As I am now selling my 1999 Saab 9-5 and seeing as how it is the end of the line for the small, quirky car company I feel the need to share some thoughts on this misunderstood automobile......

EXTERIOR

This first GM/Saab model is still a Saab at heart. The airplane wing grill, utterly useless headlamp washer/wipers and function over form approach at the design table is still apparent here. The car had to walk a fine line between pleasing Detroit and saving face with loyalists. While the 9-5 does look more like a Passat than it looks like the 9000 it replaced, it did manage to maintain a fairly respectable drag co-efficient of .29. This is a fairly large car. In size it goes head to head with the 5 series and E classes. Of the 3 I actually prefer the 9-5 and you're a lot less likely to see a half dozen cars just like yours at every traffic light if you drive the Saab! This is a car for people who don't want to follow the herd.

INTERIOR

This is where the payoff is. I replaced this car with a brand new Mercedes and I actually miss the luxury of the Saab! Saab uses leather where the others save a few bucks using plastic (or in the case of my benz they actually have created a textile of their own and gave it a fancy name - I call it pleather). The wood inserts are high quality and haven't been even slightly marred by 6 years of heavy abuse by me and the heat and humidity of south Florida! The layout is pure Saab. Everything is where it's supposed to be and it truly feels as though you're sitting in an airplane cockpit. The Night Panel switch is a quirky Saab touch that I already miss! It dims the whole dash except for the speedo which is lit to 85MPH so that on dark roads your eyes and attention are kept focused on the road. Leave it to the Swedes..... The front and rear seat heaters work flawlessly and yes, even in Florida they got a lot of use! The stereo works great but is not powerful enough for me personally. The SID (Saab Information Display) on the dashboard is something that you simply must accept that it will need to be repaired from time to time. I fixed it myself already using info from a Saab Forum on the Net. The A/C works well but is prone to stepper motor problems. That's a $600 job at the dealership.

SAFETY

What do I need to say here....these people wrote the book on safety. Crumple zones, ABS, airbags everywhere, SAHR's (maybe time for a new acronym on that last one!) It stands for Saab Active Head Restraint and it's a system that in the event of an accident allows the headrest to follow your head forward and then locks forward, preventing your head from being able to snap back. This is done in order to prevent whiplash.

PERFORMANCE

I opted for the 4 banger turbo as opposed to the GM 6 cylinder. Turbo lag is massive, torque steer drags you into the lane next to you if you let it and 0-60 times aren't anything to brag about. This is a Saab. It's more fun in the twisties than in a straight line - that's what it was engineered for. It's reliable as the day is long and can withstand an awful lot of abuse without a hint of complaining. If you own one or are going to buy one, your head gasket and or valve cover gasket will weep oil. Accept that this will happen or drive a different car - they all leak. This is a Saab.

IN CLOSING

A lot of people will describe their relationship with this car as love/hate. The downfall of the company is that it marketed quirky cars to quirky people. Loyalists are a small twisted group and now they no longer have a car company of their own. The new 9-3 is on GM's epsilon platform, the 9-5 has been gentrified and the new models in the showrooms are rebadged Suburu's and Chevy's. Putting the key in the console does not a Saab make.
Amount Paid (US$): 32,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 1999
Model and Options: 1999 Saab 9-5 4 Cyl LPT 5 SPD