I had same model car, same colour for 8 years. I sold it at 190,000 miles and it still drove really well and looked great both internally and external. Original hood was still working fine and had plenty of life left. Always parked on driveway in UK. Problems - 2 air conditioning pumps failed, turbo failed at 150,000, other than that it was extremely reliable, used everyday. The car was serviced by specialist SAAB and they always used castrol oil. Only reason for sale was emigrating. Saab cars around year 2000 were really well made, I also had 2 SAAB 9-5 cars which had similar problems and similar reliability.
Seth: Me again, just wanted to say you’ve made a thoroughly enjoyable video of your old generation nine three. One of the best videos I’ve seen about this model Saab.
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed! Your comment right there is the reason I enjoy making these videos, it’s awesome to be able to make stuff that people like
Looking at one of these right now because I want to learn how to drive a manual and just cause I’ve always thought Saabs looked cool. Awesome to see you thought the same, can’t wait to get one myself. Great video thanks!
Nice Review, I have a 02 SE version, getting some work done to it, larger Turbo, InterCooler, Cold Air intake. Looking forward to driving it again, once I get it back
These iconoclastic cars have soul and they grow on you. I've got a '99 5 door. No lock button in your middle console by the parking brake lever, eh? Ah- they turned the central lock button into "all window control" button. That's odd because it appears there are a couple of blank areas on that panel they could have used instead, and besides, the way the normal window switches are designed, one can easily operate all four.
Fun to tag along on this one. I’ve got an 01 Viggen Vert and didn’t realize the the all-4 window switch was one touch down, surprised I learned something new, thanks Seth. Anywho, I also very much like that wood dash fascia!
Hi Seth, beautiful car. Super video. Thanks so much. We seem to have a little in common (though you've got better repair skills.) Also was about to buy a 300 SL or CLK. Both look great but they drive like tractors. Just sayin', personal opinion. But Saab is different. It dances, sometimes a waltz, then a tango. In a word, the 9-3 is just an absolute blast to drive. ("I think I forgot to pick up some west african guavas at the store. I need those. I'd better get in the car, put the top down, and go pick some up. You never know! And I know it's only three bottles, but it's never wrong to drive to the glass recycling place -- the long way.") Anyway, I've a 2001 SE, also in silver (B205R). Love it. A few tidbits don't work (power mirrors), but I have fingers and I'm the only driver, so I'm not constantly changing mirror positions, so it's all good. (Side mirrors last adjusted: August 2021.) It's a T7, so I immediately installed a crankcase ventilation kit (70 Euro) and (very important) cleaned the oil pan sieve (was just borderline full of sludge). My mechanic was smart and replaced the crankshaft bearings for me while the pan was off. A very good idea. Oh yes, I bought it with a broken 5th gear -- so that was replaced (and my mechanic gave me a very generous price on that. Now it works perfectly.) Alot of highway with the 1,200 KG boat behind me, so I don't use 5th gear when towing -- never use 5th gear when towing, ever! -- , but at other times it is nice to have. Tip for the seats: use a good leather cleaner and conditioner (McGuires does the job, but there are lots of others. OK, you've alread got a bit of UV damage, but there are masses of leather car seat repair videos and tricks -- see, for example, Sweet Project Cars -- crazy but effective.) And 303 Protectant works well on all the plastic and vinyl trim, inside and out. I did add in an aftermarket draft screen, which does add significantly to comfort at higher speeds and looks cool too. Super fun to drive, especially anywhere there's beautiful countryside. In the city, I notice how much other people actually hate their own cars (especially hardtop BMW and Audi drivers) by how they drive. People are always racing around me in frustration with bitter expressions on their faces. I guess I always drive at a leisurely pace and have a smile on my face while driving with the top down. Trouble ahead: Twice, (once last october and just last weekend) in cold weather, I've had a rough running cold start for the first few minutes accompanied by lots of white odorless fog/smoke from the exhaust. Then, on the next start, nothing. Absolutely perfect. Odd. If I have bad luck, it's a cracked block. But with 225K kilometers, I'm praying it's only either a bad internal a turbo seal or a head gasket. (UPDATE: It was the head gasket. Ouch! But, with 230K kilometers, the body is rust free, the interior is near perfect, the top is near perfect. While the engine was out, replaced the water pump and clutch. Doing those two repairs at the same time saved about 500 EUR. Every car costs money, every car needs repairs. Glad I don't own a Range Rover. Love them, but I could repair five Saabs for the cost of one RR.) But after replacing a cracked T7 cassette and 5th gear, and cleaning the oil sieve, it runs beautifully. (T5 models don't have this oil sludge problem, BUT, it is still worth pulling down the oil pan and cleaning it and the seive to make sure you've got optimal oil distribution.) Made a 3000K trip without a single problem and still got over 30mpg while pulling a boat and trailer behind me. Seats amazing -- no back problems whatsoever, even after 17 hours of driving in a single day. So, you're absolutely right about this being a very, very comfortable grand tourer. It is! The SID-beeper (top, turn signal clicks and other beeps) doesn't work anymore. I'll have these checked by an SID specialist whenever I get around to it. The roof dipping I've got too. It looks like it is getting worse but that is an illusion. It is still the same. It is just funny. Welcome to Saab. (And I also have the little wear spot of the soft top side "bead" or outside seam. This I plugged with some black top-repair goo my mechanic gave me to stop it from getting worse and so far it's fine.) I first weatherproofed the top with "LiquiMoly" top protectant. Bad idea. That proved a slimy disaster. Water wasn't dripping in, but seeping in, in heavy rains. No more LiquiMOly products ever again! So, I cleaned all that crap off and now I use 303 top protectant (designed for awnings and such). Works better than perfectly: I wipe the top off lighly with a thick-pile microfiber to dry it after every drive in rain. The car gets covered so I don't want to put the cover on a wet roof, and the 303 keeps beading and beading still after almost a year. It doesn't wipe off. Excellent product. So, if I only have to do this once a year (or less) for perfect top protection, that is fantastic! I drive with the top down in winter too, anytime the sun is shining. (If below 5°, I let it sit in the sun for a while before lowing the top.) Anyway, fun in the sun even in January! Must be a Saab thing! My neighbors used to comment on it (very amusedly and kindly), but now they're asking for rides! And I keep telling myself it must be time to wash it thoroughly and wax it again, but I just rinse it off pretty regularly and the dirt flies off without car wash soap. (UPDATE: McGuires Ceramic Quick Detailer and similar products. The dirt literally rinses away with just water, saving countless time-consuming washes and waxes.) All around, the 9.3's a blast -- practical, stable, safe, economical, MEGA FUN. Anyway, super video. Great job, Dude! It was like watching my twin, though, as said, mega respect for your top-cylinder repair. Wow!) Lookin' good in your 9-3 with the top down and your aviators on! Well done! Thanks for a great video!
My dad owns a modified OG Saab 900 Turbo Convertible, needs a new transmission as the current one is hard bad, but except for that it's really a nice and reliable car
One thing to keep an eye on with these, is cracked bulkheads. I had the misfortune of picking one up that had this. Saab's do get in your system, much more than many other cars. i've had 3 (plus access to another), and it's very hard to find a vehicle that will tickle your fancy like these do.
@@sethsaylor760 Why , are you selling it ? You should keep it. You can even put a cover on it. And tuck the car away in a far garage or yard. What area are you in , I'll buy it , these are great
I wish mine was in as good of shape as yours, my interior front seats are bad, a number of broken pieces, brittle from Florida sun! Where did you get your spare/replacement interior parts?
That would have been a button for the heated rear seat, though I don’t know if that was ever offered in any market, at any time. I have never seen one in the wild
@@sethsaylor760 Oh ok! I love my 2003 9-3 cov, are they reliable? Anything I should know? Just got mine! What happens if you loose the key, who would make it? BTW have you heard, Saab is back!!! and there is a fully running dealership in Taiwan. th-cam.com/video/f58KhzaHiGI/w-d-xo.html
Are they reliable is a deep question. I have a video out soon on just this topic. There are ways to work around losing the key, but make sure you get a duplicate first, so that doesn’t happen!
I frequently use Ebay, also Rockauto, Eeuroparts.com, and Esaabparts.com, with pretty good success. It all depends on what you're after though, I cannot for the life of me find a set of three rear headrests for my 2002 9-3 hatchback!
Funny you say this, because my dad had a black NG 900 SE coupe, and my mom a midnight blue OG 9-3 SE (Anniversary) sedan. So I associate the 9-3, and especially the bumpers as well as the rear plate placement, with my mom. While the 900 looks more masculine to me!
Actually that's a Very Poor Saab model (possibly the very worst IMO) Even the later version 9-3 continues it's poor reputation. Owned one... costing thousands of $$$ in seemingly never ending repairs. You haven't lived until you've experienced the top opening on the highway. Yugos' were more trustworthy... Enjoy.
Thanks for the great tour. I miss my Saab 9000. Most comfortable seats ever!
I had same model car, same colour for 8 years. I sold it at 190,000 miles and it still drove really well and looked great both internally and external. Original hood was still working fine and had plenty of life left. Always parked on driveway in UK. Problems - 2 air conditioning pumps failed, turbo failed at 150,000, other than that it was extremely reliable, used everyday. The car was serviced by specialist SAAB and they always used castrol oil. Only reason for sale was emigrating. Saab cars around year 2000 were really well made, I also had 2 SAAB 9-5 cars which had similar problems and similar reliability.
Seth: Me again, just wanted to say you’ve made a thoroughly enjoyable video of your old generation nine three. One of the best videos I’ve seen about this model Saab.
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed! Your comment right there is the reason I enjoy making these videos, it’s awesome to be able to make stuff that people like
Very nice motor. I've come to appreciate the OG 9-3 recently much more.
Looking at one of these right now because I want to learn how to drive a manual and just cause I’ve always thought Saabs looked cool. Awesome to see you thought the same, can’t wait to get one myself. Great video thanks!
My first car was a similar 9-3 convertible, still own it and love it, it only has the NA 2.0 130hp engine but it really moves quite well still.
I’ve the same NA engine on my convertible. It’s a bit underpowered in my opinion, but it’s not a sportscar, so it OK. Love my 9-3.
I just got one given to me from the church. I’m in love with the same color.
Nice Review, I have a 02 SE version, getting some work done to it, larger Turbo, InterCooler, Cold Air intake. Looking forward to driving it again, once I get it back
These iconoclastic cars have soul and they grow on you.
I've got a '99 5 door. No lock button in your middle console by the parking brake lever, eh? Ah- they turned the central lock button into "all window control" button. That's odd because it appears there are a couple of blank areas on that panel they could have used instead, and besides, the way the normal window switches are designed, one can easily operate all four.
Fun to tag along on this one. I’ve got an 01 Viggen Vert and didn’t realize the the all-4 window switch was one touch down, surprised I learned something new, thanks Seth. Anywho, I also very much like that wood dash fascia!
Thank you for sharing that tidbit about the headlight wipers coming on
Hi Seth, beautiful car. Super video. Thanks so much. We seem to have a little in common (though you've got better repair skills.) Also was about to buy a 300 SL or CLK. Both look great but they drive like tractors. Just sayin', personal opinion. But Saab is different. It dances, sometimes a waltz, then a tango. In a word, the 9-3 is just an absolute blast to drive. ("I think I forgot to pick up some west african guavas at the store. I need those. I'd better get in the car, put the top down, and go pick some up. You never know! And I know it's only three bottles, but it's never wrong to drive to the glass recycling place -- the long way.") Anyway, I've a 2001 SE, also in silver (B205R). Love it. A few tidbits don't work (power mirrors), but I have fingers and I'm the only driver, so I'm not constantly changing mirror positions, so it's all good. (Side mirrors last adjusted: August 2021.) It's a T7, so I immediately installed a crankcase ventilation kit (70 Euro) and (very important) cleaned the oil pan sieve (was just borderline full of sludge). My mechanic was smart and replaced the crankshaft bearings for me while the pan was off. A very good idea. Oh yes, I bought it with a broken 5th gear -- so that was replaced (and my mechanic gave me a very generous price on that. Now it works perfectly.) Alot of highway with the 1,200 KG boat behind me, so I don't use 5th gear when towing -- never use 5th gear when towing, ever! -- , but at other times it is nice to have. Tip for the seats: use a good leather cleaner and conditioner (McGuires does the job, but there are lots of others. OK, you've alread got a bit of UV damage, but there are masses of leather car seat repair videos and tricks -- see, for example, Sweet Project Cars -- crazy but effective.) And 303 Protectant works well on all the plastic and vinyl trim, inside and out. I did add in an aftermarket draft screen, which does add significantly to comfort at higher speeds and looks cool too. Super fun to drive, especially anywhere there's beautiful countryside. In the city, I notice how much other people actually hate their own cars (especially hardtop BMW and Audi drivers) by how they drive. People are always racing around me in frustration with bitter expressions on their faces. I guess I always drive at a leisurely pace and have a smile on my face while driving with the top down. Trouble ahead: Twice, (once last october and just last weekend) in cold weather, I've had a rough running cold start for the first few minutes accompanied by lots of white odorless fog/smoke from the exhaust. Then, on the next start, nothing. Absolutely perfect. Odd. If I have bad luck, it's a cracked block. But with 225K kilometers, I'm praying it's only either a bad internal a turbo seal or a head gasket. (UPDATE: It was the head gasket. Ouch! But, with 230K kilometers, the body is rust free, the interior is near perfect, the top is near perfect. While the engine was out, replaced the water pump and clutch. Doing those two repairs at the same time saved about 500 EUR. Every car costs money, every car needs repairs. Glad I don't own a Range Rover. Love them, but I could repair five Saabs for the cost of one RR.) But after replacing a cracked T7 cassette and 5th gear, and cleaning the oil sieve, it runs beautifully. (T5 models don't have this oil sludge problem, BUT, it is still worth pulling down the oil pan and cleaning it and the seive to make sure you've got optimal oil distribution.) Made a 3000K trip without a single problem and still got over 30mpg while pulling a boat and trailer behind me. Seats amazing -- no back problems whatsoever, even after 17 hours of driving in a single day. So, you're absolutely right about this being a very, very comfortable grand tourer. It is! The SID-beeper (top, turn signal clicks and other beeps) doesn't work anymore. I'll have these checked by an SID specialist whenever I get around to it. The roof dipping I've got too. It looks like it is getting worse but that is an illusion. It is still the same. It is just funny. Welcome to Saab. (And I also have the little wear spot of the soft top side "bead" or outside seam. This I plugged with some black top-repair goo my mechanic gave me to stop it from getting worse and so far it's fine.) I first weatherproofed the top with "LiquiMoly" top protectant. Bad idea. That proved a slimy disaster. Water wasn't dripping in, but seeping in, in heavy rains. No more LiquiMOly products ever again! So, I cleaned all that crap off and now I use 303 top protectant (designed for awnings and such). Works better than perfectly: I wipe the top off lighly with a thick-pile microfiber to dry it after every drive in rain. The car gets covered so I don't want to put the cover on a wet roof, and the 303 keeps beading and beading still after almost a year. It doesn't wipe off. Excellent product. So, if I only have to do this once a year (or less) for perfect top protection, that is fantastic! I drive with the top down in winter too, anytime the sun is shining. (If below 5°, I let it sit in the sun for a while before lowing the top.) Anyway, fun in the sun even in January! Must be a Saab thing! My neighbors used to comment on it (very amusedly and kindly), but now they're asking for rides! And I keep telling myself it must be time to wash it thoroughly and wax it again, but I just rinse it off pretty regularly and the dirt flies off without car wash soap. (UPDATE: McGuires Ceramic Quick Detailer and similar products. The dirt literally rinses away with just water, saving countless time-consuming washes and waxes.) All around, the 9.3's a blast -- practical, stable, safe, economical, MEGA FUN. Anyway, super video. Great job, Dude! It was like watching my twin, though, as said, mega respect for your top-cylinder repair. Wow!) Lookin' good in your 9-3 with the top down and your aviators on! Well done! Thanks for a great video!
NIce video Seth. Since yesterday I own a Saab 9-3 and I am very curious how driving without the roof will be. I think I will be addicted with it.
Got a 2002 that looks identical 😁
Thanks. Very informative for someone who is looking at buying a 2000ish year 9-3.
They usually had a 6 disc changer in the trunk....
OG is the best looking model 9-3
My dad owns a modified OG Saab 900 Turbo Convertible, needs a new transmission as the current one is hard bad, but except for that it's really a nice and reliable car
One thing to keep an eye on with these, is cracked bulkheads. I had the misfortune of picking one up that had this.
Saab's do get in your system, much more than many other cars. i've had 3 (plus access to another), and it's very hard to find a vehicle that will tickle your fancy like these do.
I got motion sickens from all the camera movement. Otherwise a great review. Have a similar one from -98. Love it to bits.
Glad you like saabs
Hi, I have a 2002 SE and what you refered to as a burn hole is the hole for the wind deflector.
My trunk struts are worn but as you say the trunk stays up, trunks just a little heavy!
Get 17" wheels off the '01 fixes oversteer
Good review.
Thank you! I wanted to make a video to document this car so I have something to look back on and remember it by in years to come.
@@sethsaylor760
Why , are you selling it ? You should keep it. You can even put a cover on it. And tuck the car away in a far garage or yard. What area are you in , I'll buy it , these are great
@@escstudios2068 I can't remember what I might have said, not without watching, but I assure you I'm holding on to this one for as long as I can
I wish mine was in as good of shape as yours, my interior front seats are bad, a number of broken pieces, brittle from Florida sun! Where did you get your spare/replacement interior parts?
I have the se turbo 2002 vert love it I prefer se styling.
SAAB forever
I have a 2003 Saab 9 3 convertible, what is that square looking button (flat) between the rear window buttons and arm rest (cup holder) ??
That would have been a button for the heated rear seat, though I don’t know if that was ever offered in any market, at any time. I have never seen one in the wild
@@sethsaylor760 Oh ok! I love my 2003 9-3 cov, are they reliable? Anything I should know? Just got mine! What happens if you loose the key, who would make it? BTW have you heard, Saab is back!!! and there is a fully running dealership in Taiwan. th-cam.com/video/f58KhzaHiGI/w-d-xo.html
Are they reliable is a deep question. I have a video out soon on just this topic.
There are ways to work around losing the key, but make sure you get a duplicate first, so that doesn’t happen!
Thats my car :)
Are they expensive to fix like a bmw and Mercedes?
It's probably about the same, you just have to have the right sources for parts and the right shop
Where do you get your Saab parts from? Can’t find much reliable ones when I look
I frequently use Ebay, also Rockauto, Eeuroparts.com, and Esaabparts.com, with pretty good success. It all depends on what you're after though, I cannot for the life of me find a set of three rear headrests for my 2002 9-3 hatchback!
The most non gender car ever made that became successful but failed due to management. It was a safe car.
Agree! 🙎🏻♀️ With my 3rd Saab ❤️
Funny you say this, because my dad had a black NG 900 SE coupe, and my mom a midnight blue OG 9-3 SE (Anniversary) sedan.
So I associate the 9-3, and especially the bumpers as well as the rear plate placement, with my mom.
While the 900 looks more masculine to me!
1999 comverdabe how much many.
Actually that's a Very Poor Saab model (possibly the very worst IMO) Even the later version 9-3 continues it's poor reputation.
Owned one... costing thousands of $$$ in seemingly never ending repairs.
You haven't lived until you've experienced the top opening on the highway.
Yugos' were more trustworthy... Enjoy.
bro the body design kinda reminds me of bmw idk why
also with the top up it looks like early 2000 mustangs
You talk too much. Long at the thing turns on
And it drives, you're good