My son recently bought his first car, an 05 9-3t manual. He and his friends are having a great time scouring boneyards for parts and improving it bit by bit. It’s different, classy, quietly capable, just like him. I’m so very proud of him.
Roman and Mr. Regular may have COMPLETELY different energies in their videos but despite that they're still able to utilize the same format in the same way and provide highly interesting and entertaining videos with their own personalities. Love your work guys I hope you enjoy doing it and continue to enjoy doing it
No they don't. This was a nice, unexpected surprise this morning. I remember dad telling me back during the 2008 recession and gm bankruptcy/restructuring a year later, describing SAAB as a "20 year old anchor"!
Thanks for having me Roman. It’s a pleasure to work with y’all as always. One thing I should note is that this car was $600 with no pictures or any other information and I bought it with 100,000 miles from the original owner. Parts support for this is quite easy and most people have the impression that this is a very difficult car to live with but it is very much not the case. I think I’ve had every year of 95 apart from 99 through 2001. I absolutely love this body style and era of Car and I will die on the hill that this is the best made Saab. I’ve had several 900s, several 9000s and a pair of 9-3’s, this takes a cake as the best one to have. I have owned a lot of Saab’s “greatest hits” from an 85’ 900 SPG, an 85’ 900 Turbo 16 5 speed, a 10’ 9-3 SS 6 speed, and a 9000 Aero 5 speed; the 9-5 is a better vehicle than all of them & I will die on that hill. I’ve driven plenty of 99’s & a couple 96’s & 95’s and a handful of Sonett’s, but these will always be my favorite the reliability, practicality performance good fuel, economy, and comfort is unmatched
You have good taste in cars. I've never had the pleasure of owning a Saab but I admire their engineering. Every car needs the equivalent of Night Panel. The 9-5 SportCombi is a looker.
@@appelsapman434 I’ve had 13 or 14 Volvo’s & had a job working on them for 4 or 5 years; they are worse cars. I still own a 2005 Volvo S60 T5 with 343k on it. Saab made better cars by far.
I’ve owned 9 Saabs since 1985. My daily driver is a 2008 9-3 Aero. I love them; they’re sporty, distinctive and comfortable. I don’t know where to go next if I ever have to replace my ‘08!
My daily is a 2007 9-5 Aero and I love it! Its my first car ever too so I didnt take the best care of it when i first got it which i regret now but its still in pretty good condition.
“Nearly everyone has some sort of beef with GM and what they’ve done to any number of their brands through in-action. Or worse, by having ideas.” Two words…… Holden Commodore. And a name…… Peter Hanenberger.
and Dustbuster vans such as the 1989-1997 Lumina MPV 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette van (1990-2003) and the Pontiac Transport(1990-1997). The second generation of the vans were turds as well and they didn't even use the ubiquitous GM 231 3800 Series II V-6 best V-6 engine ever and from 1995-2008 Ward's 10 best engines. they used the crap 3.4L DOHC V-6 that was a POS interference engines with timing belts if you dont change the timing belts every 35k miles goodbye engine and these were the (1998-2008) Chevrolet Venture/Uplander (1998-2005) Pontiac Montana van (1996-2004) Oldsmobile Silhouette van (2004-2009) Saturn Relay and these at the end also had the two crappiest engines the 3.4L 3400 SFI DOHC V-6 and the crappy interference 3.6L VVT V-6 both blew head gaskets and timing belts/chains.
@@chrislemaster2695 That was just an expansion of the 3.1 ohv V6 that was available on them earlier. They got the made-in-USA variant of it. Then the 1st generation Equinox and Torrent got the Chinese-made version of the same engine after GM decided to go to the High Feature V6 for the next generation and discontinue the 60° V6.
Kyle is such a genuine dude. When my car was down he let me borrow his old 9-5 kombi manual and that car was great. I also borrowed what I think was a 9-3. Both very fun to drive vehicles. Great episode!
A friend of my mom used to have a Saab Convertible from the 90es. She used to drive different dailies over the past 20 years but always kept the Saab in her garage despite the presumable "cheap" price she paid back then. Even though her husband asked her multiple times if she doesnt wanna move on and get a newer convertivle, she always had that special place for this weird nugget of a car.
The prefacelift 9-5 interior before GM bastardized it with their plastics and cheap leather are gorgeous and luxurious as any German or British car. But on the other hand I love the stealthy 9X Concept inspired facelift. Also, clam shell hood with 3 washer jet nozzles. Quirky cool.
2004 and 2005 are the best years of the 9-5, especially if you can get the Aero trim. They still have the pre facelift interior, and the Aero models had a unique front bumper that looked really mean.
@@97I30T 99-01 are the best quality years, there are slight changes where plastic have extra reinforcements, extra foam cushion pads until clips, the door cards have an extra pad for the arm, better/more insulation, etc. Once 02 came all that was cut. 04-05 is only the favorite because it has a pretty face.
9:28 9-5 doesn't have a flexfuel sensor. It senses the e85 content with the O2 sensor and it choose between two fuel maps. You could make a 1997 saab 9-5 identify as a a biopower by just flashing a biopower firmware into the ECU. Very peculiar. Also knock sensing resides in the ignitions coils (yes believe me on this) unlike any other fuel injection system. Trionic use Can bus to communicate widely.
Tronic was way ahead of its time. Huge tuning potential. There is overclocking going on in Sweden on t7 ecus. Soldering on new Chips on old ecus to make them have a higher clockspeed.
The Trionic system is also used on some versions to simulate a cam sensor signal as well, by detecting the difference in spark resistance from compression to exhaust stroke. Neat stuff.
@@laddtryck Thanks, should be some old videos on my channel. It is now a turn key rock crawler that can still do 85 on the highway because of the turbo and T5. Also running a Saab FPR, turbo etc.
Man it's WILD how much better the Roman videos are than the Mr Regular ones Roman actually puts some effort into it, does his research, and is respectful Mr Regular just unabashedly *despises* anything thats not 90's Japanese
My Mom had a 2003 9-3 manual convertible. Didn't like the car at first but ended up loving the entire brand. We went on so many fun trips in that car with the top down in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. A lady ran a stop sign and totaled the Saab. If I wasn't 14 at the time I would have tried to buy it back. Grateful we were able to own a Saab. I Miss that car and Saab.
I have a 2006 9 5 stored in my garage since 2020. Bought it for $650 from Copart in Hawaii in 2017. It now has exactly 48,000 miles and just needs the oil cooler lines replaced. The parts have been here since 2021. Someday I will get to it! Otherwise, a beautiful Polar White sedan in MINT condition.
Many years ago my best friend in high school got a 900 Turbo. I fell in love with Saab back in the late 80s. I've owned 5 Saab cars over the years. Just last week purchased a 2011 9-3 convertible in wonderful condition with 60,000K on it. I have a Volvo V60 Cross country but will always adore SAAB!! ❤❤
got a 9-5 griffin vector 2-3t BP from 2009. Runs like a dream, more reliable than most newer cars and definetly quite a lot of torque and power for being a car that can fit 5 ppl and their camping luggage. Only thing you need to consider is, a saab means you can´t be mechanically inept. You gotta learn to perform simple oil and filter changes yourself because this car requires oilchanges about twice as often as your standard family car (150 000 km as opposed to 250 000 km). No issues finding parts though I live in Sweden where these cars are plentiful in traffic and at dealerships.
As a Swede thanks for this video @Roman. Had a buch of saabs, 9000 A50 was the nices to sit in. The later gen 9-5 (not the last opel insignia copy but one like in the video) was a nice daily. Huge boot for hauling stuff tons of power when you needed it but the gasmileage isn't great for it's time tho kinda average even worse with ethanol (around 1.5L/m, whatever that is in MPG) Still see some around on the streets but they are sadly less and less for each year. "Fun fact" there was a Swedish version of your Ford vs Chevy guys but between saab and volvo here.
Clearly there's something special about the 9-5, I told my friend I wanted a Cadillac or a Lincoln but they were too expensive. my friend had a 9-5 and he told me if I ever find one to buy one. I'm glad you did this video because I haven't found anyone else who has one
RCR videos with a song at the end always make my day. Even if the rest of the video is fire, no song outro kinda diminishes the experience compared to ones with them.
My family always drove Saab's ever since my mom bought a 1978 99 Liftback as a first car. I grew up riding in the backseat of a 1984 Saab 900 3-door hatch. My aunts and uncles went through a series of 900's, 9000's, 9-3's, and 9-5's. I learned to drive in my parents 9-5 Wagon "Gary Fisher Edition" that came with its own mountain bike, which we still have. My first car was a 2001 Saab 9-5 base model that I managed to get for $750 in non-running condition and fixed by simply nudging the throttle-body back into place. That car got me through night graduate school and my first real day job. The independent mechanics that still specialize in Saab's keep the brand alive and I've become good friends with mine. He fixes my Buick Roadmaster now.
These are surprisingly good cars given the GM influence, but I can understand how it doesn't even make the top (bottom?) 5. I can't wait for the next race to the bottom, I own the vehicle in the upcoming video. I don't want to give anything away, but I'm excited to see where it gets placed. It was a blast going out there to film with you guys!
After having drivers license over 23 years I just bought my very first 2004 Saab 9-5 wagon 2.0t with stage one chip (225 hp and 350 NM) and manual. Now that was not my intention. I was looking for Volvo S60 or V70, but curiosity won and I tried Saab. I must say that Saab won my heart. This is model with less GM influence. I can't believe I actually like it. Now it's my daily driver and it feels like a tank compared to my previous 2001 Nissan Maxima.
Would love to have you up in Maine for a saab review! 1973 Saab Sonett 3, 1992 saab 900 turbo convertible, 2004 Saab 9-5 Aero, 2005 Saab Hirsch 9-5 TrollR, 2010 Saab NG9-5 6 speed manual, 2010 Saab 9-3 convertible
Great work Roman! Your take on Saab is well researched and fair. At this point you're as much of an expert as most owners. I hope you get to review more Saab models someday.
I have this same model year 9-5 wagon with B205 motor (2l with Garrett turbo) as a daily driver and it has been the most expensive cheap car I have ever owned. During the two year ownership I have fixed/done for preventive maintenance: DI-Casette,timing chain, AC compressor along with all the lines, most likely all the bushings, broken garrett turbo to Mitsubishi TD04hl-15t, bigger injectors, ecu remap (260hp/400Nm E85) plus all the regular maintanance. It also spun a bearing caused by a clogged pickup and that was "fixed" just by replacing the bottom end bearings and cleaning the engine. I was extremely sceptical about this but it has suprisingly hold well for +40 000km after that (at the moment 330 000km on the clock). Realiably? High milage ones not really but it has been the best highway cruiser I have ever owned.
Recently sold a 9-5 Aero Wagon. Was a lovely car to drive, fast on the highway, super comfy!! Transmission went out and I just couldn't justify the money to fix it, luckily found another Saab person who was more than willing to fix it, so sent it off to a good home! Loved that car.
Thank you for the superb video. I still miss my 1999 SE. The 205 HP, high output turbo that came with the manual transmission was fun. The interior was just luxurious enough. Once my children outgrew booster seats, they loved the heated rear seats. The huge hatchback offered CUV utility.
@@appelsapman434Hmm. I bought the car used, but I thought that the SE when equipped with an automatic transmission it was designated at a low output while my manual transmission, which had a sticker inside the gasoline door “Requires 91 Octane” was designated “High Output.”
I bought my 07 9-5 with manual transmission for $800. It needed a crank position sensor (and still needs an ignition cassette). I towed it home and for 1 hour worth of work to put a CPS in it. I'm satisfied.
I have owned two Saabs. An 05 9-3 convertible and an 07 9-5 wagon with the turbo and a five speed manual. The 9-5 was a fantastic car. You do get used to the ignition. Getting used to the weird cupholder never happened though.
Few points: 1) Saab never lost the Saabness - they kept the emphasis on driving experience, top notch safety, great balance of power/efficiency and creature comforts through the years. Yes, GM cheapness shows, but that Saab heart is there. 2) Saab flubbed some things in late 90's/early 2000's which damaged their relationship with some customers. 3) Saab spent money where it counted and was ahead of its time in many ways - quality leather seats, Aisin autos, Mitsubishi turbos, Harmon Kardon audio, high strength safety cages, etc, but unfortunately the mass public did not register it. As Jeremy Clarkson noted ~ "You can't see where they spent the money until you crash one."
I had the saloon version of this 9-5. A 2.3 litre petrol turbo. Supremely comfortable, wallowy and eager when you put your foot down. Also, the cup holder was pure sci-fi.
For whatever it's worth - back in 2017, I took a 6-week road-trip from Halifax, Nova Scotia to San Francisco, California and back again in a new(ish) Nissan Sentra -- and loved it! Anyway, this was a great video! Everything you do well was in abundance in this video. If you and Mr. Regular ever do a nostalgia tour, this video should definitely be in the set-list.
I just sold one of these about eight months ago. Great car. The power never ceased to amaze me. The pre dame Edna ones had better interiors for sure . I’ve had both
Saabs were absolutely brilliant cars. A lot of people blame GM for killing Saab but would they have survived on their own? I doubt it. Saab always wanted to build the best car possible. While being great for the consumer, it just was not profitable to operate like that. In the late years a lot of the most beautiful cars to ever be produced (NG 9-3 and NG 9-5) made their appearance. I love my 08 9-3 SportCombi and still turn back around when I leave it pretty much every time. The love for my car is as strong as on the first day. Hot take: No matter what happened, Saab had to die. No way around it. Wer should be glad that they existed, not sad that they don't anymore. Let's just appreciate them as long as we can
Saab needed GM's money to last as long as they did. They were engineer's cars first. While GM sucked the life out of Saab with their forced platform-sharing and neglect, Saab wouldn't have made it into the 2000s without GM. If Saab had survived into today as an independent brand I imagine they'd be like Polestar, making quirky EVs and maybe a moderately spicy 9-3 turbo.
My dad owned a same gen black 9-5 sedan when I was a kid from 6 years old to 10. Lots of fond memories of riding in the back of that thing, or the front if I was being good. Always enjoyed the quirky design of it, those air vents with the middle joystick were fun to play with, and the light up seatbelt sign behind the dome light looked so cool to me as if we were in an airplane. And the design made it such an easy car to pick out in a carpark or when my dad picked me up from school. Sadly it met it's demise in a fire, there was a phone charger plugged into the cigarette lighter and I presume the car being off didn't break the connection between the battery and that so it got very hot during the day. My dad was driving home from work and saw a glow low down in the console, he stopped and a few flames started wisping out. The source was so deep down in the console he couldn't put it out and called the fire brigade. He got out and soon the thing burst up in flames. The fire must have melted the harness cause the horn started blaring after a while just constantly on, as if the car was crying in agony. The car has a weird hood latch so when the firefighters arrived they took a long time trying to pry the hood open to disconnect the battery, they mangled the whole thing but ended up doing so and extinguished the car. It was a bit frightening at home wondering where my dad was then getting a call that the car had burnt down, he was absolutely fine though, and me being a car guy even as a kid, I grieved that thing for a while but in the back of my mind I was also excited on what our next car would be!
Great video, I thought you summarized Saab very well! I had a ‘07 and now have a ‘09 93 2.0T. I’ve driven a fair amount of cars and they just seem to have something different about them that makes them great. While they’re not necessarily the best at anything, they’re really good at a lot of things.
This sums it up pretty well. Facelift 9-3s are pretty much just an above average car in every reapect. I have a ‘09 aero ttid and the car has really no downsides, but nothing too exceptional on paper either. Still, there is some magic about just cruising around in it. It’s comfy, but not too soft, sporty, but not too fast and has very respectable fuel economy and is very reliable. I also kinda lied about the car not being super spectacular in some aspect. The facelifted 9-3 received the highest safety rating in its class BOTH in USA and EU for three years in a row.
I’m selling my ‘06 SAAB 9 5 Sport Combi. Best looking SAAB ever. Never thought in a jillion years I’d drive a SAAB. Years ago my wife said it stands for “Something An A-hole Buys”, and we both laughed. Those original ignition cassettes are key. Zero turbo lag for sure. The wagon is incredibly rare - makes me wonder why they bothered selling them in the US.
@@nakoma5 I work from home so it mostly sits, I only use it for things like doctor appointments. Plus I don’t have a garage so it is starting to weather. Other things need fixing that I’m not motivated to repair.
I got my first Saab a couple months ago, it’s a 2003 9-5 aero with all the extras. It’s things like the rooftop dvd player, sun roof, quietly capable turbocharged goodness. It has amazing boot space (mines a sedan and I’ve never seen a larger boot) I usually work on my own cars but I will admit I was a little afraid of this car and took it to an euro guy. I paid $3k aud cash for it (a one owner car) and have since dumped like $7k aud into replacing a lot of neglected parts etc so it’ll be reliable for years to come. I really love it’s quirkyness and I hope to get a Saab 900 eventually (my current second car is a 1978 w116 merc) a classic and modern Saab as my two cars is my dream car
Loved my '03 9-5 Aero and was very sad when the 1000 year floods we had in Colorado a decade ago totaled it. The ventilated seats were great and it was an amazing highway cruiser.
My uncle still drives a 9-5 wagon from the mid/late 90s that he bought new back then and he still loves it. It has had some issues over the years, and despite my pleas for him to swap to a very similar Mercedes E-Class Wagon or similar, he just can't imagine living without all the classic Saab quirks. They really did make some interesting cars.
Ignition cassette, fuel pump are most likely to go out on these Saabs. But the 95 2.3 Aero is a great car, already a classic. Not the first choice for gear heads, but has more character than some Audi/VW or BMW 5-series.
Even in a wealthy microcosm like the CA Bay Area, I still didn't see an abundance of Saabs when they were still sold. But every time I did a thought occurred to me: I bet you're an interesting or quirky person. I was never let down talking to Saab owners in that regard.
There are a couple around me in Noe Valley and Corona Heights in SF. I just see a pre charge to even touch these things. Even the auto tow guy knew you were in tough when Saab was still a fashionable option. They missed out on the leasing revolution. Difficult to get smogged from out of state here.🚗🚘🎺
My grandfather owned that car but the 2005 model, bought it after he sold his black 97 9000. He was guy with good sense. He bought a Lexus after that and it served him well, but he always missed the reserved but distinctive style that Saabs had. I still believe that foldaway is the coolest cup holder put in a car.
Growing up and sitting in the GM Saabs at auto shows, I still felt some special care went into them, usually chalked up to “quirkiness” in magazines, in the 9-3 and 9-5, and devoid of any ideas about authenticity and “Real Saabs,” that was enough for me. I had a vision of growing up and daily driving a Saab because they were functional, they were “nice,” and they weren’t the obvious choice. Sadly they wouldn’t be there when I finally had the means but to this day I’m still eyeing 9-3s for that “someday” project car. Also, even in the GM years, you could always count on Saabs to have exemplary seats.
Saab listened to their engineers. Even after the GM buyout, Saab's engineers were still able to differentiate their cars from the platforms they shared. When you look at some of the engineering in Saabs, it's impressive. Every car should have the equivalent of Night Panel.
Safety a big factor for me buying a 06 95 as my 2nd car I also have a 08 93 combi/hatchback.I love the power, but when I have my young family with me, I just feel safe in my Saab. Take care from Belfast Northern Ireland...
Regarding that ignition key placement, I drove a 9-3 for a few years before downgrading to a VW Polo and my knee suddenly felt more vulnerable than it ever had in a long time. And I live in Belfast.
@@marcoalexander6214 no but this is something I should look into. Seems like there is plenty of replacements but they are probably in the same conditions…
I have not... Maybe a good spring project? I've seen there's a kit to relocate but I also see some people saying to just "insulate" it against the heat?A little unsure which direction I should go in... The relocation looks much more involved.@@marcoalexander6214
I'm a huge Saab fan and even bigger GM hater but I have an opinion that most people probably won't agree with but anyways; Even if the parts used in the car were made by GM and they were cheaper because of that, this is still a Saab car through and through. It still has insanely innovative features like night panel, headlight washers, a computer in the car before it was popular, and the most Saab thing of all, safety. All of these were made a Saab a Saab and people talk like GM took that away. Yeah the 9-2X and 9-7X were just that, GM products, but GM literally wanted to kill off Saab before they needed to because they would do their own thing even if GM said not to. I admire that.
saab is really good car now I'm riding only saab's and I'm exited regarding them ;) Currently started project to restore 2000 9-5 aero wagon to perfect condition it will be may pearl in my garage
I had a 2008 93 Aero. Very fun car. Electrical problems spooked us out of it. My wife and I loved it and still talk about how nice it was to drive and own other than that. They can be a great sleeper for those boxer bros in the Subaru, which I've owned too. I did skip the white sunglasses phase of wrx ownership though. Thankfully.
The best combination I know of is the 9-2X. Saab took the Impreza wagon and fixed all the annoying design decisions. It's still a Subaru, but it's better in ways that Fuji just couldn't make it.
@@MrJMS814 didn’t ask your opinion but hey it’s the internet. You can think what you want but it was fun to drive and pretty nice inside. Opinions are opinions not facts.
My very best friend in the world was a Saab enthusiast. He loved those things. I used to hang out with him and it was a fun car, but it was quirky and a bit of a niche product. That's what drove it out of business eventually. Keep all of the quirks and you have a unique car that you can't sell enough of to make a profit. Increase the cost and they weren't unique and desirable enough to be a lower volume expensive vehicle. The only choice was to try to make them a bit more mainstream while keeping some of the uniqueness. Unfortunately, I don't think they gave it enough time. I also think that the SAAB engineers and the GM folks didn't really cooperate with each other to resolve the cars issues, with each side taking a position that they knew best. This video was fun and entertaining. Love the narration style.
Someone put the Aero badge on it. The dash instrument panel surround does not have the "stainless finish". Glad you enjoyed driving it and the honest thoughts. (We have an 08 9-5 Aero w/auto.)
The best thing about a Saab even for a European is that alot of people looked over the brand. No expectations but when they see one the always say it's something special. If they get a closer look they always seem to be inpressed by the room, the accessoires and comfort the cars have offer. They are overlooked by alot of people who are only following the mayority of the people but that makes Saab Saab. People who think outside the box and are looking for something special bought those cars and nowadays the worldwide community the brand has is still alive and very unique like the brand itself.
@@kyleglasgow007 This'll sound odd, but I'm pretty certain I knew Saab Kyle online via a 4Chan Facebook group I was in a decade ago. Can't remember, but I do remember a dude named Kyle who knew an absolute metric fuckton about Saabs, and posted on /o/ as "Saab Kyle". Thought it was you given how Mr Reg talked about you here. Sorry for the confusion all around, bud!
The very last gasp of SAAB, the last version of the 9-5, was an incredibly good looking car imo. I'd gladly snatch one up, but of all the models I fear those would have the least amount of available support.
My neighbors have two SAABs that are still in perfect condition, and they even park on the city street! It's amazing! Probably two of the last handful of SAABs still in existence!
GM didn’t buy Saturn.. they created Saturn to beat the Civic, Sentra and Corolla.(which was sold as a Geo first and then a Chevrolet as the Prism) And they actually succeeded. The SC2 was a great car that handled great, cruised on the freeway effortlessly and efficiently and the engine was refined. I drove a new Civic, New Accord and new Saturn SC2 back to back to back and the Saturn was better in almost every way. My friend was buying a new car and we test drove the 3… ultimately the Saturn won because it was $2000 cheaper, more fun to drive and the plastic body panels were great for the Rust Belt we live in. He drove it for 6 years and never had anything go wrong with it. As for Saab…. GM created their most interesting vehicles in modern Saab history. The 9.7x Aero is the most unknown and underrated enthusiast SUV ever made.. the Chevy Trailblazer SS was an instant classic and are worth a pretty penny now. The 9.7x Aero uses the same engine but the Saab is a much nicer and refined vehicle. The SS looked cool but still looked cheap. The Saab version looks refined and the proportions are perfect. The 9.2x Aero takes the same formula and applies it to the WRX. The WRX is cool but kinda ugly. The 9.2x looks brilliant. Lastly.. the final generation of the 9-5 is easily the most beautiful Saab ever made and it’s one of the most stunning designs to come out in the past 20 years. Saab was awesome in the 80s but the middle years before GM were meh… Viggen being the only desirable car during that time. I’ve never been a fan of Saabs but I truly hope to own any of the cars I mentioned. Especially the 9.7x Aero.
@@floydblandston108 that’s the problem… most who bought the Trailblazer SS bought them knowing they were special and few were driven in salt. The 9.7x is a nicer version of the SS but people who bought them bought them to drive them. I’m a 4Runner guy… 2 in row. I would have driven my 4th Gen forever but the frame was about 2 winters away from needing to be replaced from rust. Body panels were solid except for the rear hatch because Toyota used a different lighter grade steel on the hatch. That all said… I’d never spend big money on a plastic fantastic Trailblazer SS, regardless how cool it looks. I would, however, buy a 9.7X Aero from somewhere down south just to tune and take it bracket racing. Rust only happens when you drive them in the winter unless you buy a newer aluminum Ford. Frames still rust though. No matter how many cans of fluid film or Amsoil undercarriage rust protection you spray on them.
People bash on GM for buying and "ruining" saab but a blog writer explains that Saab just wasn't long for this world. Saab couldn't sell enough cars to survive nor could their low sale cars be priced high enough to earn money. And the financial struggle is why Saab had to be put up for sale in the first place. Now here comes my take which may contain inaccuracies. GM bought them and kept them alive for a few more years so we can thank them for that. It may be argued that Saab would've been better off with another owner, but whom? GM was either too cheap or too logical about reducing costs, so they made Saab share parts & designs with other brands. I guess GM's "cheapening" effect on Saab's image & owner experience, along with GM's inability to keep Saab after their own financial failure led to Saab's delayed demise. (Well, they tried to sell Saab and nobody worthwhile bought it. The next owner (much smaller than GM) failed to continue Saab production. GM also axed Pontiac and Saturn despite those making some interesting designs. They had to axe a lot despite having future plans. (Like importing a Holden UTE from Australia as a Pontiac model) I believe Volvo almost went to the same bankrupt fate as Saab, except Geely bought Volvo and was able to give tons of cash while giving independence, so Volvo could go big on R&D and thereafter increase the desirability of Volvos (and Geely can use Volvo's designs in return). Today Volvo sells great numbers. Basically i think volvo is successful but Saab failed because the companies were already different and the owners were different. Geely and GM were different owners concerning the amount of money they could invest into their step-brands. And Volvo has been more traditional than oddball Saab, therefore Volvo had a larger buying demographic. One example is Volvo took advantage of the SUV craze with the XC90 which was super successful. Saab didn't design there (i think), and GM tried to compensate by making a discontinues Oldsmobile SUV into a SAAB. But despite their efforts to differentiate the interior, handling, etc. it was still too close to the Olds SUV. Buyers could choose between Volvo XC90 (almost a completely new design) or SAAB 9-7 (still looks a lot like Oldsmobile and has the disappointing safety rating from it). GM already had too many brands to pay for. It's argued that they should never have paid to create Saturn, and instead should have invested into Chevy small cars. So they bit off more than they could chew with adding Saab, but at least they kept them alive a few more years.
I had a 9-5 Sportcombi linear from 2006 up until recently, it was very rusty but it ran like a dream. Until i hit another car this years easter in a blizzard. Surprisingly it survived it, though I think the frame became a little crooked. It still runs very good but since i never took it to inspection because I dont think it would pass after the collision I had it currently just sits. Fantastic car. I changed it out in late august to a 1987 Saab 900i and I couldnt be more happy. :)
I always thought I was a glutton for punishment, having owned four Saabs over the course of the past 20 years (1986 900, 1987 900, 1999 9-3 vert, 2001 9-3 Viggen vert). Hearing about Kyle made me feel a little less crazy. I used to live in Minneapolis, and there were Saabs everywhere. I live in New Orleans now, and I had one mechanic who was willing to touch it; otherwise, it was tow it to Houston. He is very fortunate that he can find Saabs around in Minnesota. We were fortunate enough to get an aftermarket DIC unit, but I kept the old one because I was still worried about it failing. The Viggen was my dream car since 1999, but mine was a POS when I got it. I’d love a TurboX if I could find one, but I’m on the other end of the car spectrum now: I have a 2023 Civic Type R.
I did a few mods to my Gml 05' aero AND it was making over 350whp but the auto trans was never going to live long unless it too God modified or manual swapped..that car was SO powerful and yet soooo nice
I think the main reason why saab has a cult following still to this day but didnt have enough of one back in the day to stay in business is because they were expensive. At the price point they sold there were a lot more prestigious sport luxury cars you could buy. However they had massive depreciation after going under and now they offer a lot for the money. Its hard to get a car as good and well rounded as a saab 9-5 for less money than what they can be had for, especially in todays market.
My son recently bought his first car, an 05 9-3t manual. He and his friends are having a great time scouring boneyards for parts and improving it bit by bit. It’s different, classy, quietly capable, just like him. I’m so very proud of him.
Very nice car! Quite reliable as well from my personal experience.
good for him, I had one of those for my second car. They're safe too!
(I'll also add that I've never been pulled over in almost 20 years of driving Saabs, I think they're invisible to police)
Beautifully written!
You sound like such a supportive parent and i’m sure he’s so thankful for that.
Real Saab hours.
Audi guy here timeing chain issues thats why im late.
3:22 AM 25 year old nissan maxima owner I'm just here while she warms up in the snow
taco owner here, was too busy overlanding and pretending i need a midsized truck to do so.
Fun times!
@@kinlaw-216 rofl
The Roman is like the substitute teacher you need on a Monday morning while trying to sober up after a weekend of hard partying with Mr. Regular.
Roman and Mr. Regular may have COMPLETELY different energies in their videos but despite that they're still able to utilize the same format in the same way and provide highly interesting and entertaining videos with their own personalities.
Love your work guys I hope you enjoy doing it and continue to enjoy doing it
Mr Regular: Do you enjoy BUTT STUFF!?
The Roman: Here's a song about why yes, you DO enjoy the butt STUFF.
@@thorgot911😅😅
RCR never disappoints when it comes to honest reviews and great humor.
No they don't. This was a nice, unexpected surprise this morning.
I remember dad telling me back during the 2008 recession and gm bankruptcy/restructuring a year later, describing SAAB as a "20 year old anchor"!
The more I hear about Saab, the more videos i watch, the more I appreciate them for existing. Thank you Roman and thanks to them.
Top Gears Tribute to Saab that they did was fantastic!
@@KittRemboIt's the least they could do,since they presented every SAAB like trash years before that...
Thanks for having me Roman. It’s a pleasure to work with y’all as always.
One thing I should note is that this car was $600 with no pictures or any other information and I bought it with 100,000 miles from the original owner. Parts support for this is quite easy and most people have the impression that this is a very difficult car to live with but it is very much not the case. I think I’ve had every year of 95 apart from 99 through 2001. I absolutely love this body style and era of Car and I will die on the hill that this is the best made Saab. I’ve had several 900s, several 9000s and a pair of 9-3’s, this takes a cake as the best one to have. I have owned a lot of Saab’s “greatest hits” from an 85’ 900 SPG, an 85’ 900 Turbo 16 5 speed, a 10’ 9-3 SS 6 speed, and a 9000 Aero 5 speed; the 9-5 is a better vehicle than all of them & I will die on that hill. I’ve driven plenty of 99’s & a couple 96’s & 95’s and a handful of Sonett’s, but these will always be my favorite the reliability, practicality performance good fuel, economy, and comfort is unmatched
Fellow Saab nut. Owner of 3.
Thanks to Romans three hour discourse.
Buy old Volvo and part with the "Different individual blabla contact switch" thing.
You have good taste in cars. I've never had the pleasure of owning a Saab but I admire their engineering. Every car needs the equivalent of Night Panel. The 9-5 SportCombi is a looker.
@@appelsapman434 I’ve had 13 or 14 Volvo’s & had a job working on them for 4 or 5 years; they are worse cars. I still own a 2005 Volvo S60 T5 with 343k on it. Saab made better cars by far.
I've owned a 1995 900 Turbo and a 1998 9000 CSE with the Aero spec engine. I'd love to have another Saab 9000
I’ve owned 9 Saabs since 1985. My daily driver is a 2008 9-3 Aero. I love them; they’re sporty, distinctive and comfortable. I don’t know where to go next if I ever have to replace my ‘08!
Get another one, duh!
My daily is a 2007 9-5 Aero and I love it! Its my first car ever too so I didnt take the best care of it when i first got it which i regret now but its still in pretty good condition.
“Nearly everyone has some sort of beef with GM and what they’ve done to any number of their brands through in-action. Or worse, by having ideas.”
Two words…… Holden Commodore.
And a name…… Peter Hanenberger.
and Dustbuster vans such as the 1989-1997 Lumina MPV 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette van (1990-2003) and the Pontiac Transport(1990-1997). The second generation of the vans were turds as well and they didn't even use the ubiquitous GM 231 3800 Series II V-6 best V-6 engine ever and from 1995-2008 Ward's 10 best engines. they used the crap 3.4L DOHC V-6 that was a POS interference engines with timing belts if you dont change the timing belts every 35k miles goodbye engine and these were the (1998-2008) Chevrolet Venture/Uplander (1998-2005) Pontiac Montana van (1996-2004) Oldsmobile Silhouette van (2004-2009) Saturn Relay and these at the end also had the two crappiest engines the 3.4L 3400 SFI DOHC V-6 and the crappy interference 3.6L VVT V-6 both blew head gaskets and timing belts/chains.
Leo Pruneau was their
@@chrislemaster2695the vans didn't use the DOHC 3.4, they used the OHV
In-action
@@chrislemaster2695 That was just an expansion of the 3.1 ohv V6 that was available on them earlier. They got the made-in-USA variant of it. Then the 1st generation Equinox and Torrent got the Chinese-made version of the same engine after GM decided to go to the High Feature V6 for the next generation and discontinue the 60° V6.
Kyle is such a genuine dude. When my car was down he let me borrow his old 9-5 kombi manual and that car was great. I also borrowed what I think was a 9-3. Both very fun to drive vehicles. Great episode!
A friend of my mom used to have a Saab Convertible from the 90es. She used to drive different dailies over the past 20 years but always kept the Saab in her garage despite the presumable "cheap" price she paid back then. Even though her husband asked her multiple times if she doesnt wanna move on and get a newer convertivle, she always had that special place for this weird nugget of a car.
The prefacelift 9-5 interior before GM bastardized it with their plastics and cheap leather are gorgeous and luxurious as any German or British car. But on the other hand I love the stealthy 9X Concept inspired facelift. Also, clam shell hood with 3 washer jet nozzles. Quirky cool.
2004 and 2005 are the best years of the 9-5, especially if you can get the Aero trim. They still have the pre facelift interior, and the Aero models had a unique front bumper that looked really mean.
@@97I30T 99-01 are the best quality years, there are slight changes where plastic have extra reinforcements, extra foam cushion pads until clips, the door cards have an extra pad for the arm, better/more insulation, etc. Once 02 came all that was cut. 04-05 is only the favorite because it has a pretty face.
@@davevq weren't there "thousands" of improvements made between 99-01 models and 02-05 models? Whether they be to the engine, chassis, interior etc?
Agreed.
@@davevq The 2006+ tend to be more reliable though, they also all come with the T turbo. I'll admit they are also more plastic-y inside.
Anyone in the UK who has a late-era Saab will quickly get tired of turning up to car meets to a chorus of "Nice Vectra!"
I do that to one of my costumers in car wash
YPSILON
9:28 9-5 doesn't have a flexfuel sensor. It senses the e85 content with the O2 sensor and it choose between two fuel maps. You could make a 1997 saab 9-5 identify as a a biopower by just flashing a biopower firmware into the ECU. Very peculiar. Also knock sensing resides in the ignitions coils (yes believe me on this) unlike any other fuel injection system. Trionic use Can bus to communicate widely.
Tronic was way ahead of its time. Huge tuning potential. There is overclocking going on in Sweden on t7 ecus. Soldering on new Chips on old ecus to make them have a higher clockspeed.
The Trionic system is also used on some versions to simulate a cam sensor signal as well, by detecting the difference in spark resistance from compression to exhaust stroke. Neat stuff.
@@laddtryck hell, I run Trionic 5 on my Toyota Pickup's 22RE custom turbo engine. Its cheaper than any standalone ECU and just as easy to retrofit.
@@Saabeh damn! Thats rad!
@@laddtryck Thanks, should be some old videos on my channel. It is now a turn key rock crawler that can still do 85 on the highway because of the turbo and T5. Also running a Saab FPR, turbo etc.
"nostalgia is the great equaliser in the continuum of merit" - beautiful
Man it's WILD how much better the Roman videos are than the Mr Regular ones
Roman actually puts some effort into it, does his research, and is respectful
Mr Regular just unabashedly *despises* anything thats not 90's Japanese
The fact that you managed to bring a reference to Outkast into a video about Saab proves you are a master of your craft! 👍🏾
My Mom had a 2003 9-3 manual convertible. Didn't like the car at first but ended up loving the entire brand. We went on so many fun trips in that car with the top down in the beautiful Rocky Mountains.
A lady ran a stop sign and totaled the Saab. If I wasn't 14 at the time I would have tried to buy it back. Grateful we were able to own a Saab.
I Miss that car and Saab.
I have a 2006 9 5 stored in my garage since 2020. Bought it for $650 from Copart in Hawaii in 2017. It now has exactly 48,000 miles and just needs the oil cooler lines replaced. The parts have been here since 2021. Someday I will get to it! Otherwise, a beautiful Polar White sedan in MINT condition.
Many years ago my best friend in high school got a 900 Turbo. I fell in love with Saab back in the late 80s. I've owned 5 Saab cars over the years. Just last week purchased a 2011 9-3 convertible in wonderful condition with 60,000K on it. I have a Volvo V60 Cross country but will always adore SAAB!! ❤❤
got a 9-5 griffin vector 2-3t BP from 2009. Runs like a dream, more reliable than most newer cars and definetly quite a lot of torque and power for being a car that can fit 5 ppl and their camping luggage. Only thing you need to consider is, a saab means you can´t be mechanically inept. You gotta learn to perform simple oil and filter changes yourself because this car requires oilchanges about twice as often as your standard family car (150 000 km as opposed to 250 000 km).
No issues finding parts though I live in Sweden where these cars are plentiful in traffic and at dealerships.
As a Swede thanks for this video @Roman.
Had a buch of saabs, 9000 A50 was the nices to sit in.
The later gen 9-5 (not the last opel insignia copy but one like in the video) was a nice daily.
Huge boot for hauling stuff tons of power when you needed it but the gasmileage isn't great for it's time tho kinda average even worse with ethanol (around 1.5L/m, whatever that is in MPG)
Still see some around on the streets but they are sadly less and less for each year.
"Fun fact" there was a Swedish version of your Ford vs Chevy guys but between saab and volvo here.
Hour 9 of my 12 hour night shift and I see this video in my feed ❤
Clearly there's something special about the 9-5, I told my friend I wanted a Cadillac or a Lincoln but they were too expensive. my friend had a 9-5 and he told me if I ever find one to buy one. I'm glad you did this video because I haven't found anyone else who has one
RCR videos with a song at the end always make my day. Even if the rest of the video is fire, no song outro kinda diminishes the experience compared to ones with them.
My family always drove Saab's ever since my mom bought a 1978 99 Liftback as a first car. I grew up riding in the backseat of a 1984 Saab 900 3-door hatch. My aunts and uncles went through a series of 900's, 9000's, 9-3's, and 9-5's. I learned to drive in my parents 9-5 Wagon "Gary Fisher Edition" that came with its own mountain bike, which we still have. My first car was a 2001 Saab 9-5 base model that I managed to get for $750 in non-running condition and fixed by simply nudging the throttle-body back into place. That car got me through night graduate school and my first real day job. The independent mechanics that still specialize in Saab's keep the brand alive and I've become good friends with mine. He fixes my Buick Roadmaster now.
These are surprisingly good cars given the GM influence, but I can understand how it doesn't even make the top (bottom?) 5. I can't wait for the next race to the bottom, I own the vehicle in the upcoming video. I don't want to give anything away, but I'm excited to see where it gets placed. It was a blast going out there to film with you guys!
Tell me the name of the vehicle or I won't be your friend anymore! 😂
@@darksu6947 I can't spoil it, but I will say its such a regular vehicle that I was surprised they hadn't done a video on it before.
After having drivers license over 23 years I just bought my very first 2004 Saab 9-5 wagon 2.0t with stage one chip (225 hp and 350 NM) and manual. Now that was not my intention. I was looking for Volvo S60 or V70, but curiosity won and I tried Saab. I must say that Saab won my heart. This is model with less GM influence. I can't believe I actually like it. Now it's my daily driver and it feels like a tank compared to my previous 2001 Nissan Maxima.
I've been waiting for this video for 6 years, owned 2 of these best cars ever
Would love to have you up in Maine for a saab review! 1973 Saab Sonett 3, 1992 saab 900 turbo convertible, 2004 Saab 9-5 Aero, 2005 Saab Hirsch 9-5 TrollR, 2010 Saab NG9-5 6 speed manual, 2010 Saab 9-3 convertible
I personally didn't grow up knowing Saab but I always loved the 9-3 Turbo X Sportcombi. They are beautiful European designs.
My 2007 9⁵ Sportcombi "Dame" was my favorite of the 9⁵'s, and was very reliable compared to pre-Dame 9⁵'s. Absolutely love that car.
I live in trollhättan where their factory is. Looks like they will start building the Nevs Emily GT here.
Great work Roman! Your take on Saab is well researched and fair. At this point you're as much of an expert as most owners. I hope you get to review more Saab models someday.
I have this same model year 9-5 wagon with B205 motor (2l with Garrett turbo) as a daily driver and it has been the most expensive cheap car I have ever owned. During the two year ownership I have fixed/done for preventive maintenance: DI-Casette,timing chain, AC compressor along with all the lines, most likely all the bushings, broken garrett turbo to Mitsubishi TD04hl-15t, bigger injectors, ecu remap (260hp/400Nm E85) plus all the regular maintanance. It also spun a bearing caused by a clogged pickup and that was "fixed" just by replacing the bottom end bearings and cleaning the engine. I was extremely sceptical about this but it has suprisingly hold well for +40 000km after that (at the moment 330 000km on the clock).
Realiably? High milage ones not really but it has been the best highway cruiser I have ever owned.
Recently sold a 9-5 Aero Wagon. Was a lovely car to drive, fast on the highway, super comfy!! Transmission went out and I just couldn't justify the money to fix it, luckily found another Saab person who was more than willing to fix it, so sent it off to a good home! Loved that car.
I am a station wagon guy and this model will be remembered as my favorite estate. Comfort, performance, style and good gas mileage. I miss it.
Thank you for the superb video. I still miss my 1999 SE. The 205 HP, high output turbo that came with the manual transmission was fun. The interior was just luxurious enough. Once my children outgrew booster seats, they loved the heated rear seats. The huge hatchback offered CUV utility.
HPT. High pressure turbo, not high output.
@@appelsapman434Hmm. I bought the car used, but I thought that the SE when equipped with an automatic transmission it was designated at a low output while my manual transmission, which had a sticker inside the gasoline door “Requires 91 Octane” was designated “High Output.”
I bought my 07 9-5 with manual transmission for $800. It needed a crank position sensor (and still needs an ignition cassette). I towed it home and for 1 hour worth of work to put a CPS in it. I'm satisfied.
I loved my 03 Saab arc launch edition and I really wish I kept her thank you for your coverage of one of my favorite car brands
I have owned two Saabs. An 05 9-3 convertible and an 07 9-5 wagon with the turbo and a five speed manual. The 9-5 was a fantastic car. You do get used to the ignition. Getting used to the weird cupholder never happened though.
Man, I finally finished your Life and Death of SAAB video and this is the cherry on the top of the shit sundae that SAAB went through. Perfect timing.
Few points: 1) Saab never lost the Saabness - they kept the emphasis on driving experience, top notch safety, great balance of power/efficiency and creature comforts through the years. Yes, GM cheapness shows, but that Saab heart is there. 2) Saab flubbed some things in late 90's/early 2000's which damaged their relationship with some customers. 3) Saab spent money where it counted and was ahead of its time in many ways - quality leather seats, Aisin autos, Mitsubishi turbos, Harmon Kardon audio, high strength safety cages, etc, but unfortunately the mass public did not register it. As Jeremy Clarkson noted ~ "You can't see where they spent the money until you crash one."
Mr. Roman, you've come so far in this craft. The presentation of this video is confident and on-point. Keep it up, man. You're crushing it.
I had the saloon version of this 9-5. A 2.3 litre petrol turbo. Supremely comfortable, wallowy and eager when you put your foot down. Also, the cup holder was pure sci-fi.
For whatever it's worth - back in 2017, I took a 6-week road-trip from Halifax, Nova Scotia to San Francisco, California and back again in a new(ish) Nissan Sentra -- and loved it! Anyway, this was a great video! Everything you do well was in abundance in this video. If you and Mr. Regular ever do a nostalgia tour, this video should definitely be in the set-list.
Falling back to sleep to saab review and roman's wonderfully calming voice is what i need right now.
18:12 Never thought I’d hear an Avril Lavigne reference in one of these videos!
Great review Roman!
I just sold one of these about eight months ago. Great car. The power never ceased to amaze me. The pre dame Edna ones had better interiors for sure .
I’ve had both
Saabs were absolutely brilliant cars. A lot of people blame GM for killing Saab but would they have survived on their own? I doubt it. Saab always wanted to build the best car possible. While being great for the consumer, it just was not profitable to operate like that. In the late years a lot of the most beautiful cars to ever be produced (NG 9-3 and NG 9-5) made their appearance. I love my 08 9-3 SportCombi and still turn back around when I leave it pretty much every time. The love for my car is as strong as on the first day. Hot take: No matter what happened, Saab had to die. No way around it.
Wer should be glad that they existed, not sad that they don't anymore. Let's just appreciate them as long as we can
Saab needed GM's money to last as long as they did. They were engineer's cars first. While GM sucked the life out of Saab with their forced platform-sharing and neglect, Saab wouldn't have made it into the 2000s without GM. If Saab had survived into today as an independent brand I imagine they'd be like Polestar, making quirky EVs and maybe a moderately spicy 9-3 turbo.
I bought one used in 2011 and i loved the way it felt on I-95 speeding late to work
A 9-5 Aero manual has been on my want list for 20 years. They're so great, relaxed and comfortable but fast. Ridiculous with a tune and bolt ons.
My dad owned a same gen black 9-5 sedan when I was a kid from 6 years old to 10. Lots of fond memories of riding in the back of that thing, or the front if I was being good. Always enjoyed the quirky design of it, those air vents with the middle joystick were fun to play with, and the light up seatbelt sign behind the dome light looked so cool to me as if we were in an airplane. And the design made it such an easy car to pick out in a carpark or when my dad picked me up from school. Sadly it met it's demise in a fire, there was a phone charger plugged into the cigarette lighter and I presume the car being off didn't break the connection between the battery and that so it got very hot during the day. My dad was driving home from work and saw a glow low down in the console, he stopped and a few flames started wisping out. The source was so deep down in the console he couldn't put it out and called the fire brigade. He got out and soon the thing burst up in flames. The fire must have melted the harness cause the horn started blaring after a while just constantly on, as if the car was crying in agony. The car has a weird hood latch so when the firefighters arrived they took a long time trying to pry the hood open to disconnect the battery, they mangled the whole thing but ended up doing so and extinguished the car. It was a bit frightening at home wondering where my dad was then getting a call that the car had burnt down, he was absolutely fine though, and me being a car guy even as a kid, I grieved that thing for a while but in the back of my mind I was also excited on what our next car would be!
The RCR ability to seamlessly weave literary references, wit and straight up poetry into ... regular car review videos never ceases to amaze me. ❤
Great video, I thought you summarized Saab very well! I had a ‘07 and now have a ‘09 93 2.0T. I’ve driven a fair amount of cars and they just seem to have something different about them that makes them great. While they’re not necessarily the best at anything, they’re really good at a lot of things.
This sums it up pretty well. Facelift 9-3s are pretty much just an above average car in every reapect. I have a ‘09 aero ttid and the car has really no downsides, but nothing too exceptional on paper either. Still, there is some magic about just cruising around in it. It’s comfy, but not too soft, sporty, but not too fast and has very respectable fuel economy and is very reliable. I also kinda lied about the car not being super spectacular in some aspect. The facelifted 9-3 received the highest safety rating in its class BOTH in USA and EU for three years in a row.
I’m selling my ‘06 SAAB 9 5 Sport Combi. Best looking SAAB ever. Never thought in a jillion years I’d drive a SAAB. Years ago my wife said it stands for “Something An A-hole Buys”, and we both laughed. Those original ignition cassettes are key. Zero turbo lag for sure. The wagon is incredibly rare - makes me wonder why they bothered selling them in the US.
So the reason for selling is...?
@@nakoma5 I work from home so it mostly sits, I only use it for things like doctor appointments. Plus I don’t have a garage so it is starting to weather. Other things need fixing that I’m not motivated to repair.
Some people say it stands for "Something Almost Always Broken", and though I love them, thats not far off the mark.
@@marcoalexander6214 That’s a good one too. And I can attest to its accuracy.
They didn't buy Saturn, they created it.
I got my first Saab a couple months ago, it’s a 2003 9-5 aero with all the extras. It’s things like the rooftop dvd player, sun roof, quietly capable turbocharged goodness. It has amazing boot space (mines a sedan and I’ve never seen a larger boot)
I usually work on my own cars but I will admit I was a little afraid of this car and took it to an euro guy. I paid $3k aud cash for it (a one owner car) and have since dumped like $7k aud into replacing a lot of neglected parts etc so it’ll be reliable for years to come.
I really love it’s quirkyness and I hope to get a Saab 900 eventually (my current second car is a 1978 w116 merc) a classic and modern Saab as my two cars is my dream car
Loved my '03 9-5 Aero and was very sad when the 1000 year floods we had in Colorado a decade ago totaled it. The ventilated seats were great and it was an amazing highway cruiser.
Screw you for never responding to my countless requests to review my saab 9-5 but thanks for finally giving this car the spotlight.
My uncle still drives a 9-5 wagon from the mid/late 90s that he bought new back then and he still loves it.
It has had some issues over the years, and despite my pleas for him to swap to a very similar Mercedes E-Class Wagon or similar, he just can't imagine living without all the classic Saab quirks. They really did make some interesting cars.
Got 07 9-3 and I love it, most comfortable seats I've had in a car
The 06-09 9-5 is one of the best cars you'll ever own.
04-05 is better
I feel llike the saabs drive a lot better than their opel counterparts, they're amazing to drive in the winter
Ignition cassette, fuel pump are most likely to go out on these Saabs. But the 95 2.3 Aero is a great car, already a classic. Not the first choice for gear heads, but has more character than some Audi/VW or BMW 5-series.
What a review! Like a symphony in 9-5.
I just can‘t get my fingers off that Saab! It‘s now my 3rd Aero.
Greetings from Switzerland.
Even in a wealthy microcosm like the CA Bay Area, I still didn't see an abundance of Saabs when they were still sold. But every time I did a thought occurred to me: I bet you're an interesting or quirky person. I was never let down talking to Saab owners in that regard.
There are a couple around me in Noe Valley and Corona Heights in SF. I just see a pre charge to even touch these things. Even the auto tow guy knew you were in tough when Saab was still a fashionable option. They missed out on the leasing revolution. Difficult to get smogged from out of state here.🚗🚘🎺
I think they sold best in the northeast region. I feel like I see more when I am in CT, MA, VT, ME, though I see them in PA as well.
My grandfather owned that car but the 2005 model, bought it after he sold his black 97 9000. He was guy with good sense. He bought a Lexus after that and it served him well, but he always missed the reserved but distinctive style that Saabs had. I still believe that foldaway is the coolest cup holder put in a car.
Growing up and sitting in the GM Saabs at auto shows, I still felt some special care went into them, usually chalked up to “quirkiness” in magazines, in the 9-3 and 9-5, and devoid of any ideas about authenticity and “Real Saabs,” that was enough for me. I had a vision of growing up and daily driving a Saab because they were functional, they were “nice,” and they weren’t the obvious choice. Sadly they wouldn’t be there when I finally had the means but to this day I’m still eyeing 9-3s for that “someday” project car.
Also, even in the GM years, you could always count on Saabs to have exemplary seats.
Saab listened to their engineers. Even after the GM buyout, Saab's engineers were still able to differentiate their cars from the platforms they shared. When you look at some of the engineering in Saabs, it's impressive. Every car should have the equivalent of Night Panel.
Safety a big factor for me buying a 06 95 as my 2nd car I also have a 08 93 combi/hatchback.I love the power, but when I have my young family with me, I just feel safe in my Saab. Take care from Belfast Northern Ireland...
Regarding that ignition key placement, I drove a 9-3 for a few years before downgrading to a VW Polo and my knee suddenly felt more vulnerable than it ever had in a long time.
And I live in Belfast.
My 3k 114k '07 9-3 has outlived every one of my family member's cars. I still get the "you're still driving that?" when I pull up to family functions.
thats hilarious. the 07 9-3 is pretty reliable. hopefully you relocated the ecu?
@@marcoalexander6214 no but this is something I should look into. Seems like there is plenty of replacements but they are probably in the same conditions…
I have not... Maybe a good spring project? I've seen there's a kit to relocate but I also see some people saying to just "insulate" it against the heat?A little unsure which direction I should go in... The relocation looks much more involved.@@marcoalexander6214
I'm a huge Saab fan and even bigger GM hater but I have an opinion that most people probably won't agree with but anyways; Even if the parts used in the car were made by GM and they were cheaper because of that, this is still a Saab car through and through. It still has insanely innovative features like night panel, headlight washers, a computer in the car before it was popular, and the most Saab thing of all, safety. All of these were made a Saab a Saab and people talk like GM took that away. Yeah the 9-2X and 9-7X were just that, GM products, but GM literally wanted to kill off Saab before they needed to because they would do their own thing even if GM said not to. I admire that.
You're not Nick Roman....you are THE Nick Roman. Excellent vid as always!
I have a 2002 Impala which is the generation heavily inspired by the SAAB 9 5, it's an awesome and very underrated car
It was? In what way exactly?
@@nakoma5 If you Google it, there's a few good articles that explain. Plus, look at the two side by side. I love this Gen Impala
saab is really good car now I'm riding only saab's and I'm exited regarding them ;) Currently started project to restore 2000 9-5 aero wagon to perfect condition it will be may pearl in my garage
I had a 2008 93 Aero. Very fun car. Electrical problems spooked us out of it. My wife and I loved it and still talk about how nice it was to drive and own other than that. They can be a great sleeper for those boxer bros in the Subaru, which I've owned too. I did skip the white sunglasses phase of wrx ownership though. Thankfully.
The best combination I know of is the 9-2X. Saab took the Impreza wagon and fixed all the annoying design decisions. It's still a Subaru, but it's better in ways that Fuji just couldn't make it.
Worst model they ever made. Not a real Saab
@@MrJMS814 didn’t ask your opinion but hey it’s the internet. You can think what you want but it was fun to drive and pretty nice inside. Opinions are opinions not facts.
My very best friend in the world was a Saab enthusiast. He loved those things. I used to hang out with him and it was a fun car, but it was quirky and a bit of a niche product. That's what drove it out of business eventually. Keep all of the quirks and you have a unique car that you can't sell enough of to make a profit. Increase the cost and they weren't unique and desirable enough to be a lower volume expensive vehicle. The only choice was to try to make them a bit more mainstream while keeping some of the uniqueness. Unfortunately, I don't think they gave it enough time. I also think that the SAAB engineers and the GM folks didn't really cooperate with each other to resolve the cars issues, with each side taking a position that they knew best. This video was fun and entertaining. Love the narration style.
10/10 Roman!! Looking forward to seeing the rest of the series!
I’m not sure if I watched a car review or a philosophy dissertation, but this was an awesome video and review. Thanks I enjoyed every moment of it!
Props to the owner for saving this car from the scrapper. It deserved to be saved. It still looks great today.
Someone put the Aero badge on it. The dash instrument panel surround does not have the "stainless finish". Glad you enjoyed driving it and the honest thoughts. (We have an 08 9-5 Aero w/auto.)
The best thing about a Saab even for a European is that alot of people looked over the brand. No expectations but when they see one the always say it's something special. If they get a closer look they always seem to be inpressed by the room, the accessoires and comfort the cars have offer. They are overlooked by alot of people who are only following the mayority of the people but that makes Saab Saab. People who think outside the box and are looking for something special bought those cars and nowadays the worldwide community the brand has is still alive and very unique like the brand itself.
Saab Kyle is a dope dude. Glad you payed him respect here in this video.
Hahahaha I’m not that Saab Kyle
He's one of the OGs of TH-cam car reviews. He did review videos before car review videos were even a genre.
@@kyleglasgow007 This'll sound odd, but I'm pretty certain I knew Saab Kyle online via a 4Chan Facebook group I was in a decade ago. Can't remember, but I do remember a dude named Kyle who knew an absolute metric fuckton about Saabs, and posted on /o/ as "Saab Kyle". Thought it was you given how Mr Reg talked about you here. Sorry for the confusion all around, bud!
The very last gasp of SAAB, the last version of the 9-5, was an incredibly good looking car imo. I'd gladly snatch one up, but of all the models I fear those would have the least amount of available support.
My neighbors have two SAABs that are still in perfect condition, and they even park on the city street! It's amazing! Probably two of the last handful of SAABs still in existence!
GM didn’t buy Saturn.. they created Saturn to beat the Civic, Sentra and Corolla.(which was sold as a Geo first and then a Chevrolet as the Prism)
And they actually succeeded. The SC2 was a great car that handled great, cruised on the freeway effortlessly and efficiently and the engine was refined. I drove a new Civic, New Accord and new Saturn SC2 back to back to back and the Saturn was better in almost every way. My friend was buying a new car and we test drove the 3… ultimately the Saturn won because it was $2000 cheaper, more fun to drive and the plastic body panels were great for the Rust Belt we live in. He drove it for 6 years and never had anything go wrong with it.
As for Saab…. GM created their most interesting vehicles in modern Saab history. The 9.7x Aero is the most unknown and underrated enthusiast SUV ever made.. the Chevy Trailblazer SS was an instant classic and are worth a pretty penny now. The 9.7x Aero uses the same engine but the Saab is a much nicer and refined vehicle. The SS looked cool but still looked cheap. The Saab version looks refined and the proportions are perfect.
The 9.2x Aero takes the same formula and applies it to the WRX. The WRX is cool but kinda ugly. The 9.2x looks brilliant.
Lastly.. the final generation of the 9-5 is easily the most beautiful Saab ever made and it’s one of the most stunning designs to come out in the past 20 years.
Saab was awesome in the 80s but the middle years before GM were meh… Viggen being the only desirable car during that time.
I’ve never been a fan of Saabs but I truly hope to own any of the cars I mentioned. Especially the 9.7x Aero.
@@floydblandston108 that’s the problem… most who bought the Trailblazer SS bought them knowing they were special and few were driven in salt. The 9.7x is a nicer version of the SS but people who bought them bought them to drive them. I’m a 4Runner guy… 2 in row. I would have driven my 4th Gen forever but the frame was about 2 winters away from needing to be replaced from rust. Body panels were solid except for the rear hatch because Toyota used a different lighter grade steel on the hatch. That all said… I’d never spend big money on a plastic fantastic Trailblazer SS, regardless how cool it looks. I would, however, buy a 9.7X Aero from somewhere down south just to tune and take it bracket racing. Rust only happens when you drive them in the winter unless you buy a newer aluminum Ford. Frames still rust though. No matter how many cans of fluid film or Amsoil undercarriage rust protection you spray on them.
People bash on GM for buying and "ruining" saab but a blog writer explains that Saab just wasn't long for this world. Saab couldn't sell enough cars to survive nor could their low sale cars be priced high enough to earn money. And the financial struggle is why Saab had to be put up for sale in the first place.
Now here comes my take which may contain inaccuracies. GM bought them and kept them alive for a few more years so we can thank them for that. It may be argued that Saab would've been better off with another owner, but whom?
GM was either too cheap or too logical about reducing costs, so they made Saab share parts & designs with other brands.
I guess GM's "cheapening" effect on Saab's image & owner experience, along with GM's inability to keep Saab after their own financial failure led to Saab's delayed demise. (Well, they tried to sell Saab and nobody worthwhile bought it. The next owner (much smaller than GM) failed to continue Saab production.
GM also axed Pontiac and Saturn despite those making some interesting designs. They had to axe a lot despite having future plans. (Like importing a Holden UTE from Australia as a Pontiac model)
I believe Volvo almost went to the same bankrupt fate as Saab, except Geely bought Volvo and was able to give tons of cash while giving independence, so Volvo could go big on R&D and thereafter increase the desirability of Volvos (and Geely can use Volvo's designs in return). Today Volvo sells great numbers.
Basically i think volvo is successful but Saab failed because the companies were already different and the owners were different. Geely and GM were different owners concerning the amount of money they could invest into their step-brands.
And Volvo has been more traditional than oddball Saab, therefore Volvo had a larger buying demographic.
One example is Volvo took advantage of the SUV craze with the XC90 which was super successful. Saab didn't design there (i think), and GM tried to compensate by making a discontinues Oldsmobile SUV into a SAAB. But despite their efforts to differentiate the interior, handling, etc. it was still too close to the Olds SUV. Buyers could choose between Volvo XC90 (almost a completely new design) or SAAB 9-7 (still looks a lot like Oldsmobile and has the disappointing safety rating from it).
GM already had too many brands to pay for. It's argued that they should never have paid to create Saturn, and instead should have invested into Chevy small cars. So they bit off more than they could chew with adding Saab, but at least they kept them alive a few more years.
I had a 9-5 Sportcombi linear from 2006 up until recently, it was very rusty but it ran like a dream. Until i hit another car this years easter in a blizzard. Surprisingly it survived it, though I think the frame became a little crooked. It still runs very good but since i never took it to inspection because I dont think it would pass after the collision I had it currently just sits. Fantastic car. I changed it out in late august to a 1987 Saab 900i and I couldnt be more happy. :)
Highlight of my week, thanks roman
I always thought I was a glutton for punishment, having owned four Saabs over the course of the past 20 years (1986 900, 1987 900, 1999 9-3 vert, 2001 9-3 Viggen vert). Hearing about Kyle made me feel a little less crazy. I used to live in Minneapolis, and there were Saabs everywhere. I live in New Orleans now, and I had one mechanic who was willing to touch it; otherwise, it was tow it to Houston. He is very fortunate that he can find Saabs around in Minnesota. We were fortunate enough to get an aftermarket DIC unit, but I kept the old one because I was still worried about it failing. The Viggen was my dream car since 1999, but mine was a POS when I got it. I’d love a TurboX if I could find one, but I’m on the other end of the car spectrum now: I have a 2023 Civic Type R.
3:20 - the pinnacle of a Roman Review
"But I keep coming back to the idea of fairness..."
Man's quotability rivals that of Mr. Reg
This is a beautiful video, thank you Roman
Hey! I really like Cut the Crap. I get it though. ¡Great video Roman! It's great to hear your voice narrating a video again.
The Aero was a dope sports sedan.
I like the out and inside 💠 of this car, so many facets of design. Like every foot has a design. I need to research the design team
Had a '99 1st gen Saab 9-5 Wagon. Oversized, underpowered. Loved that damn thing. RIP.
I did a few mods to my Gml 05' aero AND it was making over 350whp but the auto trans was never going to live long unless it too God modified or manual swapped..that car was SO powerful and yet soooo nice
I think the main reason why saab has a cult following still to this day but didnt have enough of one back in the day to stay in business is because they were expensive. At the price point they sold there were a lot more prestigious sport luxury cars you could buy. However they had massive depreciation after going under and now they offer a lot for the money. Its hard to get a car as good and well rounded as a saab 9-5 for less money than what they can be had for, especially in todays market.
15:05 That stop sign can go straight to hell.
Only applies to cars that weren’t born from jets 😎