Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2002 16:14:25 -0000 From: "Dransfield" <m.dransfieldnopsamAMTHanKSvirgin.net> Subject: My GM900 and a couple of issues that I have with it..
Before I start: I've had my GM900 (non turbo 2.0) for a couple of years, my Grandfather is a 'Saab-o-phile', and I used to own a (fantastic) V4 96. And I've been holding off writing this post for well over a year. So I'm not just your average troll, but there's some things I've got to get off my chest. Firstly, The Engine. Its gutless to the point of being dangerous. I'm not a fast or aggressive driver, but this thing has no low end power, and I don't mean 'power' like a racing driver, I mean it as in to drive to the shops. Its stalls very easily when the steering is on full lock. This is great when you're turning right (I'm in the UK) across oncoming traffic, or the other day I was in stationary traffic and had to move out of the way of an ambulance that was trying to get through. For us this car replaced a 1985 Volvo 360 GLT, (which was also 2.0i), and that had lovely smooth power. I've borrowed a couple of 9-3 turbo courtesy cars, which were like rockets, and can only conclude that the old 2.0 block is so antiquated that to make it work properly at low revs it needs a turbo, which then makes it very fast at high revs. The Manual Gearbox. So if your designing a car with no low end power, what do you do? Do you make the gears as high as Trollhattan church spire? Nor would i, but they did. Its so highly geared that you often have to select first to pull away at eg. a traffic roundabout, even though you didn't stop rolling! I should mention at this point that my wife drives this car all the time, with no complaints, and when I've driven it for 2 weeks solid, on hoiday etc, you get used to it. But when you jump out of a different car and into this one you find that you can misdjudge your saftey margins when pulling into traffic, and end up with a rear mirror full of truck, while you fumble to turn off the a/c to make the speed increase that bit less slowly. I know this just won't happen to many of you Saab-o-philes who drive their cars exclusively, but we're not talking about some classic car, we're talking about a modern daily-driver, whose TV adverts are all jet fighters and safety. The Climate Control No, in London traffic I DO want re-circ and windsheild demist! I appreciate it might take a couple of seconds longer to clear the screen, but the reduction in fumes breathed in would add a couple of minutes to my life, but it won't let me do this. I could write an essay on the C/C and how it thinks it knows better, like how it won't let you have outside air to enter the car at less than 15C , like in the old days. And you can't re-direct this to the screen, etc.. Passenger Air Bag - Can't turn off. Seats Simply too small - I'm only 6'2" which isn't an unusual height to be, the bottom of the headrest touches the my back, and the sunroof surround touches my head. My back aches after a couple of hours in the saddle. Interior Light - Can't disable. So we've just driven home for 5 hours, its midnight, and we need to transfer the sleeping kids from the car to bed without waking them - you take the car keys out or open the door and the flippin light comes on, shining in their eyes. I know someone probably once though this was a neat feature, but the fact that you can't disable it is not. I notice on the 9-3 this is different. Boot/Trunk Remote Release. You can release it remotely by pressing the wrong button on the key fob, eg. from inside the house while trying to lock the car before going to bed. You can then close the boot by simply going down stairs, unlocking the house, and going outside in your pyjamas and closing it with your hands. If you take a minute doing this you get the added bonus of the alarm going off because its re-armed, when you go to slam it shut. Its best to remember to not to have left the keys upstairs at this point or that horn will be honking shattering the silence for more than a couple of toots. My main point is that anything that can be done remotely should be able to be un-done remotely. I notice on the 9-3 this is different. Handling: I knew that the GM900 handling was bad before I bought the car, I can confirm that it is awful, but I was warned. Plus points: I'll end on the reasons why I haven't sold the car, just to quosh some of those flames coming my way. The boot/trunk is fantastic. Its actually bigger than a Volvo V70 with seats up (ie. full of family). The build quality is nice, and all the interior plastics are of a nice quality. It feels as solid as an ox (albeit only slightly faster). Its a nice motorway car. My Conclusion: There's something about the Saab brand, and how its presented in advertising and other marketing, that to me is a slightly arrogant disregard for the fact that its products are not actually anything like perfection. Regards, Dransfield
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