Had this exact car (in navy blue) for 11 years. Never got tired of driving it. Only gave it up when someone *gave* me another newer vehicle. Sold the Saab to another enthusiast. More comfortable than a BMW (at least a 2006/325 I had for a bit). Definitely quirky or at least a different way of doing things. Some of that from the aviation heritage inherent in the original Saab company. You need to drive one at night to appreciate the instrumentation. Didn't have many problems though it was out for a couple of months when I couldn't lay hands on a linkage for the shifter. Other than that, no real problems.
Anyone considering buying one of these, I highly recommend if you can find one, based off my own experience. I bought my '06 Aero (same as this one, but with white leather interior that looks super sharp) back in 2014 with 50k miles on it and one owner who special-ordered it from the manufacturer - super lucky find. Loved it from the start, but looked into tuning it from reading up on Saab forums how "tune-able" they are. Went with VTuner (based off their great reviews) Stage 0 to start with, which is basically a flash tune that pushes it up to 320hp and just really wakes the engine up nicely. Chirping the tires going from 2nd to 3rd gear always puts a grin on my face! It also put my 0-60 time down to 5 seconds (possibly even 4.8/4.9 on a great run in good conditions). Just shows the potential of the 2.8L V6 in this thing. Passing quickly is never an issue on the highway. Definitely surprises most car-enthusiast type vehicles (bmw/mustang/camaro/audi/honda/etc) too, as this car was born to be a sleeper. Might eventually upgrade to Stage 1 or 2 just for fun. This will be a tuning car/daily driver for me for a while! There's just something about it I love! As for reliability, I haven't had an issue with it other than a couple spark plugs and ignition coils going bad. I wouldn't say it was the tune that did it, probably just regular wear and tear - pretty common for these Saabs. I plan on upgrading them all to iridium eventually anyway to maximize performance and hopefully longevity. Also, Chicago roads are killing my suspension so that'll need replacement soon too. Overall, really a great unique car that came to an all-too-soon ending. For those that love cars with character and performance and comfort, it's a great way to go. Sorry for the long post.
One other thing on reliability, every now and then there's a random electronics blip (i.e. fidgety automatic driver-side and passenger windows, a/c not working for a few starts and then deciding to work again suddenly, etc... little things). Also my fuel gauge sensor went out, so to fix it costs an arm and a leg in labor as you must remove the gas tank AND fuel pump to get to it... Saab and their innovation sometimes just doesn't add up. Maybe when I have more money to burn someday I'll stop logging my gas mileage manually haha. Until then I'll just continue enjoying doing 2nd and 3rd gear pulls and the occasional burnout.
No issues with coolant overflow or battery? I've read those to be the main issues with these. I'm going to test an 08 Aero next week which is basically the same car except a subtle difference in the body.
Ok sounds good. What I was reading about was having to replace the whole coolant tank and hoses due to overflowing because of the heat from having the V6 in such a small area. The forums recommend only using 75% of the usual amount of coolant.
I probably deleted that comment and banned the guy from ever commenting again. I have a zero tolerance for people who get toxic. I am a smaller TH-camr so I can still keep up with the comments.
I have a '07 9-3 Aero AT, super fun daily driver car. Now building mine out with new sexy 19" rims... can't go wrong with a Saab Aero. One thing to note... DO NOT spill a drink down near the key and ignition, all it takes is one good spill which gets down where the key goes in, and your in the hole for a good $500-$1000
I owned exactly a 2006 Saab 9-3 Aero and man do i miss it! Whats funny is i dont know how i stumbled on a Saab but i was 18 when i bought it. The engine was wards top 10 engines in 2006. I currently own a 2001 Saab 9-5 aero and nothing like my old 9-3. Great review! Glad people still have love for the saab.
+chopper63d a lot of people do. At this point in time this video gets the most views in a day. If it continues it'll be the best watched video on my channel in the future.
Wow, found another hidden Saab video on TH-cam! Great review, hope to see more of that Saab when it's tuned! The V6 is a beast :) Your production level is really high, big respect.
If not for the Hellcat review this is the best watched video on my channel believe it or not. Who would have thought? The saabstory is going strong! I hope to review more cars, and perhaps some more saabs as well. I'd love to review some of the older ones!
I bought an 06 aero for 1k. Good deal. Had to replace the coil packs and plugs. Its quick. My saab guy has an 08 with a slightly bigger turbo and turbo housing with all the supporting mods and tune. He beats the new 5.0s like theyre standing still. Fastest car I've ever been in.
+smiley19881999 I read that they wanted to put the turbo in the valley of the engine, but it effectively baked the paint on the hood so they had to abandon that.
+The Dutch Texan really? would not be surprised... i don't know if the 9-3 2.8 was the fastest saab ever made, the viggen coupe(with the low weight) was definitely up there as was the 9-5 Aero's with 260PS from factory...
+petezahut93 I am going to have to agree on that after driving this one! But the price point they were sold at just put them too close to excellent offerings from other prestigious car makers.
+The Dutch Texan Yeah. The Saab 9-3 was stuck in the crossroads between its competitors and could never be convincing enough to attract those looking at Saab's competitors. Also, the other offerings weren't so great with the 9-2X and 9-7X, both of which were re-badged models and the 9-5 which was in a similar situation with the 9-3 in its own respective market.
+Chris CC I agree! I can't wait to find out what other cars I might be able to review in the future. I was pleasantly surprised by how this Saab drove!
I remember when my dad bought an 08 Aero 9-3 in 2008. I loved that car and I always liked to pretend to drive it. Then he sold it for an 04 Wrangler and I cried a lot the night. Now we’re thinking of getting a V6 Saab again. 10 years later...
People clearly love them! Right now it is the #1 video on the channel, which I still think is crazy, because Saab people love Saab, but they also seem to dislike the GM era Saabs, which this is definitely a part of.
Nice review! I had a 2008 with a stage 1 tune and that wakes the engine up to 320hp/405lb ft bhp. You can leave it in 6th gear and pass everyone on the road.
+Richard Burchett my pleasure! The car and the support it has from the Saab lovers is amazing. The fact that it is on it's way to become the best performing video I have ever produced is testimony alone!
I have a 2003 vector that I purchased from 2008. Still runs like the first day I took it out the dealer lot at 63,000. Already have 213,000 right now and I've never spent a dime on it other than oil changes (5w30) mobil1 every 5,000miles. Unbelievable! not even the timing belt or water pump. Great car!
Remember when this car was new and I was still in mechanic school. I had practition in 4 different shops and drive everything from toyota to BMW. But this new 9-3 with that 2.8t just blew my mind how good it was. It sucks that I still haven't kept my prommis to buy one 10 years later :( But I also remember what happens to that 9-3. Its first servis the neighbor town got it in and they had one stupid mechanic that just had no respect for other peoples cars. When he took it for a testdrive he pulled over at a dirt-road. when he pulls away he floor it and have full wheelspin. when he comes up on the regular road he leaves two skidmarks 10 meters and then the tires grips turning driveshafts into candy canes and the gearbox literally exploded :S He was fired after that. But poor SAAB and only 18000km
I still have my 2006 Aero 9-3x Combi!! I love it... But little things are starting to happen. I have a mechanic that specializes in Swedish cars who can't find some things. 😔. I'll keep her as long as I can... Thanks for your review. It definitely encouraged me to keep her!! My speed chime is set to 85 mph... Ha ha
I am glad it keeps the love alive! I still can’t believe that this video ended up with so many views. Just goes to show a lot of people have heart for SAAB!
@@TheDutchTexan I was just doing a search about my car, and your video came up. Watching your video reminded me of when my car was new it was the perfect car... It's still the perfect car, just older. I couldn't find a new car with all of the things that came standard with my car if I tried!! Just looking for ways to prolong her life. Ha ha
This review is one that got me thinking more seriously about buying a Saab even though I was contemplating it earlier. The first time I saw your video a couple months ago and today I'm just several days away from laying my hands on my own 2006 2.8 V6 Saab 9-3 Aero Sportkombi (Manual as it should be :D) that I already have paid a couple hundred bucks for in advance, just to make sure it doesn't get sold before I can pick it up. Excitement level sky rocketing ^^ I'm really looking forward to see that review after the owner does his modifications too!
At this point I am not sure if those modifications will make it on the car. But even stock it's a hoot IMHO! And the SportKombi? Always have had a weakness for estates, and estates with power? Even better! I hope you'll have lots of worry free miles!
Hi :) it's been around two weeks since I bought my Saab, I've already taken it for a test trip to polish mountains, done about 2500 miles already, this car is unbelievably well made for it's price. (Apart from the gear stick knob which also went off during gear reduction, we all know whose fault that is 😂😂) I feel like I wouldn't have reconsidered buying a Saab if I haven't seen your review(also given how poor TH-cam is when it comes to Saab related videos showing more than custom exhausts and other not so important stuff), so thank you very much good Sir :) EDIT: best thing about it is that Saab has always intrigued me but I have never driven one before, my test drive was the first ever and it was as good as I thought it would be ;)
Shifters can be be fixed. I'd rather deal with any 'GM issues' before BMW sensor issue du jour. I've had two Saabs and thought I was done since they went away but this and other videos have me seeking a deal. Encouraging to hear the specs of the V6. My turbo fours had gobs of torque but now I wanna drive this!
Thanks for the review. I bought my daughter a 06 9-3 Aero sedan a couple of months ago. So far it's been great, Not going to tell her how fast it can go though..
U should have tested the 2.3L Turbo engine! I own a 2002 9-5 Aero with 250HP (automatic lol) and the 350nm dat this beast puts down onto the street is just sick. I pwned several GTIs with it and on the autobahn its just pure fun. And if u check on some 911 from 1997-2001 and realise their speccs are not that much higher (911 Carrera: 3.6L 325HP and 'just' 370nm) it is kinda sick that Saab achieved it with just a 4 cylinder engine.
Love my 2006 Saab Aero ....quick story: driving down the hwy ..18 wheeler blows off a huge tread ...no way to avoid it..and blows off my front spoiler ....
Nice review. 'Definitely GM's fault', that pretty much sums up the downfall of Saab. I've got an old '01 93 Coupe, with some engine tweaks and chassis improvements, and it's just brilliant. The power figures always deceive with Saabs, the midrange grunt makes them real sleepers. I'll be maintaining mine for as long as I possibly can, since they're now consigned to history.
You are not completly right the 2008 9-3 Turbo X was saabs fastest car at 280 HP and 5.6s to 60. Main differences is that the Turbo X had AWD, 30 extra hp and removed torque limiter in first gear. And regarding the engine, it may have been a GM designed engine but the turbocharging was all saabs work. Very good video non the less !
Been running & gunning with a 9-3 2011 1.9 TTiD, in the old world(Northern Europe) pushing at 170 000 miles. List of changed parts: - Runs like the clockwork, only had to change battery & front wheel bearings once. - The water pump at every 50-65k(with oil changes deliberately at 7.5k miles, to keep the soot out of the Diesel), had zero issues with it and its engine thus far. - Had it pushed from 130hp 340nm to 215hp, 440nm some years back, and not even the clutch is giving in. GM parts fail(like the rear break light connector), but the Saab parts just keeps rolling, and zero rust anywhere, regardless of salt-roads and the original stock suspension. - Once that Aero has its "uptuned tweak" done, I wanna hear all about it.
Diesels always respond so nicely to mods! And they always seem to hang on longer too, even when modified. And if the car ends up modified I will surely do an update review. Although the owner might do something else too. That is the thing with cars... constantly changing interests!
Yeah... lol..having had three of these, the shifter is best left unglued... or with just a hint of blue loctite. Those that know .... know why ;) Can't wait to drive it in the am... it's an addiction. Saab 9-3's are amazing.
I probably wrote this in another comment. But I litterally can't believe that this video is on it's way to become the most popular on the channel. People love to hate on the GM era Saabs, but they sure are popular with the masses! And it really was a nice car to drive.
Fantastic car. 1 thing to say..you shouldn't just drive these cars hard whilst cold. Never go above 4k revs in any gear unless she is up to temperature.
+oba femi don't expect it to run for long, and if it does you won't hit much depreciation so you come out ahead. Just be willing to part it out when it inevitably dies!
+oba femi Hi! The Saab in this vid was mine. That depends, is it a 9-3 or a 9-5, what motor/trans is in it? Honestly, for $800, any car that runs and drives is a hell of a deal.
Never had my shifter (gear stick) knob come off, guess that's what happens when you put your foot to the floor and you're changing gear, you hang on to it!
After many mis-steps, including Saab's sale to Spyker, and GM lifting Saab's tech to transform Cadillac, NEVS, its current ownership, has weathered several storms, and is putting out 5 new electric Saab models beginning in 2017. I'm getting one, ASAP!
Ye man that explains why int went 60 mph in secong. :DD I have wrecked 9000 1995 it in second moves way quicker starting from 1500.. eaven tho it has 150 hp and its heavy
+henke103 You will get a kick out of the outtakes that will come out in a few days. I am specifically talking about 2006. I can see how it comes out confusing though!
+TheRoadDriverly No, there's other models that have over 250hp than the Turbo X. There's the basic 9-3 Aero modell who had the same engine as the Turbo X at 280hp, the NG9-5 and 9-4x with a V6 300hp engine
Have you ever experience the " Night Panel " ? If you drive a Saab during the night, you press the Night Panel button, all panel lights are gone EXCEPT the speedometer .... there is also a mini-fridge in the glove box that can keep your beer or soda cold ! There are so much more Saab secrets for your to discover if you became a Saab owner like me ....
+The Dutch Texan my first Saab was a 1997 900 hatchback grey silver my second Saab was 9-3 2006 red four door with a black matt hood very cool not original but nice
O love my 2007 9-3 diesel turbo. Its not the fastest off the line, but at 46 years old, I wanna keep lateral gravity to a minimum, if you know what I mean. I ain't ready to resemble my grand pa just yet. But what the Saab gives me, is comfort, safety, reliability, decent economy (35-45 mpg) space, and enough power for my needs. When I come to choose a replacement, it will be another Saab, hopefully a 2011 9-5 sportwagon.
I really like the NG 9-3, but there's just one problem for me and that's the feel of the pedals. The zone the clutch starts biting in is too far compared to the older generation 9-3's and 9-5's and they just don't have that sturdiness. Still, I think they're really great for their value (at least here in Finland) and drive quite smoothly.
I thought you were reffering to 9-5 with the same engine 2007 9-5 but it dosen't have 2.8T it only gets it in 2010 and weight 1900~kg the 9-5 that has 2.3T 260HP and it actually weights a few kilos less.
What part of Texas are you in? I have a 2009 9-3 Aero V6 XWD 6-Speed with an MT (same drivetrain/engine as the Turbo X the year prior) with a handful of upgrades (Stage 3 tune). I'm in Houston -- if you are in the area, let me know and would be happy to meet up and let you take it for a drive :)
+Zissou Saab I'd love to, but I am in North Texas, the Plano area! You don't know how much I appreciate the offer, if I could take you up on it I totally would!
Well nothing major just little stuff. Tie rods which are normal wear and tear things, rear break light socket doesnt seem to have enough spring left in it to keep contact with the bulb so every once in while ill get the rear break light malfunction notification. The wiper linkage broke on the driverside (that was kinda my fault). After i fixed the linkage the wiper motor was parking the wipers in the middle of the windshield. Alarm was going off for no reason, replaced a switch in the rear door to fix that. Secondary air pump went 2x. Was recently told i needed a transmission seal at the pass side drive axle. Sometimes when locking the car one door doesnt lock but its not always the same door. Had a clunking noise when hitting bumps a year ago and that was the tie rods, but its clunking again not sure what it is this time. Driver door sometimes wont open when im exiting the car. Driver window sometimes will act like there is an obstruction and roll down after it reaches the top. I think thats it. Had the car 2 years now has 111k miles. Dont get me wrong I love the car, its worth taking care of :)
thunderkat good to know. I'm gonna get a 2008 aero. I have owned a 94 900 auto and a 2000 93 5spd. I can testify to the fact they will definitely protect you in collision. loved them both. My first order of business will to delete the mufflers lol
+Clarkecars you obviously did not look at the temp gauge on the cluster, you also forget the fact that people have to drive to the filming location. This results in fluids being nice and warm, even if they sit still for a little while after to take some "glamour" shots. And at times those shots are made after the actual review.
+ers1027 I actually meant up to 2006 when I said to date. I understand my word choice was less than optimal... It came up in the outtakes here by the by! th-cam.com/video/cuIR1JGAbKc/w-d-xo.html
I flew across country for an Aero Nordic 9-3 convertible. It's fast. It's the same engine as the Cadillac STS. With tuning and a few minor changes these engines put out 400 hp easily. They are not light either. 3900lb curb weight.
The passion for even these GM era saabs is uncanny. When I shot this review I never thought it was going to go anywhere, but it ended up as the number one video for quite a while. That thing must be a riot. And also piss some people off... Total sleeper!
Lol at that Automatic comment!! It's the same here in Australia, most cars on the road are Auto's here!! Manuals are pretty rare, unless you drive a "Ute". I've owned mainly Holden's which are predominantly Auto and are rare in manual.
I am going to lean on no on this one. Good first cars are generally imports that are a dime a dozen. Boring yes, but they are far kinder to the wallet than buying a car that is from a brand that has exited the stage.
I like the car,powerfull engine,6 v...man,fast like a piston fighter.At that power do you think is better an automatic transmision? use to have shifter on my car,wich is not a Saab. .Here in Europe Saab are appreciated premium cars. To bad they not exist anymore on auto market.Greetings from Romania.
I actually just picked up a 03 saab linear 4 cylinder turbo manual transmission. has the stage 3 tune on it. i actually raced my buddy in his v6 and beat him by about 2 car lengths. it was great we did a few pulls from different gears and i continued to pull. but i have a stage 3 tune and hardly beat him.. just think if that v6 one had a stage 3 tune oh man lol
Had this exact car (in navy blue) for 11 years. Never got tired of driving it. Only gave it up when someone *gave* me another newer vehicle. Sold the Saab to another enthusiast. More comfortable than a BMW (at least a 2006/325 I had for a bit). Definitely quirky or at least a different way of doing things. Some of that from the aviation heritage inherent in the original Saab company. You need to drive one at night to appreciate the instrumentation. Didn't have many problems though it was out for a couple of months when I couldn't lay hands on a linkage for the shifter. Other than that, no real problems.
Bring Saabs back please.
Anyone considering buying one of these, I highly recommend if you can find one, based off my own experience. I bought my '06 Aero (same as this one, but with white leather interior that looks super sharp) back in 2014 with 50k miles on it and one owner who special-ordered it from the manufacturer - super lucky find. Loved it from the start, but looked into tuning it from reading up on Saab forums how "tune-able" they are. Went with VTuner (based off their great reviews) Stage 0 to start with, which is basically a flash tune that pushes it up to 320hp and just really wakes the engine up nicely. Chirping the tires going from 2nd to 3rd gear always puts a grin on my face! It also put my 0-60 time down to 5 seconds (possibly even 4.8/4.9 on a great run in good conditions). Just shows the potential of the 2.8L V6 in this thing. Passing quickly is never an issue on the highway. Definitely surprises most car-enthusiast type vehicles (bmw/mustang/camaro/audi/honda/etc) too, as this car was born to be a sleeper. Might eventually upgrade to Stage 1 or 2 just for fun. This will be a tuning car/daily driver for me for a while! There's just something about it I love!
As for reliability, I haven't had an issue with it other than a couple spark plugs and ignition coils going bad. I wouldn't say it was the tune that did it, probably just regular wear and tear - pretty common for these Saabs. I plan on upgrading them all to iridium eventually anyway to maximize performance and hopefully longevity. Also, Chicago roads are killing my suspension so that'll need replacement soon too.
Overall, really a great unique car that came to an all-too-soon ending. For those that love cars with character and performance and comfort, it's a great way to go. Sorry for the long post.
One other thing on reliability, every now and then there's a random electronics blip (i.e. fidgety automatic driver-side and passenger windows, a/c not working for a few starts and then deciding to work again suddenly, etc... little things). Also my fuel gauge sensor went out, so to fix it costs an arm and a leg in labor as you must remove the gas tank AND fuel pump to get to it... Saab and their innovation sometimes just doesn't add up.
Maybe when I have more money to burn someday I'll stop logging my gas mileage manually haha. Until then I'll just continue enjoying doing 2nd and 3rd gear pulls and the occasional burnout.
You're going to make me buy one lol
No issues with coolant overflow or battery? I've read those to be the main issues with these. I'm going to test an 08 Aero next week which is basically the same car except a subtle difference in the body.
+djc2323 No battery issues. Maybe slightly faster coolant consumption but nothing crazy. Coolant is cheap anyway.
Ok sounds good. What I was reading about was having to replace the whole coolant tank and hoses due to overflowing because of the heat from having the V6 in such a small area. The forums recommend only using 75% of the usual amount of coolant.
I love how the base models hide the exhaust and the aero reveals them in all their glory. Makes a HUGE difference from the back!
@@mathiasvries his just saying the base modal doesn’t show the exhaust tip while the aero model shows the exhaust tip
I probably deleted that comment and banned the guy from ever commenting again. I have a zero tolerance for people who get toxic. I am a smaller TH-camr so I can still keep up with the comments.
@@mathiasvries oh I see, my bad since it was only you 2 I thought you where replying to him I didn’t see who it was for
I am that specific kinda person who chooses the Saab over the BMW.
+N-rijder not going to judge... But do you have your #elitist sticker on the back bumper? Hahaha!
+N-rijder Me too. I've got nothing against BMW's, but for some reason Saabs attract me a lot more!
+The Dutch Texan I got a 2004 9 3 linear back in January. Its a stock sleeper XD
bought an 05 last summer and yes it is
me too, bought a 57 plate 2.0 aero last year and thebest car i ever owned and only payed £2k for it
I have an '07 Aero. Bought it three years ago, took me over 3 months to find it. Best vehicle I've ever owned. I enjoyed your review. Thanks.
+Floortile83 good things are always worth waiting for! And it was my pleasure to film this review! Glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome review! I'm buying a 2007 9-3 Aero 6-speed tomorrow and am so excited that I can't sleep.
+Keith Baker I hope you enjoy it man! 👌
I have a '07 9-3 Aero AT, super fun daily driver car. Now building mine out with new sexy 19" rims... can't go wrong with a Saab Aero. One thing to note... DO NOT spill a drink down near the key and ignition, all it takes is one good spill which gets down where the key goes in, and your in the hole for a good $500-$1000
I owned exactly a 2006 Saab 9-3 Aero and man do i miss it! Whats funny is i dont know how i stumbled on a Saab but i was 18 when i bought it. The engine was wards top 10 engines in 2006. I currently own a 2001 Saab 9-5 aero and nothing like my old 9-3. Great review! Glad people still have love for the saab.
+chopper63d a lot of people do. At this point in time this video gets the most views in a day. If it continues it'll be the best watched video on my channel in the future.
I got my aero 2.8t in feb this year..old donkey needs some love now 😂 and more power to come!
Wow, found another hidden Saab video on TH-cam! Great review, hope to see more of that Saab when it's tuned! The V6 is a beast :)
Your production level is really high, big respect.
If not for the Hellcat review this is the best watched video on my channel believe it or not. Who would have thought? The saabstory is going strong!
I hope to review more cars, and perhaps some more saabs as well. I'd love to review some of the older ones!
I bought an 06 aero for 1k. Good deal. Had to replace the coil packs and plugs. Its quick. My saab guy has an 08 with a slightly bigger turbo and turbo housing with all the supporting mods and tune. He beats the new 5.0s like theyre standing still. Fastest car I've ever been in.
What power and what turbo did he switch to?
nice review man but FYI, the Engine was GM sourced(Holden) but it was Saab who had the task of turbocharging it, which they did, brilliantly
+smiley19881999 I read that they wanted to put the turbo in the valley of the engine, but it effectively baked the paint on the hood so they had to abandon that.
+The Dutch Texan really? would not be surprised... i don't know if the 9-3 2.8 was the fastest saab ever made, the viggen coupe(with the low weight) was definitely up there as was the 9-5 Aero's with 260PS from factory...
The Ecotec engine family is Opel based, IIRC.
I own a 9.3 Aero.
Really enjoyable to drive & has a surprising amount of power.
Same here… agreed!
Excellent review! It's a shame that the Saab brand never caught on in the United States. GM really dropped the ball on the brand.
+petezahut93 I am going to have to agree on that after driving this one! But the price point they were sold at just put them too close to excellent offerings from other prestigious car makers.
+The Dutch Texan Yeah. The Saab 9-3 was stuck in the crossroads between its competitors and could never be convincing enough to attract those looking at Saab's competitors. Also, the other offerings weren't so great with the 9-2X and 9-7X, both of which were re-badged models and the 9-5 which was in a similar situation with the 9-3 in its own respective market.
Agreed!! They had a flagship car that they treated like a standard sedan. 😔
This is such an elegant machine. Very lucky of you getting the chance to drive one.
+Chris CC I agree! I can't wait to find out what other cars I might be able to review in the future. I was pleasantly surprised by how this Saab drove!
I have a silver '07 wagon with the V6 and a manual. Bought it for $2000 and I love it.
+Alec Sullivan wagons are awesome!
I also own a 2006 Aero v6 turbo (manual) and love it as my daily drive :)
I agree! But you already know that after watching this review! LOL!
Auto is boss!
I remember when my dad bought an 08 Aero 9-3 in 2008. I loved that car and I always liked to pretend to drive it. Then he sold it for an 04 Wrangler and I cried a lot the night. Now we’re thinking of getting a V6 Saab again. 10 years later...
People clearly love them! Right now it is the #1 video on the channel, which I still think is crazy, because Saab people love Saab, but they also seem to dislike the GM era Saabs, which this is definitely a part of.
My aunt owns 3 saabs. A 2008 9-5, a 2007 9-3 and a 2003 9-5. All are manual but the 2003. I love driving them.
+TheZombaslaya I see why! Hahaha!
The Dutch Texan Hey if I come down there this summer and get some time, i'll let you review my subaru legacy. 2014.
+TheZombaslaya if there is time I would surely be up for that!
The Dutch Texan It's nothing fancy but it does have 4 wheel drive and seat warmers. CVT transmission which I hate
***** She had a 1991 about 7 years ago but it broke down and I was way too young to drive it.
wow that 2nd gear pull was pretty nice! good review, man.
+thatWRXvlogger it has a boatload of torque down low, it was almost diesel like!
Nice review! I had a 2008 with a stage 1 tune and that wakes the engine up to 320hp/405lb ft bhp. You can leave it in 6th gear and pass everyone on the road.
+Gregory G those are some healthy torque numbers!
One of the few reviews I could find on this thing. Thanks!
No problem! I love doing these reviews so I am glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the review. I have this same car, also a 6 speed manual in a convertible. Needless to say, I'm quite fond of it.
+Richard Burchett my pleasure! The car and the support it has from the Saab lovers is amazing. The fact that it is on it's way to become the best performing video I have ever produced is testimony alone!
I'm about to buy one tomorrow in black (and manual!!!). I really liked driving it. I got a great deal for it and I hope it lasts me a long time!
I have a 2003 vector that I purchased from 2008. Still runs like the first day I took it out the dealer lot at 63,000. Already have 213,000 right now and I've never spent a dime on it other than oil changes (5w30) mobil1 every 5,000miles. Unbelievable! not even the timing belt or water pump. Great car!
Remember when this car was new and I was still in mechanic school. I had practition in 4 different shops and drive everything from toyota to BMW. But this new 9-3 with that 2.8t just blew my mind how good it was. It sucks that I still haven't kept my prommis to buy one 10 years later :(
But I also remember what happens to that 9-3. Its first servis the neighbor town got it in and they had one stupid mechanic that just had no respect for other peoples cars. When he took it for a testdrive he pulled over at a dirt-road. when he pulls away he floor it and have full wheelspin. when he comes up on the regular road he leaves two skidmarks 10 meters and then the tires grips turning driveshafts into candy canes and the gearbox literally exploded :S He was fired after that. But poor SAAB and only 18000km
+Jimmie Nilsson and justice was done. Mechanics like that should never work again. You are hired to work on cars. You want to hoon one? Hoon your own.
I still have my 2006 Aero 9-3x Combi!! I love it... But little things are starting to happen. I have a mechanic that specializes in Swedish cars who can't find some things. 😔. I'll keep her as long as I can... Thanks for your review. It definitely encouraged me to keep her!! My speed chime is set to 85 mph... Ha ha
I am glad it keeps the love alive! I still can’t believe that this video ended up with so many views. Just goes to show a lot of people have heart for SAAB!
@@TheDutchTexan I was just doing a search about my car, and your video came up. Watching your video reminded me of when my car was new it was the perfect car... It's still the perfect car, just older. I couldn't find a new car with all of the things that came standard with my car if I tried!! Just looking for ways to prolong her life. Ha ha
This review is one that got me thinking more seriously about buying a Saab even though I was contemplating it earlier. The first time I saw your video a couple months ago and today I'm just several days away from laying my hands on my own 2006 2.8 V6 Saab 9-3 Aero Sportkombi (Manual as it should be :D) that I already have paid a couple hundred bucks for in advance, just to make sure it doesn't get sold before I can pick it up. Excitement level sky rocketing ^^ I'm really looking forward to see that review after the owner does his modifications too!
At this point I am not sure if those modifications will make it on the car. But even stock it's a hoot IMHO! And the SportKombi? Always have had a weakness for estates, and estates with power? Even better! I hope you'll have lots of worry free miles!
Hi :) it's been around two weeks since I bought my Saab, I've already taken it for a test trip to polish mountains, done about 2500 miles already, this car is unbelievably well made for it's price. (Apart from the gear stick knob which also went off during gear reduction, we all know whose fault that is 😂😂) I feel like I wouldn't have reconsidered buying a Saab if I haven't seen your review(also given how poor TH-cam is when it comes to Saab related videos showing more than custom exhausts and other not so important stuff), so thank you very much good Sir :) EDIT: best thing about it is that Saab has always intrigued me but I have never driven one before, my test drive was the first ever and it was as good as I thought it would be ;)
Glad you are liking it! I hope it will give you many trouble free miles!
Shifters can be be fixed. I'd rather deal with any 'GM issues' before BMW sensor issue du jour. I've had two Saabs and thought I was done since they went away but this and other videos have me seeking a deal. Encouraging to hear the specs of the V6. My turbo fours had gobs of torque but now I wanna drive this!
Thanks for the review. I bought my daughter a 06 9-3 Aero sedan a couple of months ago. So far it's been great, Not going to tell her how fast it can go though..
Don't show her the video... Hahaha!
I have one with stage 3 tuning, i just love the face on the BMW people when i reck the Shit out of them😂
I bet it's pretty darn fast! How is the torque steer on it with more power?
brilliant, 0-30 km/h is slow but from 30 and up is very fast
U should have tested the 2.3L Turbo engine! I own a 2002 9-5 Aero with 250HP (automatic lol) and the 350nm dat this beast puts down onto the street is just sick. I pwned several GTIs with it and on the autobahn its just pure fun.
And if u check on some 911 from 1997-2001 and realise their speccs are not that much higher (911 Carrera: 3.6L 325HP and 'just' 370nm) it is kinda sick that Saab achieved it with just a 4 cylinder engine.
Because forced induction! It makes everything more fun!
I have a 2006 9-3 in this exact color! Mine is a 2.0T though. Awesome vid!
+Tanner Sterner thanks man! And it is a striking color, it fits well IMHO!
You get my sub... very, very nice to watch man. Keep it up.
I am planning on it! Thanks!
Great review man.
Thank you!
I bought this exact model in 2014, not knowing exactly what it was… and I’m so glad I pulled the trigger that day. I’ll never sell it… its such fun!
Love my 2006 Saab Aero ....quick story: driving down the hwy ..18 wheeler blows off a huge tread ...no way to avoid it..and blows off my front spoiler ....
Mine was a skunk.
Nice review. 'Definitely GM's fault', that pretty much sums up the downfall of Saab. I've got an old '01 93 Coupe, with some engine tweaks and chassis improvements, and it's just brilliant. The power figures always deceive with Saabs, the midrange grunt makes them real sleepers. I'll be maintaining mine for as long as I possibly can, since they're now consigned to history.
I tip my hat to you kind sir!
Saab was dying in the 80s and gm saved them
You are not completly right the 2008 9-3 Turbo X was saabs fastest car at 280 HP and 5.6s to 60. Main differences is that the Turbo X had AWD, 30 extra hp and removed torque limiter in first gear. And regarding the engine, it may have been a GM designed engine but the turbocharging was all saabs work. Very good video non the less !
+theking497 at the time this was the fastest Saab, I know the way it was said was a bit wonky, it came up in the outtakes!
Ohh. That changes things, in that case you are right then ! :)
+theking497 yup! Even if I was wrong, I'm human. I try to fact check as much as I can though, don't want to spread untruths! :)
Been running & gunning with a 9-3 2011 1.9 TTiD, in the old world(Northern Europe) pushing at 170 000 miles.
List of changed parts:
- Runs like the clockwork, only had to change battery & front wheel bearings once.
- The water pump at every 50-65k(with oil changes deliberately at 7.5k miles, to keep the soot out of the Diesel), had zero issues with it and its engine thus far.
- Had it pushed from 130hp 340nm to 215hp, 440nm some years back, and not even the clutch is giving in. GM parts fail(like the rear break light connector), but the Saab parts just keeps rolling, and zero rust anywhere, regardless of salt-roads and the original stock suspension.
- Once that Aero has its "uptuned tweak" done, I wanna hear all about it.
Diesels always respond so nicely to mods! And they always seem to hang on longer too, even when modified. And if the car ends up modified I will surely do an update review. Although the owner might do something else too. That is the thing with cars... constantly changing interests!
Yeah... lol..having had three of these, the shifter is best left unglued... or with just a hint of blue loctite. Those that know .... know why ;) Can't wait to drive it in the am... it's an addiction. Saab 9-3's are amazing.
I probably wrote this in another comment. But I litterally can't believe that this video is on it's way to become the most popular on the channel. People love to hate on the GM era Saabs, but they sure are popular with the masses! And it really was a nice car to drive.
The Dutch Texan Great review!
Fantastic car. 1 thing to say..you shouldn't just drive these cars hard whilst cold. Never go above 4k revs in any gear unless she is up to temperature.
+Iceman 8 that is solid advice for any car!
should I buy a 06 saab with 200k miles? for 800
+oba femi don't expect it to run for long, and if it does you won't hit much depreciation so you come out ahead. Just be willing to part it out when it inevitably dies!
+oba femi Hi! The Saab in this vid was mine. That depends, is it a 9-3 or a 9-5, what motor/trans is in it? Honestly, for $800, any car that runs and drives is a hell of a deal.
TheRoadDriverly Are you on narcotics? This car is a beauty in every way!
Never had my shifter (gear stick) knob come off, guess that's what happens when you put your foot to the floor and you're changing gear, you hang on to it!
+Phil Donnelly hahaha! It came off like that before he bought it... Does that mean the previous owner drove it like he stole it?
You havent joined the saab club till your knob comes off!
After many mis-steps, including Saab's sale to Spyker, and GM lifting Saab's tech to transform Cadillac, NEVS, its current ownership, has weathered several storms, and is putting out 5 new electric Saab models beginning in 2017.
I'm getting one, ASAP!
+Anfernee LeZagney only time will tell if they can make a successful comeback. Electric cars are becoming all the rage though!
2:00 15 THOUSAND RPM HOLY SHIT!! :D
Hahaha! Yes... I goofed... But you know what I meant!
Ye man that explains why int went 60 mph in secong. :DD
I have wrecked 9000 1995 it in second moves way quicker starting from 1500.. eaven tho it has 150 hp and its heavy
Awesome review ^^ very smooth acceleration indeed
+Keith Wong thanks for enjoying the video Keith! That car impressed me for sure with the acceleration, it wasn't peaky at all!
The Dutch Texan indeed , looks normal yet pack a punch ^^
I just picked up a 2006 Saab 6 speed and yes it is a "sporty" car. I did have a Saab 9000 before this one and it was nice also.
+Jeffrey Durbin it changed my outlook on the brand from a driver perspective, that's for sure!
I just hope it's as reliable as the 9000 CS.
+Jeffrey Durbin It is kinda sporty as stock. But you should buy atleast stage 3 upgrade for the engine! Then it is awesome ;)
I keep coming back and looking at this video. I've a saab like this one but it's a 2010 my.
I really like this review :)
Greetings! I just purchased a 2006 SAAB 9-3 Aero. AND I live in Texas. What part of Texas are you from?
+Justin Ocean I live in Plano, just north of Dallas!
Justin Ocean I live in Frisco and I just got a 9-3!
You should hear that 2.8 with no mufflers.
0:35 not true! The 9-3 turbo x has 280hp V6 engine
+henke103 You will get a kick out of the outtakes that will come out in a few days. I am specifically talking about 2006. I can see how it comes out confusing though!
He did say "to date". When this car was released it was the fastest Saab ever made.
+TheRoadDriverly 2010 2011 9-5 aero . . some people even say the 9-7x aero. but that doesnt count!
+juha pohjola Bah, the 9-7 is just a fancy Blazer
+TheRoadDriverly No, there's other models that have over 250hp than the Turbo X. There's the basic 9-3 Aero modell who had the same engine as the Turbo X at 280hp, the NG9-5 and 9-4x with a V6 300hp engine
Have you ever experience the " Night Panel " ? If you drive a Saab during the night, you press the Night Panel button, all panel lights are gone EXCEPT the speedometer .... there is also a mini-fridge in the glove box that can keep your beer or soda cold ! There are so much more Saab secrets for your to discover if you became a Saab owner like me ....
I love my '07 2.8 V6 Turbo......love. it.
picking one up next week!!!!!
+kevin marks you're going to have a lot of fun driving it around for sure!
+The Dutch Texan ...it will be my 3rd saab
What did you have before that?
+The Dutch Texan my first Saab was a 1997 900 hatchback grey silver my second Saab was 9-3 2006 red four door with a black matt hood very cool not original but nice
Those 900's looked really nice!
O love my 2007 9-3 diesel turbo. Its not the fastest off the line, but at 46 years old, I wanna keep lateral gravity to a minimum, if you know what I mean. I ain't ready to resemble my grand pa just yet.
But what the Saab gives me, is comfort, safety, reliability, decent economy (35-45 mpg) space, and enough power for my needs.
When I come to choose a replacement, it will be another Saab, hopefully a 2011 9-5 sportwagon.
im not saab fan but this saab is best looking saab
It has the Saab looks for sure! Still surprised that at moment of posting the video is the most popular one on my channel... A frigging SAAB!
I really like the NG 9-3, but there's just one problem for me and that's the feel of the pedals. The zone the clutch starts biting in is too far compared to the older generation 9-3's and 9-5's and they just don't have that sturdiness. Still, I think they're really great for their value (at least here in Finland) and drive quite smoothly.
The Saab Turbo X was the most powerful high performing Saab
+Brian Sukhu it wasn't around in 2006, it actually came up in the outtakes. My wording left a little to be desired!
The 9-5 from the same year has 260 hp
lemond234 the 9-5 weight is bigger.
Correct. I'm not sure ow much more the 9-5 weighs than the 9-3 though.
I thought you were reffering to 9-5 with the same engine 2007 9-5 but it dosen't have 2.8T it only gets it in 2010 and weight 1900~kg the 9-5 that has 2.3T 260HP and it actually weights a few kilos less.
lol when that last cupholder makes your day
It was coooooool dude! In battle of the cup holders that one is the winner!
Haha lol yeah. No competition 😂
very cool review
Thank you for watching and enjoying it!
Love it Saab Rulez
Still the number 1 video in 2020! Hahaha!
I have one of these. I love it.
And with you many others! It is almost the most popular video on the channel!
coolest cup holder ever,
I did have 9_3 ARC now I own
9_5 aero 5 speed 265k miles run like new
+Sebastian Grases totally agree on that cup holder thing! Payten showed me and I just had to include it!
Thanks for very good review
I enjoyed doing it! thank you for watching!
What part of Texas are you in? I have a 2009 9-3 Aero V6 XWD 6-Speed with an MT (same drivetrain/engine as the Turbo X the year prior) with a handful of upgrades (Stage 3 tune). I'm in Houston -- if you are in the area, let me know and would be happy to meet up and let you take it for a drive :)
+Zissou Saab I'd love to, but I am in North Texas, the Plano area! You don't know how much I appreciate the offer, if I could take you up on it I totally would!
Good review!!
+mrdeepfish thanks!
Same car came color also a manual and I remember the shift knob popping off all the time too. I had to superglue it in place.
Whatever works! A new one would just end up doing the same in no time anyway... LOL!
Nice honest review, cheers
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Love my v6
that Saab makes a lovely sound.
Listen to it with no mufflers. It sounds so good
holly molly...that knob!!! I was thinking that only my Peugeot 307 had that fault!!!! now, i am so happpy! i am not alone in the auto universe!!!
nice review!
+MaUrIcEtAxI Thanks man!
Nice video. I own an 07 9-3 Aero. Great car, getting old tho is costing a bit of money in maintenance. And there are dealerships still active.
thunderkat your issues being?
Well nothing major just little stuff. Tie rods which are normal wear and tear things, rear break light socket doesnt seem to have enough spring left in it to keep contact with the bulb so every once in while ill get the rear break light malfunction notification. The wiper linkage broke on the driverside (that was kinda my fault). After i fixed the linkage the wiper motor was parking the wipers in the middle of the windshield. Alarm was going off for no reason, replaced a switch in the rear door to fix that. Secondary air pump went 2x. Was recently told i needed a transmission seal at the pass side drive axle. Sometimes when locking the car one door doesnt lock but its not always the same door. Had a clunking noise when hitting bumps a year ago and that was the tie rods, but its clunking again not sure what it is this time. Driver door sometimes wont open when im exiting the car. Driver window sometimes will act like there is an obstruction and roll down after it reaches the top. I think thats it. Had the car 2 years now has 111k miles. Dont get me wrong I love the car, its worth taking care of :)
thunderkat good to know. I'm gonna get a 2008 aero. I have owned a 94 900 auto and a 2000 93 5spd. I can testify to the fact they will definitely protect you in collision. loved them both. My first order of business will to delete the mufflers lol
thunderkat the dealerships are still active? The one where I live is abandoned haha. I've got an '03 arc by the way
Never jump into a cold turbo, allow it to warm up first.
+Clarkecars and you think the turbo was cold why?
because you had just started it and was revving the engine to 5 and 6 grand. This is before you started driving it.
+Clarkecars you obviously did not look at the temp gauge on the cluster, you also forget the fact that people have to drive to the filming location. This results in fluids being nice and warm, even if they sit still for a little while after to take some "glamour" shots. And at times those shots are made after the actual review.
Then you and I have provided a service to others by having this discussion. :-)
Nice ending with the cup holders! Now go easy on the C4 corvette cup holders!
+TheCorvetteBen I usually don't bother with them, but once I was turned towards them they where just too cool to exclude! Hahaha!
Feel free to exclude the cup holders on the c4 lol
I will!
Haha Awesome Review :)
Thanks! I am glad you liked it!
Isn't the turbo x the fastest 9-3 they made? Genuinely curious, thanks to anyone who replies!
+ers1027 I actually meant up to 2006 when I said to date. I understand my word choice was less than optimal... It came up in the outtakes here by the by! th-cam.com/video/cuIR1JGAbKc/w-d-xo.html
+The Dutch Texan ah I did not see that, thanks for clarifying!
Mine used to speed chime at 90 mph. It must have given up on convincing me b/c I don't get the chime anymore.
it's a setting on your dashboard info display. If it stopped doing it you either turned it off, or disconnected your battery for a while
You should review a saab 93 turbo x! :D
If someone has one around my neck of the woods and offers I totally would!
:D
I flew across country for an Aero Nordic 9-3 convertible. It's fast. It's the same engine as the Cadillac STS. With tuning and a few minor changes these engines put out 400 hp easily. They are not light either. 3900lb curb weight.
The passion for even these GM era saabs is uncanny. When I shot this review I never thought it was going to go anywhere, but it ended up as the number one video for quite a while. That thing must be a riot. And also piss some people off... Total sleeper!
@@TheDutchTexan I met you at cars and Coffee in Grapevine. I have the blue 67 shelby.
@@mustardstain504d6 that is a gorgeous car!
That is a proper tuner car
You rarely see them and if you are sleeping it’s going to get away from you at the light! Such an underdog.
I Love this video
+the bad guys I am glad you enjoyed it! It was great fun to make!
where in texas are you? we have a couple of high horsepower saabs u can review in houston
+Aaron Garcia I am in north Texas unfortunately. Plano, just north of Dallas! Otherwise I would be 100% on top of it!
Lol at that Automatic comment!! It's the same here in Australia, most cars on the road are Auto's here!! Manuals are pretty rare, unless you drive a "Ute". I've owned mainly Holden's which are predominantly Auto and are rare in manual.
Geweldig
Bedankt voor het kijken!
I have a 2005 Aero convertible in lime yellow / very stylish 💗
Good first car?
I am going to lean on no on this one. Good first cars are generally imports that are a dime a dozen. Boring yes, but they are far kinder to the wallet than buying a car that is from a brand that has exited the stage.
Great review! I'm glad to manage to buy one before they are extinct.
Thank you so much for watching! It means a lot when owners of the car enjoy my review!
Ik this is an old video but looking at buying one of these. Strange question not about performance, do you recall if it has an six port for music?
I am sorry Owen, I do not have that answer for you. However, there are plenty of aftermarket solutions if it doesn't have it and you really want it!
I have a turbo x with 335 pk Hirsch exhaust ...Real good cars saab
Man I've been trying to get one of these for 2 years now
+DaSpaceJammer They seem to be quite the unicorn in good condition with a manual transmission!
+The Dutch Texan
I am about to check out an 06 93 Aero WAGON this week.. 6 speed manual. Im so giddy hahah I might have to buy it.
I had that exact same car but crashed it. I loved that car. and yes it was an automatic
RIP i hope you’re ok
@@saabwitha2.3turbo81
I am thank That car was amazing
Dan Fournier yeah I love those but I also like the 2006 Saab 9-5 vector sedan
Get some loctite on the gear nob thread. Mine did that not long after I got it and annoyed the hell out of me but the loctite is an easy fix.
i thought it is award winning V6 from 06.
Love that car with manual gear!
I think the v6 had a twin scroll turbo. There is another cup holder in the middle that flips down lol, I didn't realise it was there for months.
The cup holders are definitely one of the most distinct I have seen in any car. Porsche’s do good ones too, but this one takes the cake!
it was not the fastest Saab made the 2006 Saab 9-5 2.3t has 260hp.
and the saab 9-3 2008 model had 280 hp (same engine as the one in the revie)
The Saab 9-3 ttid diesel has 180hp and the same 50-100mph time as the 2,8t V6.
I like the car,powerfull engine,6 v...man,fast like a piston fighter.At that power do you think is better an automatic transmision?
use to have shifter on my car,wich is not a Saab. .Here in Europe Saab are appreciated premium cars. To bad they not exist anymore on auto market.Greetings from Romania.
I actually just picked up a 03 saab linear 4 cylinder turbo manual transmission. has the stage 3 tune on it. i actually raced my buddy in his v6 and beat him by about 2 car lengths. it was great we did a few pulls from different gears and i continued to pull. but i have a stage 3 tune and hardly beat him.. just think if that v6 one had a stage 3 tune oh man lol
+Thatboostedguy the owner is planning some things. I bet it will change the game considerably if his thoughts come to fruition!
+The Dutch Texan Yeah wasnt saying its slow, there actually really quick for what it is.
I Have one and love it! Facts coming from a 740il figure that
There is a cup holder in the middle next to handbrake ;)
+pohtoj1 but that one was boring! Hahaha!
That unibrow though 😂
+Chasers isn't it magnificent?
I want to buy this and see how it runs Fosho I fucks with this European whip