Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 08:37:02 -0600 From: CONGERnopsamuserve.com Subject: My SAAB 9-5 stinks!
Thinking of buying a SAAB 9-5 (or 95?) (or 9.5?) I took delivery of my new saab 9-5(2.3turbo) 8 weeks ago. I had to replace my 9000cs2.3 turbo as it was getting even MORE unreliable (clutch cylinder gave up........the last of a LONG list of stupid faults....like the back door falling off - YES FALLING OFF......the gear selector failing...and SAAB more or less thought this was 'normal'!!!). I have driven SAAB for over 15 years. My original 900GLE was BEAUTIFULLY engineered and well assembled. I measured up the cars on offer from the German manufacturers against SAAB. The Germans were more expensive and, most of all, the dealers were arrogant (many dealers here seem to take the attitude that life would be best if the were not those pesky 'customers'). My SAAB dealer is 'tried and tested'; besides which he gave me the best offer! The 9-5 looks smart but STINKS! Yes, the sulphur compounds from the catalyser really STINK! I pity the poor people driving behind me! I am told this will wear off. I must really look hard for 'faults' though. The radio reception (FM - and I do live well within reach of the transmitter of the stations I use!) is pathethic...BOOM - squeak - BOOM - squeak....they have embedded the antenna into the rear window and this has made it 'directional'.....thus the reception comes and goes...this is most noticeable in 'bassy' music. The middle console between the front seats is too 'wide'. Thus you scuff your fingers when inserting the seat belt buckle. I must say here that I am not particularly overweight (though some might...). This may be a problem for people with larger sit-upons. Oh... there is a CD player....but even though the middle console is large, there is hardly any space in it for CDs...poor design! The blower for the AC is LOUD. I can not understand why, but there is an unending SSSSSSSSSS from the dashboard. Hey SAAB, there are QUIET fans; they do however cost $$! Otherwyse the AC regulates very well. Now there is the switch for the cruise control! You need to have the dexterity of Paganini to be able to operate this! I really would like to talk to the designer who introduced this concept. I miss (but can live without) my instantaneous fuel consumption display, the traction control, the 'turbometer', and above all the BOTTOMLESS torque of the CS motor (geez, that was an excellent motor). When I took delivery I noticed that a piece of paper had slipped down over the cahssis number in the windscreen. I remarked this to the dealer who got 'his man' to remove it. Since then the loudspeaker grille does not sit properly. I must visit the dealer again. One funny; I have activated the day-running-lights (fuse). On my old 900 and 9000 this switched on the parking lights. On the 9-5 this switches on the dimmed-headlamps; pity. ...and I have noticed that the 'dashpot' (software dashpot in this case) used to drop the engine speed when you lift your foot off the accellerator is too sluggiush. This means that when you change up gear quickly, you are left with an engine speed to fast for the next gear! This means that the clutch is constantly being 'rubbed' - let's see how long that will last. I have driven 2500KM since; very (too!) much in city traffic. The fuel economy is as expected; though on the autobahn I did do one stint at a constant 150KM/H over 300KM which returned really good figures! I did notice that the engine was much louder that the 900 and 9000 engines at this speed; though not 'too' loud. I had to jam on the anchors FULL (from 150KM/H) once. The car stopped beautifully (in fact I was overtaken by a BMW-5 TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL). I think SAAB must have my ABS software in there! I have driven to Italy and back. Great mountain pass driving! The car drove beautifully. The fuel consumption was spectacular (good! - 8.1L / 100KM). The BOTTOM LINE: too good to be true after the last debacle; I hope it stays like this! rgrds, g. PS: The name (9-5)? I do hope it has nothing to do with that other '95 product; that crashes so often! -----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/ Now offering spam-free web-based newsreading
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