[Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
[Main General Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Price very close after incentives...... Posted by Mike Lynch [Email] (#81) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Mike Lynch) on Thu, 18 Mar 2004 18:38:09 In Reply to: Is the 9-5 worth the price difference vs 9-3?, paul de k, Thu, 18 Mar 2004 15:41:13 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
There's hardly any difference in the price after incentives. The base price of a 9-3 Arc is $30,185, but you have to add the sunroof $1,200 and heated seats $500, total of $31,885 to make it compare to the 9-5 Arc which has those items standard. The 9-5 base price is $34,430.
There's $2k more in incentives on a 9-5 for purchase, $3k for a 9-3 Arc vs $5k for a 9-5 Arc, so that nets out to $28,885 for a 9-3 Arc vs. 29,430 for a 9-5 Arc, a difference of only $545. Although the incentives for a Saab lease are the same $2k for both cars, the 9-5 will still be very competitive as the 9-5 lease rates are much lower.
So now for $545 more your still allowed to like a 9-3 better. Being an old Saaber, figuratively and literally, I prefer the 9-5. It has much more of what I'm familiar with, my two other Saabs being a 93 900S CV and a 96 900SET. The 9-3SS is all new. I like the wood dash and the HK sound. Even the non-HK in the base 9-5 Arc sounds bette to me than the 9-3 Arc stereo. I also like the power. I replaced my 96 900SE with a 2000 9-5 Aero SportWagon, I agonized whether to get a new 9-3SS or a 9-5 and I'm very happy I chose the 9-5. My BMW was a 5 series, my Benz was an S class, I'm fond of the larger cars.
For 2004 the 9-5 Arc has 220hp. While only 10hp more than a 9-3 Arc it feels like a bunch more because of the lower torque peak and low end punch. To me the 9-5 feels more solid. While I can appreciate the improved handling dynamics of the 9-3SS chassis, the improved weight distribution and ReAxe passive rear wheel steering, the 9-5 is fine and offers a very nice ride handling comprimise. Beginning with the 2002 model year, the 9-5 chassis was upgraded slightly to improve the handling.
I agree with you about the proven bulletproof nature of the 9-5 vs 9-3's which have had some minor teething problems, mostly with the software.
posted by 63.197.222...
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.