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Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1999 23:08:38 -0500
From: Mark Plumlee <turbospgnopsamsouth.net>
Subject: Re: Why I sold my '99 9-3, and why a buyer should beware


you are crazy the back of the seat isnt supposed to rest on your neck or viceversa the legroom is the same as older 900s post 94 get a life and loose some weight MArk Estrid wrote: > After 14 months and less than 5500 miles on the odometer, I decided to > sell my 9-3. Nothing wrong with the car mechanically or cosmetically— a > beautiful bright red 5 door that blasted like a rocket out of a dead > stop and handles the road like surgery, and in most cases was a joy to > drive. It was a replacement for my second Saab, an 89 900 T that was > itself in excellent condition. So why, do you ask, am I so happy to be > rid of this gem? > > One reason. The headrests. Saabs oh-so-special whiplash protecting > design introduced on the 9-3 and the 9-5. I have no idea how > successfully the design works in the 9-5, but for a tall driver the > headrests are a nightmare of discomfort on the 9-3. In fact, it is also > a disaster for a short driver, a fact affirmed by Consumer Reports. The > headrest forces a short driver's, or passenger's, head forward, > resulting in a highly uncomfortable riding posture. In a driver 6' or > above, the headrest does not extend enough to protect the head properly. > To make matters worse, the lower lip of the headrest, part of the new > "safer" design, sticks a tall driver or passenger right between the > shoulder blades. I would hate to think the damage this "safer" design > could inflict on a tall rider in the event of a rear-end impact of > significant force. Drivers and passengers in height ranges between these > extremes must carefully adjust the headrest to find a comfortable > position as well, but at least a comfortable and safe position can be > found. I was fortunate and did not have an accident in this car to test > these headrests, yet the discomfort became too much to tolerate. > > In addition, for tall drivers, there is significantly less driver leg > room in the 9-3 when compared to the pre- and post- 94 900's. Saab > dealers were unable to help me modify the seat position to give me and > my husband more room. Part of the loss may also be in the side to side > dimensions of the driver's compartment. > > So I would urge taller drivers to give the Saab a thorough test drive, > giving a lot of thought to how the headrest and leg room feel to you. I > feel that this headrest design is a significant error for some drivers. > A similar positioning of the headrest in the Volvo S40 and S70 are not a > problem. > > Now we are driving more comfortably and happily in an Audi. If anyone > lives in the US in the St Louis area, that 9-3 I once owned can be > gotten for a steal, I would imagine, after sitting for more than an > month on the lot at Parktown Imports. For most drivers, the discomfort > we had with the car would not be an issue. As I began, there is nothing > wrong with the car at all. And I assure you, I have no interest or > connection with Parktown. I just hate to see a good car sit on the lot > like that. > > Estrid- former Saab enthusiast, 1984 to 1999....

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