Used 2001 Saab 9-3 Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Love the car
dstan02, 06/20/2012
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
I am the original owner. The car now has 132000 miles on it. Two years ago, in the winter, I drove it ALONE 4545 miles from Charlotte NC to Anchorage Alaska and that includes driving the Alcan Highway and then repeating the journey back home 6 months later. I now have driven it 2768 miles across country to Portland. This car never even "burped". I love this car. If I had any complaint, it would be the SID's pixels going out.
A great, unique, fun car.
SweedFan, 03/13/2002
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
28 of 31 people found this review helpful
I have been a Volvo driver since I stared driving and buying cars. This is, in fact, the first non-Volvo I have owned though I have driven dozens of other cars. I can say without hesitation that this is one of the better cars I've driven. The quality and safety are similar or superior to the pre-Ford Volvos. A great if relatively unknown car. I like this car more than I even expected when I bought it. Unique styling adds to the fun in my book.
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Great Value, Good Mechanic is Key
Louisville Vicar, 02/16/2016
2001 Saab 9-3 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
We've had our 2001 Saab 9-3 for 10 years now, and recently thought about saying good-bye. It's worth about $1500 to a private party, but it's way more more car than that! The truth, as I see it is this: If you have a mechanic who knows Saabs, owns the right equipment, and understands how to fix them, you are good-to-go. We are lucky to have Ray and Rich at Auto Works of Knoxville in our area. Ray bought all the right equipment to service Saabs years ago, and customers come from as far as St. Louis, MO to have their Saabs worked on here. Ray and Rich know these cars and keep us up and running. Saabs are Saabs...quirky and sometimes frustrating to own. Ours, we call her "Sadie", will suddenly decided she's going to turn on the check engine light and stay in second gear. The fix is a reset with a code reader. Works great for six months, then she does it again. Then about every two years, she'll just stop running at a stop sign. Suddenly starts idling rough and shuts down. Solution? Rich cleans the throttle body and resets the computer. "The next time, though, the throttle body will need replacement" says he. Ray says we can still keep driving her, he can still get parts, and anticipates he will be able to for years to come. Stellar performance, especially from a car valued at $1500....Oh yeah, we spent $600 last year to fix a tiny, flimsy switch that lets the top go down successfully. You have to be able to cuss in Swedish to get your fingers in the place this thing goes, and the flimsy switch is replaced by another...flimsy switch. But hey, it still works and is fun. "That's cool!" observes our Grandson Sam as he watches the top cycle. It is. We're keeping her.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Fun and Safe
none, 03/07/2005
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I test drove this car and the Volvo S60 and the 9-3 won for overall driving experience. I have 88k miles on it and it has never let me down. I was hoping to drive this car for many many more miles but I was just in a major accident so it may be totalled. The good news is that I and my infant son were not harmed at all despite being hit at over 30mph.The frame took the impact as it should and in a lesser car we could have been seriously injured. I won't be looking at another Saab mainly because of design changes and different needs but I loved this car and am very thankful that we had it. The brakes are excellent and itis fun to drive in addition to being one of the safest cars on the road.
Could be better
vchirico, 07/08/2014
2001 Saab 9-3 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
13 of 17 people found this review helpful
going strong after 191000 miles, fun to drive and amazing capacity.The turbocharged engine makes things fun and it is amazing in the snow. Now for the down sides it feels like I am playing wack a mole with all the problems maybe its just the fact it is an old car at this point. I would consider it decently reliable but, the parts feel like there unnecessary expensive compared to cars of the same size. Good car could be better though. if given the decision I would pass considering the company is out of business and there isn't much of a scrap Saab base to scavenge parts.
Saabs are great
dogwood, 05/31/2006
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I have had a great experience with this car. I love the way it drives. (I like the manual transmission turbo) The seats are super comfortable (great seat heaters!) and there is tons of interior room for the size of the car. I average 27 MPG. It is easy to park, easy to drive, and has not been anymore expensive to maintain then our toyota. I highly reccommend the Saab 9-3
Amazing car!
SAABLOVER456, 05/08/2008
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought this car to replace a Pontiac Sunfire, needless to say it blew my mind away! The car had so much get up and go I couldn't believe it! My cousin and I took it through a canyon and we got the speed up to 115 miles per hour. Not very smart, but I couldn't believe how it handled the turns it was absolutely amazing. Now the bad part the electrical is terrible in this car, I always had a problem with it. I couldn't get it fixed the mechanic couldn't find out why my emergency lights wouldn't stop flashing so I sold the car. Even though I had trouble with the car, I am wishing I never had gotten rid of it. The car was a blast to drive.
What a shame
rb85, 01/08/2012
2001 Saab 9-3 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This car worked perfectly for me and I loved everything about it. It had good power, fuel economy, lots of cargo space, I like the way it looked and drove. I bought it used with about 57000 miles and in the four years I owned it I had to replace the turbo, throttle body, and timing chain to the tune of about $3k total. Then one month before I would have paid it off cylinder no.2 overheated, causing the piston rings to go. The engine was destroyed. The SAAB shop I was dealing with said a used motor installed would have cost almost $4k. I liked everything about the car except the reliability wasn't there and its very expensive to fix. SAABs were good in the early 90's, not anymore.
Buyer Beware
lotek, 08/21/2012
2001 Saab 9-3 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
22 of 34 people found this review helpful
If you're thinking about buying a 9-3 Hatchback: don't think twice, just walk away. If you work on your vehicles yourself you'll end up tearing your hair out because everything in the engine compartment is so poorly planned, parts are hard to find and expensive. Good luck finding a mechanic that will touch it. I bought this car 2 years ago and have had nothing but problems for the last year and a half (and it's been well taken care of). There are so many people saying they're happy I felt it necessary to share my absolutely terrible experience with this car. I find it no surprise Saab isn't around anymore.
Fun. Practical. Unique.
John D., 04/03/2002
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Base model has power to spare and turbo is a rush. Car merges practicality (safety, mileage, storage capacity) with pure fun. Car offers unique styling and near-luxury for the price of a boring Japenese family sedan.
Best car I have owned
Darkcloud, 09/24/2008
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I have 96K miles on my 9-3 and have not had any problems. The car has been completely trouble free. The engine has plenty of power along with excellent gas mileage. A shame Saab did away with the hatchback. The newer models look more like every other cookie cutter car. Love this car so much we sold our Volvo and purchased another 2001 9-3
I never thought I'd like a Saab
Comet335, 07/23/2010
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I purchased a pre-owned Saab 9-3 5 door automatic with 79,000 miles on it as a second car. I LOVE IT! I would rather drive this car than my new Lincoln. Great engine, sporty, nice looks. I have only had to replace a sensor ($300) in the engine. Great car for the money.
Saab 2001
Phylclar, 02/15/2003
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Outstanding value for the price- all th efeatures of a luxury car with superior performance to boot.
Been a good car...
Jony T Bone, 03/21/2004
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I just rolled 30k miles and I still love this car...I've swapped out the stock springs with some B&G and installed the sport exhaust...The springs really toned down both body roll and the way the car reacts during acceleration...You know the push, pull sway...I'm sure it has a name... A few more mods and I'll be screaming when I'm on the gas (from 185 to almost 250hp/300+flbs)...And getting 30+ mpg on the highway...Crazy... I have to agree with a bunch of the
Pretty Happy
DCISCouts, 10/06/2002
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought my 9-3 in October of 2001. We got no snow, so I didn't get to test out the TCS. I love the exhilerating performance!!
Rattle trap
snaab93se1, 04/11/2002
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car rattled more and more as time went on and the dealer could care less about fixing them. Also had front supension problems, the information display LED got moisture behind it and had to be replaced and the check engine light came on during a u-turn. Stay away from this one..its a headache waiting to happen
Saab Story
RIX, 09/19/2003
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
In 2 years, the car had to be towed twice. First time was because of a corroded cable and the second time because the ignition cassette kept shorting out the fuses.
Problematic but a kick to drive
Saab Story, 09/29/2005
2001 Saab 9-3 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is my 3rd Saab, which I recently purchased with 79,000 km on it. I love the drive of Saabs but had a 900 lemon in the past and figured it was just bad luck. I wanted to buy a 2001 because I love the cavernous trunk area, which has been replaced by sedan models. Shortly after buying the car I noticed thick grey smoke belching out of the exhaust when I started it. I took it to the dealer and was advised that my turbo was on the way out...price of repair $1,600. I also soon noticed that: my stereo lights don't come on at night, driver's side fog light assembly is broken, antenna works when it wants to and my sunroof frame is prematurely rusting and bubbling. Explains why resale is low
Fun to drive - easy at the gas pump!
casbon, 04/25/2007
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have driven my Saab 9-3 for six years. Have about 71,000 miles on odometer. Fun to drive, comfortable and reliable. Amazing gas mileage with the 185 engine (low to mid thirties on the road) and a five-speed stickshift. Plan to keep it for another five years or so! No car is perfect - but this car comes close when one considers the designer's fidelity to the Saab heritage. My first Saab was a three-cylinder. I know what I am talking about!
Lots of Miles; Lots of Fun!
zztopgun, 04/05/2002
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This Saab 9-3 is a solidly built quality vehicle. The handling is responsive and the styling exceeded my expectations.
Best Car I have ever owned...awesome
Saab2001, 05/06/2002
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great Car! It is the best car I have ever owwned. Trully awesome.
Stalwart
bcollier, 10/27/2009
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
After 8 largely trouble-free years I felt it's time to give this car its due on Edmunds. Its best features are the fun factor - great responsive motor and handling, classic styling (the newer cars have become too homogeneous), and reliability which is surprising for Saab. There have been a couple costly part replacements, but over time that's to be expected. It's certainly been more reliable than our '05 Toyota Sequoia. After 8 yrs my eyes have begun to wander to possible replacements (e.g., M3), but the Saab keeps running strong, and if I "traded up" I suspect I'd miss the Saab more than I'd like the newer car.
Safety, Performance, Reliability = SAAB
fredf, 09/15/2002
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have enjoyed every mile of the first 25,000 for this automobile. It handles great, and provides the safety, performance, reliability and comfort to make each ride an enjoyable experience. It is a fast car, get ready to move into the fast lane; even with the minimum sized 2.0 Turbo engine. The ride is firm, but comfortable. The interior is quiet, the controls are very nice, it reminds me of the cockpit of a small airplane. The car has a powerful AC which uses an air filter prior to bringing air into the car.
Great Car - Poor Build Quality
Mark T, 10/18/2002
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The car came off the assembly line with a squeek over the right rear door. Glassman Saab has been great, working to fix the problem several times. They tell me there is a missing weld on the over the door handle. They fix it but it always comes back. Other than that, I love the car. But to drive a car with a squeek for 3 years is really irritating. Dispite this I will give the new 9-3 a look.
Love this car!
Jamie Jennings, 02/17/2008
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
So much fun to drive. Reliable, no significant issues, even with car over 100k miles!
Fun to drive - more power than expected
sonicsunspot, 07/12/2003
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I was not looking for a Saab when I fell in love with this car. I was looking to get into a Mercedes C240 or a BMW 325, but the salesman mentioned the Saab was worth a test drive. I said "what the hell" and the next thing I know I was putting money down on the Saab to hold it. This car is really a joy to drive and I was really surprised with the power from a 4 cylinder. Plus I saved $10K. Saab is a very under-rated car.
My Saab 9-3
Jazz, 01/18/2004
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great car, excellant performance, fun to drive. Too small with two growing children.
The 9-3 SE is near perfect
bpesh, 02/09/2004
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I purchased this new, chose this over the 325 and A4, and never regretted the decision... 205 hp and a functional 5- door. My only complaint is that the interior plastics are GM-cheap and I'm concerned the leather may not hold up as well as it did on as my Audi. I've recently upsized the tires to 215s T/As and wow! the grip. Reliable and fun. And the best dealership experience this side of Lexus.
VROOM with ROOM
goosaab, 01/20/2006
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Excellent car, VERY stylish. Good handling and comes with enough space to actually be useful. Highly recommend it. The cars looks better than most in its class.
Happy 2nd Saab driver
QWK SWD from Md, 03/10/2006
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
"Smooth" is how my 26 yr. old son describes the drive. Excellent metallic paint, even after 5 yrs. Interior stylish yet reserved, high quality but a bit snug for 4 on board. 31mpg on the highway. Distinctive; you don't get lost among the Japanese nameplates on the road. Well built, very reliable. It doesn't break. An '06 9-5 next?
They were right
crabby kaiser, 04/23/2006
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I can't say I wasn't warned. Other Saab owners had suggested that the car would be quirky and that Saab dealers are generally horrible and expensive. They were right !!! The check/engine electronic portion of the car is horrible. The engine is great and the handling is terrific. The biggest knock against this vehicle is trying to get it fixed/serviced. This alone will keep me from buying another Saab period. Fun to drive, great gas milage won't make up for the persistant problems with the direct ignition cassette (now part of a recall) and the terrible service from numerous dealers.
Saab's Are Awesome
yertle, 03/10/2004
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Saabs are very good cars and are very fast. They are also very comfortable too.
Dependable and fun
tstenger, 06/10/2004
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have been very happy with my 9-3, especially for mountain driving in Colorado. The turbo provides plenty of power on steep hills and the acceleration is very smooth. The suspension is good, but could be a bit stiffer for my tastes. The car is fantastic in the snow (especially with snow tires on it). The interior has held up well and is showing negligable wear.
Well built car thats fun to drive!
Axis72, 06/21/2004
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is a very well built car that is loads of fun to drive. The 4cyl turbo is so smooth one can hardly tell its a 4cyl. The exterior design is beautiful and is different from all the "Cookie Cutter" cars out there. I have had VW's, Audi's, Mazda's, and Toyota's and I would rank this one up there in quality. My car has 40k miles and has had no issues.
Love to hate it
paulsmith94065, 01/12/2007
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I won't buy a Saab again. The only reason I bought it was the unique style. I bought it new and it has been in the shop MANY MANY times. Now that it is out of warranty, its becoming quite annoying, but it's paid for, and the repairs are cheaper than a car payment. Saab has lost its style. The new ones look just like Audi and BMW. Too bad, unique style was the only thing going for it. Anyway, beware if you buy. Many quirky problems, hard to find & expensive repair shops. Oh, and the car really depreciates which is another reason I haven't ridded myself of it yet... can't bear to take the loss. I would only recommend this car if you have a reliable car to drive while its in the shop!
2001 9-3 2.0 turbo 4 dr base model
JT, 02/24/2007
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Mine has 72500 km/45000 miles. Recently needed almost CDN$900 in front suspension work. Recent problems led to software upgrade for throttle body, dealer warns if problem recurs, vehicle will need new throttle body (cost over CDN$1000 at dealer pricing). Ignition Discharge Module replaced on recall. Various valves and hoses replaced. An oxygen sensor failed around 40000 km. Driver's door handle mechanism failed twice. Interior squeaks. Some pixels no longer light on information display. One headlight wiper motor failed. Blower motor for heater replaced. Received letter from Saab advising 8 year warranty coverage for engine failure due to oil sludge provided certain conditions are met.
I hate cars but I love my Saab!
mcvolvo, 02/27/2003
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I love my car.
Perfect more than 2 years
Sviden, 06/03/2003
2001 Saab 9-3 SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I own this SAAB for more than 2 years and so far the reliability of the car was PERFECT without a single fix for more than a 2 year. The ride and Handling is outstanding especially the low RPM High Torque which kicks at his Maximum in as low as 1900 RPM!!! High Speed handling is also fantastic. Don't need to mention the breathtaking Stereo which is old Saab tradition. There are a lot other features which I like. To make the story short - This is one Fantastic Car.
Worst car ever
stacy, 04/11/2008
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I purchased a used Saab that had 35,000 miles when I bought it. In a 2 yr. period it has had approx. $7,000 in engine work done on it and the problem is still not fixed. It doesn't matter how many bells and whistles a car has if it wont run. I am not sure what kind of aircraft this car was born from but I would not want to fly in it. My advice is run, run far away!
Saab never again! Maybe a BMW
SergioC, 05/25/2008
2001 Saab 9-3 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
First the positive on this car. This is a fun car to drive except to the shop or dealing with GM. The turbo charged went bad at 65,000 miles. GM customer service is the worse I ever dealt with it. Now it will cost me over 1,700 dollars on repairs since GM do not want to knowledge of the problem with the turbo charger that it should not gone bad. I am finally give up on this piece of junk and never will buy another GM or SAAB. If you think to buy a SAAB, please reconsider that it's a GM product now not a SAAB.