2010 9-3 good first car?

[ZNorm]

Hi everyone!
I'm getting my license in the spring and I have been trying to decide what car I want to get. I have always liked Saabs and I absolutely love the look of the 9-3. I'm probably the only 16 year old with a 9-3 Aero as their laptop screen saver! The budget for the car is $11,500 maximum and I am fortunate enough to have my parents pay for my first car and the maintenance/repairs. I've been drooling over a 2.0T XWD on auto trader (this one http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...17631432&Log=0 ) I have a few questions about the 9-3. How reliable is it? I've heard about the intake valve issue does it still occur on 2010 models? Is it hard is it to find parts for them, and Finally, how reliable is the XWD system?
Thank you very much and any comments are appreciated!!
Zach

[nordwulf]

Your thread ended up in the moderator queue, probably because of the link.


The car in your link shows it's not for sale anymore. Did you buy it?

[ZNorm]

Your thread ended up in the moderator queue, probably because of the link.


The car in your link shows it's not for sale anymore. Did you buy it?

No, I didn't but buy it. I'm just trying to gather information on common issues with the 9-3 2.0T and if it would be a good car to last me the next 8 years or so. The folks over at Saab central warned me about XWD and told me to get FWD and use winter tires.

[nordwulf]

XWD has had its problems and requires maintenance. It sure would be nice to have in winter but you won't use for most of the year. It will also lower your fuel economy. We get our fair share of snow in Northern Michigan and FWD worked just fine for me through the years.

The valve issue can happen with any 2007-2011 9-3 2.0T engine but doesn't necessarily mean it will be a problem on all of them. Official technical service bulletin here: http://saabworld.net/showthread.php?t=28085

Maintenance and repairs will generally be higher on a Saab (and most European luxury/performance cars) and it may be more difficult to find a workshop that will and wants to repair and maintain Saabs. Parts availability generally isn't a problem.

[Dave T]

Maintenance and repairs will generally be higher on a Saab (and most European luxury/performance cars) and it may be more difficult to find a workshop that will and wants to repair and maintain Saabs. Parts availability generally isn't a problem.

There will be exceptions, though. I've enjoyed a lifetime of Saabs without too much repair. My first Saab 900 had a pesky problem that took a few visits to fix but was ok after that. Another Saab 900 was extremely reliable for the first 60,000 miles and reasonably reliable after that. My last 9-3 needed less than $100 in repairs during the 8 years that I had it, though I did take advantage of the warranty for a few little items.

As far as repair costs, it's not so bad. There are probably exceptions, like a 9-3's water pump which is not nearly as accessible as a classic 900 water pump.

I would say a Saab is an excellent first car because if you miss the opportunity, you may never drive a Saab in your lifetime. I've been blessed with driving 4 new Saabs and 1 used Saab.

[ZNorm]

I figured it would cost more but paying extra for maintenance won't be anything new. My parents have a Volvo XC60 and a BMW E90. I researched Saab mechanics and there is a Saab specialist less than 20 minutes from where I live. It's called Road Tested Saabs. Good to know about the valves, I thought it happened to every 2.0T. The cars I've been looking at have under 50,000 miles so I shouldn't have to worry about that for a while. Also, what kind of snow tires do you use?

Dave- That is actually one of the main reasons as to why I want a Saab. Like you said, this is probably my only opportunity to get one. Especially one that still has low miles and is in good condition. I've only seen about three 9-3's around town so it's definitely something unique.