Saab 9-3 1999 Problems

MODEL WATCHThe 9-3 arrived in local showrooms in 1998, replacing the popular 900S.The range was made up of three-door and five-door hatches and a convertible.Saab convertibles have always been a little loose in terms of body stiffness and shake was a constant annoyance when driving one.What made the lack of body stiffness more annoying was that the Saab made a pretence of its convertible being a sports model. The body flexing dulled the handling.Front-wheel drive didn't help the 9-3's precision. Couple that to a turbo engine and the soft-top Saab could be a bit of a handful.The convertible was available in two models, with a choice of 2.3-litre, double-overhead camshaft, four-cylinder engine or a 2.0-litre, double-overhead camshaft, four-cylinder force fed by a turbocharger.The 2.3-litre engine would make 110kW at 5700rpm, which gave the 1368kg soft-top good performance without ever threatening to make your nose bleed. The 2.0-litre turbo engine made 136kW at 5500 rpm -- a little more zip.While the 2.3-litre was smooth, the turbo lag with the 2.0-litre engine was a real downer.Transmission choices were a wooden-shifting, five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed auto, with final drive going through the front wheels.The 2.3-litre rag-top came with power steering, power antenna, windows and central locking, it had leather trim, cruise control, trip computer, CD player, airconditioning, front and rear fog lamps and an immobiliser.The 2.0-litre turbo had all of that as well as six-speaker sound, CD stacker, woodgrain dash and auto climate control.In 2000, Saab released the Aero model, which had the 151kW boost of an up-rated 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine. It came with many extras, ABS and traction control.IN THE SHOPThe 2.3-litre engine is a rugged unit that doesn't give much trouble, and with a chain driving the camshafts there isn't the need to service it as there is with belt-driven engines. Likewise the 2.0-litre turbo gives little trouble and also has a chain driving the camshafts.When shopping for a convertible, check for sun damage. The interior trim often cracks and the dash panel and other plastic parts may harden and crack. Leather can get very hot in the sun, so some owners happily forgo leather for cloth. If you stick with the leather, regularly treat it with a leather cleaner.Check floor carpets for damp or staining that might indicate dampness from being left in the rain with the roof down. Also check the operation of the soft-top, making sure it goes up and down smoothly without any hesitation or jerkiness.CRUNCH TIMEDual front airbags and side airbags provide protection for front seat passengers. Secondary crash protection is extensive.OWNER'S VIEWAlex Giansiracusa owns a 2001 9-3 Aero manual convertible and loves it. At 32,000km, he says it has been reliable and is therapeutic to drive. His only criticism is the turbo lag. He reckons he has bought an almost-new luxury sportscar at a reasonable second hand price.

When winter becomes a fast fading memory convertible owners drop their tops and let the sun shine in. There are few things more enjoyable in life than driving a rag-top like the Saab 9-3 on a sunny summer day.For a country covered in snow and ice for much of the years it’s surprising that Sweden is a maker of convertibles, but Saab has been one of the main players in the rag-top market for many years.There is now a wide choice of soft tops from many manufacturers, but it wasn’t so long ago that the Saab convertible was one of the few choices we had. Early Saab convertibles were about the only affordable choice just a few years ago and there are still plenty out there today.The 9-3 arrived in local showrooms in 1998, replacing the 900S, which had been a popular model.The range was made up of three-door and five-door hatches and a convertible, which is the model we’re focussing on here.Saab had a long history of building affordable convertibles and the 9-3 continued that tradition. By the time it was launched there were a number of convertibles available from other carmakers so the pressure was well and truly on the small Swedish car maker to hold its place in an increasingly competitive market.From the outset it has to be said that Saab convertibles have always been a little loose in terms of body stiffness and shake was a constant annoyance when driving one. Saab wasn’t alone in suffering from body shake, which was mostly in the dash and scuttle area, but they seemed to suffer more than most.In the late 1980s with the competition never more intensive the Saab was trailing its closest rivals in the body stiffness stakes, it was something most other car makers had been able to get on top of. Saab seemed to believe theirs was acceptable, but one drive of another convertible was enough to know that they were wrong.What made the lack of body stiffness more annoying was that the Saab made a pretence of its convertible being a sports or performance model. The shake was one thing, but the body flexing dulled the handling and made the 9-3 less precise than it should have been.Front-wheel drive didn’t help the 9-3’s precision either, and couple all of that to a powerful turbo engine and the soft-top Saab could be a bit of a handful.As a cruiser though these problems aren’t so obvious, the 9-3 makes a most pleasant car when the sun is shining and the coast road beckoning.The convertible was available in two models, with a choice of 2.3-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine or a 2.0-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder force fed by a turbocharger.The 2.3-litre engine would make 110 kW at 5700 revs, which gave the 1368 kg soft-top good performance without ever threatening to make your nose bleed, the 2.0-turbo engine made 136 kW at 5500 revs, which gave it a little more zip.While the 2.3-litre was smooth and perhaps the better choice, the turbo lag associated with the 2.0-litre engine was a real downer.Transmission choices were a rather wooden shifting five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed auto with final drive going through the front wheels.9-3 owners weren’t left without when their cars came packed with most of the comfort, convenience and safety items that were sought at the time.The 2.3 rag-top came complete with power steering, power antenna, windows and central locking, it had leather trim, cruise control, trip computer, CD sound, air-conditioning, front and rear fog lamps and an immobiliser.The 2.0-litre turbo had all of that plus six-speaker sound, CD stacker, woodgrain dash and auto climate control air.In 2000 Saab released the Aero model which had the 151 kW boost of an uprated 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine and came fitted with just about every feature on the Saab option list including ABS and traction control.The 2.3-litre engine is a rugged unit that doesn’t give much trouble, and with a chain driving the camshafts there isn’t the need to service it as there is with belt driven engines. Likewise the 2.0-litre turbo gives little trouble and also has a chain driving the camshafts.When shopping for a convertible there are a few things that need to be checked. For starters the interior trim often comes in for a battering from the sun when left exposed for long periods so look for cracking of the leather trim, the dash panel and other plastic parts that will harden and crack or break in time when exposed to the sun’s rays.Leather can get very hot in the sun and be uncomfortable to sit on. Some owners would happily forego leather for cloth for more comfort in the summer months.If you stick with the leather it’s worth treating it regularly with a leather cleaner and conditioner to keep it soft and supple. That way it won’t so readily dry out and crack.Check floor carpets for dampness or staining that might indicate previous dampness from being left in the rain with the roof down.Also check the operation of the soft top, making sure it goes up and down smoothly without any hesitation or jerkiness.Dual front airbags and side airbags provide all round protection for front seat passengers, add to that side head airbags in the Aero and the secondary crash protection is quite extensive.Alex Giansiracusa owns a 2001 9-3 Aero manual convertible and loves it! He was looking specifically for a manual Aero, which at the time was very difficult to find so he went to Sydney to buy his. Now with 32,000 km on the odometer he says it has been very reliable and is very therapeutic to drive. His only criticism is the noticeable turbo lag. Other than that, he reckons he has bought an almost brand new luxury sports car for at a very reasonable second hand price.• body flexing causes squeaks and rattles• solid performance of non-turbo engine• annoying turbo lag on force fed models• interior damage from sun exposure• hot leather in summer months• smooth operation of power roofAn affordable convertible that is generally reliable if you can put up with the body shakes.

Saab is a difficult make to judge. It’s the second Swede, a quirky make that has always been stuck in Volvo’s shadow and suffered as a result. For some it has more character than Volvo, and it has always tended to tread a different path, but it remains largely invisible. We all know it’s there, but few seriously consider it a rival for makes like Audi, BMW and the like, even though it builds reliable, comfortable and sporty cars.MODEL WATCHExternally the 9-3 seems little different to the 900 that preceded it. The styling was basically carried over from the previous model with little change and the reality is that little did change other than the model designation, which fell into line with the new system Saab was using, and some simplification of the model range.Saab offered the choice of three-door coupe, five-door sedan, and convertible in the 9-3 range.The styling of the 9-3 was simple, clean and efficient. There was nothing that jarred, the lines flowed nicely, the curves were soft and the shapes clean, but that also meant it was easy to miss. It simply melted into the background rather than stand out.Saab simplified its engine offerings in the 9-3, dropping the V6 and sticking to the well respected four-cylinder engines.The 110 kW 2.3-litre double overhead camshaft four had a solid reputation for reliability and was a Saab favourite, and there was also the choice of the 96 kW 2.0-litre and 136 kW 2.0-litre turbo engines.From 1990 the choices were limited to the 2.0-litre, which came in 113 kW low-pressure turbo and 136 kW regular turbo versions.The transmission choices were a five-speed manual with a rather clunky shift and a four-speed auto, with drive through the front wheels. Early Saabs suffered terribly from torque-steer, which became chronic on the more powerful turbo models.All Saab models came with an extensive list of standard features.IN THE SHOPSaab stuck to its reliable four-cylinder engines in the 9-3, the 2.3-litre four a well known and trusted power plant that gives little trouble.Mechanically the 9-3 is pretty well bullet proof, particularly the 2.3-litre engine, which is good for many hundreds of thousands of kilometres providing it’s well serviced. The good thing is that the camshafts are chain driven, which means there isn’t a belt that regularly requires changing.Brakes tend to be a high cost maintenance item with pads and rotors needing replacement at intervals of 50,000 km or less. Heavy front brake wear can be seen from the build-up of brake dust on the front wheels, it’s a consequence of the brake set-up used on most modern cars which use the front brakes quite heavily.The Saab sedans and coupes are generally tight in the body, and retain the tightness over time, but the convertible is full of shakes and rattles. So much so that it can be a turnoff when you first drive one.For a time the Saab soft top was one of the few affordable convertibles on the market, and buyers tended to accept its scuttle shake because there was little choice, but today there are lots of soft top choices and few have the shake problems of the Saab.Check convertibles carefully. Make sure the hood operates, up and down, smoothly as it can be expensive to fix a problem roof.While you’re at it check the roof for tears, or areas of high wear which can occur because of the movement in the hood as it goes up and down. Tears can mean water leaks and high wear areas can mean a replacement hood will be needed.Convertible interiors are usually subjected to high sun exposure, which can lead to cracking of trim components. They can fade and become brittle with time if left in the sun too much. It’s also a fact of life that convertible interiors can get wet if you’re caught in a sudden downpour, it’s not a huge problem if the trim and carpets are allowed to dry properly before being left in a garage. If it smells mouldy, walk away!IN A CRASHDual front airbags were standard in the 9-3 as the main secondary safety protection. ABS and safe handling provide the first line of protection in a crash situation.OWNERS SAYChris Bor bought his 2001 9-3 turbo a year ago after falling for a friend’s 9-3 cabriolet in Sydney, but chose the five-door sedan because he felt it was better suited to Melbourne’s climate. It’s done less than 40,000 km and hasn’t given him any problems to date. Chris likes the Saab’s style, the performance, and particularly appreciates its roomy boot, which is handy for his work as a salesman. While Chris acknowledges Saab’s poor resale he says it worked in his favour when he bought it.LOOK FOR• good value for money• low resale values• modest performance from low pressure turbo• plain and simple looks• reliable 2.3-litre four cylinder engine the pick of the bunchTHE BOTTOM LINEWell built Swede is often overlooked, but soft resale values can make a good used buy.RATING80/100