[tinylee]

Any body have experience owning a SAAB, your views are
needed about the car.
I would also like to find out if there are any competent mechanics that are able to repair and service
this brand of vehicles in KL.

[rubber]

Hello,
what kind of SAAB you like to buy?

900 or 9000 ?

[JFK]

Hi all,

I'm curious too,don't see that many SAAB's around in M'sia. Saw a 1996
900S model in latest Motortrader going on for RM50++K. Anyone with
experience with SAAB's willing to share???

[chanks]

Hi all,
It is a Swedish car. More info at Saab WWW.

Friend owned the 900S. It is a superb car in handling, roadholding &
power. All come with turbo power.

They are the pioneer in turbo engine. The only problem in Malaysia is the
resale value. You can find their showroom in Glenmarie, beside Porsche's
showroom.

Rgds.
chanks

[JFK]

Thanks chanks,

I am suspecting a few things that can make a car resale value low.

1. expensive parts and difficult to source
2. limited service location
3. the product is unreliable and a lot of problems/unsuitable for our
climate
4.Poor after sales service
5. Pricing to expensive on par with the German marques.

Surprisingly a get to see a few SAAB's in JB as most of them are from
S'pore. I really like the 9-5 but like I mention the 5 items above is
a 'killing' factor.

[jcw9960]

Pricing for SAAB cars are actually less expensive than the premium German
marques if you compare equivalent product offers - eg a 9-3 2.0 with a BMW
318 2.0 or a Merc C200. And when you look at the value on the second-hand
market it gets even more attractive. Sadly, SAAB has always been in the
shadow of Volvo as the second automotive brand from Scandinavia. But both
marques seem to have suffered the consequence of big-fish-eating-small-
fish : SAAB now belongs to General Motors and Volvo to the Ford Motor
Company.

The latests offerings from SAAB, the 9-3 and 9-5 share their platform with
GM's Opel division. A bit of German engineering under Swedish skin
perhaps, but the Opel developed platforms don't seem to live up to the
sporting SAAB image. Its not a bad thing to the average motorists who
can't tell what is what in a car. Just purists like me who prefer the
older SAABs (like the older 900 Turbo APS) for originality and
quintiessential SAAB-ness.

Parts are going to be expensive for sure. That's a consequence of rarity
no doubt. Servicing should not be a problem - a car is a car, and any
competent mechanic can do maintenance servicing without much problems if
they can get the parts for it. Its only the more complicated mechanical
components and complex electronics that need specialist attention. If you
live in JB, a trip to Trans Eurokars in Spore is a short hop away. If
you're in Klang Valley then you've got the local franchise holder to look
after your SAAB.

No car is 100% trouble-free. Reliability of a SAAB is quite good. A well-
looked after used SAAB can be as trouble free and your toaster. Get one
that has been abused and not looked after and it'll be a nightmare. This
applies to any car actually.

All cars go through some sort of tropicalistion process by the
manufacturer before being exported here. There are exceptions to this -
that is if the car was actually ment for another continent and not South
East Asia. A good example of this are the second-hand cars from the UK and
Japan that are being imported by grey importers. So, if your SAAB is ment
for export to Malaysia, then rest assured that the manufaturer has taken
into consideration tropicalisation needs. But if you get a SAAB from a non-
tropical country (the UK for example), there is a risk that
tropicalisation was not done.

There's a price to pay for everything. To drive something different and
rare, you need patience, understanding and accept that it'll be more
expensive to maintain than a Proton.

[volvoxc]

Hi jcw9960:

Your views are constructive, in the midst of my plan to either own a SAAB
9-3 or a Volvo S60T? I have compared two cars, and with the same dollars,
I prefer the SAAB as the road handling is unbeatable., I can say that it
feels much comfortable than the BMW318i and Benz 200, not to mention the
short-specification S60T. It has almost everything we want. But, the point
really comes to the after sales service and future of SAAB in Malaysia.
Though Eurocars gives 2 years warranty and free maintainences, the worries
are there as nobody can tell if SAAB would fail again to capture the
Malaysian market? The car is truly valueable and fun to own, but as you
said, one needs a lots of patiences and passion to own at SAAB in M'sia.
What's your opinion for me? SAAB 9-3 or the Volvo S60T? Thanks!!: )

[RobA4]

Be different, go 4 the Saab.

I almost did 2 years ago, but opted for the Audi A4 as opposed to 318 and S40.

Ride and handling just as good as the Beemer and certainly better than the
S60. And u get almost full-specs for the money that u pay. I won't worry
too much about resale and maintenance costs as it's a CBU car (thus not
affected by AFTA) and there's the 2 years warranty. They are durable cars,
just see some of the old Saabs around town. Amazing.

Good luck on making your mind up.


Robin.

[bhaiturbo]

SAAB cars are really wonderfull machines. My dad has the old 1984 900 2.0
Turbo with APC. That car can really take the beating. And guess what, the
engine is 19 years old. The only problem we have with that car is wiring
problems. We got that car second hand and the previous owner cut some
wires for the alarm system and did some really lousy job with the music
system of the car. if you install an amplifier in any car for that matter,
trust me, it will give lifelong wiring problems, unless if you obtain a
new wiring harnes.

So, about the new Saab. it comes with marvellous sound system and an
alarm system which is factory fitted. anyone would be nuts to cut any
wires in that car as there are about 18 computer boxes in it to control
everything.

Go for something different, try the Saab. trust me, u will love it.

SAAB enthusiast.

[jcw9960]

The old 900s were probably the last of the true SAABs, before GM took over
the brand and injected Opel genes into them. The previous 900s were
nothing more than re-skinned Opel Vectras (a bloody good job at that I
must say) and had lost its SAABness on the drive. And yes, they last!!
Like its Scandinavian competitor, Volvo, these cars have to endure harsh
Scandinavian winters. Just look at the number of Volvo 240s on our roads -
they look like they'll run forever. Sadly, not a pretty sight I must add
though I have high respects for this model (having being brought up in 2
of them and actually learned how to drive in one at the age of 15).

But the new 9-3 is something else. Still using the generic Vectra platform
but the 9-3 has had its genes re-checked and re-aligned properly to bring
back all that is SAAB! Its a fantastic looking car too!

So...yes, if you want a different drive, a SAAB 9-3 is someting special.
I'd get one if I could afford it.