Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 02:46:07 -0800 From: "Larry Kohut" <lojiknopsamhlink.net> Subject: Re: Saab 9-5 purchase
How much did you end up paying? David Nedde wrote in message <36F70F5E.71759CD8nopsamtwall.mv.com>... >I bought a Saab 9-5 this weekend, and thought others might be interested >in the thought process behind the decision. > >I has previously owned Honda Civics, and an Accord, but wanted to get >into something a little more luxurious, and still sporty, but without >spending much over $30,000. I am also 6'5" tall, and needed a car that >I could fit in. I looked at the Audi A4 and A6, BMW 323i, and Saab 9-3 >and 9-5. Other featured I wanted was power seats. After using heated >seats, I was sold on this feature. I also wanted split rear seats with >the ski pass-through. > >The Audi A6 was eliminated, because it only came in an automatic, and I >didn't like the way it shifted. The shifting felt too "soft" and I >wanted a sportier feel. The triptonic manual shifting of the automatic >didn't really work for me either. > >The Audi A4 was a good car and in the right price range. I liked the >interior trim and design. I didn't feel as though I really needed the >quattro, although I also felt I would have to get it to preserve any >resale value in the car since they are apparently all sold with >quattro. A disadvantage of the A4 was that there was not much room in >the rear seats. I like the one-touch-up-window feature, which the Saab >did not have. The outside look of the car was good, although a little >generic. > >The BMW new 3-series have increased head room so that I fit comfortably >without banging my head. I test drove the 323i to keep the price down >and because engine power is not critical - plus, the 323 seemed plenty >powerful enought to me anywat. I liked the way it drove and handled, >but the rear seats didn't have enough room. The driver's seat had >enough room, but it wasn't roomy. I liked the one-touch up windows. >Things that annoyed me about the BMW was that you had to pay extra for >metallic paint and their emphasis on how buying this car will give you a >big status boost. Also, there are so many BMW's around - I didn't just >want to be another one in the crowd. > >I test drove a Saab 9-3, although I don't remember much, because the >salesman suggested I try a 9-5 (4 cylender), which I did and test drove >several times, wiping out my impressions of the 9-3. I liked the >roominess of the 9-5, and the design and layout of the controls. I >tries an automatic on the dealer's suggestion, and really liked the feel >of it - it shift felt similar to a manual. > >I had to think a while about which car to get. They were all priced >similarly - within a few thousand dollars of each other, all had similar >features, all drove and handled really well, and all had a good layout >of controls inside. I finally decided on the Saab 9-5 for the following >reasons: > - roomier interior - basically the 9-5 is competing against the Audi A6 >and BMW 5 series, even thought it is much cheaper. > - I got the impression that the Saab had more storage space in the >trunk > - more computer features than the BMW > - Separate climate control unlike the Audi > - BMW is rear wheel drive - not too great in N.H. winters > - a little nicer interior than BMW and Audi > - has both CD and tape player > - Like the turbo feel of the Saab > - Front and rear reading lights > - Rear heated seats > >I ended up getting the 9-5 SE with heated and ventilated seats with >memory and automatic transmission. I wasn't planning on getting the >ventilated and memory seats (or the SE for that matter, with the better >stereo and wheels), but I ended up getting the car for below invoice >from the sales manager John Giasullo at Patrick Motors in Auburn, MA, >and couldn't pass it up. > >My first impressions after driving a few days is that it is a little >less sporty than I was expecting, but I still don't regret the >purchase. I really like the car and my son likes the headlight washers, >and the extra compartment in the rear seat armrest. > >Well, that is enough rambling for now. I hope this information can help >someone else make their decision. I only hope I am not plagued with >maintenance problems, although, in reading the newsgroups, these seem to >have been cleared up in the past few years. > >Dave
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