CompleteCar.ie logo | Car Reviews, News and Features

Quick car review finder - select below

Ask Us Anything

Please ask your question in the box below. We will answer it as soon as possible.

Please note that we may edit the text of your question and that, if you provide your name and town, these will appear with your question. No other personal or contact information will be displayed or made public.

Top Categories

How reliable are second-hand Saabs?

I have always loved Saabs. I am now considering buying a used 9-3 or 9-5, maybe a 2007 model or thereabouts. I have heard that some models more than others can be very expensive to maintain, as major things go wrong with them, like the Turbo, etc... Is this true? Is there one model more than another I should look for?

Filed under reliability - Asked by Trish Gallagher (Wexford) - Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:39


Answer

Hi Trish,

In general, the later Saabs are pretty solid. They are generally based on General Motors platforms and the engines are tried and trusted. As they get older they can become a little expensive to repair but since you are looking at 2007 models or newer then these should be good. It is true that there have been some reports of failed turbos in the past, but they are quite rare. 

There was a recall in 2007 for a problem with the handbrake but in general this car has been good. Depending on your needs, we would say you should get the cabrio, because this has brilliant resale value. This example is nice and comes from a SIMI dealer. 

Otherwise, I would probably go for this 150hp diesel, which has low mileage and would have good fuel economy. 

I hope this helps. 

Answered by: Complete Car Adviser

0 responses


Already a member?

If you are already registered, you can log in to send your question. Otherwise, please complete the following. Only your name is mandatory, but if you enter your email address, you will be notified when your question has been answered by our experts.