Hi Rob, How do I start. Well, thank you for presenting this car. Saab fans are pleased, I should think. You've gotten many points right. Then again, why is it that Saab reviewers (not you particularly), but those who've just discovered them, are always surprised that something on a 15-year-old car -- especially electrics -- might need repair. When I hear that (again, not you), I despair of their sanity and intelligence. Cars need maintenance and repair. My friend two-year old BMW sprung a leak in the heater core, which splashed coolant all under the dashboard. 9,600 pound repair. If you've ever owned a Rolls, or a Range Rover, or an Audi or BMW or Mercedes, they need repair. The night panel is not "weird". It reduces eye strain, if you do a lot of night driving. You don't need to constantly monitor fuel, temperature, revs. You can click on the dash lights and return to night panel with the touch of a button. And the soft interior lines are easy on the eye, which I cannot say for some of the major brands with their "brutality aesthetic" assaulting your senses while driving. These cars are so-called 2+2s. That means they are actually a two seater, but accomodate the occasional visitor or children. You seem quite tall. For you to fit in the back of any convertible is a miracle. I wouldn't try the back seat with a Jaguar or Aston Martin. And in an SL, you'll emerge crippled. As for driving, they are, as you rightly point out, not "sports cars". They are compact grand tourers. If you drive long distances, you'll find them one of the most comfortable and enjoyable cars on the planet. For a holiday trip with your sweetheart and the dog, or country drive, they are hard to beat. I have a 3000 kilometer trip behind me, including one segment of 17-hours straight with a rather large boat behind me, with no performance issues or back problems whatsoever -- and still got 35 MPG. In fact, if it weren't for the ease of driveability, I doubt I would have made it. You've got a beautiful example there, lovely color. Please treat it well, or sell it to someone who will -- and it will treat you well. They are not good cars for 20-year olds who forget to feed to dog. Like owning a dog or being married, Saabs will treat you well if you treat them well. To those convertible drivers who expect "library" silence, I say, go to the library. Frankly, I don't notice the noise at motorway speeds. With the top down, a draft screen helps a great deal, but that is true of any car. And yes, this model generation rides a bit "squishy" upon first impression compared to other cars, but, after driving the Saab you think of other cars, "goodness, have they not heard of rubber bushings?". Saabs are lovely to drive. And road handling is much improved by high-quality tires. I love it when people cheap out on tires and then complain about the ride and handling. Saabs are "quirky", and benefit from knowledgeable owners who keep up on maintenance and know what repair to expect -- like any other car, except maybe a Corsa. When you switch back to other cars, you might be quite horrified at their stiffness. I won't mention which car makers, but whenever I've ridden in a friend's top marque convertible, I pray to get back to my Saab! Thanks for the review. Take care.
Thanks a lot for sharing. This comment was better than the vid itself 😊Which year and spec do you have? I’m considering one and I wonder what are the points to look for when buying?
I recently test drove one of these and was very impressed with its cornering, acceleration, safety, very comfortable seats and interior luxury! A great sports car!
Regarding the night panel. Even though all gauges and dashboard lights, except speedometer, turns off, the car will still light up any warnings if necessary, e.g. low fuel or check engine light. The purpose to black out the dashboard is to lower the risk of distraction/unnecessary light while driving at night/while dark to keep driver's vision more focused.
My suggestion is that you should have made the video after having the car for a while and not just look surprised to every feature you find on the car for the first time. These are timeless great cars, and for a convertible I still think is one of the best in its class. A convertible that can be used all year round, although I used mines only in the sunny Summer days.
I think you could be confusing surprise with enthusiasm, but hey, I’m always open to suggestions. I was impressed with the car overall. Thanks for watching!
The 9-3 convertible was built from the ground up to be a convertible unlike most manufactures that would modify their saloon models and strengthen them to modify them to be convertibles.
A couple things - the reason that upper info panel is pointed to the "passenger seat" is that everywhere else that's the driver's seat it's pointed to, and they didn't reengineer that bit for RHD versions. Also in Night Panel mode, if something DOES require attention such as low fuel it lights up. Having fewer lights up at night really helps keep focus on the road and you can be assured that any gauge that needs attention does light up if it should in night mode.
A couple of things - I know why the panel points over to the passenger, it’s just a bit lazy not to reengineer it for RHD versions. Also I think you may struggle to understand sarcasm.
I've arrived here as I've just brought a Saab 9-3 2.0T Petrol Auto Vector model that I pick up on Saturday!! Its a 2007 but only done 62,000 miles. I can't wait!! Thank you for this.. Great review!
Mate you will love it.. I absolutely love mine and fingers crossed I've not had a single problem with it.. Went straight through its MOT in September.. Enjoy! 👍
Ho Rob, love it!! karry george king sent me here (im in SYD ) this is great to witness your general discovery and surprise at the rear seat comfort (im 6ft 3 and 125kgs and always marvelled at how comfy my 2001 93 aero vert was). the roof section had me grinning too! if you use the manual change to keep it in the 3500 to 5500 sweet spot, they are excellent semi-sports cars. my 2003 9-5 aero is a real monster though on manual changes - completely livens it up.
Hey Stuart, thanks for watching! Really glad to hear you enjoyed the video and more importantly, that your enjoying your Saab! I’d love to have a go in a manual but the auto did make it a compelling long distance cruiser. Here’s hoping I’ll get to drive more Saab’s in the future!
Definitely a car ahead of its time. I mean look at how good that thing looks for it’s age. I always loved Saab and checking out these old videos just brings me back.
@@BuckleUpShow I am now. 6 months ago I had never even ridden in a Saab. I've got a customer at the auto parts store I work at that rebuilds them for a hobby so when my 91 Plymouth died and I needed a car he just happened to have a 9-5 available and in budget ($1300) and the used car market was going nuts because of the stimulus money so I figured the 9-5 was the safest bet. I took a windy road home with lots of twists and turns and instantly fell in love with Saab. Over the last 6 months I've refurbished and upgraded lots of things, Aero dash, Aero steering wheel, Aero seats, painted the valve cover, new wheels and tires, new brakes and rotors all around, and getting ready to do rear springs and shocks. I just got my 9-3 yesterday and can't wait to start throwing money at it like a stripper on a Friday night and return it to it's former glory.
@@davesharples8014 Better still, get a Vector Sport with all the toys and get the engine remapped. Aeros are frequently a bit sparsely equipped. My Vector Sport came with electrically adjusted, heated seats, 7-speaker sat-nav stereo with changer and reverse sensors. Aeros with all these seem pretty rare. Karl Viner (aka Noobtune) will do a remap by post to take the 150 and 175 engines up to over 200bhp and his work is very well-regarded and superb value. Aero will get you a slightly lower ride-height and a little spoiler on the boot.
@@tonyfisk8081 you seem to know your stuff... Can I pick your brains... Currently listing after a linear anniversary model, which seems really well equipped... Better than a vector for sure.. What are your thoughts?
He clearly has a wiring issue. Holding the roof button down lowers the roof, the operation is complete when you hear a 'beep'. If you continue holding the button all 4 windows then go all the way down - this is a feature. When you raise the roof with windows up, all 4 windows first lower by about 10 cm and then when the operation is complete they all close. This is to ensure a good fit between window top edge and soft top.
Yes, and generally when a car is made for markets that drive on the other side of a car they bother to switch things like that around, hence why it's worth mentioning
Nah, mate, it's like British Aerospace also made cars, not British Airways. Except that, in a way, they did - Bristol cars being manufactured at the BAe Filton site from the days when it was the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Oh, and don't worry about not being told about problems just because you have Night Panel on. If anything happens that it doesn't like, it will let you know...
Quite an objective review. We own a 2011 Saab TTiD Aero and hopefully never have to sell it. Think you should point that the issues opening/closing the soft top are pretty unique to that car. Ours has always worked faultlessly. The TTid is quite rapid and very economical on fuel. We find it comfortable and as you quite rightly pointed out it makes a usable 4 seater. One of its best features is the longevity of its paintwork. Pretty much everything that looks like a stone chip on it - polishes off. Whereas pretty much everything that looks like a stone chip on my lower mileage Ford - is a stone chip. One word of warning -make sure you good glass cover on your insurance. Luckily when our rear screen shattered, we had good cover. It cost our insurers over £1000.00!
@@BuckleUpShow the calibration procedure of pinch control happened. It is when you remove battery connector for some reason and plug it again. Then you need to calibrate the window pinch control by keep pressing the roof button. It happens once then its ok
When you pressed the roof button up then the pinch control calibration happened. Windows up-down, up-down and beep. This is normal after every battery cable take off and plug again.
Why did you not mention and demonstrate the cars cruise control and in depth explanation of the features of the display on top of dash which also has a D.T.E function that tells you how many miles left before tank is empty this is a handy feature.
I don’t want this to come across as rude, but I feel like most people know how cruise control works and I can’t think of many cars in recent memory that don’t have a function that tells you how many miles are left before the tank is empty. I tend not to go too in depth on my reviews just so more casual audiences aren’t put off.
That's funny how the upper display on the dashboard faces the passenger in a European model. In the states, that display is in the same position so it faces the driver
Pretty fair review, though you should absolutely check out an Aero v6 six-speed version when you can. Still not exactly a screamer, but dramatically better performance.
@@BuckleUpShow I'd offer, but I think I'm probably a bit far away for you to travel. Check out the "Saab Convertible Club" group on Facebook. Tons of helpful people there, including across the pond. I'm certain one of them would be nearby and willing to let you take a spin.
You may think bmw is better but i always see bmw broken down at the side of the roads, also the saab convertible is a very safe place to be ,check out the ncap ,stronger side inpact than the saloons, also has all the airbags seats etc and pop up roll over bars
Seriously, you were only driving the 175bhp not even an aero, you can not comment on a saabvaux, with really terrible skirts. Do the review in either an aero 2.0T 210bhp or a 2.8 V6 250bhp pre 2008 280bhp after 2008, and if you get a stage 1 mapped you'll have even more fun. When you're talking about Saab talk about the aero models
Can’t really talk about a car I haven’t driven can I! We'd be more than happy to review a hotter model, but we would need someone to lend us one. Any offers?
Sorry to hear this, Gary. May I ask how long you watched the video before you came to that conclusion and what led you to believe I hadn’t done any research?
Hi Rob, I was probably a bit harsh but I felt that as a car tester and journalist you should have researched the car you were testing more thoroughly. Car manufacturers history and heritage are important as it helps to understand their design ethos. I lost interest almost immediately when you described the ‘red grffiny thing’ in such vague terms and obviously didn’t know what the badge design meant. You also suggested that the grille took some design cues from BMW. Badges and grilles are the identity of the car and manufacturers pay a great deal of attention to both. Saab never took design cues from anybody and to suggest they did is ill informed. I’m not sure what to say about the hash you made of the pronunciation of the name either, other than don’t bother. Not knowing the colour until you looked in the handbook on camera was also disappointing. I watched the test until the end to see if things improved but I to be honest you lost me with your introduction. I know TH-cam car test videos need to be entertaining but they also need to be well informed, you need to know what all the switches do and whether the glovebox is full before you go to camera and I thought it could have been much better. I hope these comments are constructive because I don’t want to just rubbish your content, I’m sure they take a huge amount of time and effort to produce.
Hi Gary, really appreciate you taking the time to write all of that out. I fear that the points you have raised were deliberately kept in or scripted in the name of humour. I know there’s a great history of Saab but I felt this had already been covered extensively by others, including most famously - Top Gear. That’s why I tend to stay away from going into too much detail. It tends to put more general audiences off when you start to talk about the history of the badge etc. I try to keep the relevant facts in but unfortunately I know I’m never going to please the die hard fans of particular manufacturers. Overall I think the video has pretty good feedback so I’m happy that I made the right choice on this occasion. Maybe I’ll do more in-depth stuff in future videos.
@@BuckleUpShow Hi Rob, yes, you are probably right on how you presented the video, it has broad appeal. I’m too pedantic I guess, I’m not sure why I commented this morning really, I usually keep my thoughts to myself but I’m a Fiat and Alfa Romeo owner of nearly 40 who has suffered ill informed abuse about dodgy electrics, poor build quality and rust. Made more painful by the fact that in my ownership of many Italian cars the complete opposite has been true! So I guess I thought I was sticking up for the better informed general public! I will consider things more carefully before I open my mouth again, it’s all about balance and yes you got it about right. All the best Gary
Buy based on condition NOT model. A vector is easily mapped to aero spec for very little money. These are great cars that will only appreciate in value, buy while you can.
You try to make it funny for clicks No problem, I get that.... But.... Why not do a bit of homework first. That saab has fibre optic connectibility from radio to amp, to rear amp, to CD player, to control behind the radio. The engine in the aero 2.0 l 210 bhp standard, software remap Stage one, intercooler, 245bhp, Add three inch cat back, stage two 265bhp, Aero has lowered sports suspension, Optional extras, power folding mirrors, heated seats, electric seats, Auto dimming mirror, 13 speaker system with integrated bose subwoofer, 18 in wheels, follow me home auto xenon self levelling headlights, V6 2.8 aero manual convertible Irmscher tuned is a magnificent car. Check out Pacific builds on you tube And watch a tuned saab.
The fiber optic cable doesn't make a difference that's actually perceptible to the driver, and nearly everything else you've said is about either tuning one or the Aero spec. When we're doing a used car review we try to focus mostly on the specific spec of car we actually have in the video, and generally we don't talk about tuning at all.
Roof is designed to retract in 20 seconds, While moving at no more than 20mph. Your windows have not been programmed for pinch protection, and Allthough that was the object of some mirth, that is my point about homework, meaning how can you review if you don't know the basics of the cars peculiarities. Not all of what I said was regarding tuning, Particularly the last paragraph.
@caractacusbrittania7442 why has it taken you over a year to respond to this? I would’ve thought this would be long enough to formulate a comment that made any kind of sense…
@@southendparaquest It was a problem on the earlier cars as you say. There aren't that many of those cars still around but buyer beware. Yes, there is a repair available.
A clue you have not regarding many of the features. You gave yourself away virtually from the start by not knowing how to operate the soft top. Very simple, it remembers the last operation and if someone stopped before the cycle completd, it resumes from there, just as it did. It completes that cycle in less that 15 seconds and can be operated while moving at below 20mph. Get BMW out of your head!! They followed Saab in many aspects. Saab were the 1st to use electronic engine managment, with the Trionic system. The 1st to put turbos in production road cars. Saab intended or tried to present this as a sporty model, No that's the Aero, the Vector is a cruise along comfort model. Way back circa 1993 when this 1st appeared with all the same features, how many production cars do you think had paddle shift auto? Truth be told it was much advanced compared to it's compeditors. Sadly it stood still, under the control of General Motors, who only wanted the Trionic and Turbo assets of Saab and had no clue what to do with the company and its production. After NOT just re-skinning a Vauxhall for the 3rd time GM pulled the plug. If only they had let Saab continue being the inovators they were, the world would still have one of the very best production cars avaliable.
Hi Gordon, thanks for watching the video! Thought I would just help you out on a few of your points. 1) It is not our car, the roof doing the dance was amusing but also we didn't want to do anything to someone else's vehicle that might harm it so we didn't try it again. The car had just been detailed and as part of that the battery had been disconnected, hence the display that happened in the video. 2) It was a throwaway comment about it having narrow side grills that are similar in size and shape to equivalent age BMW kidney grills, it was not an accusation of theft. It certainly wasn't a statement on either companies technical achievements however... 3) since you've brought up turbos. The first production car with them was the Oldsmobile Turbo JetFire, all the way back in 1962, so in other words GM did it first. In addition both the BMW 2002 Turbo and the Porsche 911 Turbo came out before the 99 Turbo which was SAAB's first forced induction car. 4) I don't really know how you’re caveat-ing electronic engine management, but GM put an ECU in a car in 1978, Trionic came out with the 9000 in 1995, some 17 years later. With all that said the 99 Turbo was very much the first accessible Turbocharged car and really opened the flood gates for forced induction to be widely adopted. Also SAAB has had lots of brilliant technical breakthroughs and innovations but for some reason you decided not to mention them and make things up instead. We like the 9-3, we REALLY like the pre GM cars. Hope that clears everything up for you. Lots of love, Buckle Up Xxx
An initial run-through would've probably helped this rough presentation give the viewer something other than the indigestion of seeing a half-baked video on a car given by someone who knew nothing about it. What a waste of time.
@@BuckleUpShow I'm afraid dismally, not funny, more embarrassing on your behalf, suggest that you might put them as a group at end of review, and pass them off as bloopers
Hi Rob, How do I start. Well, thank you for presenting this car. Saab fans are pleased, I should think. You've gotten many points right. Then again, why is it that Saab reviewers (not you particularly), but those who've just discovered them, are always surprised that something on a 15-year-old car -- especially electrics -- might need repair. When I hear that (again, not you), I despair of their sanity and intelligence. Cars need maintenance and repair. My friend two-year old BMW sprung a leak in the heater core, which splashed coolant all under the dashboard. 9,600 pound repair. If you've ever owned a Rolls, or a Range Rover, or an Audi or BMW or Mercedes, they need repair. The night panel is not "weird". It reduces eye strain, if you do a lot of night driving. You don't need to constantly monitor fuel, temperature, revs. You can click on the dash lights and return to night panel with the touch of a button. And the soft interior lines are easy on the eye, which I cannot say for some of the major brands with their "brutality aesthetic" assaulting your senses while driving. These cars are so-called 2+2s. That means they are actually a two seater, but accomodate the occasional visitor or children. You seem quite tall. For you to fit in the back of any convertible is a miracle. I wouldn't try the back seat with a Jaguar or Aston Martin. And in an SL, you'll emerge crippled. As for driving, they are, as you rightly point out, not "sports cars". They are compact grand tourers. If you drive long distances, you'll find them one of the most comfortable and enjoyable cars on the planet. For a holiday trip with your sweetheart and the dog, or country drive, they are hard to beat. I have a 3000 kilometer trip behind me, including one segment of 17-hours straight with a rather large boat behind me, with no performance issues or back problems whatsoever -- and still got 35 MPG. In fact, if it weren't for the ease of driveability, I doubt I would have made it. You've got a beautiful example there, lovely color. Please treat it well, or sell it to someone who will -- and it will treat you well. They are not good cars for 20-year olds who forget to feed to dog. Like owning a dog or being married, Saabs will treat you well if you treat them well. To those convertible drivers who expect "library" silence, I say, go to the library. Frankly, I don't notice the noise at motorway speeds. With the top down, a draft screen helps a great deal, but that is true of any car. And yes, this model generation rides a bit "squishy" upon first impression compared to other cars, but, after driving the Saab you think of other cars, "goodness, have they not heard of rubber bushings?". Saabs are lovely to drive. And road handling is much improved by high-quality tires. I love it when people cheap out on tires and then complain about the ride and handling. Saabs are "quirky", and benefit from knowledgeable owners who keep up on maintenance and know what repair to expect -- like any other car, except maybe a Corsa. When you switch back to other cars, you might be quite horrified at their stiffness. I won't mention which car makers, but whenever I've ridden in a friend's top marque convertible, I pray to get back to my Saab! Thanks for the review. Take care.
Thanks for watching
Thanks a lot for sharing. This comment was better than the vid itself 😊Which year and spec do you have? I’m considering one and I wonder what are the points to look for when buying?
This has made me want one even more :D
I recently test drove one of these and was very impressed with its cornering, acceleration, safety, very comfortable seats and interior luxury! A great sports car!
Thanks for sharing, great to hear you enjoyed the drive! Pretty good cars all round 😁
@@BuckleUpShow Your welcome and I enjoyed watching your video too.
SAAB made superb cars. For a while they were superb value/ridiculously cheap.
I’ve always fancied a SAAB but the used market is a bit crazy at the moment. Maybe one day a 99 Turbo will be mine.
Regarding the night panel. Even though all gauges and dashboard lights, except speedometer, turns off, the car will still light up any warnings if necessary, e.g. low fuel or check engine light. The purpose to black out the dashboard is to lower the risk of distraction/unnecessary light while driving at night/while dark to keep driver's vision more focused.
Yeah I know that and I assume most people watching do too. I was just having a little joke about it 🤷♂️
My suggestion is that you should have made the video after having the car for a while and not just look surprised to every feature you find on the car for the first time. These are timeless great cars, and for a convertible I still think is one of the best in its class. A convertible that can be used all year round, although I used mines only in the sunny Summer days.
I think you could be confusing surprise with enthusiasm, but hey, I’m always open to suggestions. I was impressed with the car overall. Thanks for watching!
I know right sabbs are so unexpectedly nice reliable and loaded to the gills everything a sports car has but in a goofy little sabb
I have a 99 my next one will be a 06 😂 who knows the one after that I see sabb in my life fro here on just got my first one a few months ago
This is one of the most beautiful four seater convertibles that ever existed. And a beauty to drive in minus 20 on a snowy country road!
As long as the heated seats are on
The 9-3 convertible was built from the ground up to be a convertible unlike most manufactures that would modify their saloon models and strengthen them to modify them to be convertibles.
Saab always did things properly, even if that meant spending money.
Great review. Brilliant car. A car for those who don't follow the crowd. Fantastic.
Glad you enjoyed it! Make sure to subscribe to see our future reviews 😊
A couple things - the reason that upper info panel is pointed to the "passenger seat" is that everywhere else that's the driver's seat it's pointed to, and they didn't reengineer that bit for RHD versions. Also in Night Panel mode, if something DOES require attention such as low fuel it lights up. Having fewer lights up at night really helps keep focus on the road and you can be assured that any gauge that needs attention does light up if it should in night mode.
A couple of things - I know why the panel points over to the passenger, it’s just a bit lazy not to reengineer it for RHD versions. Also I think you may struggle to understand sarcasm.
Proud owner of a 99 9.3 Turbo Vert.
I think I need some Saab in my life too!
Proud 08 9-3 turbo vert owner
I've arrived here as I've just brought a Saab 9-3 2.0T Petrol Auto Vector model that I pick up on Saturday!! Its a 2007 but only done 62,000 miles. I can't wait!! Thank you for this.. Great review!
Enjoy it!
I’ve just picked exactly the same up today for £2000 🎉
Mate you will love it.. I absolutely love mine and fingers crossed I've not had a single problem with it.. Went straight through its MOT in September.. Enjoy! 👍
@@ClassicMike. if you still have it a 100 quid map mate and your up to 210bhp , transforms the car
Ho Rob, love it!! karry george king sent me here (im in SYD ) this is great to witness your general discovery and surprise at the rear seat comfort (im 6ft 3 and 125kgs and always marvelled at how comfy my 2001 93 aero vert was). the roof section had me grinning too!
if you use the manual change to keep it in the 3500 to 5500 sweet spot, they are excellent semi-sports cars. my 2003 9-5 aero is a real monster though on manual changes - completely livens it up.
Hey Stuart, thanks for watching! Really glad to hear you enjoyed the video and more importantly, that your enjoying your Saab! I’d love to have a go in a manual but the auto did make it a compelling long distance cruiser. Here’s hoping I’ll get to drive more Saab’s in the future!
I'm 6' 4" and was told I'd find a 93 too small but I bought one about 5 weeks ago and I love it!
I just bought one today. 2005 Arc model 210 h.p. Turbo. $2,500 in great shape.
Wishing you many happy, turbo-filled miles!
Definitely a car ahead of its time. I mean look at how good that thing looks for it’s age. I always loved Saab and checking out these old videos just brings me back.
It’s very sad they aren’t around anymore
Proud owner of both a 2002 Saab 9-5 and a 2002 Saab 9-3.
Thanks for watching! Sounds like you’re quite the SAAB enthusiast!
@@BuckleUpShow I am now. 6 months ago I had never even ridden in a Saab. I've got a customer at the auto parts store I work at that rebuilds them for a hobby so when my 91 Plymouth died and I needed a car he just happened to have a 9-5 available and in budget ($1300) and the used car market was going nuts because of the stimulus money so I figured the 9-5 was the safest bet. I took a windy road home with lots of twists and turns and instantly fell in love with Saab. Over the last 6 months I've refurbished and upgraded lots of things, Aero dash, Aero steering wheel, Aero seats, painted the valve cover, new wheels and tires, new brakes and rotors all around, and getting ready to do rear springs and shocks. I just got my 9-3 yesterday and can't wait to start throwing money at it like a stripper on a Friday night and return it to it's former glory.
got me a 08 9-5 aero n a 06 vert
You know what, I wouldn't mind owning one of these 🤔
It’s a great alternative to the usual German stuff everyone else goes for
Jasper, Do It. But get the Aero, not the Vector.
@@davesharples8014 Better still, get a Vector Sport with all the toys and get the engine remapped. Aeros are frequently a bit sparsely equipped. My Vector Sport came with electrically adjusted, heated seats, 7-speaker sat-nav stereo with changer and reverse sensors. Aeros with all these seem pretty rare. Karl Viner (aka Noobtune) will do a remap by post to take the 150 and 175 engines up to over 200bhp and his work is very well-regarded and superb value. Aero will get you a slightly lower ride-height and a little spoiler on the boot.
they are magnificent. get the aero (or even a remapped non aero) and you'll be a convert!! the premium sound system is epic too!
@@tonyfisk8081 you seem to know your stuff... Can I pick your brains... Currently listing after a linear anniversary model, which seems really well equipped... Better than a vector for sure.. What are your thoughts?
He clearly has a wiring issue.
Holding the roof button down lowers the roof, the operation is complete when you hear a 'beep'. If you continue holding the button all 4 windows then go all the way down - this is a feature.
When you raise the roof with windows up, all 4 windows first lower by about 10 cm and then when the operation is complete they all close. This is to ensure a good fit between window top edge and soft top.
I understand how the roof is supposed to work, but clearly some sort of electrical freak out happened when I pressed the button.
@@BuckleUpShow Yes so not entirely fair to suggest it was a SAAB common problem
Did I say that?
I got a 1999 93 sabb absolutely love that little goofy car
Thanks for watching
Proud owner of a 9-3 Caab Liniair black 2004 good condition ❤❤ not for everybody, bit headstrong 😊 but thats fine
Thanks for watching!
Reason the top display shows slightly to the left, is because its origins are left-hand drive
Yes, and generally when a car is made for markets that drive on the other side of a car they bother to switch things like that around, hence why it's worth mentioning
I thought Joe Hickson started a car channel when I saw the thumbnail.
Also "T30 YES" is the greatest numberplate I have seen.
We don’t know who that is, sorry
@@BuckleUpShow www.youtube.com/@JoeHickson/videos
Also sick that you reply on a two year old video :)
Ah, we do remember now. Is he still with the Yogs?
@@BuckleUpShow I believe he does some freelance stuff, mostly Dota related. But as far as i know he's self employed now.
Nah, mate, it's like British Aerospace also made cars, not British Airways.
Except that, in a way, they did - Bristol cars being manufactured at the BAe Filton site from the days when it was the Bristol Aeroplane Company.
Oh, and don't worry about not being told about problems just because you have Night Panel on. If anything happens that it doesn't like, it will let you know...
Thanks for watching Tony! Someone else has already pointed that out to me but it has been noted 👍
Quite an objective review. We own a 2011 Saab TTiD Aero and hopefully never have to sell it. Think you should point that the issues opening/closing the soft top are pretty unique to that car. Ours has always worked faultlessly. The TTid is quite rapid and very economical on fuel. We find it comfortable and as you quite rightly pointed out it makes a usable 4 seater. One of its best features is the longevity of its paintwork. Pretty much everything that looks like a stone chip on it - polishes off. Whereas pretty much everything that looks like a stone chip on my lower mileage Ford - is a stone chip. One word of warning -make sure you good glass cover on your insurance. Luckily when our rear screen shattered, we had good cover. It cost our insurers over £1000.00!
Thanks for watching, Graham! Yours sounds like a beauty! Make sure to subscribe to see all out other content going forward 😃
proper auto boxes like that are so much better than those robot controlled manual boxes with their horrible gearchanges
Better, but not best
try using the roof button instead of the window switches...
I think you’ll find I was… I only used the window switches to speak to the camera once the roof was down.
@@BuckleUpShow the calibration procedure of pinch control happened. It is when you remove battery connector for some reason and plug it again. Then you need to calibrate the window pinch control by keep pressing the roof button. It happens once then its ok
When you pressed the roof button up then the pinch control calibration happened. Windows up-down, up-down and beep. This is normal after every battery cable take off and plug again.
This car was in regular use at the time so not sure that stacks up
Why did you not mention and demonstrate the cars cruise control and in depth explanation of the features of the display on top of dash which also has a D.T.E function that tells you how many miles left before tank is empty this is a handy feature.
I don’t want this to come across as rude, but I feel like most people know how cruise control works and I can’t think of many cars in recent memory that don’t have a function that tells you how many miles are left before the tank is empty. I tend not to go too in depth on my reviews just so more casual audiences aren’t put off.
That's funny how the upper display on the dashboard faces the passenger in a European model. In the states, that display is in the same position so it faces the driver
That makes so much sense now you’ve mentioned it!
Pretty fair review, though you should absolutely check out an Aero v6 six-speed version when you can. Still not exactly a screamer, but dramatically better performance.
I’d love to! Just need to find one!
@@BuckleUpShow I'd offer, but I think I'm probably a bit far away for you to travel. Check out the "Saab Convertible Club" group on Facebook. Tons of helpful people there, including across the pond. I'm certain one of them would be nearby and willing to let you take a spin.
@@BuckleUpShow I’ve got a manual Facelift V6 convertible in North Yorkshire if you’re looking for one to film
Brilliant car. Best I've owned.
Glad you enjoy yours!
The color is Parchment Silver
I say later in the video but thanks for letting us know 😊
You may think bmw is better but i always see bmw broken down at the side of the roads, also the saab convertible is a very safe place to be ,check out the ncap ,stronger side inpact than the saloons, also has all the airbags seats etc and pop up roll over bars
Believe us when we say there is no way Rob thinks BMW is better.
It's called parchment silver
Correct
you seem to be somewhere at 2,0 m tall, was it comfortable?
I’m 188cm tall and it was fine for me
@@BuckleUpShow thank you, 185 here - so hope good too
Seriously, you were only driving the 175bhp not even an aero, you can not comment on a saabvaux, with really terrible skirts. Do the review in either an aero 2.0T 210bhp or a 2.8 V6 250bhp pre 2008 280bhp after 2008, and if you get a stage 1 mapped you'll have even more fun. When you're talking about Saab talk about the aero models
Can’t really talk about a car I haven’t driven can I! We'd be more than happy to review a hotter model, but we would need someone to lend us one. Any offers?
I have the same car and I love it okay it’s costly but I love it
I enjoyed getting to have a look around this one very much! Glad to hear you’re enjoying yours!
Saab came out with that grill first...
Aha
Όνειρο μου αυτό το αυτοκινητο σε μαύρο χρωμα 🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝
Thanks for watching
You haven’t done any research into the brand or the specific model you are ‘testing’. A waste of time watching.
Sorry to hear this, Gary. May I ask how long you watched the video before you came to that conclusion and what led you to believe I hadn’t done any research?
Hi Rob, I was probably a bit harsh but I felt that as a car tester and journalist you should have researched the car you were testing more thoroughly.
Car manufacturers history and heritage are important as it helps to understand their design ethos.
I lost interest almost immediately when you described the ‘red grffiny thing’ in such vague terms and obviously didn’t know what the badge design meant. You also suggested that the grille took some design cues from BMW.
Badges and grilles are the identity of the car and manufacturers pay a great deal of attention to both. Saab never took design cues from anybody and to suggest they did is ill informed.
I’m not sure what to say about the hash you made of the pronunciation of the name either, other than don’t bother.
Not knowing the colour until you looked in the handbook on camera was also disappointing.
I watched the test until the end to see if things improved but I to be honest you lost me with your introduction.
I know TH-cam car test videos need to be entertaining but they also need to be well informed, you need to know what all the switches do and whether the glovebox is full before you go to camera and I thought it could have been much better.
I hope these comments are constructive because I don’t want to just rubbish your content, I’m sure they take a huge amount of time and effort to produce.
Hi Gary, really appreciate you taking the time to write all of that out. I fear that the points you have raised were deliberately kept in or scripted in the name of humour. I know there’s a great history of Saab but I felt this had already been covered extensively by others, including most famously - Top Gear. That’s why I tend to stay away from going into too much detail. It tends to put more general audiences off when you start to talk about the history of the badge etc. I try to keep the relevant facts in but unfortunately I know I’m never going to please the die hard fans of particular manufacturers. Overall I think the video has pretty good feedback so I’m happy that I made the right choice on this occasion. Maybe I’ll do more in-depth stuff in future videos.
@@BuckleUpShow Hi Rob, yes, you are probably right on how you presented the video, it has broad appeal.
I’m too pedantic I guess, I’m not sure why I commented this morning really, I usually keep my thoughts to myself but I’m a Fiat and Alfa Romeo owner of nearly 40 who has suffered ill informed abuse about dodgy electrics, poor build quality and rust. Made more painful by the fact that in my ownership of many Italian cars the complete opposite has been true!
So I guess I thought I was sticking up for the better informed general public!
I will consider things more carefully before I open my mouth again, it’s all about balance and yes you got it about right.
All the best Gary
Buy based on condition NOT model. A vector is easily mapped to aero spec for very little money. These are great cars that will only appreciate in value, buy while you can.
We love you on Dragons Den
You try to make it funny for clicks
No problem, I get that.... But....
Why not do a bit of homework first.
That saab has fibre optic connectibility from radio to amp, to rear amp, to CD player, to control behind the radio.
The engine in the aero 2.0 l
210 bhp standard, software remap
Stage one, intercooler, 245bhp,
Add three inch cat back, stage two
265bhp,
Aero has lowered sports suspension,
Optional extras, power folding mirrors, heated seats, electric seats,
Auto dimming mirror, 13 speaker system with integrated bose subwoofer, 18 in wheels, follow me home auto xenon self levelling headlights,
V6 2.8 aero manual convertible
Irmscher tuned is a magnificent car.
Check out Pacific builds on you tube
And watch a tuned saab.
The fiber optic cable doesn't make a difference that's actually perceptible to the driver, and nearly everything else you've said is about either tuning one or the Aero spec.
When we're doing a used car review we try to focus mostly on the specific spec of car we actually have in the video, and generally we don't talk about tuning at all.
Roof is designed to retract in 20 seconds,
While moving at no more than 20mph.
Your windows have not been programmed for pinch protection, and Allthough that was the object of some mirth, that is my point about homework, meaning how can you review if you don't know the basics of the cars peculiarities.
Not all of what I said was regarding tuning,
Particularly the last paragraph.
@caractacusbrittania7442 why has it taken you over a year to respond to this? I would’ve thought this would be long enough to formulate a comment that made any kind of sense…
It seems like you don't like this car from the outset bro. Honestly it doesn't feel like you are giving it a fair go. Just my opinion 👌
We are talking about the SAAB, right? The car I liked 🤷♂️
@@BuckleUpShow yeah you just seem very negative and kind of huff and sigh before speaking. No offence meant but thats the vibe I got watching this
I think that potential problem could be diagnosed as being British
@@BuckleUpShow not that British.. You didn't say sorry for no apparent reason 😂😂
this review was awesome lmao
Well that’s very kind, thank you Noah
No one ever knew that cup holder was there is the only reason why it still worked for you.... 😂
I was very impressed that it still worked tbh
The color is champagne.
Wrong
Is it correct, the bulkheads split at the steering rack making these useless ?
It is a known issue but because Saab are not really around anymore, it’s difficult to get figures to show how widespread the problem is.
The split bulkhead issue can happen to the NG900 platform (the early 93). I've had it. They can be repaired as I understand.
@@southendparaquest It was a problem on the earlier cars as you say. There aren't that many of those cars still around but buyer beware. Yes, there is a repair available.
Great review man!
I love the 9-3 Convertible, very quirky and stylish for its time!
S in saab Stands for Saftey! :D
Thanks for watching, appreciate it!
I just found one with 47k on it...and I'm taken it
this engine shines from 70 MPH -140 MPH
Power to you (but that’s illegal)
@@BuckleUpShow not on a track..
Don’t think there are any with a long enough straight for the Vector
Sorry Fella, you come across too Foolhardy to do this Job, should have done your homework before you started >> THIS is a Great Car !!
Not sure foolhardy is the word you’re looking for, but I don’t remember saying anything particularly damning about the car?
A clue you have not regarding many of the features.
You gave yourself away virtually from the start by not knowing how to operate the soft top.
Very simple, it remembers the last operation and if someone stopped before the cycle completd, it resumes from there, just as it did.
It completes that cycle in less that 15 seconds and can be operated while moving at below 20mph.
Get BMW out of your head!! They followed Saab in many aspects.
Saab were the 1st to use electronic engine managment, with the Trionic system.
The 1st to put turbos in production road cars.
Saab intended or tried to present this as a sporty model, No that's the Aero, the Vector is a cruise along comfort model.
Way back circa 1993 when this 1st appeared with all the same features, how many production cars do you think had paddle shift auto?
Truth be told it was much advanced compared to it's compeditors.
Sadly it stood still, under the control of General Motors, who only wanted the Trionic and Turbo assets of Saab and had no clue what to do with the company and its production.
After NOT just re-skinning a Vauxhall for the 3rd time GM pulled the plug.
If only they had let Saab continue being the inovators they were, the world would still have one of the very best production cars avaliable.
Hi Gordon, thanks for watching the video! Thought I would just help you out on a few of your points.
1) It is not our car, the roof doing the dance was amusing but also we didn't want to do anything to someone else's vehicle that might harm it so we didn't try it again. The car had just been detailed and as part of that the battery had been disconnected, hence the display that happened in the video.
2) It was a throwaway comment about it having narrow side grills that are similar in size and shape to equivalent age BMW kidney grills, it was not an accusation of theft. It certainly wasn't a statement on either companies technical achievements however...
3) since you've brought up turbos. The first production car with them was the Oldsmobile Turbo JetFire, all the way back in 1962, so in other words GM did it first. In addition both the BMW 2002 Turbo and the Porsche 911 Turbo came out before the 99 Turbo which was SAAB's first forced induction car.
4) I don't really know how you’re caveat-ing electronic engine management, but GM put an ECU in a car in 1978, Trionic came out with the 9000 in 1995, some 17 years later.
With all that said the 99 Turbo was very much the first accessible Turbocharged car and really opened the flood gates for forced induction to be widely adopted. Also SAAB has had lots of brilliant technical breakthroughs and innovations but for some reason you decided not to mention them and make things up instead. We like the 9-3, we REALLY like the pre GM cars. Hope that clears everything up for you.
Lots of love,
Buckle Up
Xxx
A beige Saab...so bland. And I love Saab, but YOUR car looks like a bar of soap or self pleasure aide.
Firstly, it’s not mine and secondly, it’s parchment silver metallic don’t you know…
GOD THIS GUY IS THICK I WOULD NOT LET HIM LOOSE ON A TOASTER LET ALONE A CAR .
Can you be more specific? Also, why are you shouting?
do lift your headrest before you start to drive.
It's actually a head restraint
The colour is called M I think
It’s called parchment silver metallic
Sabb need to be resawrecked again
That would be nice
Never send a boy to do a man's job
Stick to kiddy cars.
Something the matter, franko?
I know someone named Franko isn’t upset
Jeez man, you're getting a lot of hate for this review 🤯🤯🤯🙄
That’s the fun part! People have no sense of humour whatsoever and it’s great to know they think we care what they have to say 😂
Seems a bit mixed up
No it's shown in order, it's not a Tarantino film
A Brit calling anything weird is rich
Thank you
It was never meant as a sports car. To review it as one is a fail.
Remind me where I do that?
An initial run-through would've probably helped this rough presentation give the viewer something other than the indigestion of seeing a half-baked video on a car given by someone who knew nothing about it. What a waste of time.
Which bits were wrong?
Maybe you should of spent some time familiarising yourself first with the car. Before video, stops the awkward moments that you get into
We do spend time with the cars we film first. The ‘awkward moments’ are supposed to be comedic, but I can clearly see this has failed 😞
@@BuckleUpShow I'm afraid dismally, not funny, more embarrassing on your behalf, suggest that you might put them as a group at end of review, and pass them off as bloopers
I thought SAAB owners were meant to be nice? Clearly you must be an exception to the rule
Tengo uno de ese año93 con100⁹ millas lo estoy vendiendo mi hija no lo quiere por2000 dólares si te enteresa comunícate con Migo.
It might help any interested parties to know where you're based
Don't give up your day job.
Why not?
There's a lot of very unfunny time wasting in this video.
That’s what the skip button is for 👍