Faults:

Not a thing has gone wrong with the car (knock on wood).

The only thing is the windshield wiper motor was failing when I purchased the car, but was easily fixed.

General Comments:

This car has been a joy to drive. Handles very nicely, also very safe. I was in an accident over the summer with it and it held up very well.

I love the look and feel of the interior.

The exterior has a luxurious but somewhat sporty look to it. All in all, Saab is an amazing automobile maker.

Faults:

I got this car from a guy with a mechanics shop. He recieved the SAAB from the nearest SAAB delership, they said it needed a new turbo and he put it on for me. I have since then needed a new alternator belt, a shifter cable, new wheel bearing, tires, and now the car has another problem. When you are in drive the car will rev up and down until you accelerate, if it does that in excess of about 2min, it will smoke bad. So I find myself having to put it in park at all intersections, red lights, and traffic!

General Comments:

Other than the problems listed, the car is VERY fast! Not to mention safe! Another perk is all the luxuries, the comfortable leather seats, beautiful wood grain dash, and ample room. The bottom line is that SAAB makes one of the best cars on the road, you just better make sure you get a good vehicle though. GET A CARFAX VEHICLE HISTORY REPORT! That is one thing that I failed to do. I have now found out that I am the 5th owner. Not good! Because of all the problems I am being forced to just get rid of it and get another car, the problems and service will end up costing me more than the car is worth. I will return to the SAAB brand, maybe perhaps with a newer SAAB. SAAB FOREVER! LVE SAAB!

Faults:

This car was nothing, but trouble. At the 90,000 mile service mark, both the transmission and main oil gaskets needed to be replaced. The struts and shocks soon went, as well. Then came a myriad of electronic problems. The key sensor went out, so the ignition needs to be turned several times before the car started. Then the alternator went bad. Soon the water pump needed to be replaced, and along with that a variety of hoses. Then the brake power boost unit needed to be replaced. The car started stuttering on acceleration, and no remedy could be found for that problem. Goodbye, Saab.

General Comments:

I should have known better than to buy a SAAB. A friend of mine had own and it was a nightmare to get repaired. I was lured by the power of the 2.3 turbo and the relative luxuriousness of the auto. The problems with reliability and expense of repair never offset the benefits.

In addition to the problems with reliability and expense, general characteristics of this car that make it a poor choice. Gas mileage is lousy. The steering is very squirrelly (something that shows up in reviews of newer models, as well), making taking off in the rain an unpredictable adventure. Last, but not least, despite all the luxuries, the absence of any kind of useful cup-holder is an annoying inconvenience.

Faults:

My wife and I purchased our 1999 Saab 9-5 SE after not having owned a car for about a year. I live in San Francisco, so owning a car is a nightmare - parking costs your soul, you get most places faster by walking, and the hills cause a lot of extra maintenance needs.

BUT, I recently went into real estate, and needed a car for driving around and what not. I also needed a car that was stylish" to drive clients around in and to impress them. Problem was, we only have about $200 a month to spend on the thing.

So, we find this 99 Saab 9-5 for $4700. Body is in great shape, interior is nice, it has butt warmers in the seats, and a space-age cup holder. We're sold. Of course, the guy who sold it to us was "in a real big hurry" to get rid of it, and when asked about the mechanics of the car (any quirks it may have had as an older vehicle), he mysteriously "didn't know anything about cars."

Less than a month later, the thing is losing coolant like a cement truck at a construction site. I take it to the mechanic, and *AS I"M PULLING IN* to the garage!! Steam starts billowing from under the hood. The problem? It's a hose. Quick fix. Should be pretty cheap...not so fast. It's a Saab. Therefore, the hose is not a hose, its one hose in an entire hose assembly which cannot be individually purchased without the rest of the assembly, which is $350.00. Total repair was like $600.

The rear window doesn't roll down. A fog lamp fixture fell off entirely. The emblems are fully paint less. When my wife first pushed the emergency flashers? The button, cradle and all, fell irretrievably into the dashboard, where it sits to this day. So much for impressing clients with the big hole in my dash. Rear passenger speaker is blown and rattles insanely with every bass drum kick.

Now, a few days after the great hose repair, we have A/C error codes on every start up (which, half the time when the A/C diagnostic starts, it shuts the engine back off) and smell gasoline in the cabin every time we fill the tank all the way up.

In another odd twist, every time I was the car, the front right wheel well billows steam like crazy. None of the other wheels/brakes do this; but the one appears to get very hot while driving, which I have never heard of before. I am ignoring the problem because I am afraid of repair costs.

I have been having anxiety nightmares about calling the shop and having them tell me it's $2000, or that I get the car back and the problem isn't fixed, and I have to take it back again. These are real nightmares, I'm not just saying it.

But, all that said, when it's all washed and waxed and I'm driving it down the street, I do look very good to unsuspecting bystanders.