Saab 9-3 Convertible Review - The Best Value £1000 Car ? 

Thanks mate. Love the spec on this. The aero wheels make it too! I bought it as a temporary car and ended up falling for its charms and keeping hold of it.

@@ItsDanLatham for that sort of money there’s no point getting rid. So much value for money

@@HighPeakAutos In your review of the 2006 cerulean blue Saab, I did say black is beautiful. :) Good review from both videographers. Kudos, gents.

Yes, 123, that's what I wrote. I'm glad you learned something from my opinion and took it to heart. Have a good one. 😊

@@JB-io8ys You know what? I take back my comment. There's no need for it, at all. Deleted. Hope you have a great day, too

Nordic are great - very good cars but definitely rife with EGR issues. I ended up having an issue with lumpy idle and then alternator and then clutch going all at once. Trouble is I live in london and smokey old diesels are not worth the hassle now with ULEZ.

@@ItsDanLatham I wouldn't entertain a diesel for city driving I have various selection of vehicle's from 2 saab 9-3 1.9tid vector sportwagons 2006 4 mg zt-t's 2.0 m47r mk2s 1 mg zt v6 2.5 auto sport mk1 2003 1 bmw e36 323i auto convertible 1998 1 mg tf 1.8 135 mk2 2002 1 kia sedona 2.9crdi mk1 2006 1 vw t5.1 2.0tdi bluebird

@@tukaruss8680 thats a very nice collection. Been thinking about picking up something like a cheap MG as a project.

@@ItsDanLatham you can pick them up cheap depending on condition and if been well maintained If you looking at going for Mg zt v6 kv6 make sure timing belts and pump been changed as its up there at being most expensive too have belts changed also go for the mk1 twin head lights as mg rover cost cut on the mk2s If go for mg tf 1.8 check for rot on suspension arms also on sill Main thing on k series engine is headgasket failure due too not been well maintained I'm not clued up on the zs or zr but engine are same

If need any advise on an mg zt ot mg tf im happy to help as I'm an enthusiastic when comes to the MG brand owning 6 my self

I have no brothers and don't know any Matts!

I think he's on about high peak autos.

@@benduke4454 oh 😂 no, but that would be pretty cool. His dry humour is just my cup of tea

Pull the plug, not poll the plug of course 😁 I almost bought a blue convertible with cream leather interior this week but my friends voted against it because some people like to stab the fabric roof out of jealousy they said. So a bought a four door 9-3 black with cream interior 2.0l diesel. It gets delivered this week. I am exited like a kid who is waiting for his first matchbox car. 😉

Exactly. I think lots of people have avoided them because its a ‘grandad car’ when in actual fact you could get one mechanically similar to a halfords spec astra VXR if you wanted to.

can anyone help me rpair the indicators please i 56 i rought my areo 2 years ago my dream car. i sorn it in winter but indicators not working anyone,, i googled it no fuses it relay xx

@@cats5seb1 Do the hazards work? If so the stalk is your culprit. Hope so, nice easy fix!

I’m a silly young person and just got the 2.0T Aero convertible for my first car, I love it!

I brought one for 700$ clean condition sliver with turbo 2003

me too, a couple of days before you got yours i bought a 2007 9-3 Aero convertible 2.0T anniversary edition .not a spot of rust, no dents and the underside still looks brand new.. Its surprising how many people turn their heads to look at it, especially in the anniversary colour.. this is my first Saab, 40 years too late imo..

@@gordondownie8686 I’m glad you’re enjoying it! Very underrated cars for the money in my opinion

I don't know enough about the used car market in the US unfortunately. A car like that would probably be worth around £3000 at most here.

For the US an Aero 2008 is the most desirable with manual 6 speed. Worth 10 k in great condition. You could certainly work on interior to bring it up to superior condition. So 7 k $ sounds great.

In colder months I'd definitely go for a saloon but its a lot of car for the cash and perfect as a runaround that still has a few luxuries!

Nice one Mark! It's such a lot of car for the money. I'm struggling to part with mine.

@@ItsDanLatham yeh agreed. Plan to keep mine , although the dmf needs doing at some point. After that will look to do a stage 1 remap.

@@Discoretrox I've heard great things about stage 1. If you're near Kent, Nordic Tuning THE go to place for Saab. Darren there is a fantastic knowledgeable guy.

Thanks! I’m sure you’ll love it!

Facebook marketplace! Theres also a saab for sale UK page where there are hundreds of cars less than around £1500. Loads of car for the money. This one is going up for sale now that I have a new car!

You won’t be disappointed!

Here in the UK you can barely give these away. Most fetch under £2000 even the good ones. I usually lease new vehicles, and this was only a temporary car for me, but I loved it the whole time I used it!

I have a 2005 Aero convertible 2.0 petrol - re mapped to 280bHP with Maptune exhaust - also has Bilstein shocks and black diamond drilled and grooved discs very easy to get parts both new and used - never let me down in 5 years Many people prefer the 2.0 litre petrol HOT ( high output turbo ) to V6 - V6 gets very hot 🥵 under bonnet ! Lots of convertible owners swear by Fabsil roof treatment - i found it makes roof go very stiff - best treatment is Autoglymn soft top treatment Mine being 05 Aero had sophisticated infotainment system including Sat Nav phone voice recognition. 6 CD player Timing chains and balance chains known to wear if oil changes not made at 6k - must use fully synthetic engine if looked after will last 250k plus Bought mine because of safety , style - didn’t want to be like everybody else ! Lots of Saab specialists in U.k. - Swedish Govt underwrote parts supply through Orio in Sweden - parts arrive within max of five days - mine has been Waxoled - so very little corrosion for its year Key to keeping them reliable is regular servicing ! Parts cheap Air filter £13 , Plugs x4 £28, oil filter £7 Oil six litres - clutch kit £280 Timing chain and balance shaft including tensioner about £300 Springs about £80 - so cheap to run and look after ! 👌

Thanks for sharing, I actually seriously looked at a 159ti as a replacement for the Saab, I'd still love one but have no need for it since getting another brand new car. Maybe if the channel expands I can get my hands on one. They have such an awesome design and its reassuring for reliability knowing its using a GM engine! My Saab is for sale currently as I have no need for it anymore, as much as I'd love to keep it I have no purpose for 2 cars. Such a great place to be though, I'd have no bother commuting around in one.

Something I would definitely like to do in the future !

@@danalexandru3838 someone crashed into it in a car park sadly and it was scrapped!

I could have only dreamed of insuring one of these when I first started driving. I’m 24 now with 6 years NCB and I insured it through Aviva for around £750.

RideWithMe that’s pretty good actually, I’m 17 now so there’s no hope of any insurance company touching me with a 5 grand sized barge pole perhaps in a few years time....

@@barnabyg6808 especially as the 1.9 diesel Aero is a twin turbo, my son is 17 & thinks I'm going to give mine to him.... I asked him if he was high!?

brobno9 hahaha at least he has taste in cars I suppose. I’ve resigned myself to the fact I most likely won’t have one until I’m at least 20 just won’t be able to afford it or the upkeep before then

@@barnabyg6808 insurance premiums are a sick joke today. I feel for you guys I really do! My daughter is now 25 & just seeing hers starting to come down to "sensible" levels.... I have 2x 9-3 Aero's, the other is a convertible 2.0T, on the same policy for me & the wife fully comp & it is still less than my daughter pays for hers (she has basically the same as the car in the vid) absolutely scandalous!!

The diesel was always cheaper, but could be had for easily under £1500 at the time. Best money I ever spent thats for sure. Shame the market for used cars has really gone mad in the last 2-3 years!

I’d definitely recommend it just on bang for buck. If you join the saab 9-3 owners club on facebook theres often the best deals from enthusiasts on there. I actually prefer driving this to my Cupra sometimes. Its definitely not particularly excellent at anything, but as an all purpose tool I cant think of a better package for the money. Plus those 2.0t can be modified pretty heavily too.

My Dad had a 9-5 2.3t auto saloon from 2010 - 2019. Got rid of it because we got a dog and need an estate, and the road tax was worth more than the car. He put about 90,000 miles on the thing and the only component that broke was an alternator. Seriously reliable, seriously comfortable and surprisingly quick.

@@joelbates8243 That's the only hard pill to swallow now is that keeping them on the road can cost more than picking them up. That being said all of the common issues are usually relatively cheap to fix, as I've shown in my other videos on this car. What estate did he go for ?

@@ItsDanLatham He got a 2016 F11 520d. It's nice don't get me wrong, but we both miss the Saab. My Dad and I are both car guys so we appreciated the quirkiness of the Saab (just watched some nightpanel video which bought back a lot of memories.) One thing that shocked us was just how outdated the Saab was in terms of infotainment. It was 9 years older than his BMW so you can only imagine the difference. It was £650 road tax (we are in the UK aswell) and the car was valued at £500. When we part exchanged it for the BMW the guy said that it is worth more than £500 in terms of the quality of the car, but the market just isn't there anymore. Fuel economy was also terrible which was the nail in the coffin. Lovely car. Always have and always will love Saab's.

@@joelbates8243 I suppose thats where I was lucky in the financial department with this being a cheap to run diesel. The Saab as a platform was hilariously outdated in its later years compared to its other GM counterparts, I insisted on a car with facelift interior for this reason. I’ve driven a 535d F10 and quite liked it. I did actually also consider a 640d gran coupe of the same era. They’re put together pretty well. Insurance was the thing that put me off though.

I have a video on it. Someone drove into the side if it causing £500 of damage. The clutch started to slip and then it started to trap moisture inside. Over the winter, even when covered at times it started to grow mould on the interior. ULEZ fast approaching it proved impossible to sell with the work that needed doing so it went to the scrapyard, they gave me £400 for it which I thought was good. I’d like to get another saab in the future, petrol next time.

@@ItsDanLatham I am heartbroken. Screw ULEZ. Move to Scotland!

@@wellybobs4403 trust me I’d like to get away from London and live somewhere more quiet and spacious! I’m certainly working on it!

Thank you....hood frame I mean! Get in under that lining and Oil!

I had lots of grandad jokes but it was worth it! I'd just as happily get in a barge like an old Jag or Lexus or something too.

Autotrader is not the place to buy cheap cars like this. You’re best off buying private and looking on places like the saab owners clubs on facebook, facebook marketplace, ebay etc. Mine is for sale currently!

@@ItsDanLatham how much?

@@jordanwalsh8171 I'm only after £600 ono for it. Its a great car but needs some TLC. Someone hit me in a car park and damaged the drivers door/rear wing which needs attention. It no longer has an MOT having been SORN for a while. A few other small teething issues as well such as smoky start and a weak battery. In the right hands though I'm sure it will sing for many more miles now that I have done common jobs such as the steering joint and EGR delete. If you are at all interested please give me an email at ridewithme_rwm@outlook.com or DM on instagram.

Lovely! Enjoy it in this weather!

Never had a problem with my e46, best car I owned. my older saabs had their issues mind...

The Xenons make a big difference. I can't complain about my headlights one iota. Sometimes, I'll put them on when not needed just because they look so cool.

A lot of car for the cash! Admittedly I'd love a petrol in the same colour combo, especially in V6 form. But in all fairness the diesel suits the car more than I expected it to.

If I was still using it as my daily driver I definitely would have done a Stage 1.

Lol tell me about it! I`ve got a TTiD Aero with a few subtle performance mods & a stage 1, & it upsets a helluva lot of people!!

Well worth finding before they all get scrapped or rust away. I really bonded with mine, and would recommend them to anyone just for the experience! Thanks for sharing 👍🏻

@@ItsDanLatham 👍👍

Most saabs in the UK are priced under £3000, unless very low mileage or very late production. The most expensive one I’ve seen recently for sale was £13000.

LOL - a year later than your post, and I've just tipped 80K in my 2006 Aero vert.

Now thats a good bit of kit. Hold their money pretty well though considering the bargain price of all other SAAB models !

FWD aero models are faster in overtaking situations, but the turbo x should be faster off the line cause it has the XWD technology :) I’ll take either model in a heartbeat.

@@nelagordon24 As would I - I have just seen today on the Saab Owners Club Facebook page a late 2010 9-3x XWD 5 door with very extensive cosmetic and engineering upgrades, and an immaculate service history. The owner reckons the output on his car is between 270 - 280 bhp, but his wife drives it to work every day! Says a lot about the drive ability of them! They are asking £4000 and it seems to be worth every penny.

I still have this one although its been unused for months now. Can't bring myself to part with it.

@@ItsDanLatham They grow on you don't they lol... my Saabs have bred on my driveway!

Je m'abonne 🎬

There is a cupholder in the center arm rest. You raise plate and can lower a plastic ring that is formed to sit perfectly in the space. Center is open for a cup up to.... a big gulp I guess... Long story short, there is the cup holder in the center dash board and center arm rest.

Each to their own. You obviously don’t get my sense of humour, which is fine, everyone enjoys a different style of content. I said nothing of the sort about the former owner, I was talking of someone else I had seen in a different saab. And I actually gave the car a very positive review, not once calling it bad. Have a look at some of the other comments below from fellow saab owners.

​@@ItsDanLatham Yes, I get all that. Fine. There might be a difference between getting a sense of humour and having one. You might (should) actually find some humour in my last and in these remarks: So, long answer to a short problem. It simply struck me as odd how you phrased certain things, and repeated them, which I won't catalog here. That happens in videos. It's not a tragedy. But the rather morbid focus on the middling performance of the small diesel, for example, I found unnecessary and excessive. That's what small diesels do. Ha Hah! That is obvious. Why torture the point. As a tourer, the small diesel is as adequate as the small diesel in any car, in a Range Rover for instance, which also doesn't purport to be a sports car and costs alot more. Even the LR RR "Sport" isn't sporty in acceleration department. Those who want the 500hp may order the supercharged Jaguar engine in the Range Rover and the B205R "hot" turbo or 6 cylinder in the Saab. You rather went on and on about that as if it was a great gift on your part to acknowledge the better points. Just struck me as ironic, considering you said yourself up-front that you've kept the car for a year unexpectedly. I though that was nice that you said that. It put much of the rest of the commentary in context. I get that. Ha Hah! Perhaps you were communicating your own initial notions and their demise since owning the car. I Perhaps the video was for those who don't know Saabs and have similar common prejudices to overcome, which can apply to any car. I like the car (with or without your commentary), didn't like the commentary. Straight criticism is absolutely fine. One can criticize any car. Nor was your intent to critizise. But compliments pulled like teeth is another matter. It rather reminded me of people who go on and on about how unreliable Range Rovers are, but in truth, with the exception of one particular model, they are fine, if you maintain them. Which car maker has no "dud" model in its history? This 9-3 is no dud, nor did you say it was. It sounded like you expected it to be, which I found odd. Nor do I expect you to analyse the video because I won't. It's just an observation. In a word, no one expects Aston Martin performance from a Saab (or a Range Rover, Rolls Royce, Corsa, Corolla, Vauxhall or Morris). All cars have their faults, the greatest fault of which is false expectations. I do agree wholeheartedly that these Saabs are a rather excellent value for the money, even when repairs are needed, as all cars do. I own one and enjoy it enormously. It's a "hot" turbo model, which I deliberately sought out as I am tall, not slight of build and have a 1,400KG boat trailer to tow 1,000 KM as well, which the car does with alacrity and 35+ MPG (petrol). I imagine other buyers will do the same, seek models (engines, colours, etc.) that suit their needs. Cherr up. After all, it's only a video, isn't it?it

@@wraithconscience Yes I understand and acknowledge your criticisms. I’m fairly new to this car review lark and sometimes forget to mention things, or get things wrong. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the diesel performance, of course its not particularly fast, but its economical, its just a strange pairing with a convertible in particular. That being said, of the many cars I’ve owned its one of the few that I’ve really bonded with, and I’d be happy to own another. I hope you get some time to check out some of my newer reviews now that I’m working with manufacturers to review vehicles, hopefully my style has improved.

​@@ItsDanLatham Hi Dan, Thanks for your kind reply. My words probably read more harshly than they are meant. Keep doing what your are doing. Developing a RU-vid channel cannot be easy. Most of all, I'm glad you like the car and are enjoying it. (Of course, you could look for a "sportier" model too, if you wish.) Sometimes, the things we say strike differently than we mean. These can be subtle things, just like my words can inflame when untended. Enjoy your Saab. Take good care of it. There's masses of information on Saab Forums that is useful for owners. It can be hard to keep up with it. But usually, when you type in a question, you get a good assortment of answers, some right to the point, some not. In the end, appreciation helps owners take that extra care that makes their ownership all the better. Perhaps in future, you'll do a care and maintenance video about the car, which you as an owner can better do than most "reviewers". But take your time. I could tell you stories, but till now, my research and the help of others in the know has saved me (true of any model). Good luck and God bless!