22 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
The Saab 9-5 Sedan is one sweet car
Date of Review: Mar 26, 2001
The Bottom Line: This car is great, and the service that you get at the dealership is even better.
I bought a new 2001 Saab 9-5 sedan about a month ago, and I can't get over it. It is a great car. Its no Jaguar, but hey, its not meant to be!
In the following article I will list the features that the car has, provide comments on those features, and then give you my personal view of the car. (I'm not commenting on ALL the features because some are self explanatory).
The Car
The car has: Light alloy wheels 16 inches 10-spoke,
BBS One-Piece 17 inches Alloy Wheel/Tire Package (optional),
Metallic Paint (optional),
TCS Traction Control System,
ABS Anti-lock Braking System,
EBD Electronic Brake-force Distribution,
Manual 5-speed gear box,
Automatic 4-speed (optional),
Leather seats,
Cloth upholstery,
Cabin air filter,
Separate heating controls for driver and passenger,
Heat absorbing glass,
Electrically operated windows, front seats, and mirrors,
Two sun visors on each side,
Cupholders in dash, console and rear center armrest,
Front and rear heated seats!!!!(optional)
Audio System (AS2), Radio/cassette/CD, 150 W, 7 speakers,
Audio remote control on steering wheel,
Onstar,
Weather band,
Cruise Control,
Information display (SID 2) with trip computer,
Night panel,
Remote for locking/unlocking,
Ventilated seats (optional, not really worth it),
No-Charge Scheduled Maintenance, 3 years/36,000 miles
Commentary on the car:
The traction control system, the break distribution system and the anti-lock breaks work extremely well. Anti-lock breaks can be a problem in the winter, but the Saab 9-5 has an option called "winter mode", which gives the car extra traction and control in icy conditions. You can choose manual or automatic transmission, and that just depends on your personal preference (I have automatic).
The seats and upholstery are nice. The heating function on the seats is great, and I don't remember it adding much to the price tag, so I would HIGHLY recommend it. The separate heating controls for the driver and passenger are no big deal, I personally don't think it really makes any difference to the temperature of the car. Lots of cup holders, which is a plus, and electrically operated locks, windows, and seats don't hurt.
There are 7 speakers throughout the Saab's interior, and they work very well. I am not an audio expert, but to my untrained ears, the speakers are perfect. You can operate the radio from the driving wheel, which is a good feature, and it saves you all the trouble of leaning over to change channels! I have not used OnStar myself, but I have heard that you can use it to find directions, see if planes are on time, and (possibly) even trade stocks! The information display is on the front panel of the car where the radio is, and it will tell you temperature, gallons per mile, how much gas is left in the tank, etc. Ventilated seats are not really worth it, they supposedly cool down the seats faster in the summer, but to me it just looks like a feature that would break within a year. Great warranty plan, I haven't had to use it yet, but it's always good to have (and its free!).
Safety
Saabs are known for their safety, and the Saab 9-5 is no exception. It includes these features:
Driver/passanger head and torso airbags,
Headlamp wash/wipe,
Front and rear foglights,
Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR), front seats,
Load-shifting protection in the rear seat,
Saab Anti-theft alarm with immobilizer
Commentary on safety
I have not seen the airbags deployed, but Saabs have a good safety reputation, and so I trust that they work fine. The anti-theft alarm is a good thing to have, and you know it is working because it has a little red light which tells you when it's on.
The Service
The people at the Saab dealership were the kindest, least intrusive car dealers I have ever met. They were extremely helpful, and even let me test drive any car with a full tank of gas. They had the car there the day I wanted it, and there was barely any haggling over prices. Instead of forcing his business card on me, the dealer I was talking with waited until I actually asked him for it. Can you believe that? All in all, the dealership was great.
My Experience
One word. Unbelievable. I have had the car for a little while now, and it's great. I have had no problems whatsoever. The car is very roomy, and drives well. I clean it every week or so, because I hate to see such a nice car become dirty. The heated seats are definitely the way to go. I had checked out some Volvos the day before, but their service was terrible and I didn't really like the car. Oh also, a little tip, in some lighting the Midnight Blue color looks purple, so if you don't want your car looking purple go for black or silver. Great car, good service, happy customer! I hope you like it as much as I do!
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