9-3 Dilemma

I've owned 2 Saabs. The first was an 85 900s that I sort of inherited in 1998. Great car, but very trouble-prone. I traded it in for a 95

900s with about 30,000 miles on it in 1999. I love this car, and it ran pretty well up until 2002. That's when it started having several problems. It's now at 77,000 miles, and I've spent about $6000 on repairs in the last 18 months. I think it's time for the car to go.

Here is my dilemma. My Saab dealer is pretty desperate to keep me in "the Saab Family", and is offering a fairly attractive deal: A new 9-3 Linear for $20,000 (that includes my trade-in). I'm tempted, as it's a good deal and I still have a love for Saabs. On the other hand, my past experience with Saabs has been checkered at best and I have mixed feelings about the new 9-3s.

My other option is to sell my Saab and buy a co-worker's 1999 Acura CL

3.0. It has 30,000 miles and is selling for $10,000. Seems like a good deal on a reliable car.

So Saab aficionados, which would you go for? Would your love of Saabs trump the bargain of the Acura?

Thanks, Hemlock0013

Reply to
Hemlock0013
Loading thread data ...

"Hemlock0013" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...

Most definitively. Even if you're not a Saab fan, you can't beat the feeling of owning a brand new car that noone has had before you. Also, the Acura CL looks like crap compared to the 9-3SS. Space isn't to much in either car, but at least the Saab has 4 doors. I don't have the numbers before me, but I'm betting that the Saab is faster than the Acura both in a straight line and in corners. If it isn't, that can be corrected with some Hirsch parts from your Saab dealer, which of course won't void your new car warranty. Last but not least, Saabs are driven by those of higher education, while the Acura is a Honda that has been rebadged to fool Americans into thinking they're driving something fancy.

Kristian

Reply to
Kristian Steve Jensen

I would stick with a Saab. It appears money is not a problem, but have to fix an older car seems to be an issue you would like to avoid. With that said, I would not keep the Saab for more than 3 or 4 years - sell it or trading before schedule maintenance includes replacing parts.

I am the opposite. I hate paying for that depreciation as soon as you drive it off the lot. Saabs do not hold their value, so they make great used cars. I buy mine previously owned. I got my 1990 900S for under $3,000 (that was over 4 years ago). It is a fun car in the winter and on wet roads. When it gets dinged in the parking lots - I don't get upset. If it gets coated with salt in the winter - I don't care. This would not be the case if I bought a new 9-3 . . .

Reply to
ma_twain

I feel the same way about depreciation. However, I don't have the patience for an older car as you do and I'm more particular about appearance. I prefer to buy "off lease" cars that are two years old with one or more years left on the factory warranty as a safety cushion (two years with Saab, of course). Saves me a good $10K and all I've missed is the "new car smell" (aka hazardous out-gassing of plastics :-)

But, back to the original post: Drive the Acura... then buy the Saab. The Acura line is way too "cushy", IMHO. I tried a few. I felt like I was driving Dad's Buick. Also, while my Saab seems to become more stable the faster I go, my experience with Japanese cars is the opposite: they feel less stable as speeds increase. YMMV.

Reply to
Bob

(snip)

Umm....... this is a trick question, right?

Reply to
Bill Rule

We waited until the last minute and purchased a new 2003 Arc for $27,700. A lot of money, but a lot of car for the money. We have purchased all of Saabs and Volvos through the years that way. Except for drastic model year changes, 8-10 K off the sticker sure beats the dreaded depreciation in year

1.
Reply to
SPL

I once owned a Toyota, and couldn't wait to get back into a Saab :-)

I am not that picky about appearance because I drive my Saab. Driving any car in the snow (with the salt) is hard on the appearance, but the Classic 900 handles so great that I cannot resist going out in the snow for some fun. I am also at a point in my life where I don't want to have to worry about every little ding and scratch a car gets in a parking lot - I have been there and the first dent in a new car is a heartbreaker.

Reply to
ma_twain

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.