Saab HOT For Sale

UK Car Road Test Saab 9.5 Hot Aero 2002 The rather lovely Saab 9.5 in all its top of the range Hot Aero glory forget the conventionally aspirated V6 for the full Saab effect here the time honored 4 cylinder motor sweeping 2.3 litres of volume with it high pressure intercooled turbo banging out 250 horses of chassis twisting grunt. For nearly 50 years, Saab has offered buyers a unique alternative to the more mainstream European saloon. first two strokes, then big(ish) front wheel drives, then Turbocharging, front-wheel drive and cutting-edge safety technology and solid build have made Saabs popular with those living in northern climes, whether in Sweden or the the rest of the world. A distinctive design heritage and idiosyncratic details, such as mounting the ignition on the center console among them, endear Saabs to people whilst alienating a few others. Saab's first big saloon, the rather quirky 9000, debuted in 1985 and quickly built a cult following. When the 9000 evolved into the 9-5, Saab made its largest car even more powerful and, as many Saabites believe and bemoan, more mainstream. Since then, the 9-5 has been steadily refined into an upper sector competitor for the all conquering Germans. The 9-5 is a traditionally quirky Saab, with its passion for turbocharged 4-cylinder engines which almost borders on as geekily obsessive as Mazdas obsession with the wankel and front wheel drive as ever being asked to do a little too much.. The 9-5 Aero is Saab's flagship sports saloon. It also comes in rare estate form but thats getting a touch too close to Volvo for my liking. This is a car that's getting pretty old by modern auto industry standards and its super quick model turnaround. It was introduced back in 1997 as an update on the already 10 year old 9000, But unlike a lot of long lived models, the 9-5 is holding up surprisingly well. Its hard to date and still looks modern and fresh. True you either like the Saab look or you dont, If you do you will agree, if you dont you probably wont care as you would never dream of paying a premium for an oddball Swede. This is the Aero. Saab has adopted an unintelligibly pompous nomenclature for its equipment levels, compound the already rather complex structure it had in place. The cheap models are now "Linear." The mid level trims "Arc." and "Vector" with the top of the line is "Aero." and a suffix of sport on every point in between What ever happened to "Good, Better, Best"? or "Spartan, Basic, Plastic Woodfest."? . More seriously we knew where we stood with L,GL,GLX, or S,SE or GT but what the hell is going on now with every man and his dog inventing new scales of immeasurable ecstasy for each and every marque and model. T1, T2 ,T3 etc etc. me Im getting ever more confused. On the outside, the Saab (acronym for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget or the Swedish Aircraft Company Limited) 9-5 Aero distinguishes itself from the rest of the 9-5 family with flared panels, a deep front chin spoiler and a new rear valance panel. plus lowered suspension and seriously low profile rubber. The combination gives the Aero menacing appearance that complements the original sharp-edge design. With the rest of industries designers heading back to the jelly mould designs of the first Sierra ( ho ho how original guys ), The Saab is refreshing breath of originality, though hardly original. The sharp, angular lines take me back to my favorite sharp angular cars like the seminal Audi Coupe. Black rubber rubbing strips are on the doors and bumpers which would look better painted in the body color (unless the cars black of course like the original 99 turbo nutter hmmm there's an idea ) , It does though break up the sides which were slabby to say the least on the 9000. Airline pilots and wannbes like me will feel right at home inside the Aero, Despite the mass of leather there is no hint of tree (hurrah) just a huge slab of brushed alloy effect which is dark almost like stainless and is festooned with buttons, switches, rockers dials, controls and clocks, fantastic and rather kinky as it rises like a cliff vertically up the car.. Saab were the first to take ergonomics seriously and they still do Inside boasts a swiveling map light, Aircraft-style Fasten Seatbelt lamp and controls that are angled toward the driver for perfect easy reach. Whilst all of the controls are only a finger away, there are a number of idiosyncrasies. But rest assured there is good reason behind the Swedes madness some moan about the placement of the ignition switch on the center console but it locks the car in reverse, simple cheap and effective security years ahead of any steering lock. Just look closely at the picture above see the two little buttons, no not windows but boot and petrol cap release, (windows and mirrors are in the normal door position in the arm rest,) seems strange at first but think about the logic external things on the external thing, perfect, when do you open the petrol cap on your way out of the door to put petrol in, see its not rocket science, perfect. The armrest on the center console that slides linearly on a ratchet seems a trifle odd, but in virtually every car I try short people cant use the armrest unless it folds and if you unfold it you can not use the handbrake, the Saab slides it way around that problem, brilliant. There is lack of cubby space for front passengers, but blame yourselves and your love of space stealing Airbags and side impact protectors. Up front, the leather seats are firm, yet oh so comfortable and easily adjustable, thanks to the eight available adjustments. Lateral support was maybe a touch lacking under very hard cornering but this a 5 door fast executive saloon not a pseudo rally car , in terms of comfort the seats in high end Saabs just can not be touched and these are no exception.. Likewise, the backseat afforded occupants with firm seating surfaces, the rear three-point seatbelts had a tendency to cut into the neckline of shorter passengers but we are getting really fussy now. Rear freeloaders are afforded excellent headroom and plenty of legroom, as well as ducts crafted nicely into the rear of the center console and magazine pockets built into the front seatbacks. Cruise keeps its economical on Motorway Air Con (probably not used much in Sweden) The instrument panel curves at the top in the same shape as the steering wheel, affording an unobstructed view of the speedometer, tachometer, fuel, temperature and the entertaining turbo boost gauge. It's mildly amusing to watch the boost gauge, and see how the power responds more to boost than to revs or depth of pedal press in other words.Big buttons for the sound and climate systems are located in a large rectangle in the center console and are easy to understand. The stereo is excellent as it should be at this price point. Redundant audio controls on the steering wheel reduce distraction from the road once you have trained your thumbs. The Vents are attractive and designed well for aiming with their joystick like controls and supply a copious amount of cabin air/control whether using air con or the more needed Swedish winter spec internal heater. . The gearshift knob for the manual transmission is leather-stitched and pear-shaped and likewise has a good feel shame the gearshift does not quite match. This Matches nicely to the leather trim of the big thick steering wheel which feels good to hold with its big chunky thumb grips. Tricky Dickies wicked mines better than yours cup holding device (pat. pend.) The Coolest cup holders in the world ever! The Aero's interior sports a lot of cool features like dual climate control, night panel dash lighting (good for the eyes and not falling asleep on the motorway), and a really trick cup holder that swings down out of the dash, while rotating the cup ring better than the much advertised VW-Audi one ohh yessss indeedy. (yes I know , I normally don't care about such frippery, but this was just such a smart piece of plastic engineering). A fixed cup holder in the center console is a touch less convenient, especially if there's already lots of stuff in there as there always is in my cars. The Aero comes with a high standard spec - you get far more kit on this car than on any equivalently priced 5-Series, As standard, you get bi-xenon headlights, leather, heated seats, dual zone climate control, parking radar... the list goes on! and if its not in it you can add it on for more money, if you can buy a used version of this fully loaded, then you could spend the first month just playing before you even start the engine. You have or can have ventilated front seats auto dimming rearview mirror with integrated garage door opener and digital compass, three-position memory function on the driver's seat and an upgraded nine-speaker, 200-watt stereo system. rain-sensing wipers, Saab park assist and auto-dimming outside mirrors. a electric glass sunroof and a cooled glove box, which is particularly handy when you have a other half who loves chocolate bars. Sentronic automatic transmission, bi-xenon headlights. These are on top of all the normal bits bobs and thingamys you would expect in this class of car. Comfort Features Adjustable Steering Column Centre Arm Rest Rear Cup holders Drivers seat Lumbar Support Front Door Bins Head Rests (front & rear) Height Adjustable Drivers Seat Height Adjustable Seat Belts Pollen Filter Remote Boot Release Remote Petrol Cap Release Split rear seats Sports Front Seats Time Clock General Features 12 V Accessory Power Point Colour Coded Bumpers Colour Coded Mirrors Digital Odometer Exterior Side Mouldings Heated Rear Window On Board Computer Tinted Windows Luxury Features Air Conditioning Cigarette Lighter Climate Control Electric Mirrors Electric Windows (front & rear) Heated Mirrors Illuminated Passenger Vanity Mirror Leather Upholstery Radio CD Player Trip Counter A nice trick when you get used to it is the parabolic external mirror. The far end of the right side-view mirror bends outward, which provides a wider view of the right lanes. It requires practice to determine the location of a fast rearward approaching car. Split visors which allow shielding the sun when it's in the corner of the windshield or when changing directions frequently are a nice touch. The 9-5 Aero is, literally, H.O.T. A marvel of Saabs smarty-pants engineering and 30 years of constant slow evolution of the Turbo theme, the Aero's 2.3-liter twin-cam four-cylinder engine employs a proprietary HOT .... "High-Output Turbo" technology to achieve over 100 horsepower per liter. What's more, these 250 horses are hard-charging shires not my little pony , with torque output reaching 258 ft.-lbs. The real beauty of the powertrain is a powerband as broad and flat as the GM derived 3 litre V6. High no Hyper torque is sustained all the way from 1,900 rpm to its peak at 3,800 rpm. So pulling away, zipping past traffic, and charging up short slip roads are dispensed with with nonchalant ease and a minimum of gear changes and revs. Saab's combination of computerized turbo-pressure control and direct-inject Trionic 7 fuel delivery what ever that is deliver a turbo engine with absolutely unimpeachable mannersYou don't have to be a nerdie techie gear-head to appreciate the Aero's jewel of powertrain. that can give a generously sized saloon, weighing in at over 3,300 lbs stunning performance, yet can when your foot stays well behaved enough for long enough return more than reasonable economy figures. Though use all that easily available power and the figures can turn to disaster. The power hike from 230bhp of old to 250 bhp of HOT has been made possible by revising Saab's own 32- bit Trionic engine-management system to increase the fuel/air mixture, while winding up the variable-turbo boost pressure to 1.5 bars. With the five-speed manual transmission, torque remains unchanged at the old figure of 258 ft.-lbs. .peak , but get this with a 20-second turbo overboost function increasing torque to 273 ft.-lbs. , to allow quote decisive and controlled overtaking of other vehicles, oh I say James that extra 15 ft.-lbs really seems noticeable as we go wheel spinning by all the other traffic. If you've always wanted to fly a jet, but couldn't afford one, the Aero is as close to low level flying as you can get with its aeronautic associations and its performance. ( well its a damned site closer than a Mini Metro built when the company was owned by British Aerospace ) With the standard 2.3-liter turbocharged four putting out 250 horsepower at relatively lowly 5,500 rpm and its 258 foot-pounds of torque starting at just 1,900 rpm, the 9-5 Aero leaves you constantly looking for opportunities to press the right foot deep into the carpet and feel the whoosh as the car launches forward from 1900 and leaves you scrambled brain, and scrambling for the next gear as 6000 rpm approaches.. Turbo lag in the HOT is so miniscule as to be best described as non existent and anyway its happening so low down its of little real relevance. 250 sounds great but lets be realistic there are plenty of 4 cylinder 1.8, 2.0, 2.2 motors out there that pump out 220, 240 bhp no problem so what's the big Saab deal with its 250bhp 2.3. Well we have just described the torque and if you don't get what that means let me explain a little. There are two types of Turbo motor the rough running lag laden giggle box much beloved by the sports coupe, come rally clone with all its bad behavior part of the cars character it turbo kicking in when it feels like and generally at the most inconvenient moment and then there are the marvels of technology like the 1.8 20valve turbo VW Audi thing that goes from 150 to 220 bhp with nary a chip change and the turbo spin up with smooth reverence and beyond that point have linear easily probed delivery. And then there is the Saab massive V8 like pull from trickle revs right through the range and up to its close to supercar maximum delivery, you want power just press the accelerator any revs any gear As an overtaking car, little else I have driven comes close. The mid-range acceleration (in 3rd and 4th gear) is nothing short of phenomenal! Yet having said all that your granny really could drive this car as the delivery is just so predictable, its not supposed to be a race motor its a benign but power crazed street motor with perfect manners. Paired up to the motor is a light but slightly wooly shifting five-speed manual though with excellently smooth hydraulic clutch operation, the transmission is geared to maximize the power plant's torque curve, rather than horsepower. Even in fifth gear at 40 mph, a jab at the throttle brought forth a near-endless swell of turbo boost, propelling the Aero into the illegal zone within a matter of seconds. Personally I would have like to have seen the 6 speeder from some Vauxhalls dropped in here for a monster overdriven top. Cost New 27695 Service Interval Insurance Group Safety Rating Smog Rating 12000 17 Not Available Band (D) Engine BHP CC Fuel Inj. 4 Cylinder 16 Valve DOHC Turbo 250 2290 Yes Cyl Camshafts Valves/cyl Compressor 4 Double 4 Turbo Charger Top Speed 0 to 60 BHP per Tonne 155mph 6.5seconds 171 MPG@Urban MPG@Cruise MPG@Speed Fuel Type 22.1mpg 44.1mpg 32.1mpg Unleaded Kerb Weight Tow Weight Length Width Height 1485kg 1800kg 480cm 205cm 145cm Boot Seats/up Boot Seats/Down Seats 500 Litres 0 Litres 5 Horsepower : 250 hp @ 5300 rpm Torque : 258 lb-ft @ 1900 rpm Redline : Not shown Top speed : 155 mph 0-60 mph : 6.5 sec.(manual), 6.9 sec.(automatic) 0-� mile : 15.2 sec @ 94.4 mph 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds. Speed 155mph. Fuel consumption 32.1mpg. Sounds like a dream certainly doesn't sound like a Vectra, but it's amazing what you can do with one given enough time money will power and effort. In fact SAAB has now all but completely thrown away its 9-5 model's Vauxhall Vectra underpinnings. The car's suspension, that used to serve up understeer by the bucket full, now dishes it out in tiny little predictable portions. It's still there, of course, but it's not nearly such a dominant feature as it used to be. With some 1,200 improvements to the car, SAAB's and GM's engineers have obviously been burning the midnight oil, though the Vectra is wildly improved now too. Saab see the 9-5 as a competitor to the BMW 5-Series and the Merc E-Class. But because for many not in the know it doesn't carry the obvious status of the German machines it has to out-class them in other ways, if you measure class by a Flag and rear wheel drive, you are definitely missing out. The Saab 9-5 Aero offers the driver even greater performance and driving pleasure. You�ll notice this even before entering the car the big lightweight aluminium wheels, aerodynamic spoilers and side skirts are there for good reason. The front spoiler also has integrated foglamps. and Accessory rear bridge spoilers are also available for a more Essex GTi look. In order to fully exploit the massive available power, the Saab 9-5 Aero has a firmer sports chassis to provide even better performance in corners. The springs are lower and harder and the rubber wider, lower profile and taller. While the Saab's chassis has been lowered by .4-inch to lower the vehicle's center of gravity, and despite the installation of larger sway bars installed along with stiffer springs and firmer struts and Saab has chosen to use highly progressive spring rates on the Aero. , the 9-5 still suffers from a a touch of body roll and a lightly moderate amount of understeer call it the Saab driving experiance. Although the steering is more responsive than other 9-5 variants, the suspension is not tuned in proportion with the engine. While Saab has enhanced the suspension to a point, if you are expecting Impreza type chuckabilty you are going to be disappointed. The whole chassis may have been updated but the 9000/Vauxhall underpinnings can show through when pushed hard. The suspension set up is pretty stiff, and so while driving slowly in town the ride can be just a touch uncomfortable and crunchy at times. Out on the open road, however, it's a different story. Body control round both high- and low-speed corners is excellent despite a modicum of roll. The steering is rather light by Saab standards not giving that feeling of solidity Saab owners will be so used to, but does provide enough feedback to let you know what the front wheels are up to, The 9-5 can suffer from rather a lot of torque steer, but this is unavoidable with 250bhp going through the front wheels, In fact when you consider the power and torque generated you are amazed the Torque steer is so little. The switchable Traction Control System (TCS) is quite a thing one little button can change the character of the car so completely. Only when you turn it off do you realise how much wheel spin and arm tugging its cutting out. Its damp today so switch it back on, leave it for a hooligan hot Sunday on quiet country roads, but budget for new tyres soon after. Zapping the Aero to a stop are big 12-inch dinner plate size discs up front and 11-inch discs out back that feature four-channel ABS with EBD - Electronic Brake Force Distribution. The Saab 9-5's superb braking produces 60 to 0 in juste 117 feet. with minimal initial dive and even with repeated hard stops, the Aero's brakes showed few signs of fade. So Mr Highway code stick that in your 1940's braking distance chart The 9-5 is equipped ABS, EBD, TCS. This are all controlled and combined by the ESP to maintain control and allow such things as steering whilst jamming on the ABS round coners on the edge of the traction control. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) helps drivers maintain control by selectively applying the brakes to individual wheels to correct a skid. If the driver goes into a corner too fast for the conditions the system can correct for oversteer by automatically applying the brakes to the outer wheels to bring the car back into line. The system also works when a slippery road causes the car to understeer, Saab have worked closely with Bosch, the German company that supplies the system, to achieve optimum tuning for its chassis peculiarities. Saab tested the system extensively in the slippery Scandinavian Arctic and the speedy Hockenheim racing circuit. Saab claims its stability program is one of the best in the world, and we can't argue cos we have no idea, its so good we either did not notice it was there or we are so good we did not need it. Next year there will be no drivers seat or steering wheel just a computer sat in your place. Me Im amazed I,ve managed to drive for so long without ABS,EBD,TCS,ESP,PAS,PAB maybe my brain is just so much bigger than most drivers and acutely tuned to the feelings running through my hands feet and ass. Some how I doubt it very much. 60-0 braking distance 125 ft Lateral G 0.83 g Tyres 225/45-ZR17 Suspension : Front Independent MacPherson strut Rear Independent multilink Brakes Front Vented discs Rear Solid discs The Saab 9-5 Aero has pretty much the comfort one has come to expect from Saab. The car feels solid, heavy, and stuck to the road. It's also quiet, rides and handles very nicely, especially and most importantly at the speeds which most people actually drive cars. Unlike some others, the Saab is not tuned to impress at 125 mph. It's tweaked to perform really well at real world speeds ie sub 100. Yet its stable enough to push on towards its high maximum The result is an decent balance of comfort and sportiness-not to mention control and safety. You don't quite get the body control of say a BMW, but the 2.3HOT is a seriously quick car capable of pulling 120mph even on a short straight and with loads of braking power to knock that speed back down again. Traction control with ESP does kick in a bit early, but if you want to play the hooligan you can slow down and switch it off, then leave darkies on the road all the way past 65mph in 2nd gear. The main point of this car though is its ability to get you hundreds of miles at a more than decent speed, in reasonable comfort something it does perfectly. Steer/Susp/Tech Features Alloy Wheels Catalytic Converter Disc Brakes Front & Rear External Temperature Gauge Fitted Front Fog lamps fitted Front Spoiler Halogen Head Lights Height Adjustable Headlight Aim Independent Suspension Intermittent Wash Wipe Power Assisted Steering Rev Counter Service Level Indicator Traction Control Parking Sensors help keep the body Straight Retina Burning Lamps Absolutely Top Safety/Security Features Alarm Antilock Braking System Central Locking Child Locks Engine Immobiliser Front Side Air Bags Front Twin Airbags High level brake Light Locking Fuel Cap Pre Tensioned front Seat Belts Remote Central Locking Side Impact Protection Three Rear 3 Point Seat Belts Visible Identification Number Like other Saabs, this car has a high belt line, so there is a bit of a bathtub or letter box if you prefer effect when you sit in it. But that creates a feeling of being well protected, steel has to be stronger than glass? And you don't just feel safe in this car-you are safe. Saab has a well-earned reputation for safety, and they keep their cars updated with the latest safety technology. The 9-5 Aero has Saab's electronic stability program, which constantly measures the difference between the steering wheel input and where the car is actually going. And when necessary, the program activates individual brakes to prevent the car from spinning or rolling out of control. There are also proprietary active head restraints for whiplash protection up front., Anti submarine seats, and front-seat head and dual-stage side airbags. Three point rear belts etc etc etc. Then, there's a feeling of safety and security you get from a car that's easy to drive, and confidently does what you expect it to do. Saab's 9-5 Saloon has another advantage that lurks beneath the surface. The fundamental structural engineering of the chassis and cabin is innovative, complicated, Saab extol the crash-worthiness of their cars, You may think Volvo, but Saab should be right up there maybe even more up there. The 9-5's horseshoe-shaped triple load paths, front and rear, which channel and dissipate collision energy away from occupants. Similarly clever are the pendulum door posts. In the event of side impact, these especially rigid pillars are designed not to crush and intrude into the cabin, but instead to hinge at top and break away at bottom. This action helps maintain a rigid cage structure whilst dissipating impact energy downward and away from the cabin. Saabs have traditionally performed well in the snow, too despite a lack of 4*4 and you don't get much more snow than Scandinavia The SAAB 9-5 is or was as well the all-time top scorer in the Euro NCAP crash safety tests. Alarm, Immobilisor, Central locking, Vins are virtually the full house of security, plus the super gearbox lock still there for good measure. JD Power Survey Ratings 2002 2003 82.5 2004 83 2005 79.7 The inside of the 9-5 feels a touch old fashioned in these day of bubble topped greenhouse framed cars. The dashboard comes close to the driver. The windshield is fairly flat. More recently designed cars feel airier, and are sometimes ergonomically sleeker. But there's no doubt that this is a comfortable, even luxurious interior, with great seats and a good driving position. The 9-5 also creates a lot of interior room for its size. Even though this is not a massive car overall, room is quite adequate for all your major body parts: feet, shoulders and head. Old can have an upside too though my personal pet hate in the latest greenhouses is the foot thick a pillar just where you don't want it in your line of sight at junctions, the old square jawed small windowed designs avoid this monstrous design necessity. The Aero has more than enough room in the back, where there's plenty of legroom. Other than where the armrest for the front-seat passengers intruded into the legroom for the rear, middle passenger. There's a vent in the console between the seats, which is good for the person sitting in the middle of the back seat, but it doesn't make a lot of air available to passengers sitting to either side, still its a start. The ergonomics in the Aero are good. The driver's seat is cockpit-like, with instrumentation across the front and down the center console. Despite the fact that there are many, initially indistinguishable small buttons on the console, the radio and heat controls were fairly easy to figure out. The gauges, are large enough to make out clearly without difficulty. It was refreshing to be able to sit behind the wheel, look at a dashboard and be able to read everything with ease The Aero also has a night panel feature. Press a button, and everything on the dashboard-the tachometer, the temperature gauge, the fuel gauge, the turbo boost-all go dark, except for the speedometer, which stays illuminated, The speedometer is only illuminated up to 90 miles an hour, which suggests to you that if it's dark out, you shouldn't go over 90. Strange then that the Saab has some massively powerful Bi -Xenon lamps and fog which turn night into day, cost a fortune to put in and an arm and a leg for a replacement bulb. If you should not do more than 90 in the dark a couple of small candles would be cheaper to fit. Still the night panel feature is good it makes night driving easier on your eyes, by allowing your vision to focus on light that's coming from outside the car. The darker it is inside, the easier it is to see outside again simple perfect logic. Of course, in almost all cars these days the intensity of the dash illumination can be adjusted. But this is a particularly nice feature for long motorway journeys because everything in the car goes away except for the speedometer. The warning lights still come on in the night mode oil pressure, low fuel, etc, should something go awry. The 9-5 is a decent looking car. It has lost some of the quirkiness that has defined Saab for a long time. And, unfortunately , that may be more of a problem, its just too normal too good too mainstream. Like previous Saabs though it still addresses practicality first, and styling second, granted not to the anally retentive levels of the old Volvo anti-styling brigade, but more thought was given to interior room and trunk space than racy styling or odd tweaks here and there too make it look better. Under the bonnet, normal maintenance shouldn't be too difficult. Everything is pretty accessible by 21st century standards at least, though absoultely shown up by my old Morris Marina why you could stand in the engine bay and take the plugs out of that. Tune-ups, belt changes and checking the oil all should be pretty straightforward. But that doesn't mean you won't pay relatively dearly for them. At the top end of the range here the 9000 and 9-5 can be a touch pricey to look after. Though Im sure they will look cheap against an Audi never mind a BM or a Merc. Saabs 9-5's can be expensive to repair. And the 9-5/9000 does not perhaps have an exemplary record. Though a lot of the grief is the less important components, just more little hassles. Saab have proved like there Swedish counter parts to be tough old boots and can live to hyper mileages if looked after. With a motor as complex as the HOT Turbo though its perhaps best to make sure someone who really knows checks it out. After that remember Turbos like nice clean oil, so change very regularly, change for high quality oil and keep your finger crossed. For the brave a high mileage Turbo Saab can be got for low money with loads of life left in the mechanics and loads of verve left in the performance. The Saab 9-5 maybe an aging design, but still a damn nice car to drive. It's got an excellent feel on the road, comfort, an a great safety record, and considering the size and performance a relatively economical engine (well at least the possibility of being one). On the downside, it's expensive to buy, upper middle class to fix, and the interior is getting slightly out of date. It seems to me to hit a middle ground bang on. It more stylish, more expensive to buy fix and run than a Vauxhall not quite sure why though, but not perhaps in some eyes quite as stylish as a Merc BM Audi, though cheaper to run fix buy. You pays your money you takes your choice But, if you're looking for a car that's comfortable, fun to drive, very safe, and a little different, it's well worth checking out. The Aero is a sporty, spirited performer and yet obsessed with safety. It is a dependable Swede loaded with power not to be used with reckless abandon, but with a cool, efficient detachment.. Tree costs extra Pros : - Still Unique Saabness. - Super powerful engine with unnoticeable turbo lag. - Good interior. - Sports-car brakes. - As safe as a Volvo. Cons : - Styling old school. - hint of torque steer. - Quirky dash layout. - Pricey - Not as refined as, possibly, a Lexus or a German. Rivals : Alfa Romeo 166; BMW 5 Series; Lexus IS300; Mercedes Benz E Class; Rover 75; Volvo S80 Click here to access specifications for over 30,000 UK cars. Car information and car pictures. Many more used car road tests. For all Saab cars specifications and data from: www.ukcar.com click here. UK Car Road Test Saab 9.5 Hot Aero 2002 UK Car Road Test Keywords: Sports Hatchback9.5 Hot Aero || Web Images Videos Shopping News Maps More | MSN Hotmail Join Ciao|Login|Help|Mobile Browse by category Appliances Books Cameras Cars Computers Electronics DVDs Music Phones Travel More Ciao - for people with opinions Latest reviews Write a review Best picks Latest videos SHOPPING Product Information Car Reviews Expert Reviews Questions I WANT TO Write a Car review Ask a question More... Please login/register to access a lot more useful features like creating your own product list etc. SHOPPING > Cars > Cars (By Manufacturer) > Saab > Saab 9-5 Saab > Saab 9-5 2.3T Saab 9-5 2.3T · Product Information User car reviews (8) Write your own review Expert Reviews (33) Ask a question The Saab 9-5 is not the most obvious sports car. The body is big and chunky, and it looks a big, solid, heavy car. But lurking underneath is an incredibly quick and nimble car, with a ton of luxury to boot. Saab have always been known to build very safe cars. The 9-5 is an example of this, ... Read review WHAT DO YOU THINK? Recommend it (7) Don't recommend it (0) I own it (2) Offers for Saab 9-5 2.3T Similar offersProduct InformationCar ReviewsExpert Reviews Questions Similar offers for Saab 9-5 2.3T » 1 to 4 out of 4 similar offers for Saab 9-5 2.3T SAAB 9-5 2.3t Vector Sport 5dr Auto Estate ABS, Driver/pass seat mounted side airbags, Front fog lights, Heated front and rear seats, ... more High level brake light, Lumbar support, Rearcentre armrest, Rear wash/wipe, Remote centrallocking + deadlocks, Sports chassis, Sports seats,Cigar lighter, Comfort pack - 9-5, Driving pack -9-5, Front seatbelt pretensioners, Height/reachadjust steering wheel, Visible vehicleidentification number, Space saver spare wheel,Service interval indicator, Body colour bumpers,Cabin pollen filter, Front door pockets, Nightpanel function, Hands free phone preparation,Seatback storage, Integral rear window aerial,Front and rear electric windows, Body colourelectric adjustable heated door mirrors, Lockableglovebox, Halogen headlights, 12V Accessorysocket, 100/40 foldable rear seat, Saab ActiveHead Restraints - front, Cargo Tracks luggagesecuring rails, Tinted windows, Load shiftprotection in backrest, SPA Saab ParkingAssistance, Steering wheel mounted audio/telephonecontrols, Saab Information Display, 3 rearheadrests, ESP, Cupholder in dashboard, Headlamppressure wash, Ashtray, Heat absorbing glass,Power Steering, Bi-Xenon headlights + Autolevelling, Bi-Xenon headlights + Auto levelling,Isofix rear child seat fastenings, Driver/FrontPassenger airbags, Saab Active Head Restraints,Mobile telephone antenna, Sports leather steeringwheel/gearknob/handbrake, Foldable rear headrestraints, Front/rear seatbelt pre-tensioners, 5x 3 point seatbelts, Thatcham category 1alarm+immobiliser, Dual zone auto climatecontrol+cooled glovebox, Convenience pack - 9-5,Bi-xenon headlamps with auto levelling + pressurewashers, Follow me home headlights, 60/40 splitfolding rear seat, Anti submarining Saabsafeseats, Colour matched sill covers, doorhandles and side strips, Colour matched sillcovers, door handles and side strips, Cargo pack -9-5 Estate, Matt chrome finish roof rails,Harmon/Kardon radio/6 CD changer and 9speakers,AIR CONDITIONING,LEATHER SEATS,PARKINGSENSORS Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: Doncaster £ 7,897.00 Visit Shop > motoring.co.uk SAAB 9-5 2.3 T Vector 4 Dr Auto Saloon Climate Control, Cruise Control, Half Leather, Electronic Stability Programme, Front Fog ... more Lights, Multi Function Steering Wheel Controls, CDPlayer, Electric Mirrors, Remote Central Locking,ABS, Airbags Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: Motherwell £ 7,788.00 Visit Shop > motoring.co.uk SAAB 9-5 2.3 T Vector 4 Dr Auto Saloon Body Coloured Bumpers, Climate Control, Cruise Control, Electronic Stability Programme, ... more Front Fog Lights Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: Glasgow £ 8,488.00 Visit Shop > motoring.co.uk Saab 9-5 2.3t Vector Sport 5dr Auto 2 Registered Keepers, ABS, Driver/pass seat mounted side airbags, Front fog lights, Heated ... more front and rear seats, High level brake light,Lumbar support, Rear centre armrest, Rearwash/wipe, Remote central locking + deadlocks,Sports chassis, Sports s Rate it now Postage & Packaging: refer to website Availability: Doncaster £ 7,897.00 Visit Shop > motors.co.uk Products you might be interested in » Saab 9-5 2.3T Estate Estate - Front (FWD) - 5 Speed Manual, 5 Speed Automatic - 2290 cc - Max Speed: 143, 152 mph - 220, 250 bhp - Petrol - Available Trims: Vector Sport, Vector, Linear Sport, Linear, Turbo Edition, Aero User car reviews (1) Buy now for only £ 7,897.00 Saab 9-3 2.0T (+) Very nippy and good on petrol(-) none i can recall User car reviews (10) Buy now for only £ 6,320.00 Saab 9-5 2.0t Saloon - Front (FWD) - 5 Speed Automatic, 4 Speed Automatic, 5 Speed Manual - 1985 cc - Max Speed: 134, 140 mph - 260, 150, 180 bhp - Petrol, Hybrid - Petrol / BioEthanol - Available Trims: Vector Sport, Vector, Linear Sport, Linear, Turbo Edition User car reviews (5) Buy now for only £ 5,988.00 Saab 9-3 1.9 TiD (+) Pretty(-) unreliable` User car reviews (5) Buy now for only £ 7,601.00 Saab 9-5 1.9 TiD Estate Estate - Front (FWD) - 5 Speed Manual, 5 Speed Automatic - 1910 cc - Max Speed: 127 mph - 150 bhp - Diesel - Available Trims: Turbo Edition Rate it now Buy now for only £ 5,981.00 Saab 9-3 Convertible 1.9 TTiD Convertible - Front (FWD) - 6 Speed Automatic, 6 Speed Manual - 1910 cc - Max Speed: 137, 124 mph - 180, 150 bhp - Diesel - Available Trims: Aero, Linear SE, Vector Sport Rate it now Buy now for only £ 8,000.00 Sponsored Sites - Cars Car Reviews of Saab 9-5 2.3T » 1-5 of 8 Car reviews of Saab 9-5 2.3T Show all reviews The Look of Deception - Exclusively Revealed Advantages: Stunning power, great handling, well built Disadvantages: Still looks like a big, sluggish car The Saab 9-5 is not the most obvious sports car. The body is big and chunky, and it looks a big, solid, heavy car. But lurking underneath is an incredibly quick and nimble car, with a ton of luxury to boot. Saab have always been known to build very safe cars. The 9-5 is an example of this, being the car that has achieved the highest scores ever in the Euro-NCAP crash tests. Added to this impressive boast, all Saabs, including the 9-5, ......charged petrol engines, and so Saab have become very good at this. Most turbo charged cars, such as the Mondeo ST200 and Subaru Impreza, have 'turbo-lag', where it takes a while for the turbo to kick in, and when it does, it hits with a bang. However, with the 9-5 Aero, the turbo is instantaneous, and you wouldn't even know it was there were it not for the incredible power that it produces. The 9-5 is incredibly smooth. This is partly ... more The Saab 9-5 is not the most obvious sports car. The body is big and chunky, and it looks a big, solid, heavy car. But lurking underneath is an incredibly quick and nimble car, with a ton of luxury to boot.Saab have always been known to build very safe cars. The 9-5 is an example of this, being the car that has achieved the highest scores ever in the Euro-NCAP crash tests. Added to this impressive boast, all Saabs, including the 9-5, come with about 4 air bags and ABS, along with several other safety features.While sitting inside, you get a sense of importance. The dashboard is styled in a wrap-around fashion, giving the driver all the controls in one area. I only had about half an hour with the car, on the Millbrook test track just north of Luton, so I didn't get a lot of time to play with the control in detail. However, all the controls seemed solid and responded well. They were all laid out quite logically, and were all easily reachable without fumbling about. The 9-5 Aero that I drove had a host of extra features that would not be found on every model, including leather seats, steering wheel, etc.But the Saabs true merit has to lie solely in its performance. The figures speak for themselves really. It does 0 to 60mph in 6.5 seconds, and is good for almost 150mph. This is all due to the 2.3 litre turbo charges engine. All Saabs have turbo charged petrol engines, and so Saab have become very good at this. Most turbo charged cars, such as the Mondeo ST200 and Subaru Impreza, have 'turbo-lag', where it takes a while for the turbo to kick in, and when it does, it hits with a bang. However, with the 9-5 Aero, the turbo is instantaneous, and you wouldn't even know it was there were it not for the incredible power that it produces. The 9-5 is incredibly smooth. This is partly down to the incredibly smooth power delivered from the powerplant under the bonnet, but it is also due to a very well tuned suspension and tyre package. With such a large an heavy car, you would expect a certain about of wobbliness, with the car rolling side to side as it entered the corners. But, to my surprise, the car handled very well, almost like a small car such as an Astra or Focus. The Millbrook test track is quite severe, with lots of climbs and drops, up to 21% gradients, and tight corners, so it was an ideal place to test the agility of the car. It felt composed throughout the test, with little in the way of body role, yet the ride was smooth over the bumps.Around the high speed bowl, the acceleration was very fast. I was limited to 100mph, but the 9-5 achieved that speed very quickly, and was certainly ready for more. The gear box responds positively, with a very short distance between gears. There is also a very nice lock on the gear stick as standard. The ignition key barrel is actually located alongside (just to the bottom right, actually) of the gear stick, and to remove it, the gear stick must be in reverse, which locks it in gear, thus rendering the car useless, unless it can be unlocked. This works quite well. The advantage of having the ignition key located in the centre rather than on the steering column is two fold, though in Saabs 'official' view, just the one. Firstly, it is a lot safer, as in an accident, the ignition barrel is a very hard, non moving piece of metal that will hit your chest, so moving it to the centre console is a lot safer. Secondly, it means that if you have a lot of keys, they won't keep banging against your leg as you drive.The car is full of driver aids. The seats are fully adjustable, as is the steering column. There is electric everything, and full climate control, rather than the standard air conditioning. Also, the car is split into zones, thus enabling you to change the temperature in different areas, though dramatic differences are obviously not possible. The noise produced from the AC is dependent on how high you turn up the fan, but you can leave it on the Low setting and it still reduces the temperature nicely. When I tested it (last Tuesday (26th June), the outside temperature was around 30 degrees centigrade, yet the temperature inside dropped quite quickly to a much more comfortable 18 degrees.This is truly a great car, and has to be recommended 100% to anyone who can afford it. The power is just sensational, the handling solid and smooth, and the luxury unparalleled in its class. Plus, everything comes as standard, so you don't have to fork out more money to get the specs you want, unlike with BMW, Mercedes and Volvo. ...less aljones 05.07.2001 Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Saab 9-5 2.3T Value for Money Road Handling Comfort Features Fuel consumption Looks Solid long distance driving Advantages: Comfort, boot capacity, reliability, specificationDisadvantages: Running costs, looks ...service costs. I chose the Saab 9-5 due to previous positive experiences with a Saab 9000. I've also driven BMW, Honda and Audi cars in similar circumstances. First impressions are that the car is not attractive. I don't think anyone considers Saab to design eye-catching cars but if you can get over the looks and actually get inside the cabin you really begin to appreciate what saab does really well. The inside is, like the 9000, huge. I have not ......as Vauxhall and Honda the Saab seats are incredibly comfortable and supportive. When you drive a lot of miles this is crucial. The driving position and display are good with a very useful computer to calculate all the usual things such as remaining distance to refuel. Cruise control is very precise and easy to operate. Other nice extras are the very effective drop down cupholders (I'm sick of spilling coffee on upholstery)and the large central container ... pmiller 02.08.2000 · Read full review Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpfulReview of Saab 9-5 2.3T Value for MoneyRoad HandlingFuel consumptionLooks Love it Advantages: Huge boot. Comfort. LooksDisadvantages: Expensive repair I bought my saab 9-5 2.3t 4 years ago and it was a high mileage second hand car at the time and I'm only just thinking about replacing it. This car is superb. I bought it after owning a saab 9000i which I found to be very comfortable and reliable and the saab 9-5 is no different. Although the servicing costs are relatively high I have only once had a problem with the engine and this is in a car which is fast approaching 200000 miles on the clock. ......the passanger compartment, with the saab stereo, climate control and power steering your comfort level doesn't change, in fact its very hard to believe the speed your doing without looking at the speedo. And this is because its a big, heavy, motorway machine. Driving it around town and trying to park it at the local supermarket is hard work. The massive boot, where you can store your whole families luggage for a two week holiday, makes reverse parking ... hairy3074 04.01.2007 · Read full review Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpfulReview of Saab 9-5 2.3T Value for MoneyRoad HandlingFuel consumptionLooks A great car - seriously recommended Advantages: Extremely comfortable, with generous amounts of leg-room in both front and back of car.Disadvantages: The exterior styling may not be to everyones taste. The Saab 9-5 2.3t HOT Aero is a great car. I have loved owning this car as it is fun and easy to drive. The bucket style seats are extremely comfortable for long distace journeys. It has huge amounts of space in the boot, which for me was perfect, as both of my children are band members, and so large amounts of space are required to shift their equipment to and from gigs (2 guitars, large amplifier, keyboard, large effects pedal, and other accesories). ......is not much space for interior storage, such as door pockets, cup holders, glove compartment etc., as most of the space is given up to passenger leg-room. For a large saloon car with a fairly large engine, it has a reasonable efficiency (30-35 miles per gallon), and what with the current fuel prices, that may be a serious deciding factor in car coice. I would seriously recommend this car to any potential buyers, however, similar cars within the price ... KieranBal 12.08.2008 · Read full review Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpfulReview of Saab 9-5 2.3T Value for MoneyRoad HandlingFuel consumptionLooks Wolf in sheep's clothing Advantages: Comfort; power; space; quality; safetyDisadvantages: Running costs; front wheel drive This is an anonymous-looking saloon that at first glance could be one of many as it stands in the car park. Look closer and you will see that it probably doesn't fit the parking bay, overlaping at either end. It is a big car. Bigger inside and out than most other luxury saloons. When you get inside you immediatley experience solid comfort. Everything is restrained, well designed, well made and quality. Like a gentleman's club, it's not flashy but ......You would like to have seats like this in your living room. Put your foot down, however, at any speed, and the turbos kick in with no lag and before you know it, the speed cameras are flashing like lights on a Xmas tree. BUT - fuel consumption can be high if you keep using the turbo. Normal driving expect 27mpg; motorways 34mpg. Dealer servicing costs are high but not compared to other luxury saloons and it never seems to break. And don't forget, ... brinjon2043 22.12.2006 · Read full review Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpfulReview of Saab 9-5 2.3T Value for MoneyRoad HandlingFuel consumptionLooks Similar reviews » Reviews which might be of interest for "Saab 9-5 2.3T" Ugly...on the outside. Advantages: Fun to driveDisadvantages: HIDEOUS! I said this car was good but that keeps in mind that "satisfactory" is a car that can just about work correctly. My dad recently bought this car though I told him not to. Look at it. On the outside the styling is HORRIBLE, you don't want to be outside to have to look at the headlights or the backlights and it looks uncomfortable in any colour I've seen. The only thing for it is to step inside. Ahh, much better. This is where the car redeems itself; the dashboard lights up and theres not of green light, its a much nicer place to be. The engine also performs with that famous Saab acceleration that can outstrip most supercars. The downside is the styling and don't take any race-speed corners with a full boot. ... ned37 28.03.2008 · Read full review Ciao members have rated this car review on average: somewhat helpfulReview of Saab 9-5 2.3T Estate Sweden's little secret Advantages: Practical, comfortable and well equippedDisadvantages: About to be ousted by new model . But compared to rivals such as the BMW 3-Series and the Mercades C-Class, the 9-3's German rivals look grossly overproced. At �17.320 for the 9-3 2.2TiD 5dr, the Saab isn't very cheap, but it does get a host of kit including... AIR CONDITIONING DRIVERS AIRBAG PASSENGER AIRBAG SIDE AIRBAGS ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) A SINGLE CD PLAYER ELECTRIC WINDOWS (FRONT AND REAR) ELECTRIC MIRRORS ALARM IMMOBILISER DEADLOCKS REMOTE CENTRAL LOCKING TWO-WAY ADJUSTABLE STEERING ALLOY WHEELS (�895) LEATHER UPHOLSTRY (�750) ELECTRIC SUNROOF (830) SAFETY AND SECURITY As you can read from the above, the Saab 9-3 gets a wealth of safety and security kit. But does it all work in practice. Well, judging from it's 4 out of 5 rating for the compulsary NCAP Crash tests, the 9-3 should protect very ... Solex 13.02.2002 · Read full review Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpfulReview of Saab 9-3 2.2 TiD Similar Cars Product Information Related tags Compare products Gift ideas Cars similar to Saab 9-5 2.3T » 1 Car review saab 9-5 2.3t aero Estate - Front (FWD) - 5 Speed Manual, 5 Speed Automatic - 2290 c ... Buy now for only £7,897.00 5 Car reviews saab 9-5 2.0t Saloon - Front (FWD) - 5 Speed Automatic, 4 Speed Automatic, 5 Sp ... Buy now for only £5,988.00 Rate it now a3 2t Hatchback - Petrol - Available Trims: Sport Rate it now 9 to 5 the musical Rate it now mira vie 9.5 Shower/Shower Kit - Available in: White & Chrome - Available as: ... Buy now for only £96.44 Rate it now triton forte 9.5 For instantaneous, economical hot water you can't beat an electri ... Buy now for only £70.00 Product Information for "Saab 9-5 2.3T" » Product details Body Type Saloon Available Trims Linear; Linear Sport; Vector; Vector Sport, Aero; Turbo Edition Fuel Type Petrol Range Saab 9-5 Driven Wheels Front (FWD) Range + Engine Type 9-5 2.3T, 9-5 2.3 HOT Manufacturer Saab Classification Premium Car Country of Origin Sweden CO2 Emissions 213 g/km - (Man) / 247 g/km - (Auto), 209 g/km - (Man) / 232 g/km - (Auto) Insurance Group 16, 17 Engine Size (cc) 2290 Towing Limit (kg) 1800 Boot Capacity (litres) 500 Height 1475 Width 1792 Length 4827 Weight 1775 Power 220, 250 Release Date 01.01.2005 Type Car Transmission type 5 Speed Manual; 5 Speed Automatic Emissions Class EU3 Number of Doors 4 NCAP Rating NCAP 5 Star Rating Maximum Speed (mph) 146, 155 Warranty 3 years / 60000 miles Cylinders 4 Fuel Capacity (litres) 75 Torque 228@1800 lb/ft, 258@1900 lb/ft Ciao Listed on Ciao since 05/07/2001 Manufacturer's product description Saab present the 9-5 Linear 2.3T 4dr Saloon with 5 Speed - (Man) / 5 Speed - (Auto), Front (FWD) running on Unleaded Petrol Related tags for Saab 9-5 2.3T » Saab 9-5 Saab Saab 9 5 TID Saab 9-5 Estate Saab 9-5 UK Saab 9-5 Diesel Saab 9-5 Saloon Saab 9-5 2.2 TID Auto Saab 9-5 Linear Sport Saab 9-3 2.0T Compare Saab 9-5 2.3T to other similar Saab » Saab 900 turbo Had all the bells and whistles. Didn't live up to its reputation as a performance car. (*) Saab 9-3 SportWagon 2.8T Aggresive styling, Good Build Quality, Performance, Dealer assistance Depreciation (*) Saab 9-3 Convertible TiD Superb Roof Conversion. Excellent Front Seats. Spacious Boot. Well Built. High Price. Low Equipmet Tally. "Challenged" Dynamics. Draughty Top Down. (*) similar by Series (Saab 9-5) Saab 9-5 Estate Massively spacious, extremely quick and super comfortable, 250bhp! a bit thirsty, high insurance (*) Saab 9-5 2.2 TiD Estate Great space Noisy (*) similar by Body Type (Saloon) Saab 9-3 2.2 TiD Practical, comfortable and well equipped About to be ousted by new model (*) Saab 9-5 2.0t� Comfortable, supposedly reliable, cheap 2nd hand Unreliable, boring to drive, expensive to fix (*) (*) Reviews by Ciao members Gift ideas for Saab 9-5 2.3T » Vauxhall Vectra 3.0 CDTi V6 24v Hatchback Peugeot 407 2.0 HDi Renault Scenic 1.5 dCi Peugeot 407 SW 2.0 HDi Ford Galaxy 2.3 Mercedes S 500 BMW Mini One Honda CBR600RR Alfa Romeo 147 1.9 JTD Similar cars and search queries by other users » Saab 23T, Saab 95 23T, Saab 9 5 23T, Saab 2 3T, Saab 95 2 3T, Saab 9 5 2 3T, Saab 23 T, Saab 95 23 T, Saab 9 5 23 T, Saab 2 3 T, Saab 95 2 3 T, Saab 9 5 2 3 T Are you the manufacturer / provider of Saab 9-5 2.3T? Click here '); move_sticky_fullsize(); //]]> About Us - Jobs - Advertise with Us - Press - Become a Partner - Our Shopping Partners - Ciao Quality Seal Ciao Deutschland - Ciao France - Ciao Italia - Ciao España - Ciao Nederland - Ciao Sverige - Bing Shopping Site Index - Product Index - Ciao Charts - Most searched products © 2010 Ciao GmbH || skip to main menu skip to search Saab 9-3 Convertible Aero 2.0HOT Reviews Watch this item Average rating for this product is: 3.7 out of 5 From 1 rating and 2 reviews 100% of users recommend this product Overview Reviews Write a review Ask a Question Average Ratings for Saab 9-3 Convertible Aero 2.0HOT Performance Practicality Reliability Value for Money Reviewer Ratings Overall Rating 2 Reviews For Saab 9-3 Convertible Aero 2.0HOT dave7638 7th Jun 2007 Reviewer rating: dave7638's review has yet to be rated - Be the first! Report this review Good Points: Looks fantastic. Mine is black and needs a bit more attention than other colours, but worth it. Fuel consumption 35mpg ish if you stick to the speed limit. Roof can be dropped automatically using the remote if you are outside the car. Good pose factor. Bad Points: Not many. Very sensitive sensors in the boot which wont let you drop the roof if there is anything in the way, sometimes involves in moving things around. General comments: The Saab 9-3 Convertible Aero 2.0HOT looks fantastic. Mine is black and needs a bit more attention than other colours, but worth it. Fuel consumption 35mpg ish if you stick to the speed limit. Roof can be dropped automatically using the remote if you are outside the car. Good pose factor. Very happy with model. Will probably not use dealer for servicing due to cost. Wouldn't hesitate to buy another. Read dave7638's full review and ratings (142 words) GRAHAM. 27th Dec 2002 Reviewer rating: On average, people found this review helpful Report this review This is my second saab had it for 9 months now(9-5 aero before this one)it does all you want a conv to do if you are thinking about 9-3 conv pay the extra for this one. Fuel acom 24mpg round town, on runs 32mpg(speed 80ish!!!!) When I was lookin for a conv I looked at the M3 conv nice car but waiting list to long (summer would be over) Read GRAHAM's review (138 words) Related categoriesConvertibles Share this page: Del.icio.us Furl My Yahoo Digg Google StumbleUpon Facebook Share this Saab 9-3 Convertible Review Used 9 3 Saab Convertible Sales Best Convertible Cars Pink Convertible Convertible Roof Repair Saab Owners Club Lamborghini Auto Trader BMW Ferrari Dodge Viper Porsche Car Hypermarket Mercedes Lamborghini Gallardo Enzo Ferrari More from Review Centre Review Centre Deals "Save up to 20% on your day to day shopping with ReviewCentre Deals. 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well wonder if I’ve had some kind of financial crisis of my own.But thankfully, no.  I just don’t need such a large and fast car any more.  When I was doing a lot of sprinting I needed something capable of towing a car trailer comfortably and reliably.  But I also wanted something I could enjoy driving as my daily transport.City Commuting Doesn’t Suit Big CarsAnd that’s what happened, basically – for the past 18mths or so I’ve driven 12 miles to Liverpool city centre, and 12 miles back – congested roads, with a lot of stop-start action.  In the end I bought a Golf TDI which makes much more sense for that kind of driving.  Although I’m tempted to keep the Saab, which I will if I can’t get the right price, I know that in reality it’ll get far too little use in the coming year or two.  The sensible decision, then, is to sell it.So, here goes…SpecificationThis is a 2004  (04 plate) 9-5 Aero HOT Estate with 250bhp.  The full specification items worth listing are as follows:Bi-Xenon headlights, headlight washers, factory alloy wheels, factory CD/Radio, Nokia Bluetooth Hands-Free (works with most phones), electric windows all round, electric mirrors, heated mirrors, split climate control, dual-colour leather seats, leather steering wheel, lots of airbags (5* NCAP Rating), ABS, Electronic Stability Program, new Vredestein Giugiaro front tyres and lots of life on the identical rears, detachable tow bar, FSH (main dealer or specialist only), two owners (first owner the dealership as it’s an ex-demo car), 58,000 miles, 10 months MOT, Tax until 10/09.The car is in a gorgeous Capuccino Black.  In other words, most of the time the car looks black or very dark grey, but when the sun shines on it you realise that there’s a pearlescent bronze finish.  The photos below really capture this, which took some effort as it’s not easy to show in pictures – normally it just looks black.Damage Worth NotingI’m nothing if not thorough and feel it’s worth noting everything even if it’s minor so that you’re not disappointed if you travel – the car has a couple of tiny dings from the careless door opening of others.  It has a small ding that’s almost but not quite invisible under the nearside rearmost window with a matching scrape on the bumper – that was a van in Paris that did it, and no, he didn’t leave details.  But I’d say very few people can spot these marks – I’ve taken close-ups, however, to try and show marks.  Also, one of the alloys has a barely visible kerb scrape on it.  Picture shown.  There’s a few minor and normal stone chips that could do with being dealt with by chipsaway or similar, but one left a tiny ding on the bonnet.  Another tiny ding was caused by the biggest hailstorm I’ve ever seen, over in Italy.  I expected worse….Get in Touch – Price to be around £6200If you’re interested, you can contact me through the contact form on this site, or simply call me, during office hours or in the evening on 0151 709 7977.If you’re wondering whether someone with the word ‘mental’ in his website address and a history of motorsport will have taken care of his car… well, in racing if you don’t take care of your car you often end up with an accident at some point.  Or losing.  I apply the same philosophy to my road cars – look after them and they look after you.Enjoy the gallery – simply click on a thumbnail to get the big version, and you can then move between images by clicking on the arrows that come up. And a Deep Zoom Seadragon view of the under-bonnet area And now, PhotoSynthYes, I may have been playing – I’d be interested to know what you think of this use of technology… By: Dave Date: 13 July, 2009 8:46 pm Categories: AsidesPost tags: 9-5, aero, estate, saab, sale Feedback No CommentsAdd your own comment Comments feed Related posts:New Spectacu.la Discussion UpdatesHeadshots2010Rainy Days in LiverpoolLiverpool SkylineArgh! Spiders!Previous: 1999 ZZR600 (ZX600-E7) For SaleNext: What it’s Like to Present and Attend at WordCamp UKComments Name Email Website Cancel reply Notify me of followup comments via e-mailThreaded commenting powered by Spectacu.la code. Tagsaintree Amazon Anglesey arica b3ta baby blogging bolivia botfly Chile Conrad cuba desert driving earthquake elise gary thomas halton badminton hillclimb humour interconnect it iPhone jungle liverpool Loton Park media Mexico Motorsport New York pain parasite peru Photos safety South America sprint technology track day Travel Video web design wordcamp wordcampuk wordpress wordpress.comRecent CommentsFind, Search, Replace, and Delete In A WordPress Database - WordCast on mySQL Database Search & Replace With Serialized PHP [Updated]John Masseria on Broadcom B57nd60x 10.10.0.0 performance problems (Dell XPS especially)Corical on Broadcom B57nd60x 10.10.0.0 performance problems (Dell XPS especially)Dave on PHP Serialization Fix for WordPress Migrations (& other applications like Expression Engine)Stuart Travers on PHP Serialization Fix for WordPress Migrations (& other applications like Expression Engine) Interconnect IT – WordPress ConsultantsWordPress Weather WidgetMake WordPress Scale, on a BudgetGill Sans Rides AgainCompany Position, 2nd Quarter 2010My Telegraph User Blogs liverpool,uk-2°CFogHumidity: 93%Wind: N at 0 mphCategoriesAsidesThe CompanyCampaign for ThinkingConferencesFriends and FamilyDadMotorsportEvent Reports and PreviewsHow toVideosStuff I'm SellingTechnicalITWordPressTravelAsiaCaribbeanEuropeMexicoNorth AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America and New York 2006UncategorizedVideo of the Week Gareth Jones on SpeedGareth Jones On Speed #131 for 07 Dec 2010 7 December, 2010#131 You tell us what to talk about, we respond to your tweets, emails and Facebook messages. We play the “Is That Still On Sale?” game. Gareth remembers summer in a Land Rover Discovery 4 and Richard tries to forget driving his biggest “car” yet. […]www.garethjones.tvGareth Jones On Speed #130 for 25 Nov 2010 25 November, 2010#130 The F1 season’s over, but now what are we going to do? The team have some suggestions. Will we see Lotus blossom, or wilt under the sheer weight of their plans for road cars and racing? The LA Auto Show, the show we didn’t go to…but still review! […]www.garethjones.tvGareth Jones On Speed #129 for 14 Nov 2010 14 November, 2010#129 Instant reaction as Sebastian Vettel is crowned World Champion. How did Red Bull do it? and where did it go wrong for Webber, Alonso, Hamilton and Button? Plus Gareth Jones On Trousers and the new World Champ’s anthem with some bespoke lyrics. […]www.garethjones.tvGareth Jones On Speed #128 for 06 Nov 2010 6 November, 2010#128 A first for Gareth Jones On Speed, in this soliloquy Gareth takes us for a drive in the stunning Lexus IS-F V8. A great car, but is it a great Lexus? […]www.garethjones.tvVisits this Month1,369Visits permonthPowered By Caribou theme design © 2009 Spectacu.la part of Interconnect ITContact || The resource cannot be displayed The resource you are looking for cannot be opened by your browser. Click the Back button to try another link. If you believe you should be able to view this directory or page, please contact the Web site administrator by using the e-mail address or phone number listed on the home page. HTTP Error 406 - Not acceptable Internet Information Services Technical Information (for support personnel) More information: Microsoft Support