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2003 Saab 9-3

2003 Saab 9-3
Overall rating:  Product Rating: 3.5

Reviewed by 38 users

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Buyer Beware!

by lotsofonions
Nov 04 '03 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 1.0 Recommended: No 

Pros: NONE
Cons: VERY POOR Customer Service. Lack of design quality in parts.
The Bottom Line: If you want a quality vehicle with good customer service, don't buy this vehicle.

This has been my experience with the 2003 9-3 Linear (owned for 10 months then claimed lemon law on Saab). The short end of my experience is that I have taken back my Saab 9-3 more than eight times it seems, attempting to rectify the following problems: ...

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Warning: DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT YOUR CAR!

by lalagrant
Feb 06 '04 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 2.0 Recommended: No 

Pros: zippy with better interior features.
Cons: delicate electrical system could leave you stranded - please read.
The Bottom Line: Don't buy/lease this car unless you plan to drive it every day.

First let me tell you that I have driven Saabs for several years, and I love them. I was delighted when I test-drove the new 9-3s, as I had worried that GM would turn them into golf carts. Not so - the new 9-3 is far zippier than its earlier models, ...

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Ummm Not So Much

by buyabmw
Aug 31 '04 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 2.0 Recommended: No 

Pros: Good looks-GM Lease-Lots of Features
Cons: Should come with a live-in mechanic
The Bottom Line: Run for your nearest BMW dealer ship...They cost more for a reason.

I purchased my 9-3 from seeing at the car show. Good looks, 17's, on-star, a ton of cool features and GM lease to boot! Sounds great right? Wrong!! I was lucky enough to buy one of the first 9-3's in town. It came well equipped with the "launch package" ...

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Test drives 9-3 Linears

by edtass
Jan 18 '04 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 3.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: Size, brakes, handling, drivetrain, appearance
Cons: Road noise, road noise, road noise, interior needs to be screwed together better, fuel consumption
The Bottom Line: A good car if you love its better traits, but the negatives can spoil the joy.

Drove two new 9-3 Linears very recently, both automatics. -2003 with 17" wheels, too much tendency to follow road irregularities; squirrelly at high highway speeds (90 mph) -2004 with 16"s: eliminated 95% of the tendency, and about 90% of the ...

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Linear too vanilla; Vector could be better

by mkaresh mkaresh is a Lead on Epinions in Cars & Motorsports, Epinions Most Popular Authors - Top 10
Feb 08 '03 - Updated Jun 22 '05 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 3.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: Safety features, refinement
Cons: In Linear form not especially sporty, no lateral support, limited rear knee room
The Bottom Line: Acceptable for someone wanting a refined, safe, European car for not too much money. For enthusiasts the Linear won't do.

For 2003 Saab has fully redesigned its smaller car, the 9-3. The new car, like the one it replaced, is based off a GM corporate platform, in this case GM's new Epsilon platform. This platform will also provide the basis for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu, ...

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Bad Car.... Good Ending

by wendsley
Apr 09 '03 - Updated Jul 09 '03 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 3.0 Recommended: No 

Pros: Cornering, Ignition Location and vehicle styling, Good Corporate Values
Cons: Unreliability
The Bottom Line: I would not recommend purchasing until the idiosyncrocies are worked out. But I have since purchaed a 9-5 Arc instead of the 9-3 and have been extremely happy.

I purchased a 2003 Saab 9-3 Linear w/ Launch package (Steel Grey) approximately 2 months ago. Four days after my purchase I was driving using the steptronic shifting and the car lost power. Warning lights came on and the dash said to pull over and...

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Sport Sedan Pretender

by fatfree49
Jun 09 '06 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 3.0 Recommended: No 

Pros: Safe, quiet, peppy economical, great brakes
Cons: Poor handling, loose steering, poor tires
The Bottom Line: Good for basic safe economical transportation. Definitely not a sports sedan.

Unlike the above review, I am talking about the Saab Linear Sedan. First the good things and there are many. The engine, even the 175 hp in the Linear model is smooth, quiet, refined and has plenty of pep with the 5 speed manual. I came from a 6 ...

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Is it Still a Saab?

by jakemj8402
Sep 08 '03 - Updated Mar 05 '04 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 4.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: Handling, Braking, Seat Comfort, Trunk Space
Cons: It's no longer a Saab, just the next generation Pontiac Grand Am.
The Bottom Line: The eccentric Swedish company is forever gone. Beware of poor value and reliability.

Introduction: Does anyone remember when Saabs were Saabs? If you’re a Saabophile, you know what I'm talking about. Intelligent, Eccentric, out-of-the-box thinkers were Saab owners in the past; now its the provincial and less intelligent GM ...

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A worthy competitor

by herrg
Sep 08 '03 - Updated Sep 09 '03 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 4.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: safety, power, handling, exterior styling
Cons: shift linkage, seats, interior materials
The Bottom Line: The Saab 9-3 Vector("Aero" for 2004) is a strong performer. And if you can live with its idiosyncracies, it offers a nice alternative to the German marques.

I was a bit apprehensive coming to the Saab 9-3 Vector from a BMW 325xi. And, while some might think that my comparison of the Saab to the 325 is unfair, the BMW 3 series (along with the Audi A4) is, according to Saab, the "competition". Let me begin wit ...

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Saab 9-3 Sedan

by autojc
Feb 01 '03 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 4.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: handling, braking, build quality, safety gear
Cons: Ride, parking brake, radio controls
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this car for hard core Saab enthusiasts.

I had the Saab 9-3 as a service loaner for two days, during which I drove it about 100 miles.

I was impressed with the handling. I believe this to be the car's best feature. The car's steering is communicative and nicely weighted, and very...

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A lot to like but needs improvement

by denantiquer
Dec 18 '02 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 4.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: Excellent handling/cornering; superior braking; pleasure on twists and turns; pleasure to look at.
Cons: Inferior stereo; fit and finish not up to German and high-end Japanese standards.
The Bottom Line: Saab should refine this car which is under par to be taken seriously in the near-luxury segment. Offerings by Lexus, Infiniti, Volvo, Audi, BMW are far nearer to luxury.

Saab has a lot going for it here with the first "mainstream" 9-3 series. The car is a beauty though its lines are conventional. Not a single bad viewing angle which can't be said about a few of its competitors in the category.

The handling and...

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Five years in, still happy

by ayjay
Apr 04 '08 - Updated Oct 21 '08 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 4.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: Handling, acceleration, mileage, appearance.
Cons: Engine noise under acceleration, cost of parts when needed.
The Bottom Line: After five years on the road, my 2003 Saab 9-3 is (almost) as good as new and continues to provide driving enjoyment.

My 2003 Saab 9-3 Linear is approaching its fifth birthday, and I have no regrets. It has been reliable, fun, and surprisingly inexpensive to operate. I wasn't actually planning to buy a Saab, but an opportunity came up to buy a 18-month old 2003 ...

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A Sweet Swede, Sans the Hatch

by workscorp
Jul 21 '04 - Updated Sep 04 '04 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 4.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: Gadgets galore, handling, ride, quietness
Cons: Gadgets galore, funny interior smell at first, poor quality interior materials, gauges
The Bottom Line: A lot of car for the buck. Whether past, present or never a Saab owner, check it out.

Author's note: My car is an early-production 2003 model which allows me to give worthwhile feedback on usefullness and reliability. Saab changed the model designation of Vector to Aero for 2004, along with a couple of options. These changes are ...

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Good Value in a European Sedan

by kjacobs2
Sep 20 '04 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 4.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: Non-conformist styling, gas mileage, handling, comfortable seats, terrific brakes, large cargo capacity, good value
Cons: Weak bass response, jolting ride over rough terrain, interior could be quieter
The Bottom Line: Buy this car because (choose one or more): 1)Value is important, 2)Safety is important 3) Comfort is important 4)I'm a non-conformist

I purchased a '03 Arc 6-speed in mid-April '04 and now have nearly 10k in road experience. If you're looking for an all-around good value, look no further, particularly if you can strike a deal on a model-year closeout. I also test drove a Mazda 6, ...

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My 9-3 Vector (aka Aero) after 2 1/2 years

by davlav,
Aug 12 '05 - Updated Nov 18 '05 

Author's Product Rating: Product Rating: 4.0 Recommended: Yes 

Pros: Styling, interior quality, acceleration, handling, safety
Cons: Turbo lag, FWD, minor ergonomic issues
The Bottom Line: If Saab would only develop an all-wheel drive system for the 9-3, I might consider another one.

I leased this car in the spring of 2003. I was living in New Orleans, LA and was driving a 2001 Audi TT. With a baby on the way and my beloved TT getting beaten up by the horrendous New Orleans roads (I lived in many places throughout the US, from ...

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