Which? Car 2002

[john]

Here's the results from Which? Car 2002 on the Saab 9-3

Body style:
3dr hatchback 5dr hatchback 2dr convertible
Engine Size:
Petrol (ltr) 2.0 2.3 2.5
Diesel (ltr) 2.2

Price New:
£17,065 (2.0t Eco) to £28,815 (2.0 Aero convertible)
Dimensions:
4.63m x 1.95m inc mirrors


Saab 9-3 900
From: Oct 93 (but replaced soon) Running Costs:
Very High

Owners Verdict

Good (9-3 only) Brakes, instrument visibility, front headroom, boot space (hatchback), seat comfort, headlights, heating, styling, interior design, trim quality
Poor (9-3 only) Steering, front legroom, rear head- and shoulder room, internal storage space, ease of folding rear seats, fuel consumption, cost of replacement parts
Very Poor (9-3 only) Ease of parking, rear legroom, rear view, servicing costs, insurance costs

Troublespots:
Newest Gearbox or differential
Recent Dashboard switches/control stalks, air conditioning, heating/ ventilation, airbags, seats/seat adjusters, seat belts
Older Dashboard switches/control stalks, air conditioning, automatic transmission, clutch, rainwater seals, carpets/upholstery

[MartinR]

Seems a reasonable assessment.

However, I don't agree on fuel consumption. When I dropped my lift-share partner off at the end of last week (my turn) I had 36.7mpg on the SID. He certainly doesn't get anywhere near this on his BM 3er even taking into account SID inaccuracies.

But yes, I find the 9-3 an ar5e to park. Anyone agree?

MR

[MartinR]

BTW, /john, doesn't Which? publish cost of ownership figures? I seem to remember the 9-3 being not too bad. Somewhere in between more mass market cars (very high depreciation) and, say, a 3-series (low depreciation).

MR

[pyronerd]

I actually find my 9-3 very easy to park. Perhaps our parking spaces are wider in the US, as we do have to acommodate (sp?) much larger vehicles, in general; but even in the tight spaces, my car seems no trouble....

[jb]

I've just been given the trade in value of my 15month old '01 model with 30k miles. Not sure cost of owner ship is very middle ground anymore!

[vadonald]

Originally posted by pyronerd:
[qb]Perhaps our parking spaces are wider in the US[/qb][/b]

Having been to the U.S. several times - yes your parking spaces are huge in comparsion to those we have in the UK, and the UK spaces seem to get smaller all the time - current craze in the UK seems to be 'how many car doors can I dint today'

Chees, Vince

[pyronerd]

LOL, Vince -- I would just like to say that if anybody dings my baby, they will have more than a scratch to show for it! Let's hear it for my relatively tiny car in a country that parks SUVs They can fling their doors open in many parking spaces where I live and not harm my car.

[Jez]

I think the reason someone has suggested it is tricky is that you dont always realise quite how far the bumper sticks out. My 9000 gradually grew more and more scrapes on both corners of the front bumper. I never noticed bumping anything but then I don't suppose you would would you!

I am a lot more careful now as my bumpers are colour coded.

I've parked my 9-3 next to a couple of the older shape BMW 5 series recently and was amazed that my car was as long as them.

[welshwizard]

Originally posted by Vince:
[qb]QUOTE

Originally posted by pyronerd:
[qb]Perhaps our parking spaces are wider in the US[/qb][/b]

Having been to the U.S. several times - yes your parking spaces are huge in comparsion to those we have in the UK, and the UK spaces seem to get smaller all the time - current craze in the UK seems to be 'how many car doors can I dint today'

Chees, Vince[/qb][/b][/quote]Vince boyo - do what I do, park in two bays, it really irritates the hell out of people who spend ages looking for the nearest available space to the supermarket entrance - my doors are dintless

[john]

Vince boyo - do what I do, park in two bays, it really irritates the hell out of people who spend ages looking for the nearest available space to the supermarket entrance - my doors are dintless *[/b]

Or do what I do and park furthest from the entrance to the supermarket. That way I avoid those irritated people kicking in my headlights

[pyronerd]

Personally wouldn't try the 2-spaces thing myself. Classic example, about 3 years ago was walking into a supermarket and saw a new Porsche 911 parked across the line, and someone had keyed "Merry F*#&ing X-mas" on it.......could live without that, thanks

[john]

Jeez, Pyronerd, that's worse than a couple of smashed headlights