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Used 2008 Saab 9-3 Sedan Consumer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
52 reviews

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3.25 out of 5 stars

Young man's sport sedan

Brian, 01/28/2009
2008 Saab 9-3 Aero 4dr Sedan (2.8L 6cyl Turbo 6M)
1 of 4 people found this review helpful

XWD, six-speed manual really make this car fun. It tracks very well in the snow and ice. It rides hard, even over medium quality metro freeways. So much so that on one bump I was tossed upward in the car and hit my head on the ceiling. I have been known to grunt in anticipation of road bumps. Maybe this is because of my bad back and age 43. I had an '87 Saab 900S several years ago in my youth and loved it. My new Saab is fast and fun to drive on smooth roads, but I may have bitten off more than I can chew. A loaded Accord would have been a better choice for me. Discounts made the car affordable, but I anticipate reliability will be below average; it's in the shop as I write this review.

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2.75 out of 5 stars

No wonder Saab is bankrupt

TriHill, 08/06/2009
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
1 of 7 people found this review helpful

The city mileage totally stinks on this car, between 10-20 mpg. For some reason on the highway, there's a disparity jump to 30-40 mpg. Great car for road trips, but I am a city driver most of the year, so this is not a good car for that. A lot of the electronics and computer systems onboard have bugs in them. I have had to take the car in at least monthly for these annoying fixes. Customer service is poor for things that should be covered by the warranty, particularly within the first year of car ownership where most of the problems have been happening. I will tell you that the first repair service wasn't an oil change...it had to do with changing a light bulb.

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4.75 out of 5 stars

2008 9-3 2.0t Sport Sedan

magnetic1, 11/19/2008
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

The styling is great (int and ext) and elegant. After many test drives, there is nothing with more punch/dollar. Performance is impressive for 4cyl turbo. Peak torque and hp at low rpms means accessible speed. You're flying before you know it. Some turbo lag, but prep to ~2500 rpm and it's a rocket. Too much body roll on corners, but grip on the road seems unaffected. Mine is AT, but the MT is a joy. You've got to drive it even if not buying. Love the brakes...lots of expression. As always with Saab, the controls become intuitive. Radio and climate aren't impressive. Some interior items feel cheap. Not bad for the money though. Like the gauges and SID in front. Love the car. No regrets.

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4.88 out of 5 stars

Saab 93 2-9 months out of the lot

tofutel, 12/04/2008
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

After 2 months, the shift knob gets sticky. Sticky shifting gets worst when in cold weather but very smooth when outside temperature is warm or when car gets a good 5 minute warm up. This is still a fairly new car! I've had this car for 9 months now. Since then, I had brought the car back for service repair on the electronics on the window, the static on the speakers, sticky moonroof, and a flat tire. Other than that, car drives very good. there is power when you need it.

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4.88 out of 5 stars

9-3 2.0t sport sedan

ralph, 10/11/2008
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I found the Saab 2.0t sport sedan to be the perfect fit for my needs. I looked at the VW GTI, Passat and Audit A4. The GTI handles like a sports car, but I needed something a bit more mature. The Passat felt like a Buick, not bad, but not what I wanted. I have a lot of respect for the Audi A4, but did not feel it warranted spending another $6K. The Saab 9-3 was perfect! The 2.0 turbo is powerful, responsive and fuel efficient ( 32mpg average). The six speed manual has well spaced gears, and the clutch is very smooth. Overall interior / exterior quality and fit and finish are excellent for the price.

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