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Saab 9-3 Convertible

77 messages,  Last post on Apr 06, 2011 at 3:40 AM

You are in the Saab 9-3 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Saab 9-3, Convertible

Messages Page 4 of 8

#28 of 77 Re: Buying a 2003 9-3 convertible [nyfocus1] by saablcp

Apr 12, 2007 (8:16 am)

Replying to: nyfocus1 (Apr 11, 2007 1:53 pm)
1)Cowl shake in '03 and earlier 9 series(9-3 or 900)is very noticeable .The body and platform date back to app.1993.The car was considered to be one of the best all around convertibles at time of introduction(1994)however Saab continued with the same chassis dynamics for an entire decade and the car was very much in need of redesign to be market competitive by the end of it's run in 2003.That being said the completely redesigned 9-3 Arc introduced in 2004 has a body that is 300% stronger in terms of "torsional rigidity"and has virtually no cowl shake under any road conditions.My recommendation is spend the extra money if feasible and buy a 2004 model.Most Saab dealers have a ready availability of certified used 2004's that have come off-lease in the last 6 months.A test drive in a 2004 vs a 2003 will make it clearly evident and obvious that the car is well worth the extra money.
2)Make sure the '03 has all-season radials.If equipped with '17 low-profiles they may not be all-season.Otherwise the basic stock all-season tires should work fine in all but total blizzard conditions.
3)fold down rear seat:standard equipment on ALL 2003 and earlier convertibles.Not available in any 2004 and later convertibles.

#29 of 77 2003 Saab SE Convertible by jez1

Apr 24, 2007 (6:35 pm)

What do you think you would get from Carmax if the car is in good condition, with about 54,000 miles, never been in an accident, car includes windscreen, arm rest, both a single cd player and multi cd changer in the back, sport package, dolphin grey?

#30 of 77 Handling of new Saab by konicoff

Apr 28, 2007 (3:16 pm)

I have a 2003 convertible and have been very happy with it except for one thing. I think the handling is awful. If you drive aggressively the front wheel drive tries to straighten you out when acclerating around a curve. Are the new ones any better? Don

#31 of 77 New Saab Convertible Tan Top by autoedu

May 08, 2007 (1:08 pm)

Looks great in black color and tan top. All-season convertible engineering perfected.

#32 of 77 2003 Saab Convtertible SE by jeep53

Jun 07, 2007 (4:33 pm)

I'm in the thinking stage of buying a 2003 Saab Convertible. The reviews haven't been the greatest on Edmunds.com. I really want a fun convertible but would like to have a back seat (no matter how small) and that's why I thought about the Saab. It's a nice looking car and the '03's are running between $16,000 and $19,000.
 
Also, I heard you can buy an after market piece for the center console. Does anyone know where to get them and how hard are they to install? I would appreciate any comments you have about the car. Thanks for your help.
 
Steve (Jeepster53aol.com)

#33 of 77 2003 vs. 2004 Saab convertible by jeep53

Jun 09, 2007 (8:04 am)

I've been reading a lot of reviews about the 2003 and 2004 Saab convertibles. The reviews aren't the greatest with respect to the 03's. Better on the 04's. The problem is the price for the 04's are about 6 or 7,000 more. I would like to try to save some money if possible. Can someone tell me are the 2003's that bad?? People are telling me to stay away from Saab. I want a fun convertible that's not real small and has a decent trunk with a backseat.
 
Any help you can give would be appreciated. Thanks
 
Steve

#34 of 77 Re: 2003 vs. 2004 Saab convertible [jeep53] by autoedu

Jun 13, 2007 (10:59 am)

Replying to: jeep53 (Jun 09, 2007 8:04 am)
The 02-03 is best car in term of reliability for the old generation. The 04 as expected has quite a few improvements, a more rigid body, matching interior top, and some extra electronics. Personally, I think the 02-03 MY are more classic than the current generation. Saab is a great car, very fast, fun, safe and reliable. Mechanically, Saab's 4 cylinder turbo charged engine is the best in world. Once you get to know its minor quirkiness, driving a Saab can be very satisfying. Saab has one of the most passionate drivers/owners customer base unseen in any other car-manufacturer, perhaps only Porsche follwers are comparable. If the the difference is too much I would get two old Saabs

#35 of 77 Re: 2003 vs. 2004 Saab convertible [autoedu] by jeep53

Jun 13, 2007 (6:20 pm)

Replying to: autoedu (Jun 13, 2007 10:59 am)
Thanks for your response. I appreciate it. I like the style of the 02's and 03's also. I'm going to see an '03 on Saturday. It has about 40,000 miles on it but from the pics it looks to be in excellant condition. They are asking $17,900. From what I've seen online, that's about the going price. The 04's are in the mid 20's.
 
I just want to ask you your opinion about something. I might trade a car in on this deal. Is it true that you get less money for a trade if the car you're buying is cheaper?
I mean I guess I would get more money for my trade if I was buying the '04 and not the '03. Is that true? I would assume that's how they do it.
 
We'll see what happens. Thanks again for your help.
 
Steve(Jeepster53aol.com)

#36 of 77 Re: 2003 vs. 2004 Saab convertible [jeep53] by autoedu

Jun 15, 2007 (12:13 am)

Replying to: jeep53 (Jun 13, 2007 6:20 pm)
No matter what you buy, you just get less for trade-in period. Try to sell it privately if you can and get more money for your car. It's possible to find a good SS convertible in the low 20s and the OG vert in the mid teens. If the diffence is less than 5K I would go for the newer one. Remember the the 02-03 are the last years for OG (old generation) so most issues and problems have been worked out and refined. Again, the 04 is the first year of the SS (super sport) generation, although much more improved than its predecessor it has a few minor issues of its own.
 
If this is how you drive your car then get the SS, it comes with rollover pop-up bar

I just couldn't understand why they didn't make the tail light in the convertible the same as the sedan. The tail lights is what really bug me for the SS vert design.

#37 of 77 2008 Saab 93 Convertible by autoedu

Jun 19, 2007 (5:06 pm)

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