2003 Saab 9-3 - READ ONLY

185 messages, Last post on Nov 04, 2002 at 6:21 AM

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What is this discussion about? Saab 9-3, BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Sedan

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#86 of 185 by kirstie_h HOST Sep 12, 2002 (11:35 am)
logic1, enough challenges are already presented by many of those with whom I share the road I don't need help from my vehicle. kirstie_h Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host
#87 of 185 by dudleyr Sep 12, 2002 (1:20 pm)
I would take front wheel drive over all wheel drive any day. AWD uses too much fuel (look at Legacy 27 mpg on highway vs Accord 34 and Camry 33) and is way too expensive (compared to snow tires which do more to help the car in the snow). I like to keep things simple and effecient. As far as AWD helping handling, that only applies for very high horsepower vehicles on low traction surfaces driven extremely fast - rally cars. Not really the case on U.S. highways. An Outback has AWD, does it handle better than a FWD SAAB?
#88 of 185 Kristie_H by logic1 Sep 12, 2002 (1:45 pm)
I understand your position 100%. But Saab has always been a niche player. GM has to play it smart and make the new Malibu that will be based on the same platform as the 9-3 a car that the more conservative 95% of the sedan market will want to buy. dudleyr: Good point about the mileage. A continuing complaint in the G35 forum is the poor mileage the owners are getting with the car. Knock another 1 or 2 mpgs off when it goes awd. IMO, awd's primary benefit is constancy.
#89 of 185 Think I might by logic1 Sep 12, 2002 (4:56 pm)
be first here to report an official on the road sighting! Coming home from court today I noticed a shiney red sports sedan out of the corner of my eye. At first I thought it was a 3 Series. When it came even with me, I realized it was a brand spanking new 9-3 (With regular plates too. Not a dealer car.) Traffic was pretty heavy so I really could not stare. I like what I saw though. It has clean lines and a markedly different windshield for Saab, but still looks distinctive and like its ancestors. The gaps are minimal. The lines from front to back very clean. Red is a little loud for my taste, but the paint really looked rich. I will not have time to test drive one this weekend, but a test will be in order soon.
#90 of 185 logic1 by bigdaddycoats Sep 12, 2002 (6:46 pm)
It must have been a GM company car. I would imagine that they are starting to be used as company vehicles in the Detroit area. Where did you see it? They don't officially go on sale to October. GM company cars can have normal plates. If it is a company car it will most likely have a bar code sticker in the lower drivers corner on the front windshield. Hard to see while driving though.
#91 of 185 by logic1 Sep 13, 2002 (4:30 am)
It definitely had normal plates. I saw it driving eastbound on I-90 adjacent to O'Hare Airport. It could well be a GM company car. GM will frequently choose splashy colors for their vehicles as a form of passive marketing. You really notice the car in red.
#92 of 185 by magnetophone Sep 13, 2002 (6:21 am)
Someone at GM parked a Pontiac Vibe in that salsa color on a busy intersection in Austin well before the car was available to 'attract interest'. I'm excited about this Saab! European sportiness for under $30K which feels substantial... sign me up,
#93 of 185 by logic1 Sep 13, 2002 (7:09 am)
A clever, if somewhat goofy marketing technique. You have to see the Saab in person. It is very well done.
#94 of 185 jealous by beartrax79 Sep 13, 2002 (1:45 pm)
I guess I'll just have to wait until Oct 1st. <sigh>
#95 of 185 Linear, Arc, Vector?? by snaaby Sep 14, 2002 (8:47 pm)
I read a lot of press releases and from what I see, the 2.0T engine (210HP) will not be offered until March. Can anyone confirm this? I am really confused and in the midst buying new car. Currently, I am considering BMW 330Cxi (really wish Saab wouldn't take so long to turn their models over). My preference is Saab but only with 2.0T engine - these cars are under powered as they are. I know they fixed the torque steer, but how about the turbo lag at low RPMS??? Since I am on a Saab forum, and am a resident of the "Great White North", I can tell those debating FWD/AWD there is no substitute for a good pair of snow tires and FWD. Michelin Arctic Alpin gets me through blizzards and mountains just fine. And with the new ReAxis & yaw steer control, performance in slippery conditions should be dramatically improved - with the snow tires of course.