My girlfriend is looking to trade in her 2004 Accord for a New Saab 9 3 convertible.. She loves the look of the car.. What are your thoughts on this car? All I know about the car is that it has the GM Ecotech 4 cylinder engine..

 

it has an available 2.6 V6 255hp also

 

it's a fun car to drive, with decent handling and it's pretty quick.

however parts for it will be expensive.

 

I have a 2006 9-3 SE. It has decent pick up and the turbo is nice. The parts are really expensive and the labor costs are pretty steep. The interior and comforts will blow an Accord away.

 

Thanks guys. It will be the 4 cyl. in silver that she is looking to purchase. I will post pics once she gets it

 

I actually like the new Saab 93 Sport Sedan.

Looks nice.

 

In many ways, it is not a real, uniquely Swedish-designed Saab any more. When GM took over Saab, it integrated Saab designs into world-platforms, except for the 9-2X, a redone Subaru Impreza, and the 9-7X, a redone Chevy TrailBlazer with some Saab touches.

Anyhow, the 9-3 no longer comes in a hatchback...you have the choice of a sedan, convertible, or SportCombi wagon. The 9-3 now shares a common platform with Opel, Chevy, Pontiac, and Saturn known as the Epsilon platform. It also shares many common drivetrain components...but not all.

As far as your girlfriend's choice of the convertible I myself like the way it looks, but that is a subjective matter, of course. Saab usd to offer it in an interesting light yellowish-green color featured at auto shows and in advertising, and not shared with other Saab designs. (I'm not sure if that color is still available special-order or not).

Saabs have a reputation for numerous safety features and for doing well in Government safety tests.....an important consideration in a convertible. Unfortunately, the 9-3, according to Consumer Reports, has a well-below-average reliability rating going back a number of years.

I have not reviewed a 9-3 convertible. I did review, on request, a 9-3 SportCombi wagon last year (see) but it probably would not apply much to the convertible version. Convertibles often have different ride, performance, and handling characteristics, and of course less room inside, than their enclosed-body cousins.

Since you live in NYC, parts and service should not be a problem as it might be in more rural parts of the country....you can find almost anything in NYC, though it may not be cheap (and probably not as cheap as Honda service was on the Accord).

Good Luck, Bro. Let us know how it goes.

 

Pick up a used one. They drop about 50% in two years. My neighbor has two of them (non-verts, but a 9-5 and a 9-3)- certified used with warranties. No issues whatsoever and he paid exactly 50% of what they went for two years earlier.

A sales guy once told me that they are called Saab cause that's what you do when they tell you your trade in value - kind of true.

 

Depreciation and retaining value have never been among Saab's stronger points. In the U.S., it has always been more or less a niche brand, and still is after the GM takeover, although somewhat less so. GM tried to make the brand more mainstream but has had only limited success....and some attempts, like the Subaru-sourced 9-2X, didn't work at all.

 

Thanks Marshall.. We are picking it up Saturday