Used 2003 Saab 9-5 Wagon Consumer Reviews
Used 9-5 for sale
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Better than the best!
thecarguy112, 01/16/2013
2003 Saab 9-5 Aero 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
25 of 27 people found this review helpful
This is one of the best cars out there! I have the automatic transmission, and this car flys down the road!! it is very fast and has excellent handling. On the exterior, there is a very sleek and modern design (Black) that looks fantastic! The interior even though its old looks well done and seems to wear very little. let me talk a little about comfort, THIS CAR IS COMFY! The front seats are very high quality and are very supportive and hug you in. (drove non stop from my town to a town near by, which is a 100 mile round trip, 4 times in a row!) the seats have held up very well! Also, the cargo room is very impressive! (moved into a 2 bedroom with this car only.) So obviously I luv this car!
They Don't Make 'Em Like This Anymore!
Larry Twitchell, 07/10/2016
updated 07/14/2020
2003 Saab 9-5 Linear 2.3t 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
24 of 26 people found this review helpful
Get the maintenance records if at all possible before purchasing. If satisfactory to you, buy and prepare to enjoy yourself in a very good car. Operating costs are reasonable. It is a great, safe road car that eats up the miles in comfort. The only better seats would be in a Volvo but these provide great support. Living in New England provides a great variety of road conditions that are easily met by this Saab. It loves snow and can handle it as well as a lot of AWD cars today. Its ability to carry enormous loads is so surprising as many people think of Saab as a small car. After 13 and a half years I still look forward to driving this great car. July 2018 - 145,000 miles. Still going strong as our second car. MPG averages 25 overall. Replaced original exhaust system in ‘17 and did rear brakes. Worth next to nothing as a trade but worth thousands to me. Bought this Saab new in Sept. 2003. January 2019 - 152,000 miles and still loving it. Replaced a couple of tires and the others need new shoes, too. Really a great car! July 2020- 155k, Original finishes still great. Runs like a top.
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2003 Saab 9-5 for sale near you
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- Linear 2.3T SedanMSRP: N/A1,555 mi away
Great ride!
saabinvt, 04/21/2012
2003 Saab 9-5 Linear 2.3t 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I bought my Linear with 81,000 miles in '09. It's had some problems, but not outside what you'd expect with a car approaching 100K miles. Yes, repairs can be expensive, but I've done much of them myself, and parts can be found on eBay and junk yards for cheap. This car has a very smooth ride, is very quiet, the stereo is very good, the climate system is great and the controls are well laid out. The dash cupholder is useless, but I just put aftermarket ones on the doors. The acceleration is great, and I installed a high pressure turbo from an Aero, so now it really hauls! While not cheap to maintain, 9-5s can be found used for far less than competitive cars, and they look better too.
Give it its due
scalpel1000, 08/17/2003
2003 Saab 9-5 Linear 2.3t 4dr Sport Wagon (2.3L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
The Saab 9-5 Linear wagon is the best car that I have owned. Its performance in and around the city along with its entrance ramp power make it fun to drive. The 185hp is not excessive and provides a good medium between ultimate performance and gas consumption. Buying this car has made me a Saab fan and I would purchase one again.
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