal station car etc.
Happy,happy days I was the lucky owner of a '99 same model, which served me exceedingly well, until a little *head* problem I did not know a good specialist,so water leaks etc started again after a few hundred miles,BUT I will not abuse the 1 I had(it being my third,others 96s) and that was 1 way to learn to drive very nearly killed me and car across Brecon Beacons. I might also add the 900 T+ was the perfect transport 1-midnight to convey my dear wife to maternity hospital for arrival of my lovely daughter(now a Director of a rather large American organisation) I have also visited the Saab factory just down the road from Uddevalla(Sweden) I was a Ships Marine Electrician.(regards to Mr Blomqivist).
I think this is a great shed. I had a 9-5 Aero HOT and absolutely loved it. The handling wasn’t up to much, but I wasn’t bothered because after its noobtune remap (275bhp and 420Nm) it had epic midrange grunt. Only sold it for a Touran for the sprogs.
For shed money I’d love this, even though it’s flawed. I’ve only ever driven old cars, so I’m sure I’d be more than happy with it.
For shed money I’d love this, even though it’s flawed. I’ve only ever driven old cars, so I’m sure I’d be more than happy with it.
They’re not a bad car really, just not great. The handlings poor but can be improved, extra performance is cheap enough to get. I had the b204 vert (stronger engine vs b205) spent a couple thousand on the handling side (VRK, Bilstein B8/Eibachs, fully pollybushed) was miles better, a remap took it to around 220bhp. Never a great handling car though but was fine for me and the remap made a hell of a difference.
Had a 9000 Aero before this (broke for parts) the 9-3 wasn’t as well built but felt much newer even with just 5 years difference. Going from 450+bhp to 150 was a bit of a downgrade though!!!
Had a 9000 Aero before this (broke for parts) the 9-3 wasn’t as well built but felt much newer even with just 5 years difference. Going from 450+bhp to 150 was a bit of a downgrade though!!!
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