Hot? Saab 9-3 Sedan $5000 off

[canadiandollars]

Saw this in the National Post advertisement this morning. Saabe 9-3 Sedans can be purchased for 29,973 now. Not bad for a Euro sedan that is decent.
Will be heading out this afternoon to test drive it. Will give a verdict when I get back.

[04BlkVibe]

I think this is only for 07. Saab are amazing cars....Good luck locating one for that price.

[newked]

read the reviews these cars are junk

[looniepincher]

Saabs don't really have much going for them. They have quirky styling, poor handling/performance, poor re-sale value, and are not even seen in the same light as the true "euro" marques like BMW and Audi/MB. Add to the fact that they are not even cheap when all is said and done and you've got yourself a pretty crappy automobile.

[looniepincher]

wow newked, I thought I was going to have the first reply, but it looks like at least someone agrees.

[canadiandollars]

I think this is only for 07. Saab are amazing cars....Good luck locating one for that price.

exactly! show me where you can buy a entry-lux euro sedan with turbo for under 30K. Seriously :D

[Cisco KId]

Saabs don't really have much going for them. They have quirky styling, poor handling/performance, poor re-sale value, and are not even seen in the same light as the true "euro" marques like BMW and Audi/MB. Add to the fact that they are not even cheap when all is said and done and you've got yourself a pretty crappy automobile.

their cars are not that bad at all, yes they are not up to the BMWAudi status but too tell you the truth for what you get I would take the Saab before the Audi or BMW cause there is nothing at the same price in an 07 model that can really match it. While it is under warranty you are all good then you just trade it in, their handling by reviews is not based as poor

At the price mentioned the deal is pretty decent

[newked]

The 5k you save should cover the first couple years worth of repairs.

[Neb]

We have a '06 9-3. They are good value, we are leasing ours, equivalent to about 31k. Considering the number of safety and standard options. (real leather) Decent performance from the 2.0T. :) They will suit 90% of people who isn't too concern about handling, performance, or plan to track their car. The quirky styling has been lost, the '07 interior is very GM designed. Handling and performance wise, they are not as good as a BMW or Audi, but you are paying 10k+ less for similarly equipped. The resale value are not great, but with the 0.5% or 1% lease rates you get, I think its is good value if you don't plan to keep the car. The car is great if you wantto commute in comfort. It does 780km / tank! 62L tank. and you can put in regular gas unlike many other euro brands.

I have a BMW325i and I can tell you it is not as good in the performance area, but for the price I can't complain.

[jobooie]

Saab and Hot in the same sentence - Wow

[GuiltySpark]

Hmm...GM 2.0l Ecotec Turbo, GM designed, GM high quality interiors and GM's stellar resale value...

This is Euro how?

[Robmic]

saabs = chebys

[consumerPI]

+1.


Hmm...GM 2.0l Ecotec Turbo, GM designed, GM high quality interiors and GM's stellar resale value...

This is Euro how?

[newked]

We have a '06 9-3. They are good value, we are leasing ours, equivalent to about 31k. Considering the number of safety and standard options. (real leather) Decent performance from the 2.0T. :) They will suit 90% of people who isn't too concern about handling, performance, or plan to track their car. The quirky styling has been lost, the '07 interior is very GM designed. Handling and performance wise, they are not as good as a BMW or Audi, but you are paying 10k+ less for similarly equipped. The resale value are not great, but with the 0.5% or 1% lease rates you get, I think its is good value if you don't plan to keep the car. The car is great if you wantto commute in comfort. It does 780km / tank! 62L tank. and you can put in regular gas unlike many other euro brands.

I have a BMW325i and I can tell you it is not as good in the performance area, but for the price I can't complain.



The resell value does suck, leasing is for suckers and regular gas for a turbo car is a horrible idea. and you mention safety but how safe is your car when it junks out on the side of the road?

[ygtgxi]

saab is pretty good value

[careener]

Not a terrible price.
Jsut for reference you can pick up a 2006 used in the low 20s.
Ex: From trader.ca

Year 2006
Make SAAB
Model 9-3
Model Detail 2.0T ARC
Exterior Colour Black
Interior Colour Tan
Transmission Manual
Drive Train Front Wheel Drive
Engine Size 2.0, 4 cyl.
Fuel Type Gas
# Doors 4
# Passengers 5
Price $22,995.00
Mileage 47,971 km
Warranty Available
Manufacturer's Program Saab Certified
Stock # 0977
Date 12/15/2007
Ad Code DCFNGZ
Web Ad ID 6635022


Note: Information and availability subject to change. Please contact the dealer for complete information.
Mileage recorded at time of listing.
FEATURES:
Interior Exterior
Air Conditioning
AM-FM Stereo
Power Windows
Power Locks
Power Seats
Heated Seats
Leather
Bucket Seats
CD Changer
Dual Air Bag
Dual Climate Controls
Intermittent Wipers
Memory Seats
Cruise Control
Tilt Wheel
Anti-Lock Brakes
Traction Control
Keyless Entry
Power Brakes
Power Steering
Rear Defroster
Side Impact Air Bag
Split Folding Rear Seats
Tilt Steering
Power Mirrors
Heated Mirrors
Sunroof
Alloy Wheels
Xenon Headlights

[brendonp]

If you are buying (vs leasing), I'd probably look at a used 2006. If they are in the low 20s as per the poster above, you're loosing at least 25% of the value in the first year. The one above is also "Saab Certified", so you probably get some extra warranty out of the deal... Cheaper + longer warranty is generally a good idea! ;) (Obviously YMMV - check the details)

[ES_Revenge]

The 9-3 is a GM Epsilon car but it's made in Sweeden or Austria nonetheless. The Vectra and the 9-3 were the first cars on the platform and the Saab has quite a bit of uniqueness to it (really it's barely like the NA Epsilons at all).

What annoyed me about what GM did when they took over was that they seemed to phase-out/eliminate the Viggen models (which is like the SS or Type-R, or GXP, or XRS or whatever you want to say) of Saab.

The cars looked 10x better but the performace models were gone.

However what's nice is the new Turbo-X based on the 9-3. (Why didn't they just call this a 9-3x Viggen?) 280hp turbocharged V6 and Haldex all-drive (same type of AWD used in the Audi TT, A3 and VW R32). If this is sold in NA and priced well, it may turn out to be a great car!

The regular models though, are a little puzzling to me. Like the 2.0T is a Swedish turboed Ecotec II (LK9?) producing 210hp... Why on earth wouldn't they just use the direct-injected LNF engine (in the Solstice GXP/Sky Redline and the re-birth of the Cobalt SS) which is 260hp? Okay, given the LNF wasn't around when the Saabs were using their Sweedish turboed 2.0Ts but now that it is, why not just pop that in the Saab? :confused: Just because it's not a Saab-engineered turbo design?

And then the 2.8L turbocharged 255hp LP9? Why not just use the atmospheric LY7 which I guess is 3.6L but it's around the same power. Oh right that's it's not turboed at all! I guess turbocharging any and everything is their thing though; buyers of Saabs probably just expect a turbo as standard issue even if it's not that logical a choice in every case.

I would say they could even use the 300hp LLT motor in the Turbo-X but then they couldn't call it a Turbo-X, :lol:

The thing is the engines are a bit behind what GM uses in other cars on the same platform, States-side. It's just that, again, they're almost all turboed where that's not necessarily the case in the other makes.

Aside from all that engine banter^, Saabs are fairly nice to drive. When you drive one, you'll never mistake the look/feel/experience with any other car really. In a word--unique. I have to give them that. Epsilon it may be, but there's no way on earth anyone not knowing that would ever compare it to a Malibu or a G6.

[ES_Revenge]

Hmm...GM 2.0l Ecotec Turbo, GM designed, GM high quality interiors and GM's stellar resale value...

This is Euro how?

Uh the LK9 is an Ecotec II, yeah; but to begin with this engine is highly European designed in the first place--the Ecotec I goes back to Germany in the 70s; the Ecotec-II a joint development between Germans, Swedish and Americans. Simply math, that's two thirds European ;)

Plus the LK9 in the Saab is nothing like the similar engines used in other GMs. As I stated above, these are Saab engineered turbo designs and most of the engines in the Saabs are made in Germany or Sweden. (The Ecotecs anyway; some of the V6s are made in Australia I think and then turboed by Saab in Sweeden).

Still, as I said the US counterparts of these engines are ahead in technology for the most part.

Even not knowing those specifics, if you'd ever been in a Saab or driven one for any appreciable period of time you'd realise how much of a different car it is.

Resale's another story, perhaps, I dunno. Still resale is based on perception and when you have perception that's based on assumption instead of facts there's where your low resale comes in...

_________

K so just out of curiosity, I decided to "build my 9-3 Sport Sedan" on Saab.com and Saab.ca (not interested in buying one but just to see).

Bulding my nearly-fully-optioned 9-3 Aero, I got to a price of 50,985 on the Canadian site and 41,005 on the US site. A difference of $9,980. Subracting the $4,300 in incentive and minimum Holiday Wish and Win from the Cdn Total (and not counting any incentives that might be available in the US) that brings the Canadian price down to 46,685 (someone tell me if I'm doing this wrong) which is a difference of $5,680--nearly $6k more than it would be in the US.

Now first off I wasn't expecting it to be the same as US pricing, no sir. But isn't $6,000 more than in the US after a $4,300 discount still a bit too much? I mean maybe if it were $2000 or even $3000 more, but $6k? I dunno that's probably something people would cross-border-shop I think no? Car's made in Sweden so I guess there are duties to be paid, so I dunno how much you'll end up saving but I'm sure you'll save something. And again we didn't even take into account what you'll actuallly get the US dealer to sell you the car for (which is invariably going to be under MSRP). The Canadian dealer on the other hand, I doubt you're going to get more than that $4,300 off the price unless you're a little more lucky than that $1k minimum on the Holiday Wish&Win thing.

What I'm really sick of though is not that our prices don't match US ones--I already fully expect that as it's always been that way. What I am sick of is all these companies/businesses making all these claims about savings because of the dollar or US matching or BS like that, when it's nowhere even close to the case. :mad: Can't they just forget the misleading gimmicks and just sell cars like the good ol' days?

[Neb]

The resell value does suck, leasing is for suckers and regular gas for a turbo car is a horrible idea. and you mention safety but how safe is your car when it junks out on the side of the road?

well. I have GM supplier discount when i got it, so it was better for me to lease esp if i don't plan to keep the car. So resale doens't matter. But if i had to pay full rate, and down payment i proably wouldn't.. I put 0 down, and payments before tax are in the 400s / month.. There are not too many semi luxury cars on the list I can lease for that. Not even the MB B class or 323i for that price with 0 down. Problematic or not, it has 4 yrs warranty and 24k/year lease I am happy with it. So far we had only one problem with the radio within the first month of the car, and nothing else. The car has about 28k on it now.

Safety, have you looked at the National highway safety ratings, the A4 and Saab 9-3 is the best.. and 9-3 is the only car in history to have this rating 3 yrs in a row. Saab is like volvo.. the swedes know a thing or 2 about safety.

[newked]

Safety, have you looked at the National highway safety ratings, the A4 and Saab 9-3 is the best.. and 9-3 is the only car in history to have this rating 3 yrs in a row. Saab is like volvo.. the swedes know a thing or 2 about safety.

Now if only they could design the motors and electronical components properly...