Author Topic: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)  (Read 81583 times)

sean treacy

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #30 on: 04 February 2012, 03:17:52 PM »
yes steve,i think would make an interesting topic.i certainly wish i had a couple of my old saabs now as they were great,both 99 turbo and 900turbo in black were great cars.i think this is number 10 now.i must look for those photos at mums,i forgot last week to look but i know there are some some where.i spent a fortune on that 99t,do you remember you put a new turbo on for me.?also the fuel injection distribution unit failed which was expensive,the cluth went and had to have new timing chain so all in all good car but dear to run,even in the 80,s.also that car loved to eat front tyres,even worse than your griffin.

Drac

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #31 on: 30 March 2012, 06:39:01 AM »
Short review - 9-5 MY1998-2005

...

Bad bits:
- not too much space on the rear seats
- expensive road tax and insurance
- sludge in oil sum (needs cleaning)
- 2.2TiD underpowered, 3.0TiD prone to catastrophic failures
- heater valve
- crank position sensor
- Direct Ignition cassette
- check valves (base boost only)
- pixels in SID and ACC units
- turbochargers (mainly Garrett T17)
- throttle body
- recirculation valve
- solenoid (APC)
- wheel bolts
- alarm siren
- automatic gearboxes
- fuel consumption
- lack of mp3 on AS1, AS2 and AS3
- lack of bluetooth phone integration
- torque steer
- bad handling even in Aero (serious understeer, imprecise steering, lack of feedback on the steering wheel)
- very noisy (wind noise, tyre noise)
- vacuum hoses
- big boot but short loading hatch and high bumper
- orange low beam/high beam "relay" (in fact it's a sensor)
- rear shock absorbers

Best bit:
- VALUE for money (read - seriously cheap compared to competitors)

Addition to bad bits:
- eats pistons at 126k miles (disintegration of a piston, car regularly serviced)

Best bit of value for money is now gone.

Now I have to drive it for another few years. I will risk once more and buy a 9-5 estate for the missus, but if that's gonna have problems - that's it, I've had it.

collywobble

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #32 on: 30 March 2012, 07:54:23 AM »
I would add to the list of bad bits the peeling paint on the door mirror housings, which is also starting to happen on the door handles and roof rails on my MY2002 estate.

My other car, still a GM product, is a MY2000 Astra which is of far superior build quality to the 9-5! No missing pixels, plastic door mirror housings so no peeling paint.

Being  of a cynical nature I think a lot of the bad bits were caused by the cost accountants trying to achieve profitability by cutting manufacturing costs i.e. getting components made at a cheaper price which only equals poorer quality.


Drac

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #33 on: 03 April 2012, 11:50:34 PM »
I will add one more - crappy battery terminals on some 9-5s - there is at least 3 different sorts. The crappy one is the one with a T-bolt and a nut to be tighten at the top. It does not tighten the terminal enough and you risk snapping the bolt which is nearly impossible to find.


sgould

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #34 on: 04 April 2012, 07:19:53 PM »
Posts in the mirror removal topic now here in a separate thread

http://www.saabtechtalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=1352.0
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martyd

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #35 on: 30 May 2012, 08:15:00 PM »
Owned several passats and an A4 before as well as a seat and skoda, also have a company car avensis, piece of junk that is and thirsty too, my 2.2 tid has done 150,000 the 100 in that down to me, if I am honest I have neglected it really mainly because wife uses it most, but change oil religiously at 12000 few things i hate about it ....side lights no alarm????  wiper stalk cant be seen from driving seat, and everyone loves my Vectra,,,LOL...but its economical 45 average, like the seats, great motorway car, parts are dirt cheap if you know what you are looking for,changed tyre size from 215 to 205 saves a £100 every time it needs rubber, front discs and pads just done,, bosch £50 trade     cant beat it

sgould

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #36 on: 30 May 2012, 08:22:37 PM »
You can set the sidelights on warning.  Well a garage with a Saab "Tech2" diagnostic computer can.  Beeps if the sidelights are left on and the door opened.  If you leave the headlights on, they go on and off with the ignition - no warning for that.

You can also play with other warnings and the alarm and locking system.

heck the "Tech 2" option sticky thread at the top of the 9-5 forum: http://www.saabtechtalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=23.0
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SwansSaab

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #37 on: 02 June 2012, 11:14:23 PM »
I love my Saab .. I am systematically rebuilding her slowly with new parts I will keep her forever  :-*

Milowokie

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #38 on: 16 August 2012, 12:21:17 AM »
One Year On.

Still like the power, refinement and seats.

Costs over the last 12 months?

A bonnet and front centre armrest, from my local indy who had a dead engined Aero in the same colour as mine (£50)

CPS same indy called out at stupid o'clock to fit a new one on my drive while I was at work (£100)

Jetex exhaust (cat-back) bought of eBay as mine's starting to delaminate, was an advisory on it's first MOT (£150)

Stop and tail lamp, collapsed filament shorting out caused all manner of electrical trouble, head/dash lights on with brake pedal, brake lights on all the time, unless sidelight were on then nothing, ESP turned itself off...(£pennies from accessory shop)

So a few hundred quid in a year only £100 was necessary, everything else either precautionary or vanity (OCD) purchase.

So not too bad for a 9 year old car with 120k on it.

Still lovin' the Aero.

Norfolk Jim

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #39 on: 16 August 2012, 11:36:19 AM »
Snap - a year on.........

Now had my 2.2TiD Vector Sport Estate for 12 months and must admit it has been superb.

Had Hirsch tune carried out very soon after purchase and all I've had to replace so far are

2 tyres
front discs & pads
oil pressure switch

To do list:

Possibly rear suspension bushes
Front drop links

Otherwise all good and averaging now 46mpg

steventon95

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #40 on: 05 October 2012, 11:42:41 AM »
The 2.2tid 9-5 Estate just keeps rumbling on. Just done 900 miles in France, bringing her up to 193,000. Definitely hanging on now just out of sheer curiosity to see how long I can make it last.

I have the GM900 2.5 3-door as a runabout to keep me amused between times

Griffin Dave

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #41 on: 05 October 2012, 01:33:54 PM »
I'm in the same position as you steventon95, my Griffin is on 208,000 miles.
When I bought it I expected it to reach 150,000 miles and then sell it but it just keeps going.

angler

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #42 on: 23 October 2012, 05:33:09 PM »
Hi All.
At present we own a 1997 2.3 se, on 120k, and have owned it for nearly 8 years. I know saying a piece of metal is a part of the family might sound sad but our kids were in pushchairs when we bought it and it has grown with us. Has had a few minor niggles, aux belt and pulley disintegrated, cps, iat sensor (twice) but overall has been very reliable.  We chose a 9-5 because our Citroen ZX (ahem) just wasn't big enough and felt too tinny... not good enough with nappy wearers in the back.  Prior to the citroen we had a 9000 which we loved also.

As it's just passed its 15th birthday I have spent the last few months giving it a good once over in addition to all the normal service stuff, deffo a keeper.

Good : comfortable, tough and safe, fast, a bit different to the normal euro boxes, easy to work on, fantastic knowledge base when it's not so easy.

Bad : 25 mpg round town, and the bristle thing round the handbrake lever has come loose.

Next car will be a Saab, but hopefully not for a few years yet.

Ian


 

sgould

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #43 on: 23 October 2012, 06:44:03 PM »
Welcome! :)

I was trying to find out if my early 2.3 is still around, it came to me with a personal number removed, but when I sold it I retained my personal registration number and I don't know the replacement number.
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angler

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Re: Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)
« Reply #44 on: 23 October 2012, 06:57:31 PM »
Hi, according to the howmanyleft website there was 170 9-5's registered in 1997, the previous owner said he bought it as an ex demo with 4k on it.  A good few motor factor places when phoned say "what year is it"   a 1997 I reply... can't be they say didn't make them till 98... must be a 9000  lolz.