jason60050

Might be purchasing a new 2010 Saab 9-3 Aero XWD. Any thoughts from anyone on the vehicle itself. I know that Saab is owned by Spyker and no longer owned by GM. I am more interested in knowing if it is a good car?

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Out of curiosity, what is drawing you to the 9-3? IMO, there are several more compelling options that are less, more, and equally as expensive.

MadMax96

Why???

Unless you're getting it for like 50% of MSRP I wouldn't even consider it in my top 10 choices of that price range.

mmarshall

The 2010 9-3 is essentially a GM design. GM didn't dump Saab far enough back for the new 9-3 to have been done by Spyker. The new 9-5, debuting soon, however (probably early next year), is a Spyker design....and Spyker says that it will heavily influence the next 9-3.

My next-door neighbor recently got rid of her old 9-3, claiming it was a money-pit, with expensive service (I don't know anyone else who owns one). Consumer Reports gives older 9-3s a relatively poor reliability rating, but the new ones (the last 2-3 years) have been average reliabilty for the sedan/wagon and above-average for the convertible. That reliabilty info, though, may not apply to the turbo AWD models, where CR doesn't have much data.

I haven't reviewed a recent 9-3, though I drove a SportCombi wagon several years ago. The wagon, of course, gives you a more-versatile, utilitarian body style. The 9-3's platform, BTW is shared by a number of other GM Chevy, Saturn, Pontiac, and Opel products.....some, of course, which have been discontinued.

As MadMax96 has suggested, I'd consider the 9-3 mainly if you got a big discount, which is possible, given Saab's weak sales and low demand for its products. Also, consider Saab's relatively spare dealer network if you need parts/service or warranty work. Otherwise, there are a number of other choices just as good or better.

IS-SV

IMO, avoid it even if the discount is huge. Cheapness alone doesn't make good, when it comes to selecting better premium cars.

masboy

iTrader: (30)

My wife's friend have one, bought it new few yrs ago, i heard its a money pit. The guy been bringing the car to dealer for every single service, he just dont have much option ariund his house.

Id say avoid it while u can or maybe lease it?

GiantsFan

iTrader: (9)

My friends dad owns one...

He says he can't recommend it ...

pbm317

I'm pretty sure the 9-5 and the upcoming 9-4X are also still GM developed vehicles for the Saab brand as they were pretty much complete before the sale to Spyker. The 9-5 sits on an Opel platform, and the 9-4X is based on the Cadillac SRX platform. They both currently also use GM drivetrains.

mmarshall

Guess it depends on who you believe. I agree with you that, based on common sense and the time period alone, that GM would have had a major hand in the new 9-5's design. That's not quite the way Spyker tells it, though.

Doesn't matter.....we're stuck with the new design either way.

The 9-4X/SRX platform you mentioned, BTW, as I understand it, is also Opel-based. GM used Opel-based platforms for a number of its Chevy, Pontiac, Saturn, Cadillac, Saab, and even non-GM Suzuki vehicles.