Used 2003 Saab 9-5 Consumer Reviews
Used 9-5 for sale
Don't Do It
Wyatt Ryan, 10/25/2016
2003 Saab 9-5 Aero 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I've had this car for less than a year. Bought it for $4200 and have spent around $3000 on repairs. I absolutely love the car, but the repairs have taken their toll on my wallet. I would say the car has nickel and dimed me, but each repair has cost me $300 to $600 every time. The parts typically have to be shipped in from other states (I'm from Minnesota) since Saab stopped production in 2010. I have been left on multiple occasions without a vehicle for days at a time waiting for the parts to come in. If you're looking for a reliable car that is cheap to fix, please avoid this car. If you have the money and an extra car to drive around while this one spends the time at the autoshop, go ahead and get it. I would love to keep this car, but as I am a college student, I simply cannot afford to keep up with the repair costs. I had the turbo go out on me in March, the PCV Valve needed to be replaced about a week ago. The rear right suspension started leaking hydraulic fluid horribly as soon as I got it after putting it up on a lift to get new tires. The list goes on and on. The heating element in the front driver seat eventually burnt through the seat while I was using it, so I cannot use it anymore unless I want to burn my leg. The front passenger seat's leather ripped open slightly in February, too expensive to fix. Finding replacement windshield wipers for the front and back are impossible to find, as the connectors are vastly different from the normal ones on the market today. The front right headlight flickers a lot due to a faulty connection. The chipped key doesn't always work, so I am not able to lock the car some days, but it typically starts to work about 30 minutes after the ordeal begins. The front instrument panel was burnt out when I got the car, an easy fix, but not worth it at this point. Now onto the good things. It drives great, when it isn't getting fixed in the shop. I get excellent gas mileage (about 28) on the highway. Turbo response is great. Very comfortable to drive in. Heated and cooled seats are super nice to have. A/C and heat work really well. Back seats are also heated. Sunroof is a nice addition. Traction control works phenomenally, as does the ABS. It rides pretty nice, but expect to feel every bump and crack in the road. Overall, I'll miss Susie the Saab. If Saab was still in production today, I would probably keep the car, but the expenses are far too great for me to keep the car. Steer clear of this vehicle.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Entry-level luxury, real sport & utility
Aerocraft67, 08/13/2005
2003 Saab 9-5 Linear 2.3t 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I upgraded from a Chevy Cavalier, so I am very happy with this vehicle. Imperfections are legitimate trade-offs. It feels large for the engine size. From a stop, the transmission and turbo feel confused unless you throttle very gently or heavily. Acceleration improves at high speeds (passing), and overall high-speed performance is excellent. This is a great highway car, but less nimble in dense traffic and tight spots. Otherwise handles well and feels safe, especially with stability control. The seats are very comfortable, and the controls are nice. Storage areas are inefficient. Underappreciated feature: towing capacity. Excellent value. Refined, safe, comfortable, practical, and economical
2003 Saab 9-5 for sale near you
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- Linear 2.3T SedanMSRP: $7,995824 mi away
- Linear 2.3T SedanMSRP: N/A388 mi away
Beats SUV Hands Down
goblue, 03/27/2004
2003 Saab 9-5 Linear 2.3t 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Having come from Arizona to Michigan, I've been driving SUVs for winter roads since I got here 10 years ago. I decided it was time for a change and researched the market. The Saab wagon was the best looking, most fun to drive, safest and still offered enough interior room to displace the SUV. To my surprise, it also went through the winter weather with ease. I wasn't surprised when I learned the Aspen police all drive Saabs.
GM's poor Engine Quality
eb, 04/21/2009
2003 Saab 9-5 Linear 2.3t 4dr Sedan (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
We bought this car pre-owned, had it inspected from a certified SAAB dealership and owning it for less than 2 years, we have spent over $3,000 on repairs. The quality of this car is lousy. Bought the car with 45,000 miles on it, and abruptly the warranty expires at 50,000 miles. Since I am a previous owner of an Infiniti, I was used to the warranty expiration at 60k. Immediately after warranty expires, our fuel pump fails, our alternator fails, engine coolant leak, and now we have a constant engine oil leak (header) which will cost more to repair than what the car is now worth. And due to the fact that Saab is an import, all parts are imported and marked up.
Good!
Alexxx, 11/30/2003
2003 Saab 9-5 Linear 2.3t 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
My other choices were the Audi A6, the new E60 BMW 5-series, E220cdi and Volvo v70. However, I just fell in love with this vehicle. I tried it in May, but I decided to keep my old car. Now that I saw it as a 2004 model I decided to go for it.