Review your classic Saab 9-5 (M98-10)

[Geoff1951]

Did you see that Geoff - I just thanked you...........golly gosh.............

Let me think - you'd buy Saab itself? Or would you pay off the Beckham woman to go back where she came from?

Send her back to Essex? (Just Wiki'd her. Says they have four "biological chidren". Didn't know there were any other sort.) Thanks for the thanks. Not sure how they work, I've already asked the Mods to give some info on the new system.
Watched Top Gear on iPlayer last night, James May reviewed the Beckham Range Rover. A more useful motor than the McLaren that Clarkson reviewed. And no, I wouldn't buy Saab. I was thinking of a Merc C with a huge engine, but the biggest it comes with now seems to be a 2.5 petrol with 204 horses. My 9-5 has 220.


Forgot to mention, Jim. Had a family gathering in Swaffham a few weeks back. Norfolk didn't seem as flat as I remembered.

[Drac]

Short review - 9-5 MY1998-2005

Good bits:
- EASY to chiptune
- relatively high power engines
- some parts the same as in Vauxhall/Opel
- SUPERBLY COMFORTABLE front seats
- very solid leather upholstery
- dashboard different from any other car
- comfortable suspension (on non-Aero, non-Sport package)
- the look (the 2002 facelift still looks pretty good!)

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)

[Geoff1951]

Short review - 9-5 MY1998-2005


Bad bits:


...

- heather valve


...

?

Cant find one in my car. Is it something to do with the pollen filter?

[Drac]

Sorry that's my bad spelling, I meant - heater valve.

[Geoff1951]

I knew that!

(no thumbs up smiley available )

[CitTone]

Drac

I reckon if you take the sum of all the intrinsically good features vs potentially problematic parts of a model over a 7 year span from ANY manufacturer, the list would look similarly lop-sided.  The trouble is, the good bits tend to be inherent in the design, and most of the bad bits are the damned outsourced components.

Like when my BX 16valve let me down one day, and everyone said "well you will buy these cheap French boxes", and it turned out to be a bit of German electrics that had packed up. Ruddy foreigners....

[Geoff1951]

CitTone - me too! When my Visa GTi broke down, it was the Bosch electronics at fault. And it was clearly marked "Made in Germany". The rest of the car was made in Spain though.

[Milowokie]

53 (MY04)SAAB 9-5 Aero Auto (LPG Toroidal Conversion)

Day One -

Picked it up yesterday after being the winning bidder on eBay.
Two previous owners, but from a trader.
A short test drive showed the car drove well, gearchanges were smooth and was boosting into the red on kickdown.
Starts on petrol, but automatically switches to LPG after getting warmed up. (Manual override to petrol available).
All the toys (windows, mirrors (which fold in electrically), front seats (movement and heating), rear seats have heating too).

About an hour into the trip home had a Low Coolant Level warning, got it topped up and it stayed off for the rest of the trip home. Came on again during the "parked on the drive having a play" stage of ownership. Topped up again, but it would appear to have a leak somewhere. Coolant and oil seem fine, so I suspect a hose, valve or joint is leaking.

Impressed with the power and refinement of the Aero, the journey home was calm and relaxing. Seats are great and the cruise and autobox make a great combination.

Next up fluid and filter change with a service.

[welshwizard]

Yo!

Some will know me for still grieving about the 99 I parted with 8 years ago (Nena )

Not long afterwards (after I moved to germany to work) I replaced my Vectra SRi 140 (a very good car) with the 9-3 SS Aero, with convenience and business packs, in Laser Red, a 2003 model with the 6-speed box.  Six years on it was replaced by my current car...

9-5 Aero Turbo Edition, 4-door, Auto, Carbon Grey, 2009 model.  All it lacks is a sunroof and ventilated seats.

Performance - can be very lazy, or hideously quick, 9-3 felt faster
Handling - shows it's age compared with the 9-3 (and the Insignia I drove last week)
Economy - for a 260PS car 35 mpg can't be quarrelled with. GF's golf is thirstier
Comfort - never been in an uncomfortable Saab, long distances are a pleasure in those seats.  Acres of room
Equipment - I've got the HK Audio, SatNav, 6CD changer, 4 heated seats, fronts electric, rain sensing wipers and folding mirrors.  The only thing it lacked was the MP3/AUX but then the car is 14 year old technology and the Insignia didn't have that facility either.
Looks - in the right colour and with the right wheel combination, the 9-5 can look fabuolous.  Mine does.
Size - just too big, the same reason I didn't jump in and buy a NG9-5 Aero in Slaters (new) for £25 k a few weeks back, I am looking at 9-3 again.
Reliability - apart from a mirror fault, no problems. servicing not cheap but it's not a Kia.

All in all, I love the car and I hope survive long enough for her replacement to be Trollhattan built, but much as I love it I thought the 9-3SS Aero was the most underrated and undervalued car out there and I still cast envious glances at any 2003-2007 9-3 Aeros I come across.

[VanishingPoint]

Ill start with my previous 9 5 , an LPT 1999 T reg. I came from a 5 series BMW so buying the Saab was unknown territory for me. Unfortunately , I didnt research enough beforehand, and ended up in an increasing downward spiral of breakages and wallet emptying Car was nice enough and tidy but after about 6 months things started going wrong. I wont list all the problems but 2 turbos in one and a half years was the biggest expense.  Then January 09 hit a kerb in the snow and bent the front wheel and suspension (£1800 insurance repair).
Thats the bad out the way.
Next , having been put off Saabs at this point I looked around for a Lexus GS but saw a Saab 9 5 Aero 2002 for sale about 15 miles away. Car checked out fine , although highish mileage, i decided to go on condition, it had been looked after and had a ton of service history.
So far its been the total opposite of my previous 9 5 and I only wish Id gone for a facelifted Aero in the first place.
Likes-
Looks
seats and comfort
has everything but ventilated seats, rain sensing wipers and folding side mirrors
MPG on motorway - last weekend cruise control set at 75 and sid was reading between 36 and 42 mpg
Overtaking and acceleration from higher speeds
Car had bluetooth and IPod lead already fitted
Harmon Kardon AS3 9 speaker system

Dislikes
High insurance
mpg around town - 21 - 22 mpg
Front indicator fell out
Booming drone inside at the moment ( rear tyres?)

[shiraz]

Car had bluetooth and IPod lead already fitted
Harmon Kardon AS3 9 speaker system

Hi VP

Can you tell me more about the iPod lead? Is this on a standard Saab double-din head-unit?

What make is the lead and does it integrate fully with Saab system?

[sgould]

For the lead:

http://blog.saab9-5.com/?p=153

[VanishingPoint]

Car had bluetooth and IPod lead already fitted
Harmon Kardon AS3 9 speaker system

Hi VP

Can you tell me more about the iPod lead? Is this on a standard Saab double-din head-unit?

What make is the lead and does it integrate fully with Saab system?

Hi Shiraz, sorry didnt notice your reply, the mp3 lead was already done to my car Im certain it was this mod -

http://photo.platonoff.com/Auto/20061126.Saab_9-5_Line_Input/

[VanishingPoint]

But this looks like it would be easier!

For the lead:

http://blog.saab9-5.com/?p=153

[stevetreacy]

well,what can i say,back in 1985 bought my first saab,a black 99 3 door turbo my1980 and in its day what a car.turbo charging then was very rare and there on was smitten with saab,s.from then i had 3 900 turbo,s a gm 900 turbo which if i am honest was not so good.then i went on to my first 9-5 griffin which now belongs to my brother(steve treacy)but during ownership of the griffin i bought a 9000 aero originaly to sell on but fell in love with it on the drive home so sold the 9-5 and kept the 9000 aero which in my opinion was a great car but having 2 children age was against the 9000 and she had rust in not so good places so out went the 9000 aero and in came my first 9-5 aero wagon which brings me to why the 9-5 at present is best.after a 9000 i needed some thing the same size for practicality and the 9-3 is just too small for my family and was advised by my local indie to go for the 9-5.i then sold the aero wagon and now have a 9-5 manual saloon aero.i have stuck to the aero,s as i love that mid range grunt especialy with the manual and all in all they are still great value for money as long as you treat them like a baby and give them all they need.overall the 9-5 aero is in my opinion a good all round car.

Sean, I,d forgotten just how many youve had. That 99 turbo with the boot, wonder where they are now, Could be a topic worth starting